First Impressions
Birch Gin is distilled in micro-batches of around 200 bottles using the one-shot method — distilling the exact amount of botanicals in one go, never adding concentrate or compounding afterwards. The signature botanical is birch syrup, which provides a caramel sweetness and woody depth that is genuinely unique among gins. This is a luxury handcrafted spirit that has earned recognition from the Great Taste Awards 2023, whose judges praised its 'bold and flavoursome complexity of botanicals in harmony'.
Tasting
Eleven botanicals: birch syrup, juniper, coriander, rosemary, orris root, lemongrass, orange, lime, grapefruit, cardamom, and ginger. The nose is a journey — clean spice, citrus, and herbs with the birch sap adding a woody, sweet quality. On the palate at 42%, warming spices arrive first, followed by the sweetness of triple citrus, then ginger, woody birch tones, and caramel from the sap. A floral explosion mid-palate adds drama. The finish is peppery with ginger warmth and lingering birch caramel.
The Bottom Line
Birch earns a 7 — the birch syrup provides a flavour dimension — woody caramel — that no other gin botanical delivers. The 200-bottle batches and one-shot method ensure consistency and quality, and the triple citrus prevents the birch from making this too sweet. Great Taste Award judges confirmed: this stands up to tonic with slightly sharp characteristics. Best in a G&T with aromatic tonic and a twist of grapefruit. At £38, premium but justified by the micro-batch scale and unique botanical.
