East London Liquor Co. arrived on the craft scene with a clear mission: strip back the noise and let good distilling do the talking. Their London Dry sits at a straightforward 40% ABV and carries a price tag of £28.50 — firmly in accessible territory. For a category that can lean either painfully traditional or wilfully eccentric, this bottle threads a smart middle line.
Style & Botanical Character
The botanical bill here is compact but cleverly constructed. Juniper leads, as any self-respecting London Dry demands, but the supporting cast tells you the distillers were thinking about balance rather than spectacle. Lemon and grapefruit peel bring citrus brightness — not the candied sweetness you get from some contemporary gins, but a cleaner, zestier lift. Coriander seed adds that familiar warm spice backbone, while angelica root does the quiet structural work it always does, binding the lighter top notes to the heavier base.
Where things get interesting is the inclusion of cubeb berries and cardamom. Cubeb is one of those botanicals I first encountered in Indonesian markets — it sits somewhere between black pepper and allspice, with a faintly resinous, almost eucalyptus-like edge. Paired with green cardamom, it gives the gin a subtle warmth and aromatic complexity that lifts it above a straightforward juniper-and-citrus profile. These two ingredients suggest a distillery comfortable enough to nod at the wider world of spice without turning the gin into a novelty act.
The Verdict
As a London Dry at this price point, East London Liquor Co. Gin does a lot right. The botanical selection is thoughtful — modern enough to hold your attention, classic enough to work across a range of serves. At 40% ABV it is not going to bulldoze through a heavy tonic or a citrus-forward cocktail, which may frustrate drinkers who prefer their gin with more muscle. A navy strength version would be a welcome addition to the range.
That said, for everyday drinking this is a reliable, well-made gin. The cubeb and cardamom give it a signature worth returning to, and the price keeps it within reach for a weeknight G&T rather than a bottle you save for occasions. I am giving it a 7.7 out of 10 — solid craft work with enough personality to stand out, though it stops just short of truly memorable.
Best Served
Try this with a light Indian tonic, a thin wheel of pink grapefruit, and a bruised cardamom pod dropped into the glass. If you are feeling adventurous, build a simple highball: 50ml gin, 20ml fresh yuzu or lime juice, a teaspoon of honey syrup, topped with chilled soda and a strip of grapefruit zest. The citrus in the gin locks in beautifully with the yuzu, and the cubeb spice gives the drink a long, peppery finish that pairs brilliantly with grilled satay or tempura.
