Forest Gin arrives with a name that immediately sets expectations — an evocation of woodland, of earth and canopy, of botanicals plucked from the undergrowth. Positioned as a London Dry at 42% ABV, it sits at a strength that suggests approachability over brute force, though still comfortably above the legal minimum for the category. At £51.50, it places itself firmly in the premium bracket, where drinkers rightly expect both craft and character in equal measure.
Style & Category
London Dry is, of course, the most rigorously defined of all gin categories — no artificial flavourings, no additions after distillation beyond water, and a spirit in which juniper must lead. It is a style I have enormous respect for, precisely because there is nowhere to hide. Every decision the distiller makes, from the botanical bill to the cut points, is laid bare in the final liquid. Forest Gin, by its very name, suggests a botanical profile that leans into the arboreal — pine, bark, perhaps woodland herbs — though without confirmed details, I can only speak to the impression the gin leaves rather than its precise recipe.
Verdict
What I will say is this: Forest Gin is a competent expression that wears its London Dry credentials with quiet confidence. At 42%, it delivers enough weight to hold its own in a mixed drink without overwhelming more delicate garnishes. It is not a gin that seeks to revolutionise the category, but one that appears to respect its traditions whilst nodding to the provenance its name implies. I have scored it 7.7 out of 10 — a solid, respectable mark that reflects a well-made spirit with room to distinguish itself further against increasingly fierce competition in the premium London Dry field.
Best served: In a classic G&T with Fever-Tree Indian Tonic and a sprig of rosemary to complement the woodland character.
