First Impressions
Pothecary — the old English word for apothecary — is created by Martin Jennings at Soapbox Spirits in Dorset. The approach is minimalist and precise: just five botanicals, each distilled separately before being blended together. This individual distillation method is less common and more labour-intensive, but it yields incomparable clarity of flavour — each botanical retains its full character rather than compromising in a communal still. The majority of botanicals are hand-foraged and organic by default; those that are not are certified organic.
Tasting
Five botanicals: juniper, lemon peel, tilia flowers, lavender, and black mulberry. On the nose, florals transport you to a Dorset meadow at first light — tilia flowers contribute a strong honey scent with juniper present throughout. The palate delivers a lavender explosion: strong, herbal, and savoury, before yielding to juniper and a marmalade-like lemon peel. Tilia flower brings honeyed sweetness, and black mulberry adds dark fruit depth. The finish sees lemon peel circle back to dominate after the honey and lavender. Full-bodied at 44.8%.
The Bottom Line
Pothecary earns a 7 — proof that five botanicals distilled with precision can deliver more complexity than twenty thrown into a single pot. The tilia flower is the revelation: a botanical rarely seen in gin, providing honeyed sweetness that works beautifully against the savoury lavender. Best in a G&T with Mediterranean tonic and a lemon twist, or neat where the individual distillation technique reveals itself in the clarity of each flavour. At £46, premium pricing justified by organic sourcing and the labour-intensive production method.
