There are gins that sit quietly on the back bar, and then there are gins that demand a conversation. Scapegrace Premium Black Gin is firmly in the latter camp. This is a London Dry that announces itself before you've even poured it — that striking, naturally dark liquid is one of the most visually arresting things you'll find in the spirits world, and it immediately tells you that the distillers behind this bottle aren't interested in playing it safe.
A London Dry With Character
What I find particularly impressive about the Scapegrace Premium Black is the ambition of the project. Achieving that deep, inky colour through natural botanical infusion rather than artificial colouring is no small feat, and it speaks to a team that understands extraction and maceration at a genuinely technical level. At 41.6% ABV, it sits in that sweet spot where you get enough strength to carry bold botanical character without tipping into harshness — a considered choice that suggests careful calibration during development.
As a London Dry, this has to meet strict production standards: natural botanicals, no artificial flavours, and juniper-led character. The fact that Scapegrace have managed to work within those constraints while producing something so visually and stylistically distinctive earns real respect from me. This is craft distilling that balances tradition with genuine innovation.
Best Served
I'd reach for this in a classic Martini — the visual impact alone makes it a showstopper, and the London Dry backbone should provide the structure a Martini demands. Go with a 3:1 ratio, a quality dry vermouth, and a lemon twist rather than an olive to keep things elegant. If you want something longer, a simple G&T with a premium Indian tonic and a grapefruit peel garnish would let the gin do the talking while that remarkable colour transforms in the glass.
