First Impressions
Sloane's Dry Gin takes its name from Sir Hans Sloane — the 17th-century physician and botanist whose collection of natural specimens eventually became the foundation of the British Museum. It is an apt namesake for a gin that treats its nine botanicals with the care of a naturalist cataloguing specimens. Distilled in the Netherlands at Toorank Distilleries, Sloane's brings a Dutch precision to gin-making that creates a spirit of remarkable cleanliness and balance.
The standout botanical is Madagascan whole vanilla pods — an unusual inclusion that gives the gin its most distinctive characteristic. Each botanical is distilled separately before blending, allowing the distillers to control the contribution of each ingredient with absolute precision.
The Distillery
Toorank Distilleries in the Netherlands produces Sloane's using a method where each of the nine botanicals — juniper, cardamom, Italian iris root, Moroccan coriander, angelica root, Indian liquorice root, Madagascan whole vanilla pods, Spanish lemons, and sweet oranges — is distilled individually. The resulting distillates are then blended in precise proportions. This approach is labour-intensive but allows a level of control that one-pot distillation cannot achieve.
Tasting
The nose is clean, aromatic, and notably delicate. Fragrant citrus notes — grapefruit and lemon zest — rise over coriander and piney juniper, with floral hints of lavender and rose adding elegance. It is a nose that whispers rather than shouts, and the delicacy speaks to the individual distillation method — nothing is muddied or competing for attention.
On the palate, the gin is remarkably clean, very soft, and beautifully balanced. Juniper is evident but does not dominate, allowing citrus, cardamom, and coriander to share the stage as equals. Sweet citrus peels provide brightness, and then the vanilla arrives — not as a heavy, dessert-like sweetness but as a suggestion of vanilla ice cream, subtle and pleasing. As the gin develops on the tongue, floral notes return alongside hints of peppery spice, with coriander and cardamom adding warmth and complexity. The mouthfeel is silky and elegant.
The finish is where the gin shows its one limitation: it does not last long. The floral, woody notes are lovely while they persist — the juniper tapering off to leave a pleasant citrus zest sensation with hints of lingering spice — but the finish lacks the persistence of bolder gins. It is a gentle, refined conclusion rather than a dramatic one.
How to Drink It
The delicate character makes Sloane's a natural for a Martini — the vanilla adds a subtle richness that works beautifully with dry vermouth. Try it at 4:1 with a lemon twist. In a G&T, use a lighter tonic — Fever-Tree Naturally Light — to avoid overwhelming the gin's softer character, and garnish with a vanilla bean half and a strip of orange peel.
The vanilla note also makes it an unusual and interesting Negroni ingredient, where the sweetness finds an intriguing partner in the bitterness of Campari.
The Bottom Line
Sloane's Dry Gin earns a 7 for its remarkable cleanliness, delicate balance, and the genuine distinction that the Madagascan vanilla brings. The individual distillation method produces a gin of unusual precision — every botanical is clearly articulated without any one element obscuring the others. The only drawback is a finish that exits too quickly, leaving you wanting more persistence from a gin that has so much to offer in the nose and palate. At around £30, it is well-priced for the quality and the thoughtfulness of the production. A gin for drinkers who appreciate subtlety over spectacle.
