There are gins that speak of wild moors and ancient stills, and then there are gins that speak of something else entirely — of opulence, of dark fruit tumbling into a crystal coupe, of an evening that refuses to end quietly. Tanqueray Blackcurrant Royale belongs firmly in the latter camp.
A Bold Departure from the House Style
Tanqueray has long been one of the great pillars of London Dry gin — that juniper-forward, no-nonsense backbone that has anchored countless martinis and gin and tonics since Charles Tanqueray first fired up his still in Bloomsbury in 1830. The Blackcurrant Royale expression takes that heritage and steers it somewhere decidedly more flamboyant. At 41.3% ABV, it sits at a strength that suggests confidence without aggression — enough to carry the blackcurrant character through a mixed drink without collapsing under the weight of tonic or ice.
What strikes me about this gin is its intent. It isn't trying to be a classical London Dry, nor is it abandoning its roots entirely. The blackcurrant influence is unmistakable — a rich, almost regal fruitiness that gives the spirit its name and its personality. There's a theatrical quality here, as though Tanqueray decided to dress its dependable house style in velvet for the evening.
At £28.25, you're paying a fair price for a flavoured expression from one of the world's most recognised gin houses. It won't replace a bone-dry London Dry in your martini rotation, but that was never the point. This is a gin that knows exactly what it wants to be.
Rating: 7.5/10
A well-executed flavoured gin from a house that understands structure. It delivers on its promise without losing sight of the juniper foundation beneath.
Best served with a light Indian tonic over plenty of ice, garnished with a few fresh blackcurrants or a twist of lemon — ideally on a late summer evening when the light is fading and the mood calls for something a touch indulgent.
