Boodles British London Dry Gin

Boodles takes its name from the Boodle's gentleman's club in St James's, a haunt of Churchill among others, and has been distilled since 1845. Its trick is one of omission: where most London Drys lean on citrus, Boodles leaves it out altogether, building instead on spicy, herbal botanicals such as nutmeg, rosemary and sage. Distilled from pure British wheat spirit in traditional copper stills, it has an unusually smooth character.

The nose is finely herbal, juniper alongside nutmeg and rosemary. The palate is dry, elegant and soft, a measured balance of spicy and floral nuance, with a long, mildly spiced finish trailing a hint of herbs. Pour a gin and tonic with a neutral tonic and a sprig of rosemary rather than the usual lemon, and let its herbal backbone come through.