Amuerte Coca Gin – Red Edition

Amuerte's Red Edition is the Belgian house at its most flamboyant, built around coca leaf once chewed across the Inca Empire to keep hunger and fatigue at bay. Now in its fourth generation, the gin folds in exotic South American fruit and, for this release, pineberry, the pale strawberry that smells of pineapple. The bottle itself is a small monument, wrapped in 24-carat gold leaf by artists Havi Cruz and Adrian Dominguez, a reminder that life is short and best enjoyed loudly.

The nose is clean and balanced, with green coca and soft fruit rising first. On the palate it is fresh and fruity, pineberry and strawberry threaded through resinous juniper and a herbal coca undercurrent, with pineapple brightening the middle. The finish runs long and gently sweet. Pour it over ice in a large glass with premium tonic and a few hulled strawberries to let the fruit sing.