Andrea Da Ponte Golden Rive London Dry Gin

Distilleria Andrea Da Ponte has made grappa in the hills of Conegliano since 1892, the descendants of brothers Matteo and Andrea da Ponte working only with pomace from the region's best vineyards. That precision carries into Golden Rive London Dry, a gin pared back to six botanicals: juniper, angelica, cinnamon, coriander, cardamom and lemon peel, each given room to register.

The nose is floral, jasmine and cardamom lifting over the juniper. The palate is soft and gently spiced, coriander and cinnamon warming a base of bright citrus, and the finish turns balsamic and long. It rewards a stirred Dry Martini or a measured gin and tonic, but is poised enough to sip on its own.