Hayman’s of London Old Tom Gin

Hayman's Old Tom revives a style that all but vanished, the sweeter, rounder gin that bridged the gap between heavy genever and the bone-dry London Dry that followed. Distilled at the family's London distillery from a historic recipe, it carries the botanicals you'd expect, juniper, coriander, angelica root, citrus peel, with liquorice lending a natural, gentle sweetness rather than added sugar. The result is milder and less austere than a modern dry gin, which is precisely the point.

The nose is balanced juniper and citrus with a soft floral note. The palate is round and smooth, juniper and fresh lemon meeting mild spice and a fine sweetness, while the finish runs medium-length and gently spiced, with hints of liquorice and citrus peel. This is the gin for a proper Martinez or a Tom Collins, where its sweetness comes into its own; in a G&T, reach for a Mediterranean tonic and a slice of fresh orange.