Sharish Blue Gin

Sharish comes from Monsaraz, a small hilltop town in Portugal's Alentejo, where master distiller Antonio Cuco distils a pure agricultural spirit with carefully chosen botanicals. The line-up runs from juniper, coriander and angelica through ginger, cinnamon and cardamom to citrus and apple, but the showpiece is the Clitoria ternatea, or blue pea flower, which dyes the gin a deep natural blue and then shifts it toward soft pink and violet when it meets the acidity of tonic or citrus.

The nose is fresh, fruity and floral, juniper and citrus alongside apple and a subtle spice. The palate is soft and balanced, juniper and ginger with fresh lemon and a quiet sweetness, the finish gentle, faintly floral and long with fruity freshness. Build it as a classic G&T over plenty of ice with a slice of lemon, then watch the colour bloom from blue to rose.