Sipsmith V.j.o.p. Signature Edition Series

Sipsmith fired up the first copper pot still in London in nearly two centuries back in 2009, and has stayed devoted to small-batch London Dry ever since. VJOP, Very Junipery Over Proof, is their love letter to the defining berry: extra juniper added at three stages and the strength dialled up to 57.7%, so the botanical that gives gin its name gets the loudest voice in the room. It is single-mindedness bottled.

The nose is classic and resinous, juniper foremost, with bright orange peel and a thread of cedar wood. The palate arrives rich and spicy, the pine swelling alongside a curious note of dark chocolate, before a long, dry, balanced finish that hums with juniper. Strong enough to carry a Negroni without flinching, or simply lengthened with a premium tonic and an orange twist.