National Distillery Company - Verdigris

Nose: Citrus, juniper and bay leaf. Palate: Creamy arrival with citrus and juniper immediately apparent. Some peppery notes later on. Good texture. Finish: Medium. Creamy, citrus but a touch sour in the aftertaste when taken neat. A standard London dry gin recipe with juniper and citrus in the forefront, but it needs something extra to soften the main botanicals. Other than that there is nothing to criticize, but nothing to wax lyrical about either. It's a fine “average” gin. It did come to life when used as the base for a gin and tonic but I was not sufficiently enthused to buy a bottle. However, I must mention, we tried this and the other National Distillery gins that I’m reviewing here at the distillery in Napier, New Zealand, and their tour of the distillery and following tasting was gracious, engaging and very well worth the time and cost. Highly recommended if you happen to be in Napier. Verdigris is a term used to refer to the green patina that appears on copper as it oxidizes, but I'm not sure why they chose that name for this gin. Maybe making it turned the stills green! “Average” : 78/100 (2.75 stars)