Whenever a gin lover will inspect the shelves of her or his local liquor store or supermarket these days, there will always be new, innovative newcomers to that fiercely contested market. However, of course, there will always remain some of the old favourites, which already represent good quality and were able to establish themselves since years. One of the latter is certainly the green glass bottle with the embedded key. Although sometimes it doesn’t seem to fit into the modern gin world. (provided test product)*

In fact, we are not dealing here with a so-called New Western Dry Gin, but with a representative of the more classic taste dimensions in the gin sector. So it comes along with only six botanicals: three fruits and three spices (juniper, angelica roots, coriander, orange peels, cardamom, and grapefruit), which may be one reason for the number 3 on the bottle. Above all, however, it stands for the house number No. 3 in St. James Street, London, where the Berry Bros. & Rudd company has been based since 1698. A truly classic London Dry Gin – one would think.

The No. 3 is indeed a London Dry Gin (otherwise it wouldn’t be written on the bottle), but it is produced in the Netherlands. There it is made in a traditional distillery with over 300 years of history. So far, so good. 46% vol. are an appealing value at which the gin finally finds its way into the bottle. To be honest, I am also happy to be able to taste a more classic gin here once in a while.

Tasting Notes:

Aroma: Yes, this is indeed a beautiful and very skilfully made London Dry Gin with a classic character. Clearly, the juniper plays the leading role here, a certain citrus freshness is also part of the game, but the juniper makes clear who has the say in the glass. No disturbing alcohol stands out; the aroma is fresh, spicy and straightforward.

Taste: The juniper is also the main protagonist on the palate. Notes of orange peel and grapefruit accompany the juniper, but above all, cardamom stands out and thus emphasizes the Gin No.3 on a very appealingly, yet complex level, which simply proves that you don’t need 20+ botanicals to make a multi-layered gin. A few associations of ginger come up, even though there was none used.

Finish: dry, earthy and here too the juniper dominates.

With such a beautiful London Dry Gin, I wanted to offer a more refreshing drink today. But one that comes with a special flair. Recently I’ve written here about four liqueurs from the Doragrossa range, including the Doragrossa Liquore Menta di Pancalieri. This mint liqueur offers a very distinctive and powerful character, which you have to be very careful with in a drink if you don’t want to risk a full overminting. But especially in combination with fresh lemon and orange, the Menta di Pancalieri can shine here – and also works absolutely harmoniously with the spicy character of the No. 3 London Dry Gin. A few dashes of Celery Bitters complete this uncomplicated, yet sophisticated drink: The Minty Glinty.

Recipe “The Minty Glinty”:

6 cl No. 3 London Dry Gin
2 cl lemon juice
2 cl orange juice
2 bar spoons Doragrossa Liquore Menta di Pancalieri
1 cl sugar syrup
2 Dashes Celery Bitters

Preparation: Shake all ingredients vigorously on ice, strain into a pre-cooled glass and spray with the oil of an orange zest.

Glass: Cocktail / Martini or Coupette

Garnish: orange zest

Buying sources: At specialized retailers or online

*The fact that this product has been sent to me free of charge for editorial purposes does not – in any way – imply any influence on the content of this article or my rating. On the contrary, it is always an indispensable condition for me to be able to review without any external influence.