The London No.1 Gin, 70 cl

Product Information

This is one of our first of many projects towards expansion into the U.S. market,” says Jorge Grosse, González Byass CEO. “With the gin and tonic trend exploding in Spain, and the continued interest in super-premium spirits in the U.S., the timing couldn’t be more appropriate to bring London No. 1 to the U.S.” The world of gin is awash in numbers. There is Tanqueray No. Ten. Beefeater 24. Monkey 47. No. 3. No. 209. And London 40. Now the numismatics are coming full circle, with The London No. 1. Critics are enjoying London No. 1, as well. In 2013, London No. 1 took home gold medals in both The Spirits Business Gin Masters Competition and WSWA Tasting Competition hosted by Tasting Panel Magazine. The London No. 1 – one of a handful of gins actually distilled in London – was created to echo the complex and full bodied gins of yesteryear, albeit with a modern twist – a striking turquoise-blue colour derived from maceration with gardenia flowers. The gin is finished with bergamot oil, giving a perfumed aroma of Earl Grey tea. Citrus qualities marry beautifully with the fresh and juicy flavors of Italian orange and lemon peel. London No. 1 is quadruple-distilled, resulting in a full-bodied, modern gin that has a nose with marked notes of balsamic herbs, spices, juniper and truffle.

The blueness is a nod toward one of the more unique botanicals in the mix here, namely the iris flowers used here as an addition to the more standard juniper, coriander, angelica, lemon peel, orange peel, and both cassia and cinnamon. Also in the blend are liquorice, almond, savory, and bergamot. That sounds like a lot, but London No. 1 is surprisingly well-constructed. On the nose you’ll find a solid juniper base, plus hints of caramel sauce, orange and even grapefruit notes. The licorice character is mild but distinct — while this ingredient is becoming commonplace in modern gins, this is one of the few products I can recall where I could actually taste the licorice element.The London No 1 gin er en af vores foretrukne gin, når det kommer til at lave en helt klassisk gin & tonic. Ginnens smagsnoter er mange, og inviterer ginnen til gin og tonics, der involverer urter og citrusfrugter. Man kan med fordel tilføje peber for at frembringe urtesmagen i sin gin og tonic. The great thing about gin is it can be stored for years without going off, but it’s recommended to drink it within two years of opening. Even if you tightly reseal it, it’ll likely lose taste and quality if you leave it any longer. What are the different types of gin? There is also a light astringency in the air above the glass stemming from the higher than normal alcohol content, and this sharpness combined with the intense floral characteristic of the gin seems to be serving as a warning that the Blue Gin just might be a little more intense and flavourful than I had expected… even for a 47 % abv. spirit! In the Mouth 50/60

I’m not sold on the blue color, but the gin itself is versatile, well-made, and unique in its own way. The marketing spiel says this is “gin, just as it should be”, and while marketing spiels are usually guff, this one happens to be spot on. It’s hard to find a gin simultaneously this archetypal – it’s a classic London Dry – this elegant, and this flavourful (the finish goes on and on). Whether you’re a G&T obsessive or martini connoisseur, No. 3 hits the mark every time. Though, for the record: we like it best with a slug of classic Indian tonic. Very loosely we may put my scores into terms that you may be familiar with on a Gold, Silver, and Bronze medal scale as follows:

The verdict: Best gin 2023

This gin is produced in England but under the ownership of the Spanish comany Gonzalez Byass, best known for its winery (where it is the producer of Tio Pepe sherry). That’s curious enough on its own, but London No. 1’s blue color is also of particular note. This is not a blue-tinted bottle like Bombay Sapphire. This is blue gin (courtesy of some certified colors).

At a generous 47% abv The London No. 1 is delicate and elegant on the nose with marked spicy and balsamic notes. It is soft, elegant and mellow in the mouth with a long refreshing finish – a sophisticated, well rounded gin that delivers in every area. Distributors Martin’s heritage in the tea and spice world meant he could transfer his deep understanding of blending herbs and spices into developing a much more complex premium gin than most on the market by using powerful flavours like Bergamot. In developing The London No 1 with Charles Maxwell (a 7th generation distiller), he used a unique blend of 12 botanicals. This is perplexing. I sampled London No. 1 Blue Gin about eight years ago, and according to my review I quite liked it. This time around, the only portion of the review which scores as well (actually a little better) is the bottle. It is the perfume-like quality of the gin which I do not find nearly so attractive this time around. Perhaps as I have gotten older, my sensitivity to perfume-like aromas has increased. Whatever the reason, my score had dropped considerably, Of course once I began using vodka in conjunction with the No. 1 Gin, I had much better success.

Gonzalez Byass UK Ltd.

Made by historic London wine merchants Berry Bros. & Rudd, the six-botanical spirit took two years to develop with Dr David Clutton – a man who holds a PhD in gin (yep, that exists). It was worth the effort. The London No. 1 Original Blue Gin is a product of Gonzalas Byass who are a Spanish wine/cellars company which also produces a variety of distilled spirits including brandy, anisette, botanical vodka and of course gin. Their gin is triple distilled (from English grain in London, England) on a traditional pot still in small batches. While gin is made from distilled grain spirit, it doesn’t contain gluten peptides and is therefore gluten-free and safe for coeliacs. The verdict: Best gin 2023 The highest quality Suffolk and Norfolk grain is used in distillation and the small batch “pot still” method ensures a consistent quality. Finally, the inclusion of 12 carefully selected botanicals makes The London No. 1 a gin to be savoured. The aroma from the glass is intensely floral. It has a sharp perfume-like quality which similar to freshly bloomed lilacs. The more familiar gin aromas of earthy juniper, spicy cardamom, lemon peel and orange citrus lie somewhat behind that floral intensity.