Quaffed the Raven

Disclaimer: This bottle of Pothecary – Trinity was gifted by the distiller. All opinions are my own.

If you’re a fan of gin, it won’t have failed to reach your attention that there’s a lot of it about now. If you’re a really big fan of gin, you may have noticed, perhaps with a certain sense of dismay, that a lot of that gin is ‘flavoured’ (and therefore arguably, and legally, not actually gin).
Step forward Martin Jennings of Pothecary gin. As I mentioned in my 2019 roundup post, Martin is, in my opinion, the poster-boy for craft gin, and Trinity is his attempt to create a beacon of purity in the now cloudy market. Hence the remarkably short list of botanicals: Juniper, coriander, and bergamot.

Trinity (like all gins from Pothecary) is made by blending. Each botanical is distilled separately, with the results mixed together at the end, in precise quantities. Also worthy of note is that everything Martin uses is organic. A big plus for me.

Design

The bottle is a squat, ye olde style pharmacy/apothecary shape, with a wide lip, short neck, rounded shoulder and dimpled base. Of course, it suits the brand perfectly, as does the label, which is a plain and simple print on textured paper. On the front is the name, volume and ABV, including the roman numerals III to emphasise the name and simplicity of the liquid. On the back is a small label with barcode, the name of the distillery (Soapbox Spirits), and handwritten the name of the distiller (Martin, of course), date, and bottle number. It’s simple, classy and stands out as such.

Nose

On the nose, Trinity is bursting with aroma. It’s a little dangerous as the high ABV means getting too close can cause a bit of alcohol burn, but thankfully you don’t need to, to smell the lovely warm juniper that rises from the glass. It has a sweet, earthy citrus that primarily comes from the coriander, followed by a stronger citrus bite from the bergamot. For a gin with only three botanicals, it’s a complex aroma, with soft spice and juicy citrus notes coming through. It’s fresh, but heady at the same time, like an alluring smoke filled room. Right at the end I get a really zesty, almost lime-like aroma. It smells wonderful.

Taste

Sipped neat, the juniper bursts through like a stunt bike jumping through a paper wall. It’s a big hit, loud and extravagant, but incredibly fresh and welcome. Such strong juniper notes do tend towards the bitter end of the spectrum, but it’s so fresh it’s really a great experience. The citrus flavours from the coriander and bergamot help round the juniper off though, and while it’s sharp, it’s unmistakably gin. There are really green edges to the taste, but again I get warming spices too, underpinned by some softer, earthy tones. For 49% it’s very drinkable on its own.

Water is usually used to help bring out botanicals that don’t shine as brightly when sipped neat. With Trinity though, everything is on the surface, though that’s not to say the flavour is shallow in any way. The water certainly allows it to roll around the tongue more easily, and the juniper is softened greatly, allowing the citrus to really shine. Everything tastes like it’s just been freshly picked and plonked into my glass. There’s almost an unbelievable amount of flavour.

Finally, a G&T (3:1 Lamb & Watt Original) with a lemon wheel to garnish. The result is absolutely delicious, and the combination develops extra flavours, through which the juniper swims around in the tonic beautifully. There’s a sweetness that counteracts the sharp flavours of the gin perfectly, allowing the fresh citrus and pine notes to shine. They’re now almost easier to appreciate, as if they shine too brightly when the gin is drunk neat, and the distance the tonic allows helps them come into focus. This is just a perfect G&T.

Overall

What can I say? Has Martin succeeded in producing a ‘pure’ gin? Something to hold up against the ever growing army of flavoured spirits with the word ‘gin’ on the label? Is Martin the Gandalf of gin makers?

Yes. Yes he is.

Finally, all can say is this: I assure you it is merely coincidence that my first ever gifted review is an incredible gin!

Joking aside. This is an absolute must have gin. At the very least, it’s a must try gin.

My thanks to Martin once again for kindly sending this to me.

Pothecary – Trinity is available online

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All reviews are of the author’s personal collection, bought and paid for by the author, unless otherwise stated.