Colombo Seven London Dry Gin

Volume: 0.7 litres | Alcohol content: 43.1% | Chill filtration: Yes | Colouring: No

Special Features:

Colombo Seven brings together classic gin botanicals, spices and curry leaves from Sri Lanka's recipe tradition. Its seven ingredients are juniper berries, angelica, liquorice, coriander seeds, cinnamon bark, ginger root and curry leaves. The gin is distilled in small batches in traditional copper pot stills. It is bottled at 43.1% alcohol and comes in a bottle containing 0.7 litres.

The recipe originated during the Second World War, when disrupted trade routes made spices difficult to obtain. At that time, cinnamon, curry leaves, ginger and coriander were sourced from Colombo's Cinnamon Gardens. Today, the gin is distilled in England. For a gin and tonic, serve it with plenty of ice and a garnish of curry leaves.

Tasting Notes:

• Nose: On the nose, white pepper and celery salt mingle with pine-like juniper and an earthy violet note. A little water brings out hints of fresh coriander leaves.
• Palate: On the palate, black pepper and juniper meet liquorice and nutty, woody angelica. Cinnamon and ginger remain gentle. Curry leaves appear only as a barely discernible nuance.
• Finish: Lively citrus notes, herbal juniper and black pepper linger on the finish. As it fades, there may be a faint suggestion of curry leaf.

Distillery/Bottler:

Rockland Distilleries from Sri Lanka is the company behind Colombo Seven. Founded on a family estate in 1924, it initially focused on producing arrack. It remained family-owned for four generations, with the passing down of its own recipes forming part of its history.

Colombo Seven is produced at Langley Distillery in England, which belongs to Alcohols Limited. Alongside its existing gin recipes, the distillery develops bespoke recipes for other brands. It uses a trial still and a laboratory for this work before a recipe enters regular production.

Facts: