This summer, Savour is exploring weird, wonderful and unusual gins to get your taste buds tingling.
1. Who can resist a sparkling Unicorn Tears Gin Liqueur complete with a shimmering of edible silver flakes? It has notes of candied orange, berries, maple syrup and a hint of spice. £39.99 for 50cl; www.firebox.com
2. Could it be magic? This Sharish Blue Magic Gin changes from a deep blue to a vibrant pink when you add tonic thanks to the inclusion of blue pea flower extract. Raspberry and strawberry notes complement touches of ginger, cinnamon and coriander to create a deliciously smooth finish. £35.99 for 50cl; www.sharishgin.com
3. Did you know there was a small-batch producer of gin in the heart of Gateshead? Shop local with Steampunk’s Florence parmaviolet flavoured gin liqueur. It features extracts of violet and has a distinctive Parma Violet taste on the palate, to remind you of your childhood. £24.99 for 50cl; www.steampunkgin.com
4. All hail Hepple. This Northumbrian gin is distilled with an innovative triple technique to capture the full depth of flavour from its botanical ingredients – some of which are sourced from the Northumbrian Moors. A scent of crisp green apple, a taste of cantaloupe melon and sandalwood, then a finish of sweet liquorice are some of the many flavours captured on a first sip. £35.95 for 70cl; www.hepple-gin.com
5. Flavoured with strawberries and cream, Picnic Gin has returned ready for Summer 2017. The fruity spirit, which launched as Poetic License Distillery’s first ever limited edition last summer, promises to be ‘The true taste of British summertime – in a bottle’. Picnic Gin is a beautifully sweet gin, creamy in texture and in taste, with a strong fruity nose as well as more typical gin notes of juniper, coriander and orris root. £34.95 for 70cl; www.poeticlicensedistillery.com
6. With key botanicals of coconut and grapefruit, Hoxton Gin whisks you away to the exotic with its tropical taste. Now where are the palm trees and white sand? £29.45 for 70cl; www.hoxtongin.com
7. Dà Mhìle Distillery in West Wales produce a gin that they think is a perfect complement to seafood dishes – a Seaweed Gin. It’s infused with seaweed from the Celtic Coast and has a very subtle green hue. Give it a try. £30 for 70cl; www.damhile.co.uk
8. Warner Edward’s Limited Edition Melissa Gin is a must for your drink cabinet this summer. It’s herbaceous, citrusy, fresh and minty from the use of lemon balm, and each bottle comes with a lemon balm seed packet for you to start your own botanical garden at home. Perfect for gin garnishes. £39.95 for 70cl; www.warneredwards.com
9. Harrogate-based Slingsby Rhubarb Gin is an ode to Yorkshire with natural spring water from Tewit Well in Harrogate and handgrown Yorkshire rhubarb. It starts with a sweetness of rhubarb and raspberry which is followed by a tang of pink grapefruit. £39.99 for 70cl; wslingsby.co.uk
10. Based on an Aztec legend, X-Gin combines juniper berries with 15 herbs, a hint of cocoa and a dash of vanilla to create an aphrodisiac gin. Dessert-like with a nutty and sweet taste, enjoy this with a garnish of cocoa nibs which are provided with every bottle. £37 for 50cl; www.x-gin.be
