Tanqueray London Dry

Tanqueray London Dry is a juniper-forward gin bottled at 47.3% ABV. That is a few points above the 40% many shelf gins use, and it affects how the bottle behaves in a glass. The spirit is distilled at Cameronbridge in Fife, Scotland, and has been made there since 1998. The brand dates to Charles Tanqueray's founding in 1830, when production was in London. The listing details name four botanicals: juniper, angelica root, coriander seed and licorice root. A short list like this usually gives a sharply defined gin. Expect pine and resin up front, a peppery, lightly citrus lift from the coriander, and a dry, faintly sweet earthiness underneath from the angelica and licorice. It is not a floral or citrus-led contemporary gin, and it won't read as one. Production also shapes the character. The wheat-based neutral grain spirit is made in-house instead of bought in, and the gin is distilled in a single shot rather than diluted from a concentrate. Water is added only to bring it down to bottling strength, which varies by market. In practice, a one-shot London Dry at this strength tends to hold its structure when ice melts or a mixer is added, so the juniper stays audible. That makes it a natural fit for the classics. In a Gin & Tonic, a firmer tonic works better than a sweet one, because the gin's dry, resinous profile needs a clean, bitter partner. Build it in a balloon glass or tall highball with plenty of ice, about 50 ml of gin to 100–150 ml of tonic, and garnish with a wedge or wheel of lime or a strip of grapefruit peel. In a Negroni, equal parts with sweet vermouth and a bitter red aperitif lets the juniper cut through the sweetness. Stir it over ice, strain onto a large cube, and finish with an orange peel. For a Martini, stir 60 ml of gin with a splash of dry vermouth over plenty of ice. Serve it in a chilled coupe or Nick & Nora glass with a lemon twist or an olive. The strength suits this drink, since it stays assertive after dilution. A Tom Collins works with lemon juice, sugar syrup and soda over ice in a tall glass, with a lemon wheel and a cherry if you like. Store the bottle at room temperature or in the freezer, as you prefer. The high proof means it pours cleanly when cold without turning dull.