Sipsmith V.J.O.P. Gin

Sipsmith V.J.O.P. Gin

Situated in a former microbrewery on a west London street in England, Sipsmith Independent Spirits Distillery is home to London's first new gin in nearly two centuries. The distillery was founded by a triumvirate Sam Galsworthy (who previously worked at a microbrewery), Fairfax Hall (a former Diageo representative) and Jared Brown (a master distiller who has crafted new spirits in Vietnam, Norway, Sweden and the United States) with the goal of producing a traditional yet authentic craft gin. Sipsmith London Dry Gin is crafted using ten carefully selected botanicals, including Macedonian juniper berries, Bulgarian coriander seed, French angelica root, Spanish liquorice root, Italian orris root, Spanish ground almond, Chinese cassia bark, Madagascan cinnamon, Sevillian orange peel and Spanish lemon peel. "The best botanicals make the best gin no way around it," says Brown, who has been distilling spirits for over a dozen years. Once the botanicals arrive at the distillery, they are distilled through a copper-pot still named Prudence (Prudence is able to produce approximately 280 bottles of gin each day). "Prudence is the first copper still installed in London in nearly 200 years. We designed her with Germany's oldest distillery producers, Christian Carl a small, family business that has been crafting stills since 1869. She is the only one like this in the world." The still is designed with a bespoke pot, column still and carter head, which makes it incredibly versatile. After the botanicals have been distilled through Prudence, the gin is brought to proof with water sourced from the Lydwell Spring before being bottled by hand. Sipsmith London Dry Gin V.J.O.P is a desire by Sipsmith to create the ultimate gin for juniper lovers. This powerful overproof spirit is an amplified take on their London Dry, using triple the amount of juniper berries, and crafted by macerating the juniper berries in warm spirit overnight to burst the skins and release the essential oils. Juniper is the lead instrument in this botanical orchestra, enhanced by the increase in proof which is necessary when increasing the flavor profile in a gin. At 57.7% ABV, this juniper-forward gin uses triple the amount of juniper berries to their London Dry Gin.