Tasting Notes: Poetic License Northern Dry (Ocean Dry Subscription/August 2020)

Picture courtesy of Smugglers Club crew - Kat ‘o’ nine tails’ Rose

Last month saw the Nautilus returning from Provence, laden with French gin, and I do hope you July veterans enjoyed your Gallic treat. This month we take a voyage North and dock at the Port of Sunderland to visit the friendly folk at Poetic License. 

These fine distillers have spent the last five years building their reputation for creating adventurous concoctions, and underpinning that is their superb Dry gin. The biggest surprise with their Northern Dry is how much it changes from nose to palette. Not sure what I mean? Then join in!

So..pour yourself a splash. Hold your nose above it and take in the aroma. First, you’ll experience the Proustian rush as your sensory memory recognises the juniper before you can consciously place it. This is followed quickly by fragrant cardamom before a peppery finish.

Northern Dry is a neat treat! Take a sip without a mixer - juniper and herbaceous notes hit first, and there’s a pleasantly fiery finish, but in between those two there’s a clean citrus tang that passes you by entirely when smelling it. By contrast, the cardamom is far more subdued when tasting than in the nose. 

Add an Indian tonic and you'll find those citrus notes are even more apparent - and the cardamom has subsided into the background. So where is that beautiful citrus taste coming from? Poetic License use Persian Limes and this may be the secret weapon in Northern Dry’s armoury - it’s so perfectly placed and may be my favourite use of citrus in a Dry Gin. 

And with that, my friends, I bid you adieu. For the monthly members amongst you, next month we shall be journeying Southwards to try one of my favourite Dry Gins. Until then, keep your spirits up, smile at strangers and always return your trolley to the shop.