The Wine Reference🍷 SupportPlymouth: Plymouth Gin
Photo: Patrick Owen PR on Unsplash
Made at the Black Friars Distillery in Plymouth since 1793, the oldest working gin distillery in England.
How it's made
A softer, earthier style than London Dry, with more root botanicals and less juniper bite.
Neutral grain spirit is redistilled in a Victorian copper pot still with seven botanicals: juniper, coriander, orange and lemon peel, green cardamom, angelica root and orris root. Soft water from Dartmoor is used to bring it down to strength.
History
Gin has been distilled at the Black Friars distillery in Plymouth since 1793, in a building that was once part of a medieval monastery. For many years the Royal Navy carried Plymouth Gin on its ships, which is how it spread around the world.
Ageing and label terms
Plymouth Gin is unaged. Labels to know are Original Strength (41.2%), Navy Strength (57%) a strength said to let gunpowder soaked in it still ignite, and Sloe Gin, a lower-strength liqueur.
Styles
A softer, earthier and slightly sweeter gin than London Dry, with more root and spice and less pine.
Rules and protected names
Plymouth Gin used to be a protected geographical indication, but the protection lapsed in 2015. Today the name is a brand, still made only at Black Friars.
How to serve and classic cocktails
Excellent in a Martini, a Gimlet or a Pink Gin with a dash of bitters, all drinks with naval links; Navy Strength gives a bolder Negroni.
With food
Oysters, smoked mackerel, crab and lightly spiced dishes.
Good to know
Black Friars is one of the oldest working gin distilleries in England, and its bar and tours are open to visitors in the Barbican area of Plymouth.
Producers
- Plymouth Gin
Bottles to try
Plymouth Gin Original Strength
Soft and earthy: juniper, cardamom, citrus and root spice.
Serve: In a dry Martini
Plymouth Gin Navy Strength
Intense juniper, cardamom, citrus and earthy roots.
Strength: 57% · Age and cask: Unaged
Bottled at the strength the Royal Navy required, so that gunpowder soaked in spilled gin would still light. Made at the Black Friars distillery in Plymouth, working since 1793.
Serve: In a Gimlet, Pink Gin or a strong G&T
Plymouth Gin Sloe Gin
Ripe plum, cherry and almond with a soft sweetness and a bitter edge.
Strength: 26% · Age and cask: Unaged; sloes steeped for several months
Made by soaking sloe berries in Plymouth Gin and lightly sweetening the result, following an old recipe from the Black Friars Distillery. Sloe gin is a liqueur, so it is much lower in alcohol than gin itself.
Serve: Neat, on ice, with tonic, or topped with sparkling wine
More gin & juniper regions
Explore all spirits in the interactive guide
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