Among the most emblematic expressions of English gin, the Plymouth - Navy Strength - Gin, 57% addresses taste connoisseurs seeking measured intensity, nuanced aromatics and impeccable performance in cocktails. A historic reference of a now-iconic style, it reveals the power of a Navy strength while retaining a soft texture that caresses the palate. Made from a very pure wheat spirit, enriched by the crystalline water of the Dartmoor plateau and built around 7 precise botanicals, it offers a clear and refined aromatic score centred on juniper, extended by coriander, cardamom, angelica, iris, and orange and lemon peels. Distilled at Black Friars Distillery in Plymouth, founded in 1793, it carries the legacy of a patiently preserved know-how. Its Navy Strength legend stems from a pragmatic requirement, a proof sufficient to preserve the flammability of gunpowder aboard ships. Today, this historic strength becomes a taste asset, ensuring cocktail precision and botanical brightness without harshness or excess.

Blend and distillation

While vine vocabulary speaks of blending, the art of gin is written in the selection of botanicals and the rigour of distillation. Here, the heritage recipe combines a highly neutral wheat spirit, Dartmoor water and 7 botanicals chosen for their aromatic complementarity. Juniper draws the backbone, coriander and cardamom bring relief and spicy freshness, angelica root grounds the structure, iris introduces a floral elegance, while orange and lemon peels provide a perfectly integrated citrus clarity. The result is a "distilled gin" style with a rare balance, where each ingredient finds its rightful place. The 57% strength seeks neither spectacle nor excess; it sculpts the flavours, tightens the aromatic line and guarantees remarkable persistence on the palate, essential for precise bar classics from the Martini to the Gimlet, passing through the Pink Gin and the Gin & Tonic.

Tasting notes

• Appearance : Clear and bright, exhibiting a purity that highlights the precision of the distillation.
• Nose : A frank intensity of juniper, lifted by cardamom and coriander, with a thread of delicate citrus evoking orange and lemon. Herbaceous accents and a floral hint of iris add complexity and distinction.
• Palate : Broad and silky, surprisingly soft for its strength, it unfolds a cascade of juniper, fresh spices and citrus. The finish, long and aromatic, remains perfectly balanced, leaving an impression of precision and clarity.

Serving temperature and tips

Serve this gin well chilled to preserve its clarity, using large ice cubes that respect the aromatics. For a Martini, favour controlled dilution and a citrus twist to reveal its clean backbone. For a Gin & Tonic, choose a dry, low-sugar tonic, adjust the ratio to taste, and finish with a lemon or orange twist. In Pink Gin or a Gimlet, its Navy strength signs cocktails that are chiselled, stable and intensely expressive.

Food pairings

• Aperitifs : roasted almonds, green olives, delicate pickles to underline the liveliness of the citrus.
• Seafood : oysters, sea bass sashimi, citrus ceviche, where the gin's freshness answers the iodine and lemon.
• Poultry and herbs : roast supreme with thyme, chicken salad with fine herbs, for a delicate aromatic echo.
• Cheeses : fresh goat's cheese, feta, light tomme, served with zests and herbs.
• Desserts : lemon tart, candied citrus, yuzu sorbet, which extend the gin's citrus impulse.

Occasions

A preferred companion for moments seeking precision of gesture and beauty of detail, this Navy Strength fits as well in mixology rituals as in elegant aperitifs. Its historical signature, inherited from the Royal Navy, adds soul to tastings, while its enveloping texture charms palates fond of mastered contrasts.

• To elevate a classic cocktail with exemplary structure.
• During a refined aperitif where the art of service and detail is celebrated.
• As a connoisseur's gift for a lover of iconic spirits.

Characteristics

• Name : Plymouth - Navy Strength - Gin, 57%
• Type : Distilled gin, style Navy Strength
• Origin : Plymouth, England
• Distillery : Black Friars Distillery, founded in 1793
• Base : pure wheat spirit
• Water : Dartmoor plateau
• Botanicals : 7, juniper, coriander, cardamom, angelica root, iris, orange and lemon peels
• Alcohol strength : 57% vol.
• Volume : 70 cl