Gin Mare (75cl)

This is the gin you pour when you want your cocktail to taste like somewhere sunny. Think classic juniper, then a whole Mediterranean mood, herbs, citrus peel, and that signature olive savoury edge that makes every sip feel like it’s wearing sunglasses.

Most gins lean hard on “forest” flavours. This one goes coastal. Gin Mare is made in Spain and built around botanicals you’d actually cook with, so it lands savoury, aromatic, and ridiculously drinkable in cocktails when you’re bored of the usual London Dry routine.

• Nose: Fresh juniper, rosemary and thyme, with a lift of citrus and a faint olive brine.
• Taste: Herb-forward and layered, basil and rosemary up front, then peppery juniper, lemony brightness, and a savoury olive note that keeps it mouthwatering.
• Finish: Long and clean, drying herbs, soft spice, and a salty-savoury echo that makes you want the next sip.

Why it earns shelf space is the way it changes familiar classics. In a gin and tonic, those herbal notes pop and the olive nuance keeps the drink from tasting like plain fizzy citrus. In a martini, it turns crisp and savoury, the kind of drink that makes olives feel like the obvious garnish, not an afterthought.

You’ll also notice how balanced it is. The juniper is still there, so it reads as gin, but it doesn’t bulldoze everything else. Instead, the herbs and citrus feel stitched in, which means your cocktail tastes intentional, even if you’re just mixing something quick at home.

If you like bright, clean profiles, you’ll love the citrus and herbal snap. If you like savoury drinks, that Arbequina olive note is the little twist that keeps things interesting. Either way, it’s a fun bottle for home bartenders because it adds flavour without needing a dozen extra ingredients.

Fun Fact: “Mare” means “sea” in Latin, and the recipe leans into that Mediterranean idea with Arbequina olives, one of Spain’s most iconic olive varieties.