The 5pm Dining blog has long admired the gin know-how at One Square in Edinburgh’s Sheraton Grand.
Not content with having some 60 odd gins on the gantry, One Square have now gone one better and hooked up with Pickering’s Gin to create their own brand of small batch, premium gin.
The hotel’s Gin Concierge team worked with Matthew Gammell and Marcus Pickering, founders of Pickering’s Gin, to make One Square Gin.
Fifteen botanicals
The resulting liquid is a London dry gin. It is made in small batches and flavoured with fifteen carefully-considered botanicals including juniper, bog myrtle, pink grapefruit and Scottish heather.
Mediterranean liquorice and orris root were added to produce a heady kick, while notes of lemon, lime and anise were combined to create a citrusy, easy-drinking gin.
The gin has been distilled by hand and packaged in a square bottle by Pickering’s Gin at Summerhall Distillery, situated just over one mile from One Square.
According to the tasting notes, One Square Gin is clean and fresh on the nose and has a mellow juniper aroma followed by a zesty, citrusy freshness with hints of anise.
On the palate, it shows a gentle juniper followed by a pleasant sweetness and an intriguing spiciness. The finish is dry, warm and aromatic.
The Gin Concierge recommends serving the One Square Gin over ice in a frozen balloon glass with Fever Tree tonic and garnished with pink grapefruit peel and thyme.
Gin specialists
Developing their own brand is a natural step for One Square. Launched three years ago, One Square was one of the first bars in Edinburgh to specialise in gin.
The bar now offers more than 60 premium varieties of gin and hosts tutored tastings, with its coveted weekend and evening spots in high demand.
Viewers with long memories may recall that last year we shot some film of bar manager Hugh Gibb explaining the finer points of drinking gin.
We’ve posted the video below should you want to revisit it.
One Square’s menus are also pretty tempting.
The charred mackerel with apple purée and celeriac salad, from the chef’s set menu, has got our name on it.