First Impressions
Bimber Distillery in London is best known for their acclaimed English single malt whisky, but their kumquat gin demonstrates equal skill in a different spirit. Eight botanicals are focused squarely on citrus — kumquat, lemon, orange, grapefruit — supported by angelica, lemongrass, and black pepper. At 47% ABV, this is a gin with serious presence. The kumquat — that tiny, oval citrus fruit eaten skin and all — provides a sweet-tart brightness unlike any other citrus in the gin world.
Tasting
Eight botanicals including kumquat, angelica, lemon, orange, grapefruit, lemongrass, and black pepper. The nose is fresh and fruity: clementine, apricot, lemongrass. On the palate at 47%, lively kumquat sweetness with delicate herbal accents, strong juniper backbone, grapefruit bitterness providing counterpoint, a crackle of black pepper, and tangy lime. The finish is long-lasting with subtle spiciness and persistent kumquat tang.
The Bottom Line
Bimber Kumquat earns a 7 — a gin from a whisky distillery that treats gin with the same precision. The kumquat is inspired: sweeter than lemon, more complex than orange, with an edible-skin intensity that conventional citrus peels cannot match. At 47%, this has the body for a superb Martini or a Gimlet where the kumquat and lime interact beautifully. At £35 for 50cl, fairly priced for London craft distillery quality.
