First Impressions
Martin Miller's Westbourne Strength is pot-distilled in England via two separate botanical distillations — spices and roots first, citrus peels second — then blended before a cucumber distillation is added. The gin is brought to 45.2% with Icelandic water, among the purest on earth. The Beverage Tasting Institute awarded it 97 points and Spirit of the Year 2003.
Tasting
The nose delivers grapefruit peel, thick-cut marmalade, generous earthy juniper and a spicy cardamom kick. On the palate, clean, bright and surprisingly soft at 45.2% — well-rounded juniper, citrus and spice in pleasing balance, juniper becoming sweeter. The finish is classic yet veering contemporary with peppery nutmeg and clean cucumber freshness.
The Bottom Line
Martin Miller's Westbourne earns a 9 for bridging classic and contemporary gin perfectly. The dual distillation-plus-cucumber approach predated the contemporary gin movement by years, and the Icelandic water gives it a clarity that other gins cannot match. At around £30, extraordinary value for a gin of this calibre.
