Sipsmith Origin 1639 Gin: The First Recipe to Birth Modern Gin — Decoded from a Secret 1639 Manual and Barrel-Aged with Berries

Item: Sipsmith Origin 1639 Gin: The First Recipe to Birth Modern Gin — Decoded from a Secret 1639 Manual and Barrel-Aged with Berries
Rating: 8
Author: Edward Forwood

Edward Forwood October 23, 2025 2 views

8 /10

EDITOR

Distillery: Sipsmith
ABV: 42% ABV
Price: £38

Tasting Notes

Nose

Juniper-centric — citrus notes, spice, berry freshness, the 1639 recipe's character immediately evident

Palate

Rich oily juniper — centre stage, intense citrus top notes, berries mellowing the whole effect, spices providing backbone, a gin from 1639 drinking remarkably well in 2024

Finish

Berry and spice — oak influence mellowing, juniper authority, the coded recipe decoded in the glass

First Impressions

Jared Brown and Anistatia Miller discovered The Distiller of London (1639) — 34 approved formulas in code to 'protect their mysteries'. This recreation is infused with berries and oak-rested. The recipe that birthed English gin, decoded 385 years later.

Tasting

1639 recipe with berries and oak. Juniper-centric nose. Rich oily juniper palate with berries and spice. Berry and spice finish.

The Bottom Line

Sipsmith Origin 1639 earns an 8 — a genuine 17th-century recipe decoded by real historians. At £38, the birth of English gin reborn.

Where to Buy

Master of Malt
£27.60

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Edward Forwood

Senior Gin Reviewer

Edward has spent two decades judging spirits at competitions from the IWSC to the San Francisco World Spirits Competition, developing a palate that prizes balance above novelty. A holder of the WSET D...