Let me get this out of the way early: I was sceptical about flavoured gin for a long time. The purist in me resisted the idea that gin needed to taste like anything other than juniper and botanicals. But the market has spoken — flavoured gins now account for nearly a quarter of all gin sales in the UK — and if we're going to have them, we should demand that they be good. Whitley Neill's Blood Orange expression is, by any fair measure, good.
Produced at the City of London Distillery using a grain spirit base, the gin starts as a traditional London Dry before blood orange extract and complementary botanicals are added. The result is a gin that maintains recognisable gin character — juniper is present, if not dominant — while delivering an intense, authentic blood orange flavour that goes well beyond the artificial, candy-like profiles of lesser flavoured gins.
On the Nose
The nose is dominated by blood orange, and it's the real thing — that distinctive bittersweet, almost berry-like citrus that sets blood orange apart from regular orange. It's vivid and inviting without being synthetic. Beneath the orange, there's a recognisable gin structure: juniper is there, providing herbal depth, along with a gentle spice from coriander and cassia. The combination is undeniably appealing, even to this former sceptic.
The Palate
On the palate, the blood orange hits first — bright, tangy, and authentically fruity. But what impresses me is what happens next: the juniper asserts itself on the mid-palate, reminding you firmly that this is gin, not orange liqueur. There's a pleasant bitterness from the blood orange peel that adds complexity, and the spice notes provide warmth and structure. The mouthfeel is medium-bodied and slightly sweet, though not excessively so.
The Finish
The finish is medium, with the blood orange gradually giving way to juniper and a gentle warmth. There's a final bittersweet note — almost like Campari — that prevents the finish from being simply sweet. It's a more sophisticated ending than I expected.
The Serve
Whitley Neill Blood Orange was clearly designed for the gin and tonic, and that's where it performs best. With Indian tonic and a slice of fresh orange, it makes an extremely drinkable, crowd-pleasing G&T that works equally well at a barbecue or an evening aperitif. The blood orange flavour shines against the tonic's quinine bitterness, and the juniper ensures the drink reads as gin rather than flavoured soda.
It's less successful in classic gin cocktails — a blood orange Martini is an interesting idea but not one I'd repeat — and I wouldn't use it in a Negroni where the orange notes would clash with the Campari. Know its lane, and it excels within it.
Whitley Neill Blood Orange is not going to convert the die-hard juniper purists, and it shouldn't try. What it does is demonstrate that flavoured gin, made with quality ingredients and genuine respect for the base spirit, can be both enjoyable and legitimate. In a category crowded with cynical cash-grabs, this one earns its place on the shelf.
