Gin London Dry

Colombo No. 7 Gin: A 1940s Sri Lankan Recipe Born When War Closed the Spice Trade Routes

Name: Colombo No. 7 Gin: A 1940s Sri Lankan Recipe Born When War Closed the Spice Trade Routes
Brand: Rockland Distilleries
Availability: InStock
Rating: 7.0 (1 reviews)

Originally published on gin.directory

7 /10

EDITOR

Producer: Rockland Distilleries
Type: London Dry
ABV: 43.1% ABV
Price: £37.65

Colombo No. 7 Gin is a Gin made by Rockland Distilleries. ABV: 43.1% ABV. Our expert rating is 7/10.

Where to Buy

Master of Malt
£37.65

Buy Now

The Whisky Exchange
£37.95

Buy Now

As an affiliate, we may earn from qualifying purchases.

Tasting Notes

Nose

White pepper, celery salt, piney juniper — earthy parma violet, subtle spice with warm cinnamon and ginger, the Sri Lankan botanicals adding warmth without heat

Palate

Black pepper spice with piney juniper and liquorice — nutty woody angelica, mild cinnamon and ginger, the curry leaf adding savoury depth without any actual curry flavour, the seven botanicals in precise balance

Finish

Zesty citrus with herbaceous juniper and black pepper — curry leaf emerging as the finish fades, a gentle herbal quality, moderate warmth, the 1940s wartime recipe proving itself eight decades later

Expert Review

7/10

Based on a 1940s recipe by Carl de Silva Wijeyeratne, founder of Rockland Distilleries (est. 1924), Sri Lanka's biggest distilling company. During World War II, closed spice trade routes forced him to use locally sourced ingredients — creating a gin with Ceylon cinnamon, curry leaf, ginger and coriander. Its creation led to the first law allowing gin production outside the UK. Seven botanicals, four native Sri Lankan. Distilled in England in a copper pot still. It doesn't taste of curry.