Oxley Gin

Flavor Profile

Oxley Gin was among the first mainstream gin releases that was “cold distilled,” meaning that it is distilled at lower temperatures. While it’s not the only cold-distilled game in town anymore, Oxley Gin still leads with it on its label— Oxley Cold Distilled London Dry Gin.

But Oxley does differentiate itself with its incredibly low distillation temperature. They distill below the freezing point of water.

Some distillers say that this reduces the risk of what some distillers refer to as the “cooking” of the botanicals. Applying heat— as one does in cooking— does transform flavor profiles somewhat. By using a lower temperature vacuum distillation, Oxley Gin manages to capture some of the fleeting aromas that normal distillation might lose.

The fourteen botanicals are macerated and then all distilled at once before being bottled at 47% ABV.

Tasting Notes

TL;DR: Bright and Juniper forward, Oxley Gin rounds out the nose and palate with thoughtful and restrained supporting botanicals.

The nose is bright with a lot of juniper— there’s nutty hints of coriander seed, licorice and grapefruit zest that give Oxley Gin a robust and full nose. Fans of old school London Dry gin brands will find a lot of similarities between their old favorites and Oxley’s approach.

Despite the melange of botanicals, the flavor profile manages to be overall classic in impression. The early palate is a bit assertive with the ABV adding a strong spirit edge— juniper and citrus early on. Although those two notes are perhaps the dominant characteristic, you begin to get vanilla hints and meadowsweet in the mid-notes.

The grains of paradise adds a gentle pepperiness to the finish that while still squarely in terpenic-juniper territory is complex and not quite-straightforward.

Cocktails

Oxley Gin mixes quite well and is an apt upgrade from some more expensive well classic style gins. Bartenders can easily plug this in and be fairly certain at what they’re getting.

Clean and classic, it makes a beautiful Martini— no matter your preference, whether, dry, wet, dirty or otherwise. It’s also really top notch in a Gin and Tonic with a pleasant and bright juniper note. It’s almost quintessential to the point of cliche— it’s just what you sort of expect— but in a really good way.

Overall, just know that Oxley Gin is a solid gin for nearly any cocktail you’re thinking of. Especially for fans of classic styles.

Overall, Oxley Gin

Oxley Gin is a solid juniper forward gin that will appeal to fans of classic style gin. Bartenders will appreciate its versatility behind the bar, while general gin fans will find a lot to like about the exceptionally clear botanical character Oxley Gin delivers.

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