Seedlip was founded in 2015 was a mission of improving the quality of drinks that bars were serving as an alternative to traditional cocktails. They have three offerings currently, all of which correspond to flavors common in gin and present on our flavor tasting wheel. If you’re a fan of citrus-forward gins, then Seedlip Grove 42 an ideal option for you.
Each ingredient is macerated for six weeks, separately before being distilled and blended. Seedlip also adds a preservative (Potassium Sorbate) and citric acid. Seedlip Grove 42 features six botanicals including four types of citrus: mandarin, bitter orange, lemon and blood orange. Ginger and lemongrass round out the botanical bill.
Tasting notes
Color: Perfectly clear
Aroma: Bitter pithy citrus. Orange and bitter orange chiefly, but there’s some earthy background notes— ginger contributes depth while the botanicals suggest hints of lime leaf, ginseng, and cassia.
Flavor: Very light at first, the flavor is concentrated entirely on the mid-palate. Intensely citrus with rich tangerine, lemon grass, makrut lime, and sour orange.
Finish: Very slightly astringent with lasting hints of orange and lemon.
Cocktails and suggested serves
An underrated pairing for Seedlip Grove 42 is cola. Together, it amplifies the subtle citrus flavors already present in cola and the spice notes lend quite a nice balance. Unlike other Seedlip drinks, Grove 42, I think works quite well with seltzers and flavored soda waters.
However, where it really shines in a way that I think will appeal to gin drinkers is how well it complements a bitter tonic water. If your normal gin of choice is a gin like New Amsterdam, Indoggo or Richmond, you’ll find the predominant flavor to be quite similar— even though Seedlip Grove 94 does not include juniper in its botanical bill.
Overall, Seedlip Grove 42
Of all of the alternatives currently on the market today, Seedlip Grove 42 is the one I find myself most likely to reach for when I want a gin alternative.
While there is no juniper present, the presentation and flavor of the botanicals so closely approximates a citrus-forward gin— especially when mixed— that it is the first one I’ll recommend to a gin drinker looking for an alternative.
It doesn’t taste like it’s trying to be something else. It is its own thing, and it works. If there’s only one gin alternative in your cabinet, despite the absence of juniper, this is the one I recommend.
Highly Recommended
Seedlip Grove 42 is available from Amazon.
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