Gin Lane 1751 Old Tom Gin is produced at Thames Distillers in London by eighth-generation distiller Charles Maxwell in collaboration with The Bloomsbury Club. The gin features eight botanicals: juniper, orris root, Seville orange, angelica, Sicilian lemon, star anise, cassia bark, and coriander, with extra star anise and refined sugar added for a distinctive sweetness. It is bottled at 40% ABV and typically retails for around $37.99.
Clear in the glass with mild marshmallow sweetness on nose and palate, this gin balances brisk lemon and juniper with mild coconut, finishing long with a cinnamon-tinged exhale.
On the palate the gin’s light sugar touch takes those somewhat bitter elements and tempers them a bit — and filtered through the star anise, the licorice notes become brighter, and somewhat more candylike than the nose would indicate.