First Impressions
Conniption from Durham Distillery in North Carolina has won Best U.S. Navy Strength Gin at the World Gin Awards seven consecutive years (2019-2025) — an unprecedented streak. The secret is dual-process distillation: juniper, cardamom, caraway, coriander, and rosemary are vapour-infused in a pot still, while citrus and fig are vacuum-distilled at room temperature separately, preserving their delicate sweetness. At 57%, reviewers consistently note they've 'never tasted such a smooth spirit at such a high ABV'.
Tasting
Dual-distilled botanicals. The nose is earthy cardamom and black pepper with bright lemon. On the palate at 57%, cardamom and caraway open with anise-like sweetness, fig rounds the mid-palate, lemon brightness preserved by vacuum distillation, juniper backbone. The finish is balanced and bold — warming but never harsh.
The Bottom Line
Conniption Navy Strength earns a 9 — seven consecutive World's Best is not luck; it is unmatched consistency. The dual-distillation technique (pot still for spice, vacuum for delicate botanicals) is genuinely innovative. Best sipped neat to appreciate the impossible smoothness, or in a Gimlet of extraordinary intensity. At £49, America's definitive navy strength gin.
