Filliers Dry Gin 28 is one of those bottles that earns its place through quiet confidence rather than flashy packaging. Marketed as a small batch London Dry, it lands at a punchy 46% ABV — a strength that tells you the distiller wants you to taste the spirit, not just the mixer. The "28" in the name hints at the number of botanicals used, which, if accurate, is an ambitious recipe by any standard. Most London Drys work with fewer than a dozen. Twenty-eight is a statement of intent.
Style & Character
At its core this is a London Dry, so you can expect juniper to lead. But with that many botanicals reportedly in the mix, there should be layers beneath the evergreen — spice, citrus, maybe floral or herbaceous notes jostling for attention. The higher ABV gives the spirit room to carry those complexities without collapsing into sweetness. I found it well-structured: it holds its shape in the glass and doesn't shy away when tonic hits it.
Value & Verdict
At £32.50 this sits in a competitive bracket. You're paying a small premium over supermarket staples, but you're getting a genuinely handcrafted small batch product with more botanical depth than most at this price point. It doesn't quite reach the heights of the top-tier craft London Drys — there are moments where the sheer number of botanicals feels like it could benefit from sharper editing — but it delivers honest, well-made gin with real character. A solid 7.3 out of 10.
Best served: In a G&T with Fever-Tree Mediterranean tonic, a sprig of fresh shiso leaf, and a coin of pink grapefruit peel. The herbal brightness of shiso plays beautifully against a complex botanical backbone — a trick I picked up at a rooftop bar in Shibuya that works every time.
