Navy Strength gin occupies a singular place in the canon of British spirits. The designation — 57% ABV, the proof at which gunpowder still ignites when doused — speaks to a tradition forged on the decks of Royal Navy vessels. Green Room's Flyman's Strength Gin carries that heritage in its name and in its proof, delivering precisely the kind of robust, full-bore spirit that the category demands.
Style & Character
At 57% ABV, Flyman's Strength sits squarely within Navy Strength territory, and the additional alcohol by volume compared to a standard London Dry is not merely academic. It provides a broader canvas for botanical expression — the higher proof acts as a solvent that extracts and carries flavour compounds with greater intensity. The result, in my experience with well-made Navy Strength gins, is a spirit that rewards both careful sipping and vigorous mixing in equal measure.
The Verdict
What earns Green Room's Flyman's Strength an 8.2 out of 10 is its confident positioning within a demanding category. Navy Strength is unforgiving — there is nowhere to hide at this proof — and the fact that Flyman's Strength commands a price point of £44.75 suggests a spirit made with intent rather than as a novelty bottling. It is the kind of gin I reach for when a cocktail needs backbone, or when I want a G&T that refuses to be diluted into irrelevance.
Best served: In a robust G&T with Fever-Tree Indian Tonic and a generous wedge of pink grapefruit, which stands up to the higher proof admirably. Equally at home in a Navy-strength Negroni, where the additional ABV ensures the gin holds its own against Campari and sweet vermouth.
