Tarquin's has built a formidable reputation among British craft distillers, and their Black Cherry Gin represents a confident step into the flavoured gin category. Built on a London Dry foundation at 38% ABV, this expression marries the structural discipline of a classic dry gin with the rich, dark-fruit character of black cherry — a combination that, when executed well, can be genuinely compelling.
Style & Category
At 38% ABV, this sits at the lower end of the London Dry spectrum, which tells me the intention here is accessibility. That is not a criticism. A flavoured gin at this strength needs to let its defining ingredient breathe, and black cherry is a bold enough botanical to carry a lighter frame. The key question with any fruit-led gin is balance — whether the added character complements the juniper backbone or overwhelms it entirely. Tarquin's track record suggests they understand this tension well.
Expectations & Positioning
Within the increasingly crowded flavoured gin market, Tarquin's Black Cherry Gin occupies interesting ground. At £37.25, it is priced with confidence — not an impulse purchase, but not unreasonable for a craft expression from a distillery with genuine pedigree. I would expect the cherry influence to be present but refined, sitting alongside traditional botanicals rather than dominating them. This is a gin that should reward those who appreciate fruit-forward spirits without sacrificing the essential character that makes gin, gin.
Best Served
I would reach for this in a long serve — a generous measure over ice with Fever-Tree Mediterranean tonic, garnished with a twist of orange peel and a single fresh cherry. The tonic's herbal complexity should complement the fruit without cloying sweetness. For something shorter, a Black Cherry Gin Sour would be well worth exploring.
Rating: 7.8/10 — A well-positioned flavoured gin from a distillery that has earned the benefit of the doubt. The pricing reflects craft credentials, and the London Dry base promises structural integrity beneath the fruit.
