Originally a combination of Plymouth Gin and Rose’s Lime Cordial (taken on-board ship from 1867 to prevent scurvy). Plymouth Gin, distilled since 1793 on the historic Barbican in Devon, is the oldest working distillery in England. It was only coined in 1993 by the wily marketing team behind Plymouth Gin but the concept it refers to is very old indeed.

Sweet citrus up front – candied lemon and spicy juniper – with crushed leaves and cut grass to follow.Unknown to a lot of people is the fact that, while the enlisted men subsisted on rum, Royal Navy officers drank gin. Our Navy Strength edition of our award-winning Spiced Gin was inspired by the illustrious Royal Navy career of our ancestor Sir Rosslyn Wemyss, who commanded ships around the world and rose to the rank of Admiral of the Fleet. The all juniper distillate, is in effect watered down with Retribution Gin to a bottling strength of 58% abv. It had the expected Navy Strength punch but had a beautiful dry finish and buttery mouth feel that we really appreciated.

I was clear from the start that Ludlow gin would be juniper-led, a proper London Dry, traditionally distilled in copper. Sounds crazy but in the days of cannon balls and muskets, wet gunpowder could be a death sentence in battle. Our long-term partnerships with local farmers give us complete control over the creation of our spirit, from barley to bottle.Dartmouth English Gin, Dart Gin and Dartmouth Distillery Company are registered trademarks of Calancombe Estate Holdings Limited. Juniper provides the first punch of flavour but remarkably quickly there follows a burst of fresh citrus followed soon after by the warmer, earthier notes of coriander and cardamom. Inspired by the beautiful, wild coast of north Cornwall and the Atlantic Ocean beyond, Tarquin’s “The Seadog” Navy Gin is brimming with bold Cornish personality.

Friday and Saturday evenings are our busiest evenings and it is not always possible to seat guests though we will always try. Every single bottle is then individually hand-filled, labelled with individual batch tasting notes, hand-dipped into a slow-cooker filled with paraffin wax and hand-stamped with our Puffin logo. The tree is a hero for Rock Rose too as its gorgeous red fruit imparts a delicate flavour adding to the berryful taste.Whether you’re looking for a classic household favourite or a rare treat, Drink Finder’s selection of gin has you covered. If the powder would burn after being soaked, it indicated that there was sufficient alcohol content – or that the gin was “gunpowder proof” – and the gin was allowed on board. A delightful experience and lots of superb choices and special select delicacies and of course candles.