A Drink for All Seasons: The world's prettiest gin bottle, plus four more gins ideal for Autumn
The nights are drawing in, the temperature is plummeting and your finger is hovering over the switch to put the central heating on. So how about a nice gin to pick you up?

Where gin meets the mysteries of the Orient (and now also the Occident)
Those looking for something a little different in their gin might very well have come across Opihr (or OPIHR, as they rather shoutily refer to it), a spiced gin that contains 'hand-picked botanicals from along the ancient Spice Route.' This phrase is, of course, a masterpiece of marketing, since despite what The Jetsons told us decades ago, pretty much all botanicals are hand-picked, and the spice routes cover pretty much anywhere between Paris and Beijing. Still, it makes the gin sound suitably exotic, and that's half-way to making it taste exotic too.
There is now a 'European Edition', which comes in a gloriously pretty bottle which works brilliantly to magnifiy the back of the label to make it seem that a map of Europe is floating inside the liquid itself. The European version is ideal for a Negroni, seemingly 2020's cocktail du jour, but it's also remarkably good simply served neat over ice.
£26 from Amazon
Does apple-infused gin count as one of your five a day?
When is a gin not a gin? The London-based distillery 58 Gin has come up with a pair of new gins, English Berry and Apple & Hibiscus. Both of them push at the edges of what you'd expect — partly because the juniper notes take a back seat, partly because the distiller avoids sugar or sweeteners to create more of a fruity feel. The berry edition is best suited for cocktails and coolers, but the apple and hibiscus makes a fine, and rather different, G&T.
58 Gin English Berry and 58 Gin Apple & Hibiscus, both around £34 from masterofmalt.com
Gin's most beautiful bottle?
One of the most remarkable things about the gin revolution of the last few years is how so many far flung distilleries have turned their hand to creating interesting gin. The Isle of Harris Distillery is a case in point: theirs is infused with 'sugar kelp', which we won't pretend to have heard of before seeing it on the label of what are perhaps the prettiest gin bottles on the market.
They've now pushed the beauty of their bottles a step further by asking a ceramicist called Rupert Blamire to create these limited edition earthenware versions, the 'Cèilidh bottle'. In terms of the gin itself it's not cheap at £45 for 35cl, but the bottle makes this a very handsome present indeed — so much so that they're struggling to keep up with demand.
Sign up for the Country Life Newsletter
Exquisite houses, the beauty of Nature, and how to get the most from your life, straight to your inbox.
£45 for 35cl from harrisdistillery.com
If this gin were in the army, it would be one of those near-retirement types with endless medal ribbons on its chest
If the 58 Gin duo above veer away from traditional gin, Thomas Dakin steers us right back: this is a classic London dry gin, named in honour of the young distiller from Warrington who founded a distillery that evolved in various directions to produce gins including Bombay Sapphire and Greenall's.
Beyond the usual juniper and orange peel there are slight peppery notes too — rather surprisingly, a tiny dash of horseradish (referred to as 'red cole' on the label) is among the ingredients. It's won dozens of medals in various gin competitions around the world — and we're not a bit surprised.
£28.99 from simplywinesdirect.com
Best summer gins for sipping on long, hot afternoons (or for drowning your sorrows on cold, rainy ones)
From floral and fruity gins to wines that you can drink without a pang of conscience, we've rounded up some
Credit: Jaffa Cake Gin
A drink for all seasons: Jaffa Cake Gin (yes, really) and what might be the world's first 'crunchy' wine
Credit: Alamy
A drink for all seasons: Warming winter cocktails to bring back the feeling in your fingers and toes
How to make some of the best winter cocktails, from après ski drinks to the perfect fourth course for a
Toby Keel is Country Life's Digital Director, and has been running the website and social media channels since 2016. A former sports journalist, he writes about property, cars, lifestyle, travel, nature.
-
Life is a Cabaret, old chum — especially when you try the Country Life Quiz of the Day
Classic movies, compound interest and the Sacking of Rome take their places in Thursday's quiz.
By Toby Keel Published
-
Reader event: Why Sir John Soane matters
Almost two centuries after his death, the architect’s work continues to inspire both classic and contemporary designers. At a Country Life event in March, four leading design experts will explore his creative legacy.
By Giles Kime Published
-
The iconic American bars in London perfect for lifting a Thanksgiving cocktail
Glamorous American bars were once a familiar sight in London, catering to US and British citizens alike, but only two of the historic ones remain. On the eve of Thanksgiving, Robert Crossan goes in search of both.
By Rob Crossan Published
-
Curious Questions: Why was absinthe banned?
Absinthe is almost unique among alcoholic spirits for having been outlawed in even some of the world's most liberal countries — but how did that happen? Martin Fone traces back the story to find the tales of debauchery, hallucination and even murder that once gave the drink its bad name — and looks at how it's returned to prominence.
By Martin Fone Published
-
Perry: The pear cider dubbed 'the English champagne' that's been an English passion for centuries
Not to be confused with cider, the art of perry-making is more than a craft — it’s an English passion. Ben Lerwill meets some of our best producers of fermented pear juice.
By Ben Lerwill Published
-
Seven of the best non-alcoholic spirits to help get you through Dry January
Whether you’re doing it for health reasons or simply for a New Year’s challenge, giving up alcohol isn’t necessarily all that easy. To help you on your way, the Country Life office put a variety of non-alcoholic spirits to the test. Here’s what we found.
By Rosie Paterson Published
-
Hangover cures from some of Britain's greatest writers
From Hemingway to Wodehouse, we reveal the hangover remedies of literary greats.
By Emma Hughes Published
-
Christmas drinks gift guide: Best gin, best whisky, beer and more for the festive season
Whether you're keen to pour your own draft beer, drink Cotswolds whisky or enjoy a raft of different gins, we've got you covered.
By Toby Keel Published
-
How to decant wine — and why
Is your decanter gathering dust at the back of a cupboard? If so, says Harry Eyres, it’s high time you started using it to breathe more life into your wine.
By Harry Eyres Published
-
Curious Questions: What is it REALLY like giving up alcohol for a lifelong lover of fine wine?
Sobriety is easier and more interesting than it used to be, finds Giles Kime, who has spent the past year exploring the unanticipated delights of alcohol-free beer.
By Giles Kime Published