Martin Miller’s Gin

Last Updated on March 22, 2021 by Fiona Maclean

A voyage in search of the perfect G&T

The story behind Martin Miller’s Gin sounds a tad eccentric.  It evokes those conversations we’ve all had with friends.  The “let’s do…” conversations, often embarked upon in a state of excitement (or after a few glasses of something relaxing!).  Inventive ideas which produce smiles, sighs and “if onlys” when considered later. 

It’s therefore very easy to imagine the visionary bon-viveur, Martin Miller, and his friends creating the wonderful narrative which resulted in their perennially award-winning gin.

“The best of citrus and earthy botanicals will be distilled separately.  Once united, they will be shipped to Iceland to be blended with the purest water on the planet.  Thus, will we create the perfect gin” or words to that effect – a saga in the making! And as with all much-told stories, there is a truth at its heart. 

The quest, back in the late 1990s, was to revive the sagging spirit of gin at a time when alcopops ruled.  To be able to order, and be confident of being served, a refreshingly delicious G&T which tasted of gin.  The Martin Miller’s Gin website gives a magical insight into the spirit’s production and their founder’s instruction that the 40% ABV spirit should be “sharp as a Savile row suit, yet as smooth and refined as a classic Bentley”.

As Scottish whisky would not be without that country’s ancient rock and rivers, then so with Martin Miller’s Gin, the truth of whether the Icelandic water makes a difference is in the tasting.  The Beverage Testing Institute rates the gin as Excellent and Exceptional.  The International Wine & Spirit Competition awarded it Gold in 2020 and it remains the most awarded super-premium gin brand. 

And it is, happily, delicious.  Devoid of roughness, it tastes silky and, (I can’t think of a better word), clean!  The botanicals, citrus and earthy, emerge delicately yet wholly identifiably – there are no synthetics in play here.  Poured into a chilled shot glass it’s a great accompaniment to an Icelandic style sharing platter, but of course, it’s been created to drink with tonic and that’s what it does best.

For a G&T that Martin Miller would approve of, chill a glass with ice and empty any residue water from it. Pour 50ml of Martin Miller’s Original Gin over the ice.  Add a wheel of lime and (if you have them) four juniper berries.  Gently add 20ml tonic water and stir lightly.   

Since the Original’s creation, four further gins have joined the collection, each offering a unique gin experience, but all benefitting from the same unique, (crazy?), production process.  We reviewed Martin Miller’s Winterful gin in December and created a very seasonal Martinez cocktail you might like to sample.

The Martin Miller website asks us whether it’s all “madness or genius”.  I leave you to judge!