What we’re drinking: Silent Pool Gin
Where it’s from: Hailing from Surrey, England, Silent Pool launched in the UK a decade ago and just officially arrived in the United States mid-last year. In 2023, it was purchased by drinks giant William Grant & Sons.
Why we’re drinking this: About 95% of our reviews are based around whisk(e)y or tequila, but it’s summertime, and that calls for gin. So why not try a new(ish) one from England with an eye-catching bottle and a fascinating backstory? (Also, World Gin Day is June 14, so there’s a good excuse!).
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Celebrating World Gin Day by emphasizing the “world” part, with botanical winners from Kenya, Singapore, Italy, New Zealand and moreSilent Pool is located on the Duke of Northumberland’s Albury Estate. “He’s our landlord, and fun fact about the guy, we pay [our rent] partly in gin,” says Silent Pool’s global brand ambassador Mari Zoelle.
A London dry gin — meaning its botanicals are natural and added during the distillation process — Silent Pool utilizes a four-step production method. “We have 24 botanicals, which is double what most gins use,” Zoelle says. “We have to find a way to work around some of those botanicals that are a bit too delicate.” The solution is to separate the botanicals into two batches, with a smaller tank for the flowers and other ingredients that need a lighter touch, which are infused with a tea-like process.
You can find the list of botanicals here, but the one extra ingredient that stands out is locally-sourced honey. “We use it for the texture,” Zoelle says. And it certainly plays a big role in the gin’s mouthfeel, as we note below.
How it tastes: Silent Pool is very fragrant on the nose, with aromas of rose and lavender. The honey adds a viscous mouthfeel, and there are a lot of floral and citrus notes (primarily lemon and orange) on the palate. It’s a gin with a lot of body and texture, and it works quite well with tonic, as the base for a Bee’s Knees or, as Zoelle suggests and I agree, with soda and a little honey syrup (given its heaviness in the mouth, the soda cuts it nicely).
Fun fact: Silent Pool is an actual place, a natural pool. “The blue that you find on the bottle here is a natural phenomenon happening in Surrey,” Zoelle says. “The soil is highly concentrated in chalk and phosphate. This means the bed of the pool is entirely white. It’s a landmark in Surrey, and it’s developed its own identity and folklore.”
Where to buy: There are several expressions of Silent Pool, but the brand launched in the United States with its flagship bottle, which you can find for about $55 to $75 online.
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