For a drink with only two ingredients – three if you include a slice of lemon or twist of lime – gin and tonic is much argued over.

But debates have been put to rest over who distills the best London dry gin in the UK, and the accolade has been given to Norwich-based Bullards in the 2017 World Drinks Awards.

After a 30-year hiatus from 1985, the brand was revived in 2015 by Russell Evans, who had worked for the company in the early 1980s.

As well as bringing life back into beer brewing, the business turned its attention to spirits, and distilled its first Norwich Dry Gin in December 2015.

Now – just over a year on – it’s been named the best of its kind in the country.

“You might think ‘does the world not have enough gin?’

“But we thought ‘we’re going to do it a bit differently’,” said Mr Evans, 54.

And, under the watchful eye of head distiller 23-year-old Peter Smith, the gin was made and bottled at the Ten Bells, in St Benedict’s Street.

Mr Smith, who is one of the youngest distillers in the country, said their secret was found in tonka beans.

“They’re grown in Brazil and they have a great marzipan smell, like a Battenberg,” he said.

The beans, which are commonly used in fudge and have a vanilla-like taste, are what Mr Smith thinks sets Norwich Dry Gin apart.

And the pair were also proud to distil their own gin – in a still brought in all the way from Chicago – which they said was uncommon in the industry.

And the award is not the first the gin has won, as it was also given a gold medal in the microdistillery category of the 2016 Gin Masters.

Looking forward, Mr Smith said he was keen to experiment with different flavours, with a strawberry infusion currently being tried out.

• Find Norwich Dry Gin at The Ten Bells, Jarrold’s, Harper Wells, and The Green Grocers in Norwich’s Golden Triangle, amongst other places.

Read more at source: Eastern Daily Press