Review: Beatties Navy Strength Gin (90.5/100)
a review by Chip Dykstra (Aka Arctic Wolf)
Posted on September 07, 2023

Beatties Navy Strength Gin is produced by Beattie’s Farms & Distillers . Although the distillery is a more recent addition, the farm has has been in the family for five generations. It began with great-grandfather Roland Beattie, who immigrated from Scotland in 1876. He instilled the core values the family business lives by to this day:

“Work hard, love what you do and give back to your community.”

Today, Beattie’s Farms & Distillers is led by Ken Beattie and his team of family, farmers and distillery staff. They have one ambition and that is to make what they believe is the world’s best tasting spirits. 

The Navy Gin (like all of Beattie’s spirits) is produced from a base of potato spirit from  potatoes grown, peeled, mashed and distilled from their very own farm. The actual mix of botanicals is not known by me; but what I do know is that the Potato vodka produced by Beatties is one of the very best I have ever tasted (see here). So I am looking forward to sampling Beatties Navy Strength Gin which has been bottled at 45 % alcohol by volume.

In The Bottle 4/5

Beattie’s doesn’t waste money on fancy bottles and labels. In fact you might say that their bottle presentation evokes a sort of old fashioned charm. The bottle to the left looks like it would have been happy on the liquor store shelf back in the 1950s. It’s a heavy, thick glass bottle which could probably roll around in your car falling of the back seat to the floor without you needing to worry about whether it would break.

And it does the job. The bottle is easy to hold, easy to open, and with its long neck and wide mouth, it is easy to pour. No nonsense, just a solid no frills bottle with a firm synthetic cork stopper.

In The Glass  9/10

The nose is inviting. Juniper leads out as it should; following in lockstep are aromas of licorice/anise, cardamon and bright citrus smells of orange and lemon. There is a light effervescence (probably a result of the higher alcohol content) which brings hints of mint and ginger into the breezes above the glass as well. I like that the scents and smells seem to be coexisting without quarrel. There is a real sense of harmony and balance.

In The Mouth 55/60

The Navy Strength Gin has a mild opening with light flavours of juniper, licorice, and angelica root leading out. Soon however we notice a spicy kick with black pepper, coriander and citrus zest brightening the palate. There is just a hint of garden florals, and then a mild underlying earthiness that suggests angelica as well as autumnal spices like cinnamon and sage (only a light suggestion). Then soothing menthol creeps in and seems to tie everything together.

I find myself enjoying the gin as a sipper and would suggest that it can be consumed neat or over ice. Its flavour profile is traditional with just enough of the piny juniper botanical within its flavour to suggest that all the quintessential gin cocktails in the classic recipe books are on the table.

In The Throat 13.5/15

The finish is lightly sweet and somewhat spicy. Coriander and pepper heat the throat just a little and then we are treated to a fade of Ouzo  like licorice and soothing mint in the finale. I’m not sure, but there might be a hint of Chinese Black Tea (Oolong) lingering as well.

The Afterburn 9/10

Beattie’s Navy Gin hits all the right notes with me. The juniper is slightly subdued, however no part of the rest of the botanical mix tires to muscle in and steal the show. Instead all the the botanicals rest easily beside each other in a well crafted, well balanced gin that walks the perfect line between being a gin we can sip, and one that is ideal for classic cocktails.

You may read some of my other Gin Reviews (click the link) if you wish to have some comparative reviews.

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Suggested Recipe

Martinis are on the table as are Gimlets and Gin and Tonics. We can even go in another direction and mix a dandy Martinez or a tasty Negroni. The Navy Strength Gin from Beattie’s would be at home in any of these classic servings. But it’s the end of summer, and so I wanted to feature a classic summer cocktail which just might be the most refreshing serving ever created.

Lime Fizz

The Lime Fizz

1 1/2 oz Beattie’s Navy Strength Gin
3/4  oz fresh Lime Juice
1/2 oz Sugar Syrup (1:1 ratio)
Half a glass  of  Cracked Ice

Soda Water

Mix the three ingredients over ice in a rocks glass.
Lengthen the drink with soda
Garnish with a fresh lime slice added to the glass.

Please enjoy the cocktails I provide responsibly!

Note: If  you are interested in more original cocktail recipes, please click this link (Cocktails and Recipes) for more of my mixed drink recipes!

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My Final Score is out of 100 and you may (loosely) interpret that score as follows:

0-25     A spirit with a rating this low would actually kill you.
26-49   Depending upon your fortitude you might actually survive this.
50 -59  You are safe to drink this…but you shouldn’t.
60-69   Substandard swill which you may offer to people you do not want to see again.
70-74    Now we have a fair mixing spirit.  Accept this but make sure it is mixed into a cocktail.
75-79    You may begin to serve this to friends, again probably still cocktail territory.
80-84    We begin to enjoy this spirit neat or on the rocks. (I will still primarily mix cocktails)
85-89    Excellent for sipping or for mixing!
90-94    Definitely a primary sipping spirit, in fact you may want to hoard this for yourself.
95-97.5 The Cream of the Crop
98+       I haven’t met this bottle yet…but I want to.

Very loosely we may put my scores into terms that you may be familiar with on a Gold, Silver, and  Bronze medal  scale as follows:

70 – 79.5    Bronze Medal (Recommended only as a mixer)
80 – 89.5     Silver Medal (Recommended for sipping and or a high quality mixer)
90 – 95         Gold Medal (Highly recommended for sipping and for sublime cocktails.)
95.5+            Platinum Award (Highest Recommendation)