Mary Garden Herbs Low Alcohol Botanical Blend

Product of: United Kingdom

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Mary is a "Low alcohol [6% alc./vol.] botanical blend" designed to be mixed with tonic or soda water as an alternative to gin. When mixed, it yields a drink with approx. 1.5% alcohol (8 times less than a glass of standard wine).

We applaud the brand's owners for not saying this is a "non-alcoholic spirit" as it isn't. (Nor are the others that say they are!)

Mary is proudly "low alcohol" and, as the brand's website says, "It can't be denied that alcohol has a taste. That's why wine is more satisfying than grape juice and gin tastes better than cold tea. Alcohol adds sophistication and elegance and let's face, it's kind of delicious."

Review and Tasting

Sampled on 27/01/2021

Appearance:

Clear, pale green.

Aroma:

Sage, rosemary, and basil with a menthol freshness.

Taste:

Neat: Herbal - sage, thyme and rosemary. More subtle/dilute in flavour than you might expect. With 1 part Mary to 2.5 parts tonic water: Herbal and quinine combine in a delicately bittersweet refreshing sophisticated long drink.

Aftertaste:

Lingering herbal notes, particularly sage.

Overall:

As low/no spirit alternatives go, Mary is refreshingly honest in its proposition and mixed with tonic water it delivers a pleasingly complex mildly herbal long drink.