Peak G and T season is here, so this week we are pouring something classic rather than clever. Our pick is Masons The Original Dry Yorkshire Gin, a bright, citrus-led dry gin made in small batches in North Yorkshire.
It is not chasing a gimmick. There is no strange flavour, no fashionable colour. It is a well-built London dry style with a hometown story, and it does exactly what you want a house gin to do.
What It Is
Masons is made in Bedale, a small market town in North Yorkshire, and distilled in batches of around 200 litres. That is genuinely small. It means the people making it can keep a close eye on each run rather than turning a tap on a factory still.
The recipe leans on a secret blend of botanicals, which sounds like marketing until you taste how personal the result is. This is not a gin trying to be all things to everyone. It has a clear point of view, and at 42% ABV it has the strength to carry it.
How It Tastes
Citrus leads. Think bright lemon and orange peel over a firm juniper backbone, with a peppery, herbal lift underneath. It is dry and clean rather than sweet or floral, which is exactly what makes it such a good mixer.
Build the G and T around it and you will see the point. Plenty of ice, a good neutral tonic so the gin does the talking, and a wide strip of fresh lemon or grapefruit peel to echo the citrus. Skip the lime out of habit here. The peel oils are what lift this one.
Who It's For
If you have drifted through a run of pink and flavoured gins and want to come back to something honest, this is a gentle reset. It is a classic dry gin with enough character to be interesting and enough restraint to pour every day.
It also rewards buying local craft over a global brand. You are getting a spirit rooted in a specific place, made by people who care about the batch in front of them. That is a good bottle to have on the shelf all summer.