Nose (10%): Lovely grapefruit notes. The bitter pith and the citrus oils balance quite nicely. There is some spice coming from the juniper. This is 90-proof but it doesn't come off as hot at all. Slight tannic tea notes do appear on the back end. 9/10
Palate (20%): Very clean. Nice and dry. almost no sweetness whatsoever on the tip of the tongue. Reflective of starting with grain-neutral spirit. It takes a second but the citrus oil and spice start dancing in. They make themselves known without being overpowering and offensive. It's a delicate spice for a gin compared to the styles from across the pond. 17/20
Finish (10%): That is dry on the back end. Lots of punch on that first sip especially. though I don't often drink gin neat. A few of those cocoa nibs show their face as those fumes dissipate. Some of the tannic hibiscus notes pop up as well. 7/10
Overall Impression and Harmony (30%): It's been a while since I sipped gin neat. This is quite enjoyable. I'd love to try this with a citrus-forward tonic like Fentiman's. This also would do well in a Collins cocktail. It's easy to see the application of this gin in cocktails across the board really. I'm not sure how it'd work in a martini with some super botanical vermouth or bitters. but with some acid, this plays extremely well with others. 27/30
Retry on Ice (25%): The tea comes out a lot with a bit of ice. The citrus tempers out and some of those earthy notes start to spring forth. You get the pecan nuttiness. This has me reevaluate my thought on cocktail applications. Which flavors do I want to complement through my drink design? The citrus was huge on the nose and when tasted neat but that switches to earth when well chilled. Interesting nuance and evolution. Nice. 23/25
Total Ranking: 87% Legendary, Amazing, Great, Good, Fair, Average, Tolerable, Swill