Still Spirits Gin Profile - Gin Base

Still Spirits Profiles Gin Base

What Is This Essence?

The Still Spirits Gin Profile Gin Base is the essential starting point for anyone who wants to make a proper, botanical-forward gin at home. This is the foundational gin base spirit — the juniper-led, aromatic core that transforms a plain neutral alcohol into a genuine gin-style spirit. Think of it as the base of gin that every other botanical layer and flavour profile gets built upon. It's clean, authentic, and purposefully designed for the home distiller who wants full control over the final result. Whether you use it straight as a classic London Dry-style gin or combine it with other Still Spirits Gin Profile botanicals to build something more complex, this gin base spirit is where every great homemade gin begins.

Flavour Profile

Nose: Fresh juniper, bright citrus, clean botanicals with subtle floral lift
Palate: Crisp and dry, juniper-forward with a clean botanical backbone and a gentle pine resin warmth
Finish: Dry, clean, and refreshing — the hallmark finish of a well-made gin base spirit

How to Use It?

The Still Spirits Gin Profile Gin Base is the most versatile product in the Gin Profile range — it works as a standalone gin or as the foundation for layering in additional profiles. Here's how to use it:

1. Start with a clean, neutral spirit that has been carbon-filtered to at least standard quality, ideally around 40% ABV. This is your base alcohol for gin — the cleaner it is, the better the final result.
2. Add the Gin Base essence to your neutral spirit as directed on the packaging.
3. Top up to the recommended total volume with cold, filtered water and stir well until fully combined.
4. If you want to build a more complex gin, this is the point at which you add any additional Still Spirits Gin Profile botanicals — citrus, floral, spice, and so on — layering them over the gin base to create your own custom profile.
5. Rest the finished gin for at least 24 hours in a sealed bottle before serving, allowing the botanicals to integrate and the spirit to settle.
6. Store in a cool, dark place and use within 4–6 weeks for best results.

That's it — one bottle makes a full litre of crisp, aromatic homemade gin built on a proper botanical gin base.

What Cocktails Can I Make With a Gin Base Spirit?

A well-made gin base spirit opens up the full world of classic gin cocktails. The Gin and Tonic is the natural first pour — your homemade gin over ice, topped with quality tonic water, and garnished with a lime wedge or a sprig of fresh rosemary. It's the best test of any gin base, and this one holds up beautifully. A classic Dry Martini calls for your gin base spirit stirred over ice with a measure of dry vermouth and strained into a chilled coupe — clean, precise, and elegant. 

A Negroni brings together equal parts gin, Campari, and sweet vermouth for one of the world's most satisfying stirred cocktails. A Tom Collins shakes your gin base with fresh lemon juice, sugar syrup, and soda water for a long, refreshing serve that suits warm Australian afternoons perfectly. And a Gimlet — gin with fresh lime juice and a touch of simple syrup — is a brilliant short cocktail that lets the botanical character of a quality gin base shine without competition.

What Alcohol Base Works Best?

The base alcohol for gin makes a significant difference to the final result. For the cleanest, most accurate gin base spirit outcome, use a neutral alcohol at around 38–40% ABV that has been thoroughly carbon-filtered — either a home-distilled spirit run through a carbon filter system or a plain, unflavoured store-bought vodka. 

The goal is complete neutrality: no residual grain character, no sweetness, no off-notes of any kind. The botanical complexity of the Gin Base essence needs a blank canvas to express itself properly. Avoid any flavoured spirits, aged bases, or low-quality unfiltered alcohol, as these will muddy the juniper and citrus notes that define a good gin base spirit. The cleaner your starting spirit, the sharper, more defined, and more professional your finished gin will taste.

Pro Tip: For a genuinely craft result, chill your finished gin base in the fridge for at least 24 hours before serving, and always pour into a pre-chilled glass. Cold temperatures sharpen the botanical definition and give the gin that clean, crisp character that makes the difference between a good G&T and a great one. If you're building a custom profile using multiple Gin Profile botanicals over this base of gin, add each additional profile one at a time and taste after each addition — that way you stay in full control of the final flavour balance.