WHATLEY Manor’s Michelin-starred chef Niall Keating has joined forces with an award-winning distillery to create a world first for gin.

Great British Menu star Niall has been working with Devon-based Salcombe Gin to create the world’s first gin distilled with a liquid botanical.

Restless is 46% ABV and retails at £65 for a 50cl bottle.

It is the fifth limited-edition release in the award-winning Voyager Series from Salcombe.

Based at Whatley Manor near Malmesbury, Niall is passionate about Asian cuisine, and this is reflected in the new gin.

Limited to 3,500 bottles, Restless comes in a stylish white ceramic bottle featuring an embossed outline of the iconic gin pennant and a bespoke debossed copper stopper.

It is been distilled with kombucha - an Asian fermented tea - marking the first time a gin has been created with a liquid botanical.

The blood orange kombucha used has been created by Niall at Whatley Manor and perfectly captures and preserves the complex citrus and floral aromas of the fruit.

It is used as a liquid botanical and combined with 15 hand-selected botanicals before being distilled.

The kombucha adds a delicate sweetness with a tang of blood orange and a touch of vanilla.

“I believe together we have crafted a unique and delicious gin,” said Niall, who was recently crowned Champion of Champions on BBC Two’s Great British Menu.

Wilts and Gloucestershire Standard:

The result is a rich and decadent citrus flavour followed by an almost floral sweetness.

There is an underlying green savoury note combined with a background of juniper. The kombucha delivers a delicate sweetness beautifully balanced with warming spice.

Niall’s Restless Recipes

Restless & Tonic

Wilts and Gloucestershire Standard:

For the ultimate G&T using Restless, fill a large copa glass with ice, add a large measure of gin to three parts premium Indian tonic water and garnish with a slice of Asian pear.

Ingredients

• 50ml Restless

• 150ml Fever-Tree Premium Indian Tonic Water

• A slice of Asian pear

• Plenty of ice

Method:

1. Fill a copa glass with plenty of ice

2. Add 50ml of Restless

3. Add 150ml of Fever-Tree Premium Indian Tonic Water

4. Garnish with a slice of Asian pear

5. Gently stir and serve

Relentless

Wilts and Gloucestershire Standard:

Relentless marries the exotic flavours of Restless with fresh notes of yuzu, fruity Asian pear, the subtle spice of Indonesian long pepper and an effervescent sweetness of kombucha to create a cocktail inspired by Niall’s culinary journey.

Ingredients:

• 40ml Restless

• 10ml Choya yuzu liqueur

• 10ml Asian pear and Indonesian long pepper syrup*

• 5 dashes plum bitters

• ½ pipette foaming bitters

• 50ml Real Kombucha Royal Flush

• Perilla leaf

Method:

1. Place an extra-large ice cube in a contemporary tumbler and leave to one side

2. Fill a Boston shaker with ice, add the Restless, yuzu liqueur, Asian pear and long pepper syrup, plum and foaming bitters and shake vigorously for 10 seconds

3. Long pour the mixture through a double strainer over the ice cube into the glass

4. Top up with 50ml of Real Kombucha Royal Flush

5. Garnish with a single perilla leaf placed on top of the ice cube

* For further details see salcombegin.com/mixology/relentless

A luxury gift hamper featuring Salcombe Gin Voyager Series Restless is available for £120 exclusively from salcombegin.com