Silverback Gin is a “Mountain Strength Gin” made by the Gorilla Spirits Co., located in Four Marks near Alton in Hampshire. The distillery is situated at the highest point in Hampshire. The owner and founder is Andy Daniels, who has spent four years building up to the first release in December 2015. He is now the proud owner of a state-of-the-art distillery, and the gin is flowing!
Edit 23/10/25: Gin production has moved, and it is now made at The Custom Spirit Co., who are based in Horsham in West Sussex. Silverback Gin remains available to buy at Fareham Wine Cellar.
This is a small batch gin made using a pure wheat base spirit as the clean background to allow the expression of the carefully chosen botanicals to come to the fore. The gin is distilled in Gorilla Spirits’ copper still, which is nicknamed Mugwaneza (which means “she who is content” in Kinrwandan).
The botanicals in Silverback Gin include,
Juniper
Coriander
Angelica
Sweet Orange
Calamus Root
Acacia Blossom
Lemongrass
Of course, gin must contain juniper as a botanical by law and coriander, angelica and sweet orange are fairly common gin botanicals. The next three are a little more unusual.
Calamus Root is also known as sweet flag, myrtle grass, sweet cinnamon, pine root and the rhizomes have traditionally been used in medicines, fragrance and bitters. The powdered rhizome has also been used as a substitute for ginger, cinnamon and nutmeg. It adds warmth and spiciness to the gin.
Acacia Blossom adds a sweet, honeyed note whilst Lemongrass gives a clean, citrus-y finish. It is a very modern style of gin with the botanicals at the fore and the juniper in the background.
Technically this is a London Dry Gin, i.e. the spirit base is redistilled once in the presence of the botanicals with no sweetening added, but is bottled at sold as Mountain Strength Gin at 46% ABV.
A superb gin that can be drunk neat or over ice, it also makes a fantastic gin and tonic. Gorilla Spirits recommends Peter Stanton Drinks No 9 Cardamom Tonic Water to make the ultimate G’n’T. The heady cardamom fragrance and green freshness of the tonic water match perfectly with Silverback Gin. Garnish with an inch long strip of orange to complement the sweet orange citrus botanical in the gin.
For every bottle of gin sold in the UK, depending on the strength, approximately £15 goes straight to the HMRC, frightening, isn’t it? Gorilla Spirits also adds GAT (Gorilla Added Tax), and for every bottle of Silverback Gin, a donation is made to The Gorilla Foundation, which is working to save the last remaining gorillas from extinction.
Since its release, the original Mountain Strength Gin has been joined by a Wild Strawberry Gin and a Clementine and Bergamot Gin.
As well as this range of gins, they also produce an Old Tom Gin, a range of rums, including Karisimbi Spiced Rum and Maraba coffee liqueurs.
The Old Tom style is historically a bridge between Genever and London Dry; it is richer than a London Dry and lightly sweetened with a touch of sugar.
“Silverback” refers to the characteristic silver saddle on the back of a mature, male Mountain Gorilla, symbolising power, strength, and leadership.
