Gin

[Jolly Toper]

Many years ago I laughed at my pal for drinking what I thought was a desperate housewive's afternoon alternative to valium. I have never bought a bottle of vodka or rum for my own consumption but am partial to a drop of the juniper juice. However I still need some advice.

A GnT is swell as a summer refresher but is it possible too much ice can hide the character of some subtler brands? And while I'm on it why does white wine taste better cold and red at room temperature?

Next I default to a slice of lemon but enjoy lime, apple and cucumber- is this brand specific or more a personal palate thing? Any other winning slices out there?

Tonic. Schweppes is probably a swear word, the low sugar version definetly is not on my menu, most supermarket brands fail too, the Fever Tree flavoured examples I've tried seem too dominant. Am I fussy or missing a well accepted formula?

Finally gin brands. I cut my teeth on the obvious Gordon's, moved on to Plymouth then found botanicals like Bombay and Tanquery - with Old Raj being permanantly on the shelf. Since then there has been a mushrooming of choice. Of the newbies I've yet to be converted. I've tried Caoran, Jensen, Botanist, Blackwoods and Whitley Neil. Any recommendations? The supermarket's own brands tend to be okay but lack punch as they are usually 37.5%.

Apologies for the lengthy text- Blackwoods is 60%...and my large glass is now empty.

[dramtastic]

You lost me at Gin!

[mongo]

hendrick's. not recommended for martinis though.

[cowfish]

Whereas I would say avoid Hendrick's with tonic and definitely use it in Martinis...

Regular Tanqueray is the standard gin on my shelf as it's a good all rounder. My two favourites are No.3 and Tanqueray 10, but they're heavily flavoured enough that they don't necessarily work well in many gin cocktails. I've found myself drinking them both neat or on ice on occasion, which is surprisingly nice.

One to avoid: Hoxton Gin. Unless you really like coconut.
http://www.diffordsguide.com/class-maga ... e-15/shame

[mongo]

i would say that if you're in the martini=chilled gin camp then hendrick's works in martinis. but i'm in the martini=vermouth cocktail camp and like a 3:1 or 4:1 gin:vermouth ratio, and there the hendrick's is too delicate to stand up to the vermouth. a small tumbler filled with ice, 1.5-2 ounces of hendrick's, a thin slice of cucumber, and just enough tonic to cover=excellent summer sipper.

[cowfish]

I found Hendrick's went too vegetal for my taste with tonic, especially when you added citrus (as I normally do in abundance). I definitely agree on the vermouth thing - when I make a Hendrick's Martini I go for the old 'wash the ice with vermouth, throw away the remaining liquid and then add the gin' approach. With Tanqueray and the more robust and junipery gins I go for 4:1 and occasionally 3:1.

Then again, I also like making a 'white martinez' or whatever they're called in real life, with 1 gin (something with some kick as it totally disappears otherwise and you might as well be using vodka), 2 vermouth, a spoon of maraschino and a dash of orange bitters - served in a tumbler it goes down way too easily...

[Jolly Toper]

Thanks lads, all duly noted. I forgot to mention Bols genever. Tremendously flavoursome stuff- was in the drinks cabinet longer than most, the Mrs drank the majority of it. I have Brambles bar in Edinburgh to thank for that.

[Zanaspus]

A GnT is swell as a summer refresher but is it possible too much ice can hide the character of some subtler brands? And while I'm on it why does white wine taste better cold and red at room temperature?

I'm not a gin drinker, so I can't help you on a brand. But I can speak to the above being not quite true. White wine is also muted at colder temperatures. If you don't believe me go into a fine Paris restaurant and ask for a bottle of Montrachet chilled. If they don't kick you out, they'll a least think a lot less of you. The reason many white wines are served chilled is because A) There's a lot of whites that are absolutely pants and need to be chilled and B) People don't know any better. Room temperature always allows a more realistic taste. That said, if I ever tried gin again, I'd use lots of ice.

[Pudge72]

If you particularly enjoy the juniper aspect of the gin profile, my wife and I would recommend Gilbey's. Another one with an absolutely amazing nose is Junipero Gin, made by Anchor Distilling in San Francisco (available at Binny's in Chicago for sure...don't know if it has made it across the pond at all). Anchor is the distiller behind Old Potrero 18th Century Style Rye Whiskey.

[whiskytime]

Rehorst Premium Milwaukee Gin - This is an amazing gin! Has the 7 traditional botanicals & 2 unique botanicals: Sweet Basil & WI Ginseng (if you know anything about ginseng, you'll know WI ginseng is considered very top quality - China can't get enough!). This gin has a unique flavor profile that I've not experienced in any other gin (& I've tasted/enjoyed many).

Don't know how widely it's exported but Binny's sells it & they ship:
http://www.binnys.com/spirits/search/?a ... xt=rehorst

[Jolly Toper]

We have a customer who buys 2 bottles of Old Raj 46% each week, we swap our experiences of trials with other brands- the one he was most enthusiastic about was Martin Miller. I'm relaxing with one now, fever Tree tonic, 2 cubes and a slice of lime. Pretty powerfully flavoured and quite classy.

With the bottle came a jar of juniper berries. I recall having a venison dish with juniper berries and was blown away by the explosion of gin flavour when I chewed on a berry.

Has anyone any recipes for their use? The Mrs is a vegetarian although she eats fish.

If I hadn't killed my new i-phone with wine I'd post a picture of their curious label.

[orange_barnet]

I am not the world's greatest fan of, or authority on gin, but there is one gin that I believe makes an absoloutely superb G&T, and that is 'Malawi Gin'. I discovered this stuff when I used to work out in Malawi, and found myself occasionally indulging in a truly refreshing G&T using this gin. I brought some back home with me each time I travelled to Malawi and besides keeping some for myself I also treated my G&T drinking friends to it, and they were all united in their amazement and praise.

I would happily buy more of it for myself if I could get hold of some, but I have never been able to find any on either the internet or in a retail shop (which would be even less likely). Most people to whom I've mentioned it haven't heard of it and then assume it must be of dubious quality. On the other hand, I have heard other travellers who have come across it pronounce this gin as one of Malawi's greatest and best kept secrets.

If anyone knows where I could get hold of some, please let me know!
Here's a photo I found by googling:

malawigin.jpg (8.6 KiB) Viewed 2400 times

[Daftmill]

My daughters school is selling bags of rice from Malawi to help send the farmers kids to school. Perhaps the gin distillers kids are in need of an education as well? Must bring it up at the next PTA meeting

[ABZ12]

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-birmingham-20492244

Looks a fairly serious incident, and a reminder of some of the hazards of Operations to produce the stuff we like. Unfortunately, the report cites at least one injury at this stage.

Must be a few cross-industry parallels with mine (oil & gas), including the old maxim "Keep it in the pipes..."

[two-bit cowboy]

Anyone have experience with Blackwood's small batch gin from Shetland?

[Pete Smoke]

Anyone have experience with Blackwood's small batch gin from Shetland?

I got through several bottles a couple years ago and was surprised at how nice it was, it was by far the best and most interesting local purchasing option. Then the supermarket discontinued it and at the time i stopped drinking gin. The blurb on the bottle stated 'hand gathered botanicals from the Shetlands', i don't know if that's still the case or if the product has altered.

I can't help anymore than that, but the flavours were most agreeable.

[two-bit cowboy]

Thanks Pete,

I think they're still doing the same: http://blackwoodsgin.net/index.php

Several years ago I tried to get some, but the USA importer at the time wouldn't allow it. Blackwood's has changed importers, and now I've managed to order a case. The one I'll get isn't like the ones on the Co's Web site though; it's called Blackwood's Small Batch Gin, and comes in at 47.5%. Looking forward to its arrival.

[Jolly Toper]

I tried their 60% which was fine but not particularly special, I'd drink it again and enjoy it but don't have a great reason to recommend it, of anything I found the strength impeded the character while dilution didn't release more of the story.

[two-bit cowboy]

Received the Blackwood's Small Batch, 47.5%, a few days ago and had a chance to give it a try last night. According to the importer this is the only one we get in the USA.

I had the last of a bottle of Hendrick's first. Not my cup o' gin! Bitterish and harsh.

On to the Blackwood's. What a difference. No alcohol bite or burn, and no bitterness. Nice orange zest, but not overpowering. There was lots of room left for the other botanicals, not that I could name them from taste. I probably won't be a "regular," but it'll be nice to have when gin lovers stop in.

[ABZ12]

Having a G&T, on what feels like the first sunny day here in the North East of Scotland this year, with a gin called Chancery London Dry Gin. Quite palatable, and a wee bit higher ABV than standard Gordons at 43%. I think it is exclusive to Tesco in the UK - anyone else tried it and formed noteworthy opinions?

[cowfish]

Having a G&T, on what feels like the first sunny day here in the North East of Scotland this year, with a gin called Chancery London Dry Gin. Quite palatable, and a wee bit higher ABV than standard Gordons at 43%. I think it is exclusive to Tesco in the UK - anyone else tried it and formed noteworthy opinions?

I've not yet (I haven't been to Tesco for a while) but it sounds decent and reasonably priced. My regular gin pimp David thought it was okay:

http://summerfruitcup.wordpress.com/201 ... y-dry-gin/

[C57]

Where to start

Gordons - avoid
Tanqueray - nothing to write home about, in any of its variants
Bombay - same as Tanq
Plymouth - my default standard gin
Blackwoods - had a bottle of the 60% recently which was good. I have a bottle of vintage waiting in the wings (42% IIRC)
Whitley Neill - I like this, lots of flavour
Hendricks - I like this too, it works for me
Sipsmiths - inSIPid
Tesco Finest - actually not bad. better than Gordons anyway, and I would buy it in preference to Tanq or Bombay

So many others I can't remember them all

Tonic - difficult.
I like Fever Tree but as you say, it is highly flavoured
Schweppes is not bad actually
I haven't seen that many - supermarket own brands are to be avoided like the plague as is anything "slimline"

Lime slice by choice but sometimes lemon depending on the gin