Best gin for Martinis?

[hjshorter]

Maggie - You can now count a fourth woman that enjoys gin (Bombay or Tanqueray--Sapphire or 10 if others are buying  ).  Gin and tonic with extra limes or gin martinis with green olives jam-packed with gorgonzola.

Here's a fifth. I'm with you on the Tanqueray, but I prefer my gin and tonic with lemon. I'll have to try the gorgonzola olives - that sounds yummy.

[JAZ]

Maggie - You can now count a fourth woman that enjoys gin (Bombay or Tanqueray--Sapphire or 10 if others are buying  ).  Gin and tonic with extra limes or gin martinis with green olives jam-packed with gorgonzola.

Here's a fifth. I'm with you on the Tanqueray, but I prefer my gin and tonic with lemon. I'll have to try the gorgonzola olives - that sounds yummy.

Hey, I may be with you on the gin, but those olives sound vile. How could you ruin a good olive (not to mention the gin) with something as loathesome as blue cheese?

What you want to get is olives stuffed with a piece of lemon peel. Now that's an olive for a martini.

[JAZ]

Just found a new (to me at least) gin from Bend, Oregon, of all places. It's called Cascade Mountain and the label states that it's made with "wild hand picked juniper berries from the heart of the largest juniper forest in the world." I have to say it's one of the best gins I've ever tasted. It's been a few years since I tasted Junipero, but I'd say the Cascade might even beat it. It's 95 proof, but isn't harsh or hot like most high proof gins. The juniper is extremely aromatic but somehow subtle at the same time. The website, bendistillery.com, says that they also make a lower proof gin with more pronounced juniper (also a vodka, but who cares?).

It's a bit pricey ($28 at Beverages & More) to become the house gin, but I'm thinking that if I start using Gordon's for other cocktails, and save the Cascade for martinis, the cost will even out to something reasonable.

[DTHEASH1]

I usually use Tanqueray in the cooler months and switch to Saphire in the summer. However, most of the hardcore foodies that I know love Beefeater.

[jeniac42]

Count me as another female gin-drinker.

We usually have Bombay Sapphire and Beefeater in the house. Most of the subtleties of alcoholic beverages are still lost on me. Perhaps tonight I should pick up some Tanqueray and... oh, I don't know, some other gin, and do a taste test to see if I can name any of the flavors.

And some Campari. I've never broken down and bought any before but someone said "bitter" and I'm all about that right now (been enjoying the Pelligrino Chinotto soda far too much recently).

Edited to add: I think gin-drunk is my favorite drunk of all. Doesn't hurt the way wine does when you've had too much.

Edited March 6, 2003 by jeniac42 (log)

[cakewalk]

I had my first martini the other night. Really.

I love gin, and usually drink gin and tonics. I like the taste of the gin, and can become thoroughly annoyed if someone gives me a gin and tonic that tastes like tonic. So this thread just caught my eye because ...

I was with some friends the other night and the host asked if I wanted a martini, and I said yes with gin please. And he handed me a drink and I took a sip and I said --now THAT has just the right amount of gin. And he started to laugh. And I said why are you laughing? And he said --cakewalk sweetie, that drink is ENTIRELY gin. I just splash some vermouth around the sides of the glass and spill out any that remains.

Oh.

So now I really need to get my gin priorities right.

[bigbear]

.....

So now I really need to get my gin priorities right.

They look just about perfect from where I crawl.

[Eric_Malson]

I am perfectly enamored of Citadelle gin for martinis - not too expensive (about $22) but BEAUTIFULLY flavored (not for the "sharp knife in the throat" types, its herbaceous).  When I'm out, I use Sapphire which is always in the house.

Howdy, neighbor! This is the first time I've stumbled across one of your posts here (Ron lives just a couple of blocks from me).

I was reading this thread wondering why no one had mentioned that delicious gin from France I can never remember the name of, and there you were! I happened to try it at a tasting in a liquor store a couple of years ago, and remember thinking at the time that it was the most delicious gin I had ever tasted. I've never tried it since, in part because when I order a martini, the bar never has that gin, and in part because I often forget its name (because I never have it....).

Otherwise, Boodles is my favorite martini gin, followed by Bombay (NOT Sapphire...the regular ol' Bombay).

So Ron, the next time I'm over, will you make my a Citadelle martini? Pretty please??

[ohiomartini78]

There are three brands of Gin that I drink with martinis on a regular basis and they are Bombay Saphire, Beefeater, and when money is short and times are hard Gordons. I find Bombay to have a very complex flavor tasting the many bontanicals. Beefeater is less complex but a very pure flavor. Gordons taste about like chewing on the needles of a juniper tree (not that doing so would be all bad.) This is not bad when one is low on money but it is not nearly as good as the other two, though it is half the price at about $10 a fifth in Ohio.

I find Seagrams gin as a very poor gin for a martini though it is drinkable in a gin and tonic or a Tom Collins.

[John W.]

Make mine Old Raj (I think it's seriously high proof). Plus, it's got a cool label.

Then, Hendricks or Bombay (regular).

[beans]

ohiomartini78: Welcome!

I am still attempting to acquire my taste for the juniper berry brew so, I've enjoyed a few Gordon's gibsons. But in all honest, I'm a wimp. I have a hard time drinking what smells like my Christmas tree (!) so I tend to choose Tanqueray 10 when gin is the poison of choice.

[swingers]

Actually, I drink only vodka but I tryed a new London dry gin last week and it was just great.

The name is Mercury, it's a 94 proof gin.

I think it will be a nice gift because in fact everybody know Tanqueray, Bombay or Seagram's gin and for a martini lovers it's just great to discorved a new product and try it.

www.mercurygin.com

Also, do you know Baffers gin.

[beans]

swingers:

Thank you for the heads up on Mercury. Will see if we are able to obtain a bottle in the near future. I'll have to bug some of our liquor reps I'll be seeing tomorrow afternoon.

P.S. Your English is just fine! No need to apologize! I look forward to your posts!

[beans]

I'm still not much of a fan of Gin, but I have managed to choke down a Plymouth Gibson or two (or three or four -- who's counting?) and tend to prefer it myself. Different mood dictates a choice of the enjoyable Tanqueray 10, however it really is on a whim and/or not being able to locate Plymouth as easily. Perhaps this will change with hype such as this?

This press release works out rather nicely in timing as I'm coaxing our owner into new product for a revitalised and renewed dedication to quality cocktails and away from what has sadly become our hallmark for the usual run-of-the-mill Summer crowd pleasers requiring skilled slushy machine/blender tenders for the "home" of the frozen Rumrunner, Pina, All American, Daiquiri and Margarita. ( It is not Summer outside!!! )

Wish me luck, and enjoy this recent press release from PRNewswire. Cheers!

According to the study, which had a margin of error plus or minus 5.6 percent, when consumers were asked, "Which gin is smoother?" 55 percent preferred the "smoothness" of Plymouth Gin over Bombay Sapphire (41 percent). In the test against Tanqueray, Plymouth Gin was at parity (50 percent) with Tanqueray (46 percent).

Regarding taste, when asked "Which gin tastes better?", in both tests, consumers ranked Plymouth Gin at parity to both Bombay Sapphire and Tanqueray -- Plymouth 49 percent to Bombay 47 percent; Plymouth 48 percent to Tanqueray 48 percent.

For the entire press release, click here.

[robyn]

What about other gins? I'm a Beefeater's girl. Robyn

[winesonoma]

The best I've ever had "Citadelle French gin" with Orange bitters and King Eider Vermouth.

Nothing comes close

[Black Tie]

Hi all

This is my first post coming all the way from little old England, so forgive any mistakes!!!

I run a cocktail style bar in Oxford which if any one is interested in looking at our cocktail list which is quite exstensive. Raouls bar

On the gin martini front I dont think you can beat Tanqueray ten it's simply sublime but another favourite is Millers gin, fantastic botanical flavours and sooo smooth. Another one is the relatively new gin from New Zealand called South.

[NeroW]

I wish I could drink gin. Unfortunately, I learned while living in the dorms during my undergrad that it makes me do things like rip the antennaes off of cop cars.

[Batgrrrl]

Welcome, Black Tie!

This is an interesting thread, because last summer a friend threw a gin and British food potluck, where everybody brought something to eat and a different bottle of gin to do taste tests. The conclusion we came to was that different gins work better in different situations; I can't remember the specifics (if col klink sees this, maybe he can chime in--he was there too and has a better booze memory than I do--I tend to be under the table after a few tastings and am therefore not the best resource!), but I know that we decided Tanq 10 made excellent martinis, but tasted rather off in a gin and tonic; there was another very high level gin that was better with tonic, but less interesting in a martini. I was intrigued, because it's somthing I haven't noticed with other kinds of alcohols, though it does make sense I suppose.

Man, I could use a gin and tonic.

[paul mitchell]

Citadelle hands down as well. Nothing is smoother. Not even Barry White.

[paul mitchell]

Black Tie that is a very swanky website. Nice cocktails. .....And the Bison Grass! That was mentioned in another thread as having hallucinogenic properties like Absinthe?

[Busboy]

Any gin bragging about their smoothness likely has a watered-down taste and is targeted at the vodka crowd. Real gin has a proper bite. I go with Bombay -- the traditional stuff, not that wussy Sapphire swill.

[Squeat Mungry]

Another vote for original Bombay. I don't like the Sapphire in a martini, but will occasionally use it in a G&T.

Cheers,

Squeat

[beans]

Welcome to eG Black Tie! Thank you very much for the link.

And, NeroW and paul mitchell (re: smoother than Barry White)!!

I agree certain gins for certain mixes.

edited to add: I've never really drank any of Bombay's gins because somehow I never could get beyond that handsome mug of Queen Victoria gracing each bottle front and center. Undergrad we drank quite a bit of Beefeater's and I somehow always enjoyed that the bottle accomodated one's hand quite nicely while pouring. But perhaps that aesthetic never carried over to my enjoyment of that gin -- either/or, similar to NeroW, it was because we were fearless and invincible undergrads....

Edited February 11, 2004 by beans (log)

[MegaloMatt]

A few months back the NY Times ran a gin taste test w/Amanda Hesser, Eric Asimov, Dale DeGroff & Frank Prial. I couldn't find the link for the article but the summary was short:

Beefeater, England

$23/liter, 94 proof

All the right notes, and everything I want in a gin, Dale DeGroff said. Eric Asimov found fresh juniper and a finish that went (n and on. Frank J. Prial called it balanced and intriguing, while Amanda Hesser tasted coriander and liked the balance and clean flavors. 3.5 Stars

Tanqueray Dry Gin, England

$18/750ml, 94.6 proof

Smooth and attractive with lime and juniper aromas, Asimov said. DeGroff liked the complex nose. Hesser called it viscous, without the balance she was looking for. Prial found it balanced, but called the nose a little too harsh. 3 Stars

Plymouth, England

$22/750ml, 82.4 proof

Delicate and gauzy, Hesser said, "gentle in a land of giants." DeGroff called it citrusy and subtle, and Prial found it soft and fresh. This one plays it straight, Asimov said. 3 Stars

Gordon's London Dry Gin, United States

$15/liter, 80 proof

Very traditional, like Christmas in a glass, DeGroff said. Prial, too, detected Christmas tree aromas. Hesser found it a little fat and sweet. Asimov liked the deep, broad flavors but found it hot on the finish. 3 Stars (BEST VALUE)

Junipero, San Francisco

$30/750ml, 98.6 proof

Potent and powerful, Asimov said, like a gin and tonic already mixed. DeGroff thought it was full of flavor, with big botanical notes. Hesser called it weird - both low-key and heavy-handed, with strong citrus notes. Prial thought it was harsh, with a chemical aroma. 2.5 Stars

Booth's London Dry, Plainfield, IL

$11/750ml, 90 proof

Not ginlike at first, Prial said, but soon it came together. DeGroff and Asimov detected cinnamon and anise flavors - it reminded Asimov of herbal tea. Hesser thought it over the top, screaming with juniper and rosemary. 2.5 Stars

Personally, I go for Tanqueray Malacca or if I can't find that Bombay Sapphire but I'm interested in trying one or two of the above.

Enjoy!