New Generation Gins

[TallDrinkOfWater]

Martini Sojourn 2005

Prologue:

I have only recently become enamored of The Martini. I don't mean most of the concoctions served by establishments such as Tini Bigs – they have their place, but not in the storied history of “a cocktail distilled from the wink of a platinum blonde, the sweat of a polo horse, the blast of an ocean liner's horn, the Chrysler building at sunset, a lost Cole Porter tune and the aftershave of quipping detectives in natty double-breasted suits” (in the words of Barnaby Conrad III).

Essential to the quest for the Ideal Martini – a long, happy, and noble pursuit – is a search for the right gin. And so I begin my quest, with ingredients unavailable to those in years past.

Chapter 1: New Generation Gins

(Future chapters will include “Vermouth: The Left-handed Stepchild”, “Bitter? Who's Bitter?” and “The Garnish”. )

Methodology:

I selected four gins to conduct a taste test: the time-tested Tanqueray (as a baseline), and three of the newest ultra-premium American gins: Junípero, No. 209, and Sarticious.

[i'll put in a small plug or possibly disclaimer here: I have no connection to Distillery 209 other than as a first-time customer. Their product is not yet carried in Washington State liquor stores, so I contacted them to find a distributor from which I could order. John Olson, their spokesperson, was extremely helpful, pointed me to johnwalker.com where I could order a bottle, and even sent me some 209 apparel as a thank you. I'd like to take this opportunity to say that with customer service and enthusiasm like that, I hope they'll do extremely well. See below for tasting notes.]

Tasting gins is potentially dangerous, so I limited myself to 0.5 oz. of each of the four gins.

I was at first undecided on how to best taste these – I don't have anything that counts as “gin glass” per se (unless you count the classic “v-shaped” martini glasses). I ultimately decided on using a set of Riedel Hennessey Cognac glasses that Little Miss Foodie had given me on our wedding day. They weren't designed with gin in mind, but they had all the other characteristics I wanted: small, shaped to accent the bouquet, good lead crystal for a nice mouthfeel, etc.

I poured a half-ounce of each gin and allowed them to come to room temperature (otherwise I keep them in the freezer). Visually -- at rest -- they were indistinguishable from each other and from plain water.

Results:

Tanqueray

I had actually never had Tanqueray at room temperature, straight up, with nothing to modify the taste. It tasted undeniably of juniper -- a classic gin in that regard -- but it was a little flat, almost oily in texture. By far the most pronounced pine taste of the group, and (at this stage of my experiment) the one maybe most in need of a little water to soften the texture and lighten the sensation. Slightly spicy, I've always felt this was a good mixing gin, and this tasting didn't change my mind.

Junípero

Junípero, by itself, has a definite alcohol shock. At 98.6 proof, it isn't for the meek, and it took me some acclimatization (a sip or two) before my palate was really up to the challenge it presented. Once there, however, I found it crisp and clean, lightly piney, and it made my tongue sparkle. Junípero came on strong, and finished without missing a beat, clearing my head like a bright afternoon on the side of a glacial peak. This is a slick, strong, dangerous gin -- anyone who's not a gin lover should steer clear -- but for those who are up for a little adventure, this promises to contribute powerfully to a Martini. Probably wasted in most other mixes, where the more traditional and much less expensive Tanqueray would probably suffice.

No. 209

I'd never had 209 before, straight up or otherwise, so this was a completely new experience for me. The bouquet was unique -- it immediately evoked lavender over the subdued backdrop of the traditional juniper -- and on tasting proved a much more mellow blend than Junípero. It was almost floral in nature, rose on top of the lavender, and delicate. But 209 is in no way weak; it lingered on the palate much more than the other gins in this tasting. The delicacy wasn't at all tart or citric, but rather smooth. I couldn't help thinking of some of the more floral Oregon pinor noirs (minus the earthiness). Subjectively, I saw the potential in this immediately; it's an excellent standalone, but probably even better over ice to cut it a bit, or with some orange bitters to bring out the musky fruit. I don't know yet how it will blend in a classic Martini or a derivitive; stay tuned!

Sarticious

The bouquet on this was hard to define; I got notes of both strawberry and of peppermint candy, and the juniper was almost non-existent. On tasting, it was somewhat cloying, and almost [but not quite] salty, with a sharp aftertaste. I didn't have a favorable experience, and I hate to say it, but I had the unfortunate taste of dishsoap. To be fair, I'm going to reserve judgement and review this on a separate night (against [and before] at least one of these others) -- maybe my glass had picked up some residue from prior cleanings. For now, consider Sarticious to be an unknown quantity.

***

If anyone has some rare or unusual gins to suggest, please speak up! I'm particularly interested in trying South gin (not yet available in the U.S.). And each of the reviewed gins will be given the opportunity to be incorporated into a Martini or close cousin (Gibson, etc.) before I draw any final conclusions.

[noholdsbarred]

i would add Hendrick`s gin to the list, it`s my favourite premium gin.

curious to see how it stands up.

cheers

[Alchemist]

A couple of my favorites:

Plymouth, ultra mixability

Mercury, round mouthfeel, soft, smooth

Kensington, touch of oak (light beige in color) complex, eatrthy, wicked martini

[eje]

Thanks for the writeup of No. 209. I've been wondering about that one! Sounds like it will make it to the buy list.

I've been sticking with mostly traditional gins lately. I guess that is another thread. One piece of advice, if your eye is tempted by the lovely crockery bottle of Schlichte, you might want to try to think of an alternative use for its contents.

Perhaps solvent or window cleaner? The alcohol tastes pretty rough on the tongue and there is a banana-like flavor that reminds me of wheat beer. Diacetyl, I think they call it?

Some new-ish gins that I've heard good things about but haven't had a chance to taste are: the Martin Miller gins, Magellan, Van Gogh, and the organic Juniper Green organic gin.

Plymouth and Anchor's Junipero are my current favorites. Plymouth for Martinis and Junipero chilled in the freezer and drunk straight up.

-Erik

PS. I was incorrect about diacetyl being responsible for the "banana" flavor in beer. Diacetyl gives a slick mouthfeel and "Butterscotch" flavor. Iso-amyl acetate is the one responsible for the banana flavor.

added correction

Edited October 26, 2005 by eje (log)

[winesonoma]

Current favorite, Citadel gin from France, followed by Plymouth.

[TallDrinkOfWater]

That Kensington sounds (and looks) really interesting -- aged in American oak barrels in the tradition of Scotch. Hmmm. I'll have to procure a bottle (strictly in the name of science, of course).

I'm also really interesting in trying Indigo Gin by Larios (a Spanish gin developed for American markets), and Van Gogh Gin. All in good time...these things aren't cheap...

Can anyone comment on the difference between Miller's "standard" gin and Miller's Westbourne Strength gin, other than the latter being a somewhat higher proof and a few dollars more expensive? Is there a substantial difference in taste? Unlike most of the other gins I'm reviewing here, Washington State liquor stores carry both (only at one or two locations, fortunately both close to me) but I haven't tried either yet.

I might need to stop at the Zig Zag Cafe one of these days soon to see what they currently stock. Easier (and less expensive) than buying all these bottles...

[birder53]

I might need to stop at the Zig Zag Cafe one of these days soon to see what they currently stock. Easier (and less expensive) than buying all these bottles...

←

We had quite a gin education with Murray at Zig Zag Cafe last year. Millers is now a staple in our home.

[rmockler]

Has anyone tried the gins from Bendistillery? Bendistillery Spirits Page

I tasted one a couple years ago, and was quite impressed, though now don't remember which or much else about it. Nice to support the semi-local team, though, which makes me think I should try again.

edited to spell the distillery name right

Edited October 26, 2005 by rmockler (log)

[trillium]

It would be interesting to taste Hendricks next to 209, from what you've wrote and I've drank it seems like they have a similiar flavor profile.

If you're keeping your gin in the freezer do you add water when you make your martini to make up for the lack of dilution?

My favorite jin for an Aviation is Junipero, it can stand up to the maraschino very nicely.

regards,

trillium

[docsconz]

I made an interesting and tasty variation on a martini the other night with Tanqueray No. 10 and a splash of nocino shaken with ice. The No. 10 was very smooth and delicious. Unfortunately, I can't compare it to the gins mentioned here other than basic Tanqueray, to which No. 10 is the smoother with a bit more of a citrus component to it.

[TallDrinkOfWater]

It would be interesting to taste Hendricks next to 209, from what you've wrote and I've drank it seems like they have a similiar flavor profile.

I don't remember Hendrick's having quite as rounded of a mouthfeel or the depth of flavor, but yes, there are some similarities. It's been a while since I've had straight Hendrick's Gin, though, so I'll have to do a side-by-side comparison one of these days.

If you're keeping your gin in the freezer do you add water when you make your martini to make up for the lack of dilution?

No, I don't. I realize this changes things a bit, but I introduce the ice into the room-temperature pitcher/shaker first, then the vermouth (also room temperature) along with any bitters, then pull the gin out of the freezer, measure and pour it, then stir for about 20 seconds, all without being in any special rush. I figure that initial vermouth causes a little melt; the glass pitcher (having a much higher mass and heat capacity than a similarly-sized metal shaker) also adds heat into the concoction. Totally unscientific observation based on amount of liquid in the cocktail glass leads me to believe I get somewhere just over 0.5 oz. of additional liquid, or maybe as much as 0.75 oz. -- I guess I could actually measure this with some degree of accuracy.

I realize I've probably just introduced the debate on the proper storage for vermouth (which should probably be stored chilled like any other wine) as well as the proper preparation technique for a martini...

On an unrelated note, even though I have a little Magellan gin at home, I purposely excluded it from my taste comparison because, well, I just don't think I like it anymore. Or rather, I should say that it's fine in a G-'n-T (most gins are) but for whatever reason I started out liking it because it was a little unique but have since developed somewhat of an aversion. I'm still not sure why. I'm taking a break from it for a while and I'll give it another shot sometime in the future to see if my palate has changed one way or the other. Since I want to give Sarticious another chance as well, maybe I'll try them side by side when I have the opportunity.

[edit: fixed typos]

Edited October 27, 2005 by TallDrinkOfWater (log)

[gethin]

Martini Sojourn 2005

[***

If anyone has some rare or unusual gins to suggest, please speak up! I'm particularly interested in trying South gin (not yet available in the U.S.). And each of the reviewed gins will be given the opportunity to be incorporated into a Martini or close cousin (Gibson, etc.) before I draw any final conclusions.

←

I bought a bottle of South a few months back and was very disappointed in it, it was rather lacking in any sort of character and none of the flavours in it lasted very long in the mouth.

I've just gone back to it, to taste it against a bottle of Whitley Neill that I picked up on the way home (I also had a swig of Tanquerray and one of Gordons Distillers Cut - for research purposes only)

Admittedly the South been sitting a cupboard for perhaps 3 months and someone , presumably my cleaner, has enjoyed a fair bit of it in the meantime , but its even nastier than I remember. It smells of very little at all (if you warm it in your hands , it smells "alcoholic" but thats the most I can say). It tastes stale now.

The Whitley Neill is a new gin from Greenall Whitley (or possibly just from Johnny Neill, a member of the Whitley family and 4th generation gin maker) .

Its USP is the inclusion of baobab tree fruit and cape gooseberries among the botanicals.

The Whitley Neil is sweeter than the others and has warmer, spicier sort of feel. Its probably closer to South than to Tanquerray, though it lasts longer in the mouth .

I think I only really like 2 styles of gin

- lots of juniper (or juniper and citrus) - Tanquerray or Gordons Distillers Cut

or

- lots of green botanicals - Blackwoods, Brecon

Gins that rely on exotic spices (grain of paradise, manuka, baobab etc) always sound interesting, but in my experience rarely deliver any particularly interesting tastes .

[TallDrinkOfWater]

I decided to give both Sarticious and Magellananother try last night, and had them alongside 209.

As I suspected, my previous taste of Sarticious was somewhat of a fluke. I don't know if my palate was off, the particular order that I tasted in just didn't work, or I did in fact have some soap residue that leeched out of my glass, but in any case the unpleasant sensation I experienced first time around was completely absent this time.

However, I just read the Sarticious description and I was really surprised to see cilantro listed; I've never had this particular aversion, but I understand that people either love cilantro, or it tastes like soap to them (wasn't Julia Child one who felt that way?) I wonder if something in the particular circumstances triggered that taste for me when I first tried this? I might be reading too much into it and maybe it was just the glass, but I'll be interested to see what I experience in future tastings.

Sarticious is definitely a different taste, regardless of the cilantro. It still seemed a bit salty (in a good way -- not unlike the saltiness of some cognacs, for instance), and it's a little heavier mouthfeel than some of the others I've tried. This time around I also got hints of dandelion, raw cinnamon, cloves, and something else I couldn't place but that [strangely] reminded me of corn. My description isn't that appealing, I realize, but the overall experience was actually pleasant. I think Sarticious isn't really the gin for me, at least on its own, but it might appeal to others and the flavor profile could probably be used to accent a number of mixed drinks in interesting ways.

The Magellan taste was much better than I'd expected, considering the last couple of times I hadn't liked it at all. I got distinct notes of orange, cardamom, coriander and a couple of things I couldn't quite identify -- I'm tempted to say jasmine, and possibly lotus (though I'd be hard-pressed to describe what I think lotus flower tastes like). Something floral like that though. It was actually those particular floral notes that leave a bit of an aftertaste and that I developed a distaste for. Also, unexpectedly, Magellan evoked just a hint of the the quinine taste of tonic water, even though I was tasting this straight up. Magellan had a considerably lighter, "tinglier" feel on the tongue than did Sarticious.

As with Sarticous, Magellan maybe isn't for me as a standalone. It does have some interesting characteristics, though (and unlike Bombay Sapphire, really is blue...); in the right cocktails it might be a great component.

I finished the tasting with another bit of 209 just to see how it stood up to my first impressions. As with the first time, I tasted rose and the lavender (or something very like both); unlike the floral notes in Magellan, these were softer, silkier, and kind of "dusky". I think there was something like star anise as well. Most unusual to me, there was a slight lingering backdrop of something cola-like -- it rounded out the taste nicely (and I think this, along with the rose, is what made me initially think of pinot noir).

209 has quickly moved into the top tier of my personal favorites (on par with Junípero, though the two aren't actually very similar), at least when consumed neat. The jury is still out on how it'll work in variations on the martini and in other cocktails. I look forward to the experimenting!

[edit: fixed typo]

Edited October 28, 2005 by TallDrinkOfWater (log)

[slkinsey]

Interesting stuff, TallDrinkOfWater. I assume you've tasted these all at room temperature? I'd be interested to hear your impressions of the same gins at a temperature closer to the temperature at which you'd be likely to actually drink gin -- which is to say, cold. There are a lot of things that come out at room temperature (both good and bad) that are entirely different down at 35F.

Same thing is true once the spirit is diluted, which would also make an interesting experiment. Higher proof gins like Junìpero, Tanqueray and Navy Strength Plymouth that finish hot at room temperature/full strength can completely lose that (usually negative) characteristis when diluted and/or chilled.

[Alchemist]

35 degrees slkinsey? Either you are getting lazy or your thermometor is broken. A good martini is going to be closer to 20 degrees than thirty.

[slkinsey]

Non mi rompere i coglioni.

I agree that it's likely to be closer to 20F in a cocktail right out of the shaker. I just thought 30 or 35 would be a compromise temperature. What would be really interesting would be to re-taste the gins after they were stirred with ice. The problem with that is that it's impossible to ensure that they would all be diluted and chilled the same amount. Better would probably be to add 20% filtered water to each sample of gin and then bed down the glasses in a container of crushed ice to chill (the ice bath can be made colder by adding either salt or some cheap alcohol like 91% rubbing alcohol from the drug store).

[Alchemist]

Could you translate that saying, my itialian is for merde.

Compromise? Compromise? Since when did anything worth doing come about through compromise. Let the politicos, the corprate schmucks, and the marriage counslors compromise. If we don't stick to our guns about the minutia we might as well pack up our channel knives, and go home. Sorry if that sounds fanatical, but...

[Bill Miller]

Plymouth has become my favorite, edging out Tanqueray. Not everyone has Plymouth down here. I might add that I think a cold comparison would be a better test and possibly chilled by stirring with ice to dilute slightly as with the real thing.

[TallDrinkOfWater]

Yes, I've been tasting these at room temperature. I agree that they'll be different when chilled and slightly diluted; possibly a few of the tastes that I don't enjoy as much are more subdued or otherwise altered in that state.

I think the suggestion of diluting using 20% filtered water, and then chilling to a uniform temperature, is excellent.

I fully intend to revisit these gins...but I had to start somewhere!

[Nathan P.]

Since all the Gin drinkers seem to be here;

The Sarticious people are down the street from me. They run wine tastings for their vineyard (Alexander Valley I think) out of the same facility so I was thinking of stopping by to check out the operation. While I drink a fair amount of gin, I don't have much technical knowledge on the subject and was wondering if there are any technical details worth asking about?

Also, if any Plymouth fans have a Bevmo nearby they have the original strength on sale for $10.99.

[TallDrinkOfWater]

Courtesy of Murray over at Zig Zag, I had the opportunity to try Old Raj gin last night. Fantastic. It's 110-proof, so stronger than even Junipero, but very smooth despite that. A nice mellow taste. Definitely deserves some more of my attention; I'll take some notes next time so I have something more detailed to say about it!

At almost twice the price of other high-end gins, though, I'm not convinced this is a bottle I'll be likely to pick up anytime soon.

[gethin]

Also, if any Plymouth fans have a Bevmo nearby they have the original strength on sale for $10.99.

←

There is something seriously wrong with this world !

For various silly reasons, last week I ended up starting my regular Sunday train journey from West Wales to London (which currently takes five and a half hours because of engineering works) without my normal provisions. Because of this I bought several Plymouth gins on the train, at a cost equivalent to around $7.00 a (50 ml) shot - with extra for the tonic , while you people, thousands of miles away from Plymouth, seem to be able to buy 14 or 15 times the quantity for $10.99.

I blame the government !

Gethin

[eje]

There is something seriously wrong with this world !

For various silly reasons, last week I ended up starting my regular Sunday train journey from West Wales to London (which currently takes five and a half hours because of engineering works)  without my normal provisions. Because of this I bought several Plymouth gins on the train, at a cost equivalent to around $7.00 a (50 ml) shot - with extra for the tonic ,  while you people, thousands of miles away from Plymouth, seem to be able to buy 14 or 15 times the quantity  for $10.99.

←

You were on the train! Doesn't that automatically add $5 to the price of anything?

If it's any consolation, I doubt I can get a Plymouth Martini for much less than $10. How on earth can a Martini with tax and tip cost more than a whole bottle of Plymouth Gin?

At these prices, I'm thinking of buying a case!

Edited November 3, 2005 by eje (log)

[M.X.Hassett]

What I really want to try is making my own. The Plymouth gin website has a game were you formulate your own gin at the end they offer to make a batch for you, sadly for me it is only avaible in the UK. http://www.plymouthgin.com/template/gingam...yourowngin.html

[eje]

Thanks for the writeup of No. 209.  I've been wondering about that one!  Sounds like it will make it to the buy list.

←

I did finally try a No. 209 Martini a few weeks ago at the Orbit Room.

While I think the floral and herbaceous character of this gin is interesting, it didn't immediately catapault to the top of my list, at least for very dry Martinis. Also, while the Martini could have been colder, the base alcohol still seemed a little harsh, at least compared to the Plymouth I usually drink.

Instead of a very dry vermouth Martini, something with Lillet Blanc might be worth experimenting with.

Edited February 7, 2006 by eje (log)