So here we were… a couple of gal pals finding ourselves with a free evening. What to do? Why get together of course!
And what would accompany our merriment? Wine? Whisky? Or…. gin? Yes indeed we shifted to an impromptu evening sampling and then settling down with a few gins…
We couldn’t decide which gin, so out came assorted bottles… and wee shot glasses to taste, compare and decide which would be our evening companion.
What all did was wander through?
Photo: Nikoulina Berg
Whobertus Dry Gin 43% – Munich, Germany
- This gin was a discovery from Munich. And I LOVE it!
- There is something so pure, almost delicate or tender about it, beautiful and silky smooth. There is no distracting dimensions, just delightful!
- Fresh thyme, coriander, light sweet citrus, juniper
- This is no peppery gin, there is straightforward but lovely quality
- While generally sweet gin isn’t my thing, this has just the right touch of sweet
- My favourite way to enjoy? Ice.. that’s it, nothing else required
Caorunn’s Gin 41.8% revisited – Balmenach Distillery, Speyside, Scotland
Most of us were no stranger to Caorunn gin…
- Light sprightly and delightful, fresh like springtime
- Perfect with a few cubes of ice, splash of tonic and topped with a slice of apple
Sipsmith’s London Dry 41.6% – London, UK
Equally, for many Sipsimith is a ‘go to’ gin for G&Ts
- Heavier than the Caorunn, shifting seasons from spring to summertime!
- Classic London Dry style with citrus, juniper with a hint of spice
The Botanist Gin 46% – Bruichladdich Distillery, Islay, Scotland
Bruichladdich is a fav whisky distillery yet its gin sales have soared in recent years.
- Multi-layered, multilevelled, there is a lot going on with The Botanist from floral aromas to a slightly spicy finish
- Berries, barks, seeds and peels, this is no light gin however it is full of flavours just begging to be sipped and enjoyed
Monkey 47 Schwarzwald Dry Gin 47% – Black Forest Distillers, Schwarzwald, Germany
Monkey 47 has recently entered the Indian market with launch parties and more! From Germany’s black forest, it is named for its 47 botanicals and strength of 47%.
- Complex, an intense range of aromas and flavours
- There is a lot going on – more wood, spice and more than some of the other gins sampled, bursting with robust character
- Those that reached for the Monkey 47 also tended towards tonic with either a slice of apple or twist of citrus
Siegfried Rheinland Dry Gin 41% -Rheinland Distillers, Germany
- Lots of pink peppercorns – almost too much…
- There is some ‘oomph’ here – bold juniper, light spice, ginger, bitter orange
- It is also a bit bitter and while it can be had neat, we found the best to have is with lots of ice and a splash of tonic, with a citrus twist!
- If I was to be honest, the Whobertus is just such a class act that having the Siegried next required a real switch in expectations
Ki No Bi Kyoto Dry Gin 45.7% – Kyoto Distillery, Kyoto, Japan
Distinctly different, Ki No Bi is made from rice spirit with botanicals from Japan like yellow yuzu, hinoki, sangho pepper, bamboo leaf, gykouro tea.
- We found it had more pepper and kick than some of the others, a strong ginger, pronounced citrus
- The tea adds a different dimension as well
- We found it worked best with tonic water and ice with a twist of lemon
It was a refreshing departure from our usual structured whisky tasting evenings. The range of botanicals used, profiles and personal preferences made the discussions animated and most enjoyable.
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