Category Archives: Gin

Canadian Connect – Two Brewers

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Founded in 2015, our Whisky Ladies of Mumbai were only temporarily disrupted by international exits and COVID. And while I’ve missed many a session since moving to Germany, some kind ladies set aside samples so I’m able to partially follow their whisky adventures.

That’s what I love best about this remarkable group of women – we each come with different backgrounds, passions and persuasions yet combine together over good drams and bad, committed to discovering and uncovering what the world of whisky has to offer!

This brings me to the 2nd part of the Whisky Ladies of Mumbai’s March 2022 session which had a decidedly Canadian theme, courtesy of a fellow Canadian’s trip back in late 2021. Our 1st half featured:

These experiments were followed by two whiskies from the Yukon – which til this experience I had no clue was even producing whisky! Two Brewer‘s Innovative and Peated completed our quartet of experimental Canadian spirits.

1st up was Two Brewers Innovative Release No 27 46%

  • Colour – Bright copper
  • Nose – It started with peculiar almost soapy quality, then quickly shifted into a very malty aroma, chased by a nutty edge, astringent then resinous
  • Palate – Hmm… more of that nutty element – very strong, joined by a sharp spice, heavy like a dark chewy stout
  • Finish – Not much… a bit bitter and beery

So I must confess, this sample was in a small plastic bottle, meant to be transferred to a glass bottle. But then I got back to Germany and, well… didn’t. This probably means what I tried isn’t exactly representative of the dram straight from the bottle.

What do they have to say?

Two Brewers captures the core of beers malt character builders; a dense and complex spirit with distinctive character barrel aging, tempting and engaging.

TASTING NOTES:
Deep malt aromas rise as misty wafts, quelling the taunting spirit. The cereal weight is evident, rich as buckwheat honey, nuts and nougat engage the palate. Oak and smoke, remnants from peated barrels, brace the continuing composition, absorbing for the attentive listener.

And what about their Peated Release No 22 43%?

  • Colour – Bright straw
  • Nose – Surprisingly light at first, sweet, malty, smoky-sweet grass, then malt chocolate
  • Palate – The peat comes through more here, however, there is a soapy malty element too, spice
  • Finish – Dry and dusty with a curl of smoke

To be honest, I paused a moment to speculate – there was a distinctly different quality that I couldn’t quite pin down. Not remarkable, but not half bad.

What more do we know? Not much as tasting notes are about other Releases… Which is part of the charm of the Two Brewers – experiment with every release…

So there you have it! A quartet from Canada… starting with two hybrids and ending in a duo from the Yukon.

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Whisky/Gin Crossovers – Endeavour Gin and Forager Botanical Whisky

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In the world of spirits, there are some curious cross-overs…. whisky with beer finish or beery whisky come to mind, however to the best of my knowledge, these two whiskied gin and gin botanical infused whisky hybrids – Endeavor and Forager – from Canada were our first brush in such combinations.

So…. did they work?

Endeavour Gin “Old Tom” Barrel Aged 45%

From The Liberty Distillery on Vancouver’s Granville Island, I was surprised to learn there is a German connection – via their copper pot stills.

Typically one doesn’t do tasting notes in quite the same way with gin… however here goes:

  • Nose – Mmmm… oh now that is a lovely enticing gin aroma – subtle juniper and a really nice interplay with the oak, refreshing…. teasing with fresh mint, citrus peel and coriander
  • Palate – Yum! The berries and botanicals really come forward together with a peppery spice, oak and a curiously compelling perfume, piquant yet sweet and savoury all at once – a surprisingly delicious combination

This is one dangerously drinkable gin that has quite a happy ‘nod’ to whisky with the cask influence. Some ‘hybrids’ simply don’t stand up, whereas this one works!

I couldn’t resist the temptation and simply had to try it with some chunks of ice and a splash of soda – delightful!

What more do we know?

Endeavour Old Tom Gin begins with our 100% organic BC triple-distilled wheat spirit. (10) traditional botanicals are slowly infused during re-distillation in our single copper pot still. The gin is then further macerated with a blend of (5) additional local and traditional botanicals before resting in 220-litre French Oak barrels for several months, to slowly gain character, complexity and colour.

What do they have to say about the gin itself?

Endeavour Old Tom is a taste of history based on records dating back to the 1850’s. It is a full-flavoured, full-bodied, mahogany-coloured gin with a rich, intense nose. On the palate there is a pronounced spicy fruitcake character with notes of juniper, mint, orange blossom and mulberry, all intertwined with the oak to produce a mouth filling assortment of enticing flavours. The finish is long, powerful, spicy and compelling. Liberty’s Old Tom will delight adventurous gin enthusiasts; Old Tom is the gin for Whiskey Lovers.

The Forager 40%

In another hybrid cross-over, we have a botanical whisky…. how did it compare with the whisky barrel-aged gin?

  • Nose – A peculiar almost perfume-like sweetness, I also get subtle notes of spruce and a hint of tea together with Juniper, sage and something else I couldn’t quite place… a curious varnish, vanilla
  • Palate – More pine, a bit salty.. whisky but not entirely whisky…
  • Finish – Nothing much, a prickly spice

Overall… not nearly so successful as the gin, I’m afraid.

What do the folks at Forty Creek have to say?

The Forager is the world’s first botanical Canadian whisky. Foraged from the Canadian wilderness, searching far and wide to respectfully and responsibly hand pick the finest natural botanicals to steep into world-class whisky. A lighter style whisky with intricate, interwoven flavours and Ultra-silky texture.

And their tasting notes?

  • Aromas – Bright citrus and light toffee, pine needles and straw
  • Flavour – Lively white pepper, flares of sandalwood and pine evolve on the palate
  • Finish – Great minerality, herbs and baking spices dominate the finish with diminishing acidity

Both interesting hybrid’s from Canada, with one clearly

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Gin gin gin! Portobello Road 42%, Gunpowder Irish 43%, Brockmans 40%, Sacred 43%

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By now, it is well known in the spirits world that Gin has made a major comeback – and how! With an explosion of distilleries launching gin expressions, from classic London Dry style to some highly creative concoctions, using different ingredients and methods from distilled, vapor, vacuum, infused… there are so many choices!

Once and a while, our merry malt meanders bring us to explore spirits beyond Whisky alone… Originally intended for a larger more sociable gathering, our Bombay Malt & Cigar lads and I kept to our very tiny tested “bubble” (COVID times and all) to crack open an interesting quartet featuring:

  • Portobella Road No 171 London Dry 42%
  • Drumshanbo Gunpowder Irish 43%
  • Brockmans 40%
  • Sacred No 205 – 5509 London Dry 43%

Before we got down to a tasting, we whet our whistles with a chilled gin martini… a most civilized way to begin…. then did wee pours neat before considering how best to enjoy that particular gin.

First up was Portobello Road No 171 London Dry 42%

What did we think?

Such a classic London Dry! A nice clean aroma of juniper, pepper, and coriander continued through on the palate, joined by fresh citrus and closing with herbal and slightly peppery notes.

It struck me this would work exceedingly well in a Martini with a citrus twist or a classic gin tonic.

The 171 is a “true” London Dry gin, part of a line-up of spirits from The Distillery London which was started on Portobella Road, four friends in 2011, who now run The Ginstitute with a distillery, tasting and creating experiences, restaurant, hotel, and shop.

What more do we know? Their Portobello Road No 171 takes a traditional approach with nine botanicals. What do they have to say?

On the front of the palate, Portobello Road Gin has a generous slug of juniper, the mid-palate has a sustained, fresh citrus character from our use of lemon, bitter orange and coriander, which then develops into a sweet peppery finish, achieved by the use of liquorice and nutmeg. Best served simply with tonic and a twist of pink grapefruit!

Would we agree? Absolutely!

Next came Drumshanbo Gunpowder Irish 43%

What a contrast to the 1st! This one was bursting with fresh floral notes, sweet citrus pomelo, rose rooafza, herbal, light licorice candies, utterly enchanting.

As for the palate? Also a contrast – here is where the clear gunpowder tea quality reveals itself, joined by fresh herbs, sweet peppers… Complex yet effervescent – an absolute delight.

As I sniffed and sipped, I considered… how best to enjoy? As simple as possible – just a cube of ice. In many ways, this reminded me of a favorite Munich gin – Whobertus – another which needs no embellishment.

The concept behind this gin is Ireland meets Asia…. with founder/creator PJ Rigney setting out to create a unique gin combining gunpowder tea with oriental botanicals in his shed near lake Drumshanbo.

What more do we know? The folks at Drumshanbo, share an interesting tale – including the ‘trail’ to explore the different elements used in this gin here!

This was followed by the very berry Brockmans 40%

Woooah! Crazy berry aromas – mostly black currents, almost overly sweet. The first sip was equally bursting with berries – raspberry joining the black currents… in short, there was nothing subtle about this one!

So far it was an evening of contrasts – classic London Dry to a crisp exquisite floral number to the almost overwhelmingly berry Brockmans.

As I considered the best way to serve, I thought of something akin to a Poinsettia -typically a combination of vodka, prosecco, cranberry juice… just in this case the berry quality could come from the gin!

What more do we know? Well the folks at Brockmans set out to delibertly make a “properly improper” gin bursting with dark berries. On this score, they succeeded!

Here is what they have to say about their gin:

Brockmans unique recipe of naturally grown aromatic botanicals are steeped in pure grain spirit for many hours to release their natural oils and aromas. The more traditional notes of gin are combined with a refreshing influence of citrus and aromatic wild berries. Bulgarian coriander plays its part, providing an aromatic, gingery orange top note. This blends perfectly with the soft and rounded harmonies of blueberries and blackberries, all of which is supported by the bottom note of Tuscan juniper berries. Dry, bittersweet Valencian orange peel elongates the deeper tones and gives an intensely smooth finish.

Thereafter, Brockmans is slowly distilled in a 100 year old traditional copper still, where we capture the heart of the gin distillation. The distinctive gin notes derived from Brockmans unique recipe deliver an exquisite intensely smooth gin, with a uniquely defining sensual taste experience.

Indeed… cocktails would be the way to go here….

We closed our gin tasting with Sacred No 205 – 5509 London Dry 43%

With this gin, we returned to a London dry style – greeted with a clean, sweet perfume, a hint dusty citrus… It was absolutely lovely on the palate, subtle white pepper, a nice balance of fruits… closed on a refreshing citrus note – perhaps grapefruit? When we returned, it was the aromas of juicy fruit gum!

As for the serve? I would recommend an elegant straight dry Martini….

From Highgate in London, distiller Ian Hart founded Sacred Spirits in 2008 with vacuum distillation (vs Pot Still). Here is what they have to say about this gin:

Our classic London Dry Gin. Each of the organically sourced botanicals is distilled under vacuum to create a fresh, creamy, beautifully balanced gin like no other. Made with fresh cut organic Spanish & Italian Pink Grapefruit, Sweet Orange, Lemon & Lime, perfectly offset by Tuscan & Bulgarian Juniper, Angelica & Orris Root and rounded off by subtle Cinnamon & Frankincense (Boswellia Sacra) from the Sultan of Oman.

All I can say is this is one fine gin… and at GBP 30 still a great deal for quality.

Sometimes its good to shake (or stir!) things up!

PS – I can’t help but add a wee “plug” for a new series “Daru Desi” on their Bharatiya Touring Party YouTube channel – hosted by one of our Whisky Ladies of Mumbai.

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St. George Gins

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Years ago a fabulous friend and former Whisky Lady came for a visit to Mumbai from the US… she brought along some treats!

These California beauties patiently waited for the right opportunity… cracked open to help bring in the new year, in hopes that 2022 would break the COVID cycle!

So what do we know? Well… this isn’t our 1st brush with St. George… We first explored this American craft distillery’s Single Malt – more specifically from their Lot 16. It was a positive experience and I was certainly looking forward to discovering more from these folks.

Enter these St. George Gins – Terroir, Botanical and Dry Rye…

Rather than detailed tasting notes, I’ve shared overall impressions…

St. George Terroir Gin 45%

Love this one! It has a fabulously fresh and clean quality – like stepping into a forest during a spring rain. Could completely catch the fir, sage, sweet bay leaf… intoxicating in a delightful herbal way.

Personally, I preferred this one straight on the rocks… letting the chilled water heighten the bright cheerful experience.

What more do we know?

Forest-driven and earthy, Terroir is a profoundly aromatic gin with a real sense of place. We wanted to make a spirit that conveyed what we love about the monumental groves of trees, moist and misty glens, and sun-baked chaparral of our favorite local parklands.

With Terroir Gin, we try to take you there with Douglas fir, California bay laurel, coastal sage, and other evocative botanicals. 

St. George Botanivore Gin 45%

Super sweet and summery, this gin is amped up on botanicals – a cornucopia of scents.

If Terroir was a cool fresh spring rain, Botanivore was hot summer sunshine, bursting with a garden of herbs, flowers and spices….

For me, this one worked well with a slightly bitter tonic which acts as a nice counter-point to the sweet abundance of aromas. I also suspect it could make a mighty fine dry martini. 

What more do we know?

Botanivore, our “botanical eater,” is comprised of 19 different botanicals working in concert. Think of a meadow in bloom—herbaceous, fresh, and elegant.

What’s in it? Count with us… angelica root, bay laurel, bergamot peel, black peppercorn, caraway, cardamom, cilantro, cinnamon, citra hops, coriander, dill seed, fennel seed, ginger, juniper berries, lemon peel, lime peel, orris root, Seville orange peel, star anise!

St. George Dry Rye Gin 45%

OK… This one surprised me. I don’t quite know what I was expecting but imagined it would have just a hint of rye? I certainly hadn’t dreamt of a full-force rye battling with juniper, a curious cross-breed which is neither rye nor gin!

As I sipped and sniffed, I found the Rye side was quite grain forward. Yet it was paired with equally bold gin elements – clear juniper, black peppercorns, citrust twist… 

I confess that I struggled with the Rye Gin. When I first tried it, I had only tonic water and soda as mix options. Frankly either ocmbination didn’t quite work for me.

If anything this made me think of a Canadian rye & ginger ale. So many days later, I pulled Dry Rue out to try again.. this time with the right mix! 

The result? Much better! It was still curious but worked well with ice and ginger ale – something brighter than a standard Rye and deeper than a typical Gin.

The folks at St. George also recommend using it as a base for an Old Fashioned or Negroni. Hmm… perhaps the next try!

What more do we know?

A base of 100% pot-distilled rye makes this a gin for whiskey lovers—and for gin im-purists willing to take a walk on the rye side.

Think genever, then think again—and brace yourself for a gin with structure, spice, and an impossibly rich mouthfeel.

…for Dry Rye Gin we chose just six botanical ingredients: Juniper berries are the star here (50% more than in either of our other two gins), complemented by black peppercorn, caraway, coriander, grapefruit peel, lime peel—which were all selected to play up the peppery nature of juniper that we love so much.

Once again, many thanks to our lovely lady (you know who you are!). We miss you like mad!

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Perry Road Peru makes its way to Germany

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Ahhh…. road side carts of fresh pink peru (aka guava), cut with a dash of masala is a fabulous quencher on a hot day. Even better… a gin spiked spicy guava cocktail!

Enter the fine folks at both Strangers & Sons and The Bombay Canteen and you have a winning combination. This bottle was a gift which made its way from India back to Germany… eagerly awaiting just the right opportunity to share… Which finally came late November with a friendly small “Friendsgiving” evening just outside of Nurnberg.

The mix was a complete hit – enjoyed immensely by one and all! And I became rather nostalgic, thinking of wandering down Perry road in Bandra, passing the bungalow featured on the label….

Now finally back home in Mumbai for the December break, I’m eagerly counting down the self-isolation days to be able step outdoors and experience the sights, sounds and smells of home!

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Gin O’Clock in Goa

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So there we were, kicking back and relaxing in Goa… in a beautiful old Portuguese villa… just a couple of Whisky Ladies and I. Our plan was to have a small get away and finally make a trek together to Paul John Distillery in South Goa.

But before that, before the sun slipped away and we headed out to dinner, out came a few  gin minis… well timed for “Gin O’Clock“.

  • Da Mhile – From Wales, I purchased this pair years ago in Winnipeg…
    • Botanical Gin 42% – it was light, refreshing, floral and really quite delightful
    • Seaweed Gin 42% – I wondered if the seaweed would be too pronounced, instead it was a slightly salty hint
  • The Duke Munich Dry Gin 45% – From one of many trips to Germany, a terrific standard made even better partnered with a quality tonic
  • Whobertus Dry Gin 43% – A favourite from Munich that needs no tonic – just a small cube of ice and voila – perfection!

What a treat and ideal way to unwind…

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Sipsmith’s Sloe Gin Martini

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Every once and a while folks move on to different lands, leaving behind a gift or two. In this case, it was a bottle of Sipsmith Sloe gin…

For those not familiar with sloe gin, what makes it distinctive is soaking blackthorn ‘sloe’ drupes and sugar in gin, bringing both colour and flavour to the gin.

sipsmith-soe-gin

I met up with this friend recently in Singapore and so on my return, decided to enjoy a summery Sunday (yes – it is still hot here in Mumbai!) cocktail.

Here is what I made…

Sipsmith’s Sloe Gin Martini

  • 2 generous drams of Sloe Gin
  • 1/4 dram of Vermouth
  • Few dashes of Angostura bitters
  • Shake or stir over ice until cold
  • Garnish with an orange peel
  • Serve in a chilled martini glass

If you want it even lighter, add a splash of sparkling water or soda…

This particular Sipsmith Sloe Gin is from 2013 and has a juicy sweet plummy flavour which becomes more refreshing chilled and diluted with ice.

Other cocktail adventures include:

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Gin gin gin! Gin Mare, Queensborough, Few, Tanqueray

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Our gin explorations continued… with gins from a jaunt around a few countries with:

  • From Spain… the Mediterranean Gin Mare
  • From the west coast of Canada,  the classic dry Queensborough
  • From south of the border in Illinois, USA a blind sample from FEW
  • And finally… a step back into familiar territory with the very British Tanqueray Ten

We sampled them on a lazy Sunday sundowner in South Bombay, anchored by a collection of a travelling friend, augmented by a few more offerings!

Here are our tasting impressions…

Gin Mare 42.7%

  • Very dry, olives, has the biggest nose of all sampled so far, yet less rosemary than expected, a bit of cardamon and mint, juniper there but supporting, basil, thyme
  • Green pepper, spice, olive, quite warm

One of our tasting companions has spent time with the Gin Mare team and shared how they distill 12 different gins – one for each element – then blend together. A painstaking and meticulous process. It is a bit different, not for everyone.

A  few remarked on a shift – previously finding it both more olive and rosemary forward yet now sweeter. For more info, check out their website Gin Mare.

Queensborough Small Batch Dry Gin 43% (BC, Canada)

  • Very classic, spruce tree, lots of juniper, nice clean citrus, lightly floral
  • Nice light spices, juniper and pine forest, direct, clean, lightly floral
  • Nice clean citrus after taste

This was my offering to the evening and one brought in by a friend who picked it up after researching the “best classic dry gin” from BC. It is produced by Central City Brewers + Distillers. It uses Juniper from the BC interior and Spruce Tips sourced from Vancouver Island.  (Central City)

Above all it can best be described as “classic and clean” with a nice fresh forest feel. No crazy experiments here just a solid dry gin.

Mystery gin 

  • Initially was surgical spirit, floral perfume, fruits like peaches or apricot?
  • Very anise or fennel on the palate, then finishes with a salty pear
  • Not something very appealing initially then adjusted and began to enjoy

One of tasting companions brought this carefully concealed gin to the party… just to see what we thought. To be honest it wasn’t for everyone but it grew on us too.

And what was it? While I can’t confirm the full details it was a barrel gin from FEW Spirits from Illinois, USA.

Tanqueray Ten 47.3%

  • Lower on the botanicals, spice dry
  • Citrus, sweet
  • An easy one to enjoy in a G&T… which is exactly why it was picked!

Which is exactly when our attentions shifted from comparing different gin profiles to pairing with different tonics. Which will be a topic for another day…

Other gin experiences:

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Gin gin gin! Rock Rose, Tarquin, Silent Pool

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Once upon a time a lad discovered he a certain penchant for gin… so he travelled far and wide, collecting a bottle here and there… Sparking an idea to have an evening or two or three to explore his booty properly back in India.

It took a few aborted attempts till we finally managed to get calendars to align… it was a lovely Sunday sundowner in a sultry Mumbai…

And what did we check out? Our plan was to explore four “different” gins with a standard to contrast and settle down for G&Ts…. Somehow that morphed into seven gins.

What also was the most remarkable about our explorations was the different tonics! Which should be a focused topic for another day…

For now… enjoy the first part of our foray into gin territory…

Rock Rose “Scottish Botanicals” 41.5% 2017, Batch 61, Bottle 452

  • Fresh clean, citrus, coriander, cardamon, green peppers, dry with lemon zest… and yes rose but of a wilder variety
  • Orange sweet (sea buckthorn?), more coriander finishing in… could it be fennel? Or something else?
  • Quite the contrast between the nose and palate

From Dunnet Bay Distilleries Ltd, based in Caithness, Dunnet Bay, is one of Britain’s most northerly mainland distilleries and established in 2014. Rock Rose is produced by a wife / husband duo – Claire and Martin Murray – using 18 botanicals, of which 5 are grown locally and distilled in their coper pot “Elizabeth.”

The name was inspired by the “Rhodiola rosea” which grows on the cliffs of Pentland Firth. According to Celtic folklore, the Vikings allegedly harvested wild, exposed cliffs to gather Rhodiola rosea with the thought that it would give them the extra strength to continue on their long arduous journeys. (Dunnet Bay Distillers)

Tarquin Gin 42% Batch 488

  • Sweet subtle perfume, lots of other botanicals, strong coriander, pink peppercorns, cardamon, mild, sweet violet
  • Cardamon, very sweet, orange, dry pine forest, paprika
  • Started soft then took on more spunk and character

From North to Southwest, Tarquin is made at Southwestern Distillery by the coast in North Cornwall. They use Devon violets fresh orange zest – both quite pronounced qualities… and it also had a distinctive pine forest dimension too. (Southwestern Distillery)

Silent Pool 43%

  • Surprisingly briney. very orange and forward,  some detected a bit of olives, brussel sprouts, vegetable cabbage, sea salt, sour kraut… how could that be?
  • Mandarin, sweet, soft, caramel, salt water taffey
  • Orange blossom, spice finish

Silent Pool Gin is produced on the Albury Estate in the Surrey Hills, next to the Silent Pool, a spring-fed lake.The gin features 24 botanicals, including kaffir lime, chamomile, local honey and lavender. (Silent Pool Distillers)

We found it a bit curious and the quite vegetal quality which came out originally wouldn’t be for everyone. But then it settled into a lovely orange sweet gin – with a distinctive character.

Up next Sunday we continue with:

Other gin experiences:

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Impromptu Gin Delights

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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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