Gin

As someone who doesn't like the acerbic bitterness of tonic water, I've never been a big gin drinker. This, though, is an example of a drink becoming so associated with a mixer that the style and diversity of the spirit itself gets overlooked.

what is gin?

Like vodka, gin comes from a spirit that's been distilled to 96% ABV. The difference is that this neutral spirit has been flavoured with botanicals, one of which has to be juniper berries. This ingredient can cause controversy, as there is no legal definition of how much juniper must be in a gin - juniper must simply be "discernible." Without a discernible taste of juniper, the drink is technically a flavoured vodka, and some American craft distillers are getting into trouble for making "gins" that don't taste enough of juniper.

the botanicals

juniper obviously. These are berries from Italy and the Balkans which give gin its distinctive pine aromas, as well as heather and lavender.
coriander a botanical found in the best gins. It gives spicy flavours which change according to where it's from: Morrocan coriander produces peppery aromas; eastern Europe and Russia spicy, citrus, and floral; and Indian coriander even more citrus.
angelica root a traditional botanical which gives earthy and woody aromas and balances the perfume of other botanicals
orris root another botanical which balances other, more volatile aromas, giving floral and perfumed flavours
lemon and orange peels citrus aromas are the first to be released in distillation, so a gin made from an early cut will have strong citrus flavours

the regulations

gin the basic definition for inexpensive gin, which must have detectable juniper flavours
distilled gin redistilling a neutral spirit with juniper berries and other botanicals. Any flavouring or botanicals can also be added after redistillation. Hendrick's, famous for its cucumber flavours, is a good example of this; cucumber does not react well with the distillation process, so it is added afterwards.
London (dry) gin no flavourings or botanicals can be added after distillation. Despite the name, this style can be made anywhere in the world.

Diploma tasting

"own label"
This gin was so bad, we weren't even told who sells it. (It apparently costs around £10, of which £9 is tax.) Once again, not a great advertisement for the supermarkets. It was probably "cold compounded," meaning that juniper flavours were added to the spirit. It smelt of juniper but tasted of nothing but very harsh alcohol.


Beefeater London Dry Gin
Citrus flavours dominated; Beefeater is known for using Seville oranges which gives a gin a bitter edge. There was also a woody earthiness from angelica root. And there was juniper as well, obviously.

Bombay Sapphire London Dry Gin
A famous brand that's all about the nineteenth century, but was created in the late 1980s. Its clever association with Empire and its stylish bottle helped make gin fashionable again. Floral and perfumed (lavender and saffron), with liquorice adding a bit of sweetness to the finish.

Plymouth Gin
The only gin that has any geographical requirement: it must come from Plymouth. There are fewer botanicals used, and the taste is heavier and oilier. I was a bit disappointed with this gin.

Tanqueray Gin Export Strength
Another well-known name that's made with just four botanicals, with the coriander giving white pepper, cumin, and citrus aromas. Very good, but I was junipered-out by this point.

Although it's good to taste well-known brands, I would have also liked to have sampled some of the premium craft gins that are becoming increasingly fashionable, to see the differences between brands that have to stick to a recognisable recipe and new distillers who can more or less do what they want - as long as the juniper's discernible of course.

Jenever

A juniper-flavoured spirit which must come from the Netherlands, Belgium, or nearby France, jenever is noticeably different from gin. Jenever bars in Belgium and the Netherlands have a bewildering array of jenever drinks, all served neat as small shots. It's made from a combination of a highly-rectified spirit (like gin) and moutwijn, a low-alcohol grain spirit, which lessens juniper's impact on the flavour. Unlike gin, it can be aged in oak. Jonge jenever can have a maximum of 15% moutwijn, has to be colourless, and can be lightly sweetened. Oude Jenever has to have a minimum of 15% moutwijn, can be coloured (through oak contact or with caramel), and can be sweetened to a greater degree.