Serious Cocktails: The Gin Boomlet
For a spirit that seems to inspire such a diverse set of reactions in drinkers, including no shortage of outspoken loathing, gin has certainly been faring well in recent years. As I write in the September/October issue of Imbibe, while gin sales have been modestly progressing since the 1990s, the explosive growth in the number of brands on the market demonstrates a great enthusiasm for the spirit among distillers, especially those just getting into the game.
That's not surprising. Unlike spirits such as brandy or whiskey, gin requires no aging, so the time between still and store shelf can be as short as a matter of days—an important factor for start-up distilleries needing a quick source of income. And while the nuances between different vodkas can be difficult if not impossible for the casual consumer to detect, gin is the proverbial blank slate upon which a distiller can create a distinctive identity.
The gin marketplace has been so dynamic in the past 15 years, it’s hard to get a handle on the different styles that have developed.
Classic London dry gins such as Tanqueray and Beefeater, and the uniquely styled Plymouth, have always bore the gin standard, but over the past decade-plus, there has been an advent of other unique spirits. This list includes the citrusy No. 209 Gin, the spicy DH Krahn Gin and the floral Hendricks Gin, along with bold-flavored, envelope-pushing gins such as Leopold American Small Batch Gin from Colorado and Ethereal Gin from Massachusetts, neither of which have anything in the gin market that is even comparable in style and flavor.
That’s not to say that all of the innovative gins are good—oh, hell no. For every gin such as Voyager Gin or Martin Miller’s Gin that has become a permanent fixture in my liquor cabinet (and in my martini), there are a number of other recent arrivals that I find suitable only as bathroom cleansers.
But we’re not here to drag lackluster gins down—we’re here to celebrate the gins that simply taste good and that work well in a number of drinks. What are some of your favorite gins?
About the author: Paul Clarke blogs about cocktails at The Cocktail Chronicles and writes regularly on spirits and cocktails for Imbibe magazine. He lives in Seattle, where he works as a writer and magazine editor.
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35 Comments:
I really enjoy Boodles for Gin and Tonics.
Bill P at 5:50PM on 09/16/09
big fan of hendricks. Such a cool bottle too.
jennywenny at 6:10PM on 09/16/09
A Gin called "Right" from Sweden has just recently caught my attention. My martini with it was amazing! It's light and subtle.
vagabondblogger at 6:14PM on 09/16/09
i would like to try plymouth but it seems to have shot up in price over the years, just when i have become interested in mixed drinks. oh well.
as a graduate student, i just turn towards seagrams. it's all right but a little on the sweet side.
mlo at 6:15PM on 09/16/09
Bluecoat out of Philadelphia is quite nice.
corgan517 at 6:38PM on 09/16/09
I'm a huge fan of classic Bombay gin for delicious, delicious martinis.
shoneyjoe at 6:43PM on 09/16/09
A big glass full of Bombay and a wedge of lime.
Bliss.
oh_no_eric at 6:49PM on 09/16/09
We splurged earlier in the summer and picked up a bottle of G-Vine gin and some of the small batch Q-Tonic. The combination made refreshing G&Ts that were a pleasant change from the usual Bombay Sapphire and tonic.
Mizbee at 7:44PM on 09/16/09
I'm a Plymouth man but I haven't really tried the new specialty ones..though I can't imagine any of them making a better gimlet.
sloppy at 8:36PM on 09/16/09
A year or so ago the NYTimes did a gin tasting: (http://www.nytimes.com/2007/05/02/dining/02wine.html?scp=1&sq=gin+rating&st=nyt). Three of the top 5 were the least expensive--Seagram's and Gordon's and Plymouth. There's a second secret to gin--keep it in your freezer. Even if you drink it on the rocks, keeping it in the freezer keeps that edge that FDR referred to as a "frozen cloud."
Sov at 8:49PM on 09/16/09
I have been drinking Swordsman, a London Dry Gin in Blackberry Tom Collins and with Pink Grapefruit Izze with a squeeze of lime.
amethiste at 9:14PM on 09/16/09
Depending on my mood, I go for junipero or bluecoat, two completely different gins--but both excellent.
Marvin at 9:27PM on 09/16/09
hendricks and tonic with a slice of cucumber. perfection.
hoecake at 1:28AM on 09/17/09
I like Hendricks, Brokers, Magellan, Tanqueray 10.... been wanting to try Blue Coat and Bulldog gin, but they aren't here in MI for distribution.
plazmaorb at 1:44AM on 09/17/09
i second the brokers. also it comes wearing a little fancy bowler hat.
leela at 2:36AM on 09/17/09
Beefeater or Bombay Saphire ; beyond these two the rest are for those girly drinks ,you know with chocalot ,bacon or Midol .
jfitz at 3:14AM on 09/17/09
Beefeater or Bombay Saphire ; beyond these two the rest are for those girly drinks ,you know with chocalot ,bacon or Midol .
jfitz at 3:16AM on 09/17/09
I am a big fan of 12 Bridges gin and Aviation gin.
Scoggdog at 4:37AM on 09/17/09
I'm a big fan of Hendrick's. They also help sponsor The Chap which is the magazine of choice for those who know how to wear a trilby and grow proper mustaches.
NotAmerican at 7:47AM on 09/17/09
I've been a drinker of gin for years...the smell always reminded me of Grandpa, who drank Beefeater Gin Martinis every day after work. So now I always order my martinis with dirty w/Beefeater, but I love my G&Ts with Tanqueray -- extra lime.
juliebugsmama at 7:59AM on 09/17/09
Bluecoat is currently my favorite gin. (Martinis with Lillet every Friday). Second would be Hendricks.
lucylucy at 8:49AM on 09/17/09
If you haven't tried Old Raj, you should, although it is pricey. In the San Francisco World Spirits Competition, the highest scoring inexpensive gin ($18) among the widely available gins appears to be, of all things, Beefeater. It scored better than such highly regarded gins as Bombay Sapphire, Hendrick's, and Tanqueray. I'm delighted to see the powerful resurgence of this noble spirit.
lawandmusic at 9:01AM on 09/17/09
I love love Tanqueray and tonic of course with the ceremonial lime wedge. Though I just tried a Hendricks, soda and muddled cucumber cocktail and was very pleasantly surprised...
Actually, I have been trying to track down a bottle of Old Tom Gin. The research I've done has told me that this isn't brand but more of a type of gin. I think Plymouth is the label that makes it? Are there any others? Has anyone had any experience with this?
decemberain27 at 10:07AM on 09/17/09
Rogue Pink Gin is fantastic, so is their regular spruce gin
coolconman at 11:58AM on 09/17/09
Don't like olives, so I go with a gibson made with Hendrick's. Mmm...
anysuchname at 12:03PM on 09/17/09
Tanqueray 10 hands down.
No contest. Sweet, balanced, rounded and excellent straight up.
I'm just partial to the Tanqueray brand has the aroma of sweetness I really like and prefer.
Bombay is a bit too dry for me, but is good for "mixed" cocktails
Beefeater isn't the best: tastes a bit cheap to me.
>>>REAL GIN LOVER HERE: so I wouldn't turn any of them down. LOL
I agree that i'm lovin this with cucumber!
hungrychristel at 12:52PM on 09/17/09
For everyday G&T's, martinis and gimlets I drink Bombay Sapphire. I also like Hendrick's, Plymouth and Cascade Mountain. All very different. I got some Aviation, but was a bit disappointed. It's good but not a fave. Then again, I'm with hungrychristel, I wouldn't turn down any of the choices mentioned here.
jftz, I can't agree completely with you but I think I understand where you're coming from. When a spirit gets popular, everyone jumps on the bandwagon. Hendrick's cucumber and rose is about as "untraditional" as I want to get with my gin. I hope we're not one marketing campaign away from blueberry and pomegranate gins flooding the local BevMo.
arjava at 1:10PM on 09/17/09
Can anyone recommend a gin for a guy who hasn't touched it in years, after swearing off the stuff in college? Something on the less-intense side is preferable.
Had a basil-lime vodka gimlet this summer that sparked my interest in making and drinking legitimate cocktails, gin seems to be required for such a pursuit so I'm looking to develop a taste for it.
BKNYDan at 1:43PM on 09/17/09
Hendrick's and Gordon's are my favorites. Although my wife doesn't like that the 1.75l of Gordon's comes in a plastic bottle, so she pours it into a glass Seagram's bottle.
@BKNYDan-- Sabra has a nice lighter gin that I think is good for someone who might be leery of the stuff. There's a nice small-batch gin from Wisconsin that has basil as part of their botanicals-- but I can't remember the name offhand.
MarvinDog at 3:51PM on 09/17/09
@BKNYDan: there's always lemon gin...
hungrychristel at 4:55PM on 09/17/09
The new Beefeater 24 is a great gin to serve in a martini in which you merely stare at the vermouth. Tanqueray Rangpur on the rocks is a nice drink for a weekday. I prefer Seagram's for G&Ts when I plan on having more than a couple. Hendricks or Plymouth go great in this cocktail: http://www.nydailynews.com/lifestyle/food/2007/05/24/2007-05-24_best_tipple_in_town_-1.html
ephoun at 8:59PM on 09/17/09
Junipero or Hendricks- on the rocks with a twist or some caperberries!
pajun5 at 11:52AM on 09/18/09
Thanks for the reminder of how fresh and relaxing gin can be. Used to end the workday with gin and tonic, but got out of the habit. Always liked Tanqueray--certainly for the taste, but must confess that the look and feel of the bottle has its own special appeal.
Cheers!
Maureen A Martin
http://www.thedrinkingglass.com
MaureenAMartin at 3:27PM on 09/18/09
I like Bulldog, I find it works well in many cocktails. Prob a good one to try to get back into gin, BKNYDan.
ethrowny at 4:10PM on 09/18/09
Oh, yes, Bluecoat indeed!
Fillippelli the Cook at 2:57PM on 09/21/09