you may have noticed that we, um... like gin
If you have ever perused the gin section here in the shop, you may have noticed that we, um... like gin. A lot. One of the fun things about gin is that it has a huge range of flavors- and as a result, a lot of different uses. It also elicits a variety of opinions- which is good. Everyone has their own taste in things. Some people feel that one, maybe two, gins on the shelf can cover all your needs. Some (like me) feel that the variety of flavors that gin can produce is a key part of its charm. Really, though, both sides are right. If you want one gin that can do everything and won't break the bank, look no further...
Citadelle Original Dry Gin 1 Liter - Compass Wines
Before we get too deep into this, it's worth noting that gin and vodka are very closely related but technically different. They are both neutral spirits at first (distilled from pretty much anything from potatoes to apples to barley), but gin is infused with other botanicals, which must include juniper. While it is permissible and quite common for vodka to include a variety of flavors, juniper is what makes gin gin.
If you have read any of these newsletters, you can probably guess what gin started out as. Yep- medicine. Juniper had been used for medicinal purposes pretty much since humans first encountered it. Does it actually have any medicinal properties? I don't know. Probably. Ancient Mesopotamians believed it could ward off the evil eye and plague doctors stuffed it in their masks, so it's at least got an interesting provenance. At any rate, the earliest references to gin date back to 13th Century Flanders and by the 16th Century, Jenever (or Genever in Dutch/ Flemish), which was a distillate combining juniper with various other herbs and spices, was common in both Flanders and The Netherlands. "The Low Countries" are very close to England, so it was inevitable that the British would soon come in contact with the spirit that would come to be regarded as quintessentially theirs. The Dutch do still make Jenever, but it is quite different from modern style gin, so we will leave that for another time.
When precisely it made the jump from medicinal to recreational is, of course, a bit hazy. By the late 17th Century though, The British had embraced it wholeheartedly. Or, some had. Like everything, gin was politicized. It was often characterized as French/ Catholic/ generally foreign and therefore suspicious at best. Around this time (not coincidentally), French brandy was hit with a heavy import tax and regulations on gin production were significantly loosened. Roughly (and I do mean roughly) the first four decades of the 18th Century came to be known as the time of the "gin craze" in England. Gin could be
made pretty much anywhere by pretty much anyone. It shouldn't surprise you, then, to hear that this setup didn't really go well. When you have a spirit that is commonly made in people's homes, basically unregulated, flavored with turpentine (which was a disturbingly common way of producing "resinous" notes) and sold cheaply to the masses, things will go sideways in a hurry. Gin was quickly blamed for pretty much all of society's ills.
The Gin Act of 1751 got things somewhat under control. Producers at least needed to be licensed and the introduction of the column still allowed for more quality control ease of production of a neutral spirit base. Pot stills, which had been the norm, run one batch at a time and generally allow for more "character" in a distillate. That's a good thing when a skilled distiller is making, say, whiskey or rum. When some random bloke in 18th century London is using a homemade still in their kitchen and adding turpentine...
In the 19th century, Gin found its way into the two cocktails with which it is most commonly linked. When the British colonized India, malaria was, well, one of many problems which arose. Quinine was one of the few effective ways of keeping it at bay. Quinine dissolved into water gives us "tonic water". On its own, especially in those early forms, tonic water is very bitter. So of course the solution was to add gin to it until it became palatable. Voila- the Gin and Tonic was born. Add some lime for a little acidity and Vitamin C and you basically don't even need doctors anymore. Some combos were meant to be and the G&T remains popular around the world. Tonic has gotten a lot better over the years and it is fun to try different versions with different gins. Also , some newer style gins prefer lemon to lime in this drink. Again, it's fun to try different combos. My current favorite tonic is the light (don't worry, it just uses less sugar- no fake sweeteners or anything) version from Fever Tree but pretty much all of their tonics are solid. We don't sell them but they are easy to find.
Fever‑Tree Light Tonic | Low‑Cal Mixer
Try it with this gin and lime and thank me later...
Right Swedish Gin - Compass Wines
Or try it with this gin and lemon...
On to the Martini. But first a note about modern gin styles. I will try and keep this brief...
The two most common gin styles you will encounter on our shelves are "London/ dry" and those with no style declaration. Gin can get its flavor a few different ways. After a neutral spirit is distilled, flavor extracts can be added afterwards, botanicals can be added to the distillate to macerate and be re-distillled, or in the case of "dry" gin, the botanicals can be placed in a basket in the tube connecting the still to the condenser. In this final method the flavors are being extracted by steam, generally producing a more subtle flavor than maceration. Old fashioned, traditional gins tend to have a more juniper focused flavor, while what I call "new world" style gins tend to focus more on the other botanicals often emphasizing the terroir of the place they are made. Old Tom gin was a popular Victorian style that has recently enjoyed a resurgence. The problem is, there is no agreed upon definition. Sometimes it is barrel aged, sometimes it's sweetened... basically it is a slightly sweeter version of gin. Do yourself a favor and make a Tom Collins with fresh lemon juice and this gin next time it gets hot (well, over 70 at any rate). It is considered not a cool cocktail anymore, but when made with good ingredients, it is one of the most refreshing summer sippers out there.
https://www.compasswines.com/haymans-old-tom-sphaymna750-37560/
https://www.liquor.com/recipes/tom-collins-2/
So then, The Martini. It's amazing how such a simple drink can inspire such differences of opinion, arguments, and general discord. Nobody agrees on what the perfect Martini is. Few people agree on its origins. My two cents is that it should be made with gin (probably dry) and not vodka. Short of that I am staying out of the argument. Our staff top choice is Isle of Harris Gin.
https://www.compasswines.com/isle-of-harris-gin-750-spihgin750-47170/
It is ever so slightly briny, beautifully balanced and just kind of great all around. One person here thinks this is the best gin in the world. Again, I am not going to argue...except for the fact that we just got this one in and it is in close contention for the crown.
https://www.compasswines.com/boatyard-double-gin-750-spbdg750-53326/
Once you move past The Big Two gin cocktails, you've got the Negroni (equal parts gin, sweet vermouth, and a Campari-type of bitter) which is rapidly making it a Big Three. After that it's basically a free for all. Because of the diversity of flavors found in gin, there is really no limit to what it can do in a cocktail. Some really emphasize citrus notes, some floral, some a mix of all sorts of notes. Gins can be one of the truest expressions of "terroir" when the botanicals are gathered from the area where the gin is made. So whatever your cocktail needs, chances are, there is a gin that will work in it. Now go make yourself a French 75.
https://www.liquor.com/recipes/french-75-2/
That's all for now, thanks for reading.
Cory