Gin
Gin is thought to be a British adaptation of the Dutch spirit genever, though the origins of both gin and genever are subject to debate. Gin is, in essence, a flavored vodka as it is in fact a neutral spirit with certain flavorings added to it, though gin distillers won’t thank you for saying that. The key, characteristic flavor of gin must be of juniper, and historically juniper has been an overwhelming component of the spirit. In recent years, distillers have moved to tempering the impact of juniper and pumping up other flavors in the bottle, sometimes resulting in a spirit that’s closer to a flavored vodka. In the European Union and some other places gin must be at least 75 proof, while in the U.S. it must be at least 80 proof. “Navy Strength” gins are often bottled at 114 proof. Today, numerous sub-styles of gin have emerged out of the classic London Dry, including a resurgence of the archaic Old Tom gin style, Plymouth gin (which is also a famous brand), and New Western (or New American) gin, which tends to push the flavor boundaries of the spirit. Aside from Plymouth gin, which must be produced in a specific town in England, these gins have no formal, legal definitions or requirements.
Top Gin Posts:
The Botanist Gin
Tanqueray No. Ten Gin
Recipes for National Gin and Tonic Day
At this point it feels safe to say that the 2020 holiday season will be unlike any other in our lifetimes. And while in-person gatherings may not be possible, it doesn’t mean that you’re going ...
Kaikyo Distillery has become best known in the U.S. as the producer of the two Hatozaki whiskies which are available on our shores. Now America is being introduced to a white spirit from Kaikyo, which ...
Holland, Michigan-based Coppercraft has had its sights set on being a “grain to glass” distillery since 2012, and today the operation makes at least 8 products. Coppercraft is still working to get there, though, as there’s ...
Scottish Kings Highland Dry Gin is a new product from a father-daughter team looking to make inroads into the increasingly crowded world of gin. Envisioned by American Randy Miller, a gin enthusiast and lover of ...
Earlier this year we brought you a first look at two whiskies from Tel Aviv-based M&H (Milk & Honey) Distillery, Israel’s first whisky distillery, both bottled under the “Whisky in Bloom” brand. Now the brand ...
Like a lot of craft distilleries out there, Vitae Spirits in Charlottesville, Virginia was founded by a scientist, Ian Gromsky, who decided that 9-to-5 in a lab wasn’t nearly as interesting as 9-to-never in a ...
When we reviewed their high rye bourbon last year, we told you that Virginia’s Tarnished Truth Distillery was located inside a historic Virginia Beach hotel, The Cavalier. Apparently that hotel was quite the place, like ...
New Jersey-based Sourland Mountain makes a wide range of spirits, ranging from vodka to bourbon to coffee liqueur. Today we look at a standby, Sourland’s “flagship” Gin (so called to distinguish it from its barrel-aged ...
Luxardo is famous for its cherries and maraschino liqueur, and now the Italy-based brand is branching out into London Dry gin. (A “sour cherry gin” was released by Luxardo last year.) The gin is pot ...
We’ve covered the gins of Boston’s Bully Boy Distillers on several occasions. Recently the distillery rebranded its two gins — relaunching them with much different labels and mildly different identities. The recipes have not been ...
