Gin is on a roll, breaking records in sales and production as consumers thirst for spirits with authenticity, distinctiveness and provenance. Chief Executive of the Wine and Spirit Trade Association, Miles Beale notes, “The gin boom continues to go from strength to strength and shows no signs of slowing.” All good news for those of us interested in celebrating National Gin & Tonic Day (Oct. 19th).
Carounn Gin’s Gin Master Simon Buley notes that the variety of flavor profiles and distillation methods used to craft any given gin keep things interesting, making it a spirit that “lends itself to a wider variety of experimentation. Other spirits don’t really add a unique flavor and sometimes only supply alcohol content to the drink.” I am sure you had this date on your calendar, but if not, we’ve rounded up some special gins (and one fabulous tonic water) to seek out for celebrating properly.
USA: Bardenay, Boise, Idaho: First, this is not made from a potato base; let’s get that out of the way. This is a classically styled London Dry Gin with a nice creamy texture and notes of juniper, pepper and licorice. The classic profile makes this one a no-brainer for a solid gin & tonic. The distillery/restaurant where Bardenay is made serves up a mean ‘Basil Instinct’ cocktail featuring Patron Citronge, fresh basil, pressed margarita and sweet & sour mixes-- on the rocks with a sprig of fragrant basil. This gin was also an International Review of Spirits Gold Medal Award winner.
Scotland: Carounn Scottish Gin: Caorunn Scottish gin from the Speyside region of the Highlands. Gin Master Simon Buley distills in small batches using the world’s only working copper berry chamber to better infuse the botanicals into the spirit vapor. Carounn incorporates a blend of locally foraged botanicals such as rowan berry, dandelion and bog myrtle and traditional botanicals (juniper berries, coriander, and orange peel). The final gin is a delicate and smooth expression, perfect for a G & T.
Ireland: Glendalough Gin: A truly seasonal gin made from locally foraged botanicals in Ireland's lush County Wicklow. The distillers spend the season working with local forager Geraldine Kavanagh (www.wicklowwildfoods.com) in the wilds of the Wicklow countryside sleuthing out freshest and most interesting local botanicals, berries and fruit. Each batch is a small run (no more than 3,000 bottles) and each batch has its own unique flavors. A truly seasonal and special gin every time it's made.
England: Sipsmith, London: This London-based gin distiller gets credit for igniting London’s gin boom. The Sipsmith team successfully lobbied the government and secured the freedom to open and operate a traditional copper distillery in London--the first one in over 200 years. Distiller Jared Brown crafts Sipsmith using traditional botanicals such as Macedonian juniper berries, Bulgarian coriander and a whiff of Madagascan cinnamon bark for a touch of sweet spiciness. The result is a versatile, well-rounded gin with a thread of spice, an ideal spirit for your G &T celebrating.
The tonic water does matter--especially if you are paying attention to additives. For a clean, pure tonic expression I like Q Tonic. For starters, their Q Tonic has 35 calories--roughly half of the calories found in other national brands--and it is sweetened with organic agave (not high fructose corn syrup). They actually created a custom thicker glass bottle so they could bottle at a higher level of carbonation--more fizz means that drink stays fresh far longer.
