What kind of Gin should I be drinking?

[zeeriverrat1]

Well, I have an affinity for gin....you fellas should be experts on that subject! What do you prefer? It might surprise you to know that there is a gin distillery in Arkansas...
Curious to know what you Brits like in the way of Gin.....

Zee

 

[deeangeo]

Mothers ruin.....works brilliantly in Pimms . Gordons of course, nothing but the best! ATB

 

[sauer]

if making home flavoured gin, like sloe or various fruit flavoured stuff then a just a bottle o supermarket own brand ...

but if for the gin itself im not fussy! Gordon's, Bombay blue sapphire a favourite, or just tried Tanqueray



paul

 

[willie_gunn]

Always try to find an export strength gin if possible - 47.3 rather than the innocuous 37.5 proof - as it makes a significant difference, particularly if you are going for the classic "G & T". Most of the "bog standard" gins are 37.5 proof and IMHO you lose a lot of what gin is all about.

Personally I can't say I'm convinced about the new-ish trend for botanicals from Hendricks, Sipsmith, etc. Give me a good London or Plymouth gin any day. But the botanicals have helped revitalise the market for gin, which is undoubtably a good thing.

If forced to choose I would normally go for Tanqueray, but I have a bottle of unopened Crown Jewel (Beefeater 50 proof) that I am saving for a special occasion!

If making fruit gins then I buy own-brands from the supermarket. That said, both Tesco and Waitrose do some pretty good own brand gin - Tesco currently do a 43 proof London gin that is really very nice.

willie_gunn

 

[243varmint]

Hendricks and Plymouth for me. Bombay blue sapphire to 'soapy'


a bit too early yet but........


Jon

 

[ndt man]

yuk its a tarts drink

 

[FGYT]

I prefer a Plymouth Gin to London but its hard to find as most use a london flavor base

 

[FGYT]

yuk its a tarts drink

Try a couple of Pints

 

[verminator69]

Try NB Gin, tried a few different gins and this one is the berries! Lol

 

[Eyefor]

Hendricks with ice and sliced cucumber using Fever Tree tonic.

Try that and tell me it's a tarts drink!

Second choice is Tanqueray.

If making sloe or blackberry (etc) gin then anything from Aldi / Lidl's own downwards is fine - you won't know the difference.

 

[enfieldspares]

My late father and his generation (he died in 1987) used to drink Booth's gin, in the clear bottle. I now understand that this marque no longer exists? Or has become downvalued?

But it was a superior product to Gordon's which they would NEVER entertain!

 

[jonathankent]

Sorry Eyefor but Grey Goose and Stoly are both Vodka not gin.

I personally rather like Hendricks.

Atb
Jonno

 

[RED-DOT]

I used to haul gin made in Girvan down to London where a syrup was added to the bulk tanker and then i brought the whole lot back up to Scotland to be bottled as Grants London Gin. Two days from still to bottle.

 

[mereside]

all you need to know about gin ,here
BEST GIN BRANDS
you need to be somewhere like spain to see all the brands of gin it amazes me how many types are made in the uk but only exported to the likes of spain i went into a large off licence and there were three full walls of different brands of gin, atb wayne
oh and mine is gilbeys or greenalls, I dont like hendricks as i hate cucumber, ruins a nice gin

 

[Eyefor]

Sorry Eyefor but Grey Goose and Stoly are both Vodka not gin.

Too early......Sorry.

Brain not yet in gear.

It was the mention of "Tonic"......

 

[bewsher500]

personal taste
but being a Gin drinker I had a tasting with about 8 friends one night
we all brought a bottle and it was all done blind
you had to taste them neat, with tonic, with water

we had
Gordons
Hendricks
Tanqueray
Beefeater
Some Naval strength Plymouth number which I can't remember the name of (that is hardly a surprise...)
Bombay Sapphire
Tesco's own brand
couple of other random "bought them in duty free in Alicante" brands


hands down winner .......











Beefeater!!
No-one thought that would be the case

been drinking Gordon's all my life until that point!

 

[Mungo]

If you want to try something a bit different but still recognisably gin-like, I can very strongly recommend Dutch corenwyn.

It's essntially the ancestral spirit that the dutch developed in the 1700s, from which British gin evolved.

It's smoother and more honeyed - in blind tastings, people can mistake it for a Speyside whisky. But it has the botanicals - especially juniper - characteristic of gin.

Lovely as a sipping drink on it's own (particularly the Bols 10 yr old), or as part of a g&t.

 

[scrumbag]

Good London gin such as Bombay Saphire is my preferred. Sloe Gin after an evening stalk or duck flight warms the cockles wonderfully!

ATB,

Scrummy

 

[private fraser]

+1 for Dutch gin.

Tip.. if you get talking to barman or restaurant owner in Amsterdam they will take it for granted that being English you will put tonic in.

1. I put them right that I am not English.
2. Tell them no way tonic in, it's far too good to waste.
3. Enjoy a free tasting session and discussion on the merits.

Happened twice to me, different places obviously.

 

[Edchef]

Plymouth Gin for me - Take a factory tour if you are ever in Plymouth - fascinating!
...and if you add tonic - 'Fever Tree' is excellent
Ed