Nathan & Amy's
Guide to Weekend Gin

Gin is a spirit, or strong alcoholic beverage. It is made from the distillation of white grain spirit and juniper berries, which provide its distinctive flavor. The taste of ordinary gin is very dry, and as such it is rarely drunk on its own. The most common style of gin, typically used for mixed drinks, is “London dry gin”, which refers not to brand, marque, or origin, but to a distillation process. London dry gin is a high proof spirit, usually produced in a column still and redistilled after the botanicals are added to the base spirit. In addition to juniper, it is usually made with a small amount citrus botanicals like lemon and bitter orange peel. Other botanicals that may be used include anise, angelica root, orris root, cinnamon, coriander, and cassia bark.      A well-made gin will be very dry with a smooth texture lacking in harshness. The flavor will be harmonious yet have a crisp character with a pronounced Juniper flavor.
Our Rating [1-10]	GIN	Description	Label
8.5	Martin Miller's Gin	Miller's Gin is London distilled using over eight botanicals and aromatics. Then it is sent to Iceland to be blended with the softest and purest Icelandic spring water, where one more ingredient is added. This is the secret ingredient not even known to the master distiller
8 Our "everyday" Gin.  N& A	Seagram's Lime Twisted Gin Seagrams brand gin accounts for more than one of every four bottles of gin sold in the U.S
7.5	Broker's Gin The Dawsons wanted to make sure people could recognize the bottle on the shelf, so they created a bowler hat to top the screw cap. While it looks a little silly, it pops off, and the hat does the trick, making the gin jump out at you on the shelf. As for the gin, it was an eye opener for me. It is delicious, with sweetly pungent aromas, and it has that smooth nonburning flavor that you can only get from a pot still. In fact, it is so smooth you can drink it straight at room temperature. Its highest calling is in a straight shot, served icy cold in a martini glass. This is one of the first gins I've had that actually tastes better without a touch of vermouth.	Made in a 200-year-old distillery outside Birmingham, England. They use a traditional pot still. The process is longer and more expensive, but the flavors are superior to the huge column stills used by the megacorps. They also let their gin sit on the herbs for 24 hours. As an example, Bombay Sapphire only exposes the fumes to the herbs, yielding a light flavor. Broker's is just the opposite – it's an intensely flavorful gin that harkens back to the old days when colonialists wanted a lot of flavor in their gin to help hide the quinine they were drinking to beat malaria. The quinine, now called tonic water, probably didn't help that much, but the gin made them a little more sanguine about their health.
7.5	Tangueray Rangpur Gin	Tanqueray Rangpur is distilled with Rangpur limes for a more subtle gin taste with a hint of lime. Rangpur gin is very smooth and excellent in martinis.
7	Hendricks Gin 88 pf Gin (Scotland)	Handcrafted gin with traditional botanicals, juniper, coriander, and citrus peel but the special infusion of cucumber and rose petals creates an unique and unexpected flavor.
6	Tanqueray Gin 94.6 pf (UK)	"Clear. Mild juniper/herbal nose. Dry, smooth medium-bodied palate, with full juniper character tempered by a great cut of lemon zest and a slightly oily finish. A robust gin with a great appeal as a bold gin & tonic." The Beverage Testing Institute
5	Bombay Sapphire Gin 94 Proof (UK)	Bombay Sapphire is noted for its very subtle and smooth flavor. It has a complex multi-layered palette with a less "ginny" taste. The selection of the ten botanicals is balanced to give Bombay Sapphire a unique and memorable taste experience.
4	Beefeater Gin 94 proof  (UK)	"Beefeater Gin requires no introduction. Any bar you go to, no matter if it is a pricey club in Manhattan or a dumpy cowboy bar in Texas, will likely carry it. There is good reason for this. Beefeater is an inexpensive and very good gin." Alcoholreviews.com
3.5	Magellan Gin
3	Seagram's Extra Dry Gin
3	Tanqueray No. 10 Gin 94.6 pf (UK)	"Clear. Bright, deep juniper and citrus aromas. Medium body. Crisp, assertive juniper bite, with a very smooth, oily mouth feel. Tremendous depth of flavor in the complex array of botanicals. Beautifully balanced with a zest of lemon in the long, lingering finish. World class gin, clearly designed for decadently elegant martinis." The Beverage Tasting Institute
3	Burnett’s Gin 80 pf (US) One 1.75 L plastic bottle was our "everyday" gin for the of Spring 2008. No the Kerosene taste like some, but glad to move on to something else. --N&A
2	Gordon's Gin 80 pf (US)	"The first sniffings find toasty notes of charcoal and minerals more than botanicals; later inhalations following aeration stir glimpses of fabric, hemp and butter. The palate entry is firm, moderately sweet and nearly plump; at midpalate the taste profile turns a bit drier, if a touch fruity. Ends up uncomplicated and grainy sweet." Wine Enthusiast
2	Gilbey’s London Dry Gin
2	Seagram's Distiller's Reserve Gin	Black & Gold Label hand-selected to create a barrel-proof gin.
1	Seagram's Orange Twisted Gin
Not Tried (Yet)	Bombay Gin 86 proof	White & Red Label The original Bombay Gin is greatly esteemed and extremely popular. It is a refreshing 86 proof Gin, made from a finely balanced mixture of eight exotic botanicals.
Not Tried (Yet)	Boodles Gin 90.4 pf (UK)	"An invitingly herbal and woodsy initial aroma of sage, nutmeg and cassia bark; more minutes find the juniper behind the assertive spice and herb flavorings. The palate entry is round, semisweet and moderately oily; at midpalate the taste is of rosemary and coriander and pepper. Finishes elegantly, firmly and squeaky clean. Best Buy." Wine Enthusiast 90-95 Points
Not Tried (Yet)	Boomsma Jonge Genever Gin 80 pf (Holland)	A strong zesty 'Dutch' style; a little lighter on the juniper and heavier on the citrus peel and aromatics. A Boomsma Martini, anyone?
Not Tried (Yet)	Distillery No. 209 Gin 92 pf (San Francisco)	No. 209 is a reference to Registered Distillery No. 209, a sign Leslie Rudd found on a building on the winery he bought in St. Helena. The resulting artisinal gin has an alluring citric perfume, thanks to an infusion of bergamot peel along with more typical spices like juniper.
Not Tried (Yet)	G Vine Gin (France)	Fresh botanicals and ugni blanc vine flowers are infused and distilled individually into the grape neutral spirit made from that varietal. Infusions are blended together and copper-pot distilled for ultimate distillation and perfect smoothness. Each bottle of handcrafted gin is individually numbered to ensure a totally incomparable sensory experience.
Not Tried (Yet)	D. H. Krahn Ultra Premium Gin (USA) 80 pf	DH Krahn Gin is single distilled in Northern California in Stupfler Alambic pot stills, which are known as the 'Rolls Royce' of copper alambics and are the only ones of their kind in all of the Americas. By avoiding multiple distillations, DH Krahn is able to preserve the fragile aromas and precious essential oils of the botanicals, essences which are lost every time a spirit is redistilled. Described as deliciously flavorful, yet delicate and flawlessly pure, the product lends itself to creating exquisite cocktails and can also be enjoyed neat or on the rocks.
Not Tried (Yet)	Plymouth Gin 82.4 pf (UK)	"Clear. Light juniper nose. Medium body. Substantial juniper hit upfront that carries through to a lean citrus peel and quinine character. Finishes with a hefty wave of spicy heat. A substantial gin that would be great in a gin and tonic." The Beverage Testing Institute
Not Tried (Yet)	Vincent Van Gogh Gin 94 pf (Holland)	"Van Gogh Gin (94 proof) is a super premium gin from Holland made by Dirkzwager Distillery. It boasts ten botanicals, including grains of paradise, cassia bark, and cubeb berries. While we aren't sure what those taste like and so couldn't detect them, we can tell you that the juniper was prominent, as was coriander, almonds and liquorice, especially. A real explosion of flavor, and snappy crisp. A very impressive gin and one that is spectacular with tonic. Damn near perfect. (Rating *****)" Alcoholreviews.com
Tonic Water     Canada Dry Schweppes Seagrams
Most old gin bottles were of a type called case gins, which had four straight sides and a square bottom that allowed easily fitting 4 to 12 bottles in a wooden packing case. The most common color for case gins is olive green, though examples can also be found in clear, amber, and cobalt blue. History Gin originated in the Netherlands in the 17th century - its invention is often credited to the physician Franciscus Sylvius. From there it spread to England after the Glorious Revolution put a Dutchman on the English throne. Dutch gin, known as jenever, is a distinctly different drink from English-style gin; it is distilled with barley and sometimes aged in wood, giving it a slight resemblance to whisky. Schiedam, in South Holland, is famous for its jenever. Jenever is produced in a pot still and is typically lower in alcohol and more strongly flavored than London gin. Hogarth’s Gin Lane became very popular in England after the government created a market for poor quality grain that was unfit to be used in brewing beer by allowing unlicensed gin production and at the same time imposing a heavy duty on all imported spirits. Thousands of gin-shops sprang up all over England. By 1740 the production of gin had increased to six times that of beer and because of its cheapness it became extremely popular with the poor. Of the 15,000 drinking establishments in London over half were gin-shops. Beer maintained a healthy reputation as it was often safer to drink the brewed ale than unclean plain water, but gin was blamed for various social and medical problems, and may have been a factor in the high death rate that caused London’s previously increasing population to remain stable. The reputation of the two drinks was illustrated by William Hogarth in his engravings Beer Street and Gin Lane (1751). This negative reputation survives today in the English language; terms such as “gin-mills” to describe disreputable bars or calling drunks “gin-soaked”. The Gin Act 1736 imposed high taxes on retailers but led to riots in the streets. The prohibitive duty was gradually reduced and finally abolished in 1742. The Gin Act 1751 however was more successful. It forced distillers to sell only to licensed retailers and brought gin-shops under the jurisdiction of local magistrates. Gin in the 18th century was produced in pot stills, and was somewhat sweeter than the London gin known today. In 1832 the column still was invented, and later in the 19th century the London dry style was developed. Gin thus became a more respectable drink. In tropical English colonies, gin was used to mask the flavor of quinine, a protection against malaria, which was diluted in tonic water. This was the origin of today’s popular Gin and tonic, even though quinine is no longer effective against malaria. Many other gin-based mixed drinks were invented, including the martini. Gin, in the form of secretly-produced “bathtub gin”, was a common drink in the speakeasies of Prohibition-era America due to the relative simplicity of the basic production methods. It remained popular as the basis of many cocktails after the repeal of Prohibition. At the present time there are numerous types and manufactures of gin, the most notable of which are listed below. During the most recent gin-tasting competitions it was held that the relatively new Tanqueray Ten was the world champion of gins followed closely by the previous world winner Bombay Sapphire. In 2005 South Gin made by Pacific Dawn Distillers of New Zealand received the ?Grand Gold with Palm Leaves? at the Monde Selection in Brussels rating it as the best gin in the world.
Classifications of Gin London Dry Gin is the dominant English style of Gin. As a style it lends itself particularly well to mixing. London Dry Gin is the dominant Gin style in the United Kingdom, former British colonies, the United States, and Spain. Plymouth Gin is relatively full-bodied (when compared to London Dry Gin). It is clear, slightly fruity, and very aromatic. Originally the local Gin style of the English Channel port of Plymouth, modern Plymouth Gin is nowadays made only by one distillery in Plymouth, Coates & Co., which also controls the right to the term Plymouth Gin. Old Tom Gin is the last remaining example of the original lightly sweetened gins that were so popular in 18th-century England. The name comes from what may be the first example of a beverage vending machine. In the 1700s some pubs in England would have a wooden plaque shaped like a black cat (an "Old Tom") mounted on the outside wall. Thirsty passersby would deposit a penny in the cat's mouth and place their lips around a small tube between the cat's paws. The bartender inside would then pour a shot of Gin through the tube and into the customer's waiting mouth. Until fairly recently limited quantities of Old Tom-style Gin were still being made by a few British distillers, but they were, at best, curiosity items. Genever or Hollands is the Dutch style of Gin. Genever is distilled from a malted grain mash similar to that used for whisky. Oude ("old") Genever is the original style. It is straw-hued, relatively sweet and aromatic. Jonge ("young") Genever has a drier palate and lighter body. Some genevers are aged for one to three years in oak casks. Genevers tend to be lower proof than English gins (72-80 proof or 36-40% ABV is typical). They are usually served straight up and chilled. The classic accompaniment to a shot of Genever is a dried green herring. Genever is traditionally sold in a cylindrical stoneware crock. Genever-style gins are produced in Holland, Belgium, and Germany.
Premium / Famous Gin Brands      (those in bold are listed above) Beefeater - first produced in 1820 Blackwood’s Superior Nordic Vintage Dry Gin Bombay - distilled with eight botanicals Booth’s - first produced in 1790 by Sir Felix Booth Bombay Sapphire - distilled with ten botanicals Ginebra San Miguel - has juniper berries as its main flavor, produced by the company of the same name and is the largest-selling gin in the world although it is mainly sold in the Philippines Greenall’s Hendrick’s Gin - infused with cucumber, coriander, citrus peel and rose petals DH Krahn Gin Plymouth - first distilled in 1793 Seagram’s South Gin - triple distilled in New Zealand using nine botanicals, two of which are native: manuka berries and kawa kawa leaves, believed by the indigenous M?ori people to offer medicinal properties Tanqueray Tanqueray Ten Other Gin Brands and Variations Anchor Junipero Gin - produced in California by Anchor Steam Brewery Bafferts Gin - Triple-distilled with four botanicals in England Barton Gin Bellringer Gin - 94.4 proof English gin. Bols Gin Bombadier Military Gin Boodles British Gin - 90.4 proof gin Boomsma Jonge Genevere Gin Broker’s Premium Dry London Gin Burnett’s Crown Select Gin Caballito: Panama’s finest export gin Cadenhead’s Old Raj Gin - 110 proof gin containing a small amount of saffron, which imparts a slight yellowish/greenish tint. Citadelle - distilled with nineteen botanicals in France Cork Dry Cascade Mountain Gin - uses hand-picked wild juniper berries, distilled in Oregon Demrak Amsterdam - distilled five times with seventeen botanicals Dirty Olive - olive-flavored Fleischmann’s Gin - Marketed as the original American gin, first distilled in 1870 Gilbey’s London Dry Gin Gin Bulag - the Philippines’ most famous choice of gin. Directly translated as “Blind Gin,” this concoction has been aptly named after gin drunkards have been reported to lose their eyesight after three straight days of gin insobriety. Gin Llave - Argentina’s prime and extra-smooth concoction. Gin Xoriguer - Minorcan local gin Gordon’s London Gin (By Appointment To Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II of Great Britain) Hamptons Gin Juniper Green Organic Gin - first gin made from all organic ingredients in England with four botanicals Leyden Dry Gin - Distilled three times in small batches, twice in column stills then in a pot still Quintessential Sarticious Gin - Dutch style gin distilled in Santa Cruz, California, orange and cilantro Steinh䧥r Swordsman Van Gogh Gin - Dutch gin produced with ten botanicals in small batches. Triple distilled, twice in column stills then in a traditional pot still