Juniper, It’s Not Just for Christmas Trees

I know, I hear it all of the time, “I don’t like gin, it tastes like a Christmas tree.”  All I ask is that you give us a chance to explain ourselves.  

I’ll start from the beginning.  I didn’t like gin either.  My brother in law walked up to me, in  Vegas of all places, holding a martini with an olive and immediately shifted my perspective.  As soon as he arrived, I could smell his cocktail and was intrigued.  I have a pretty strong sense of smell, a gift and a curse, and I really liked the strong evergreen fragrance coming from his glass.  My patient brother in law was sure that I wouldn’t like it but, allowed me to try it anyway.  He was right, I didn’t like it.  But, I knew there was a potential there that required more research.  So here we are, some eight years later, and I’m on a gin journey, a gin adventure, the path to GINlightenment?!  I’ve tried gin from all over the world and I have some tips to get you started.  Are you ready for some GINspiration (now that I’ve started with these I can’t seem to stop, my apologies)?

First, what makes gin, gin?  Gin starts with a neutral alcohol made from grain that is then distilled with a variety of botanicals.  For all gins, juniper berries are part of the botanical mix.  That’s what makes it ‘gin’.  Aside from that, most gins include peels from various citrus fruits, spices such as cinnamon and coriander, and roots such as ginger and angelica.  These items combine to create a spirit that is extremely flavorful and fragrant.  Just like with wine, you experience part of the gin with smell- the nose; and part of it on your tongue- the pallet. Take the time to give it a sniff then taste it with ice.  Note: for brown gins the ice may not be necessary. 

Did you know, there is more than one type of gin? I’ve listed them below with a brief description and suggested uses.

• London Dry: This one is the most common and easy to find.  As the name suggests, this gin has a dry flavor meaning that it isn’t sweet.  You can find many modern versions of this style such as American Dry (yes, really!). It’s the most juniper heavy of the varieties and works great for savory drinks like martinis, gin and tonics, and mules.  A barrel aged variety is totally sippable straight with or without ice.
• Old Tom: This type of gin is sweeter.  While it does include juniper flavor it is far less pronounced than in the London Dry.   The focus is more on the other botanicals making it a good choice for mixed cocktails and mules.  Here again, an aged variety would even be suitable on its own with a bit of ice.    
• Genever: This type is very sweet and is harder to find.  Unlike the other types, this one is malted meaning the grains are allowed to start fermenting.  The flavor of juniper is present but it’s light allowing the flavors of the earthy, sweet spices, like nutmeg and cloves, to come through. This type is perfect for sipping neat or for mixed cocktails.

Next, it’s time to make the hard choices.  Not really, choosing a gin to try should be fun.  It can be overwhelming due to the sheer volume of options but don’t worry, I’m here to help.  When choosing a gin my go to is always small batch and, where available, locally made.  I’m not saying that there are no good mass produced options out there but just like anything else choosing an item that is thoughtfully crafted in smaller amounts usually leads to a unique, higher quality product.  Think of fiber purchased at a hobby store versus an indie maker.  If you typically like dryer cocktails and spirits go with a Dry variety.  This type is the most versatile as it has many cocktail applications. If you tend to like sweeter things, go for the Old Tom and/or an aged variety.  These will lend themselves to cocktails that have a more sugary flavor.  If you enjoy wines that lean more sweet, such as port, try Genever. 

I like many different brands and price points of gin.  Below I have included some recommendations in order from dry to sweet.  This is by no means an exhaustive list:

• Bluecoat and Bluecoat Barrel Finished American Dry; Philadelphia, USA. 
• Cutwater London Dry; San Diego, USA.
• Tanqueray NO. 10 London Dry; Cameron Bridge, Scotland.
• 135 East Hyogo Dry Gin; Hyogo, Japan. 
• Amazzoni Gin; Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.
• Barr Hill Reserve Tom Cat; Vermont, USA.
• Hayman’s Old Tom; London, England. 
• Bols Genever; Amsterdam, The Netherlands. 

Finally, we’re ready to get this spirit in a glass!  It’s time for some GINsational recipes (I warned you there would be more).  Pre-pandemic, I held an annual gin tasting event that included gins that I had collected throughout the year, foods that compliment gin, and a gin recipe card that attendees could take home.  Gin cocktails can range from the most simple with just an ingredient or two to complex with multiple ingredients, garnishes and special tools.  I like to stay in the simple to midrange of difficulty because I want to get to the business of enjoying my gin. Of note is that due to my citrus allergy I substitute apple cider vinegar where a recipe may usually call for a slice of lemon or lime.  I encourage you to try it both ways. 

When deciding on what to mix up keep these tips in mind:

• Better ingredients will make a better tasting cocktail.
• Gin tastes best cold with a few exceptions.
• Experiment with bitters like black walnut or lavender instead of Angostura.
• Vermouths add unique flavor to a cocktail, experiment with different brands.

Ta-dah! Are you feeling motivated, empowered, and thirsty?  I hope so.  Some of the better brands have started selling mini bottles, which would be a great way to taste before committing to a large bottle.  Don’t be afraid to ask for recommendations wherever you buy liquor and spirits.  On IG, be sure to tag me in your GINventures…expeditGINS…GINvestigations.  Enjoy!