Wired Gin

Juniper, Gin’s Namesake

30 April 2009 – 9:13 am
That distinctive smell that permeates the air when a fresh bottle of gin is opened is the signature scent of juniper. Some gins like Junipero are flavored with only juniper and a lot of it, others balance it with as many as 18 or 20 other botanicals and some add so much of another flavor the juniper has to fight for its rightful place as the star of the show. It is a battle juniper must win, or else the spirit cannot rightfully be called gin. Gin even gets its name from the juniper berry; it is the shortened version of the French “genievre.” Juniper is not a cultivated crop. The plants grow wild and the people who harvest the berries pick by hand and throw the berries in a sack. It takes berries from more than one supplier to make up the amount a big distillery needs. Luckily, a little ...

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Review: Broker’s Gin

7 April 2009 – 4:04 am
Broker’s Gin comes to you with personality. It stands out on your local retailer’s shelf with a clever little black hat on top. The hat screams out “try me – I’m not like all those bare-headed gins!” What other gin takes such fashion risk? Nevertheless, Broker’s Gin is a vintage gin in every way. Made at a distillery near London in a copper still, it is everything a gin needs to be. The time-honored juniper basis has been skillfully blended with traditional botanicals of coriander, orris root, nutmeg, cassia bark, cinnamon, licorice, orange & lemon peel and angelica root to produce a quality product from classic ingredients. They even claim that the water comes from an underground stream beneath the distillery. As for cocktails, this gin is perfect for traditional fare. The mouth feel is heavy - some describe it as oily.  The juniper-forward yet friendly flavor makes for a great martini and ...

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Review: Aviation Gin

10 January 2009 – 2:17 am
Is it really gin? Aviation Gin describes itself as a "botanical democracy". Alas, democracy is for governments, and juniper is for gin. This unique gin lacks that anchor that all gins require. Of course, some juniper can be found in the mix, but it is well-buried. Don't get me wrong, this concoction is quite tasty. It just doesn't taste like gin. I agree with Randy's assessment that "...the distillers may be trying to shatter some preconceived notions of what gin should be."  That said, enjoy it straight but don't expect it to satisfy in any standard gin cocktail. Oh, and don't get me started on the fact that they named this gin after a cocktail, requiring you to confusingly order an Aviation made with Aviation. Ack.

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Top Five Gin Drinks for Autumn

31 October 2008 – 11:31 pm
The leaves are falling and we're all thinking about spooky ghosts, picking apples and killing turkeys. Time again to consider gin, which can help you through these increasingly darker days. Avoid Pumpkin-tinis and other creepy sweet concoctions. Instead, try some of these stellar recommendations: 1. Stellar Apple Speaking of Stellar, Stellar Gin recommends this seasonally appropriate version of Gin & Juice:    1½ ounces Stellar Gin    3 ounces apple juice    Squeeze of lemon juice    1 apple slice (red or green), for garnish Fill a cocktail shaker two-thirds full of ice and add the ingredients. Shake for approximately 15 seconds, strain into a chilled cocktail glass, and add the garnish. 2. Satan's Whiskers Eric Felton recently extolled the virtues of Satan's Whiskers in a recent Wall Street Journal column Halloween Cocktails Needn't Be Frightful. Here's his excellent recipe:    ½ oz gin    ½ oz dry vermouth    ½ oz sweet vermouth    ½ oz freshly squeezed orange juice (blood oranges preferred, of course)    ½ ...

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The Martini

7 October 2008 – 9:23 am
The best known of David Embury's six basic drinks everyone should know (the others are the Jack Rose, the Manhattan, the Old-Fashioned, the Daiquiri, and the Sidecar), the martini is synonymous in the public imagination with cocktail culture.  Neon signs depicting cocktail glasses and olives advertise cocktail lounges, and the drink is so strongly associated with that distinctive long-stemmed glass that to many people it's "a martini glass," and by extension, anything that goes in it can be called a martini.  We suffer the tragedies of appletinis, Cosmotinis, Cowboytinis, and the like -- but the true martini hasn't been forgotten. The martini is probably the offspring from the wrong side of the sheets of two older drinks, the Martinez (named for Martinez, California) and the Manhattan.  A sweet drink for its time, the Martinez used sweet vermouth instead of dry, maraschino liqueur, and Old Tom gin; the Manhattan uses whiskey and ...

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Review: Whitley Neill Gin

22 September 2008 – 10:32 pm
Whitley Neill gin was launched this year in the United States. It was created just a couple of years ago by someone who decided to save his “deteriorating eyesight from the joy of more mind-numbing spreadsheets”. I’m glad spreadsheets can have such inspiration! This gin is “made in London” and “inspired by Africa”, bringing innovative botanicals like gooseberries and baobab fruit to its flavorings. Other flavors include standards such as juniper, coriander, lemon & orange peel, angelica root, cassia bark and orris root. Despite its exotic positioning and slightly higher alcohol content (42%), this gin starts silky smooth. After lingering in your mouth a bit, the flavor wakes up. Once is does, yow – what fun! Tart gooseberries dance delightfully with the bright and citrusy botanicals. With less of a juniper bite, Whitney Neill is a good starter gin, but the flavors are interesting enough to captivate experienced gin lovers as ...

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Not Your Grandfather’s Still

16 September 2008 – 12:14 am
Chemical & Engineering News reported that gin technology took a big step forward last month. In an article published in the Journal of Agriculture and Food Chemistry last month, scientists concluded that distilling gin in a high vacuum, low temperature still resulted in a gin that tasters considered "less pungent" and "more floral".  The patented process is on its way to commercial scale production.  Now that's better living through chemistry! The full article can be found here.

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Cassia Bark: A Snickerdoodle for your Gin Cocktails

28 August 2008 – 9:03 am
When you bite into that Snickerdoodle from the local bakery or sprinkle a little cinnamon on your venti mocha from the coffee shop, did it ever take you to another plane? Did you realize that some days, the days you did sprinkle on that extra touch of cinnamon that you were feeling a little bit more creative or artistic? Cinnamon, or what we Americans know as cinnamon, in reality it is cassia bark, has long been thought to have magical powers. And like the other botanicals used to flavor gin, it has aromatherapy uses and medicinal properties. Cassia has a long history and an interesting story. The spice that is sold in the United States and Canada is actually derived from the bark of the cassia tree. It is a stronger, hardier plant than the Ceylon cinnamon, which is true cinnamon. The flavor of the cassia is stronger, and branches and ...

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Coriander: For Rotten Meat, Love Potions and Gin

12 August 2008 – 8:28 am
  Look in any mid-to-well-stocked spice cupboard and you will find coriander. Look in any grocery store produce department and you will find cilantro. What you may not know, however, is that they come from the same plant. The plant that is grown for seed is referred to as coriander; it consists of the roots, seeds, leaves and flowers. Cilantro refers to the leaves and stems only and it is usually found fresh. Coriander is used in many cuisines such as Latin American, Thai, Chinese, Middle Eastern, Indian and African. It is used in soups, sauces, and chutneys and can be described as having a warm, nutty, spicy or citrus flavor. That's why it is used as one of the botanicals to flavor gin. It is especially detectable in the London Dry gins.   Coriander was found in King Tut’s tomb and mentioned in the Bible. The name may have derived from the ...

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Sippin’ on Gin and Juice

31 July 2008 – 7:51 am
Though hip hop's role in the resurgence of gin since the early 90s is an oft-neglected topic, I want to talk more broadly about combinations of gin and fruit juice. Fresh juice, while it may seem the furthest thing from revolutionary in this age of flavor labs and umami and turkey-flavored soda, has been a key component of the modern cocktail movement, which includes both the cocktail revival (a return to traditional spirits like gin and long-forgotten ingredients like creme violette and maraschino) and the modern mixologists doing new things with new ingredients -- whether lychee-and-Bulldog martinis with a spritz of yuzu juice, or lavender Dry soda with Citadelle gin and a dash of Campari. It's all part of the modern drinker's insistence on flavor, not just a cheap drunk. You can, of course, simply add gin to a glass of your favorite juice and see what happens. ...

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