Wired Gin

Gin Quotes

12 September 2009 – 9:05 am
The proper union of gin and vermouth is a great and sudden glory; it is one of the happiest marriages on earth, and one of the shortest lived. -DeVoto, Bernard In Harper's Magazine, Dec. Of all the gin joints in all the towns in all the world, she walks into mine. -Epstein,JuliusJ Humphrey Bogart as Rick in Casablanca (with Philip G Epstein and Howard Koch). And the sooner the tea's out of the way, the sooner we can get out the gin, eh? -Reed, Henry The Private Life of HildaTablet, radio play. Gin by pailfuls, wine in rivers, Dash the window-glass to shivers! For three wild lads were we, brave boys, And three wild lads were we; Thou on the land, and I on the sand, And Jack on the gallows-tree! -Scott, Sir Walter Guy Mannering, ch.34. Gin was mother's milk to her. -Shaw, George Bernard Eliza, speaking of herAunt. Pygmalion, act 3. Gin's rich history and cultural impact has graced us with many memorable ...

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Upside-Down Martini

10 September 2009 – 3:43 am
Two big events last month bring the Upside-Down martini (aka Reverse Martini) front and center these days. First, the last month's release of the movie Julie and Julia showcases the cocktail's creator and advocate, Julia Child.  I've always appreciated the fact that she attributed her longevity to "red meat and gin".  Despite her perceived benefits of gin, vermouth was a far more popular ingredient in her recipes. The Upside Down Martini - with far more vermouth than gin - is naturally her cocktail of choice. As the New York Times recently noted, the other big event is that Julia's favorite vermouth, Noilly Prat, are returned to selling its original European recipe in the United States. The availability of this arguably richer vermouth means that we can now easily enjoy an Upside-Down Martini in the original form that Julia enjoyed. The recipe is quite simply: 5 parts dry vermouth (Noilly Prat is ideal) 1 part ...

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Review: Greylock Gin

18 July 2009 – 10:56 am
Gin may have been invented in Holland (well, jenever or genever at least), but England created the sensation across its empire. So, it's only natural that botique gins have emerged in Massachusetts, USA. It may be the home of the American Revolution and the "cradle of liberty", but the names of towns and cities bear the mark of the British Empire: Boston, Harwich, Gloucester, Hingham, Cheshire, Acton, Cambridge, Chatham, Chesterfield, Waltham and so on. Massachusetts is also one of the few places in the United States where sales of imported gins exceed those of domestic gins. With this sophisticated palate and deep British foundations, it's no surprise that Greylock Gin balances tradition with rebellion. Coming from the heart of the Berkshire Mountains, the stylish bottle belies the rural upbringing of this gin. A glance at the bottle evokes a martini at the Ritz, but a look at the map for Berkshire Mountain ...

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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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