Best gin?

username123

I've been on a bit of a gin tasting journey recently and just thought I'd recommend an absolutely gorgeous gin that I got on Amazon, Juniper Green Organic London Dry Gin. It's SOOOOO smooth, really tasty, good kick, and a great price! I drank it with slimline tonic, ice and a slice of lime.

I'd compare it to Tanqueray but smoother.

So, anyone else recommend any particularly good gins?

newbie2

Hendricks - with a little cucumber and tonic.


Absolutely NO lemon

nosietoes

That juniper green is very nice - it's a Sainsbury brand I think or at least it's available cheap in Sainsbury.

I second Hendricks, and also love Dingle gin.Aviator gin is very tasty as well. Cucumber is nice if you like it in gin - think was a bit of a Hendrick's marketing ploy to start but it works in most. A slice of orange can be lovely as well. I too hate lemon with gin.

I've taken to putting a couple of cardamom pods in my G&T.

Gin Palace on Liffey Street is Dublin have an amazing selection and does tasting trays.

Daisy 55

Can you taste the cardamom? Do you squash them at all?
Hendricks for me!

Sulla Felix

Always thought the Hendricks cucumber gimmick would backfire on them, since not everyone can taste the phenylcarbamide, and of those who do, most don't like it, but anyway. Know a girl who takes all her g&ts with cucumber because she likes that it makes it more bitter than lemon.

Anyway, got a taste for Seagrams years ago. Hardish to get over here for some reason even though it's in the top 5 by volume produced in the world or something.

username123

I like Hendricks too. Got a bottle of Gordon's with Cucumber, much cheaper than Hendricks but very nice! I've an unopened bottle of Gordon's Sloe gin I'm hanging onto for a summers evening.

I don't even know what a Cardamon pod is but it sounds interesting!

I don't mind a slice of lemon actually, but much prefer lime.

Where can you get Dingle gin? Must try it.

I was in the off licence today replacing my finished bottle of Tanqueray and saw they had Bombay Sapphire East, will definitely try that soon, I have Tanqueray Rangpur and it's nice.

nosietoes

Dingle seems available in most off licenses I think - well have seen it in Molloy's and O'Brien's and the airport.

You don't need to squish the cardomom pods tho it does get stronger as they sit. I tend to reuse the same pods for a second drink as they soften and slightly explode.

Don't get me wrong - I really like cucumber with gin. My favourite summer drink is cucumber, elderflower cordial, mint (or sometimes lemon thyme if I my plant is behaving) and gin with soda water.

OldBean

I'd vote Sipsmith.

minidazzler

Muddled Cucumber, St Germaine Elderflower Collins is pretty much the most refreshing drink in existence.

That said, for a G&T for me it's 2 wedged of lime squeezed and dropped. Lemon doesn't give even nearly enough flavour for me.

The Hill Billy

Asking "What is the best gin?" is like asking "What is the best whiskey?" - it is all down to personal taste.

I quite like Hendricks myself & as a cucumber lover - well, I consider it one of my 5-a-day.

There are also some good quality German gins that I am drinking these days - Elephant Gin being a favourite. The Duke Munich Dry gin is also worth a mention. However, Monkey 47 is an absolute no-no for me. Too many botanicals going on.

Another highly important factor is the tonic. Schweppes is what I cut my teeth on & I still like it. However, some of the newer tonics on the market these days, such as Fever Tree are way, way too sweet & overpower the gin.

Greg81

No 3 London Dry Gin

http://www.no3gin.com

or

Bombay Sapphire

http://www.bombaysapphire.com

Newonhere

My absolute favorite is Plymouth Gin ......... simply delicious

The One Doctor

Plymouth for me as well - the best I've tasted, but a little too smooth. My favourite budget gin is Aldi's London Dry Gin - for €13 it's a no-brainer.

username123

The One Doctor wrote: »

Plymouth for me as well - the best I've tasted, but a little too smooth. My favourite budget gin is Aldi's London Dry Gin - for €13 it's a no-brainer.

Yes, as cheap gins go the ALDI one is grand.

I must try Plymouth, I'm getting some great suggestions here, considering I only have about 2 gin and tonics a week I'll be a long time trying out all the new ideas!

omicron

How does Cork rate as a gin? I work part time in a bar and often get asked specifically for Cork (which is what we serve anyway unless specifically asked for Gordons or Bombay Sapphire), especially by old people, is there any particular reason?

writhen

nosietoes wrote: »

My favourite summer drink is cucumber, elderflower cordial, mint (or sometimes lemon thyme if I my plant is behaving) and gin with soda water.

This sounds nice. How much of each ingredient do you use?

Sulla Felix

omicron wrote: »

How does Cork rate as a gin? I work part time in a bar and often get asked specifically for Cork (which is what we serve anyway unless specifically asked for Gordons or Bombay Sapphire), especially by old people, is there any particular reason?

It's grand. I'd buy Gordons or Bombay before it funnily enough, but probably wouldn't think to ask for a specific gin in a bar. Except in the gin palace which I go to for the sole purpose of working my way through their collection

rubadub

Sulla Felix wrote: »

Always thought the Hendricks cucumber gimmick would backfire on them, since not everyone can taste the phenylcarbamide, and of those who do, most don't like it, but anyway.

Do any raw cucumber haters like hendricks? I was wondering if the offending chemical transfers over. I despise raw cucumbers, have thrown out sandwiches which had a hint of it in it, yet I adore gherkins.

There was some disturbingly self-righteous barman posting before going on about people serving & ordering drinks "wrongly", and had all these rules about what goes in each. I was suggesting he should simply ask the customer before making all these additions, and making the point that if he had picked up some other cocktail book he would have been saying how half the things he current does are "wrong". He even admitted his current bar manager forced him to do thing he disagreed with, so in a way was calling himself a bad/poor/ignorant barman.

When I see people drinking at home I rarely see many making all these additions, e.g. if lemon flavouring was so suited to coke you would think they would just add it, same with vodka.

OldBean

I despise cucumber and gherkins. The sweetness of tonic water helps mask the cucumber bitterness/acidity, but there's still a bit of a tang. I'd much rather Sipsmith.

rubadub

omicron wrote: »

especially by old people, is there any particular reason?

Its a recognised irish gin, some might want to support irish products and be opposed to UK gins.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/New_Midleton_Distillery

Other Products
Cork Dry Gin - The most popular gin in Ireland
Huzzar Vodka - The second most popular vodka in Ireland

Among people I know Huzzar was always regarded as a cheap & nasty vodka, the one which is always in pubs and seen as a sneaky substitue that a barman might give you if you just ask for "vodka", which may do for some reason. I am guessing smirnoff red is the most "popular" vodka in ireland. Their definition of popular is not doubt just based on sales, if people were doing blind tastings I doubt huzzar would make any list, it is just high selling since it gets off loaded in pubs. In all my years I have never once heard a person ask for a huzzar in a pub, and I never see huge stock of it in supermarkets, like you would smirnoff etc.

I expect they have strong ties to the pubs and this is why you see cork gin & huzzar so much. People have grown up thinking cork gin is "real gin", just like smirnoff red is considered "the vodka", and guinness is "the stout". You will see people specify smirnoff over huzzar as though its some huge improvement, when both are fairly poor.

nosietoes

Hmm - I'm not entirely certain of the measurements... I kinda just eyeball it but I'd say a muddle gently a few slices of cucumber with either mint or lemon thyme, add a double shot of gin and a half shot of elderflower cordial. Add plenty of ice and top with soda/sparkling water.

It needs a squeeze of lime sometimes depending on the elderflower cordial and which herb you use.

Sulla Felix

rubadub wrote: »

Do any raw cucumber haters like hendricks? I was wondering if the offending chemical transfers over. I despise raw cucumbers, have thrown out sandwiches which had a hint of it in it, yet I adore gherkins.

There was some disturbingly self-righteous barman posting before going on about people serving & ordering drinks "wrongly", and had all these rules about what goes in each. I was suggesting he should simply ask the customer before making all these additions, and making the point that if he had picked up some other cocktail book he would have been saying how half the things he current does are "wrong". He even admitted his current bar manager forced him to do thing he disagreed with, so in a way was calling himself a bad/poor/ignorant barman.

When I see people drinking at home I rarely see many making all these additions, e.g. if lemon flavouring was so suited to coke you would think they would just add it, same with vodka.

Post below seems to suggest they exist. I'm the opposite, love cucumbers, don't like it in gin. Maybe because I can't taste the pheny it just doesn't add anything to it.

nosietoes wrote:

Hmm - I'm not entirely certain of the measurements... I kinda just eyeball it but I'd say a muddle gently a few slices of cucumber with either mint or lemon thyme, add a double shot of gin and a half shot of elderflower cordial. Add plenty of ice and top with soda/sparkling water.

It needs a squeeze of lime sometimes depending on the elderflower cordial and which herb you use.

Sounds good, might give it a pass without the cucumber. Been drkinking (and liking) gimlets a lot myself lately.

Zackdickensdog

What about gin and ginger ale, is that blasphemy? I prefer it to tonic

username123

Zackdickensdog wrote: »

What about gin and ginger ale, is that blasphemy? I prefer it to tonic

The only blasphemy there would be cheap gin

janja

My hubbie swears Tanquereray Rangpur is the best he has ever tasted! Hard to get though

username123

janja wrote: »

My hubbie swears Tanquereray Rangpur is the best he has ever tasted! Hard to get though

I've got a bottle! Got it from Amazon. Nice.

newbie2

Just tipping through a bottle of tanquaray TEN. Quite nice. Not in a position to critique yet.

the beer revolu

Rogue spruce gin is very good.
Overpriced compared to other quality gins.

Gmaximum

Hendricks for me. Was in a bar in Austria where they served it with rose petals and cucumber. Not a fan of the petals

Had a really Saffron gin once can't remember the name though