Tesco's "Windsor Castle London Dry Gin" - what's it like?

hatrickpatrick · 01-05-2018 2:44pm #1

Situation is as follows: Due to a combination of special offers and a spend & save voucher from this week's newspaper, I'm heading to Tesco to get some gin

Gordon's is on special at €23 per bottle. Essentially I'm debating between buying one bottle of Gordon's and two bottles of the Windsor Castle London Dry Gin, or just buying two bottles of Gordon's.

Normally I assume that Tesco own brand spirits are absolutely rank, but this is an interesting one because it's not the standard Everyday Value Gin, it's a different brand. So I'm just wondering if there's a possibility that this particular one is actually drinkable

Anyone have any experience with it?

L1011 · 01-05-2018 6:04pm

Most cheap supermarket gins are made by one or two large German distilleries and are pretty decent. I can't actually remember if I've had that one.

Note that its an actual gin not a flavoured vodka like Cork Dry is. Aldi's knockoff bottling is now ripping Cork Dry but the product inside is much better!

odyssey06 · 01-05-2018 6:57pm

The reviews online for the Tesco own brand "Nikita Imperial Vodka" are surprisingly good... it's only €13.50 for 700 mls... regularly see it sold out in my local Tesco.
I'm tempted to try the Scots Club Whisky, also at €13.50, but haven't found the reviews online as reassuring.

hatrickpatrick · 02-05-2018 3:25pm

L1011 wrote: »

Most cheap supermarket gins are made by one or two large German distilleries and are pretty decent. I can't actually remember if I've had that one.

Note that its an actual gin not a flavoured vodka like Cork Dry is. Aldi's knockoff bottling is now ripping Cork Dry but the product inside is much better!

Hang on a second, Cork Dry Gin isn't real gin?! Literally the first I've heard of this! :eek:

EverythingGood · 02-05-2018 3:27pm

Why not just get a good bottle of gin? Blackwater Wexford strawberry gin is €31 and fabulous.

rustynutz · 02-05-2018 3:30pm

I am no Gin expert but I have tried the London Dry Gin and loved it

BeerNut · 02-05-2018 3:31pm

hatrickpatrick wrote: »

Hang on a second, Cork Dry Gin isn't real gin?! Literally the first I've heard of this! :eek:

In before thebeerrevolu! It is real gin, but it's made using an inferior method: just dunking the botanicals in the spirit and infusing it, like tea. The result is called "compound gin". Proper "distilled gin" is vapour infused: the botanicals hang in baskets above the spirit as it evaporates and infuse the vapour, which then condenses with them in it. Anything labelled "London Dry Gin" must be made this way.

the beer revolu · 02-05-2018 6:01pm

BeerNut wrote: »

In before thebeerrevolu! It is real gin, but it's made using an inferior method: just dunking the botanicals in the spirit and infusing it, like tea. The result is called "compound gin". Proper "distilled gin" is vapour infused: the botanicals hang in baskets above the spirit as it evaporates and infuse the vapour, which then condenses with them in it. Anything labelled "London Dry Gin" must be made this way.

Not quite, Beernut!
Compound gin is alcohol with (approved, natural) flavouring added. (Cork Dry Gin).
You described an infused gin.
London dry can be made as you described or the botanicsls can be in the liquid (all our gins are made this way).

It's not often I get to correct Beernut on matters of booze!

hatrickpatrick · 02-05-2018 6:25pm

Wow, in my incredible naivety I always assumed that gin was literally the result of fermented juniper berries being distilled to around 40%

Thanks for the lesson folks, I'll be sure to check these things on the label whenever I'm buying budget gin in bulk in the future - as it happens, I went for one litre of Gordons, two 70cls of the Windsor stuff and a bunch of club tonic. Got all that for €40 with the spend & save voucher so happy (and indeed merry) days

Interesting then to note that although the Windsor Castle is Tesco's cheapest own-brand offering, it's apparently subject to some fairly rigorous quality regulations.

the beer revolu · 02-05-2018 7:42pm

https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gin

The Wikipedia page on gin is pretty good.

oneilla · 04-05-2018 7:41pm

The Tesco "finest" gin (London dry & Aromatic) is very good value at around €20-22. Both are a bit above the usual 40%ABV.

I haven't tried the Windsor gin but have had the Nikita vodka and found it very unpalatable unless you use a lot of mixer.

Tesco's "Windsor Castle London Dry Gin" - what's it like?

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