Gin: You Win
As a consumer of alcoholic beverages, notably in the spirits category, you are in a great position. So many of the classics are being revived thanks to the craft spirit industry combined with a new appreciation for cocktails. Rye whiskey is certainly one of them as the style was on life support as recently as twenty years ago. Tequila has re-emerged thanks to the popularity of margaritas. But perhaps no spirit has seen the benefit of the craft spirits industry and cocktails more than gin.
Gin: not just a card game played by Bugs Bunny and Yosemite Sam
Gin started out, like the majority of spirits, as a way to cure various ailments of post-Renaissance era Europe. The juniper berry, the main (and most distinct) flavor and aroma of gin, was thought to help with stomach issues and also help fend off the pestilence known as Black Death. Juniper-based tonics were thought to originate in Holland, but when William of Orange took the throne of England in 1689 its popularity spread throughout the country. Since his first point of order was to declare war on France, brandy was no longer available. To find a new source of revenue, William encouraged distillation, production, and sale of gin. By the way...William allowed anyone on the street to do this.
The guy responsible for the Gin Craze in England, for better or worse.
As a result, 12 million liters of product was being distilled in London alone, a city with a population of 600,000 people. Think about that for a minute. There was half a liter of gin for every man, woman, and child (yes, child) to consume each week! Gin took over London in a negative way, with criminal activity, lack of economic growth (since everyone was hammered on gin and not working at their jobs), and overall chaos consuming the city. Gin production was lacking so much in oversight, you had recipes that included alum, sulfuric acid, turpentine! Add a sweetener to disguise the chemicals, and you were in business!
It took a good forty years to get under control, but in 1761 government regulations made it so that the major distillers were the only ones permitted to produce gin. A dry style, the type we are familiar with today, was developed by the early 1800s. Juniper berries remained a major part of production, but other botanical elements like coriander, angelica, and orris roots became the "big four" ingredients in a wheat-based distillate in the modern style of gin. While those four ingredients formed the base of gin, today's distillers have taken some interesting alternative approaches to creating a wide range of examples that have clean flavors and intense aromatics not necessarily dominated by juniper. Citrus peels, berries, cucumbers, rose petals, cinnamon sticks, cardamom...anything from the spice rack could conceivably end up in your gin, much better than discovering turpentine in there!
For the longest time, I was not a fan of gin. Maybe I was too young the first time I tried it and I wasn't ready for the onslaught of aromatic power. Today, I couldn't be a bigger advocate of gin. Tanqueray, one of the most juniper-forward gins out there and my first sample of the spirit way back when, can be polarizing with its sharpness and piney aromatics. Some of you love it. Others can't stand it, but that leads to a thought that all gin is made in that style. Fortunately for you, the resurgence of this spirit once considered to be the scourge of London has led to some innovation where you can find a level of juniper that agrees with you. Its transparency of flavor is fantastic for cocktails. The martini is a classic (remember...if your martinis have vodka in it, those are "vodka martinis"). Gin and tonic with a lemon or lime is a simple way to enjoy it. You can go big with a French 75, where Champagne is involved in the recipe. The huge range of styles of gin as your base material combined with other mixers leads to countless permutations of cocktails. Gin is light and refreshing...perfect for the warm days we have coming up here in the northeast. Hell, if you like your gins neat, you can now find barrel-aged examples, which is a whole other animal to deal with.
Is this a comprehensive guide to gin I just presented you? No, not at all. If I get all the cocktails out there in this post, that's admittedly cutting into our future discussions. Additionally, I will be going into more details on production when I run my Gin 101 course at the Divine Wine Emporium on June 2nd, 7:00pm (how's that for a shameless plug!). I can't give away all my secrets.
What I can give you today are some gins to get started. You claim you do not like gin, but that just means you haven't found the right one yet. I am here to introduce you to some gin that will help you gain an appreciation for this flavor-packed white spirit. Gin won me over in the end, and one of these will win you over, too.
Bluecoat American Dry Gin ($27): This is an American take on the styles created by Bombay Sapphire, Tanqueray, and the like. Bluecoat, made by Philadelphia Distilling, uses juniper, coriander, angelica, and citrus peels to create a balanced, yet lively gin. This is our house gin as the price is completely reasonable when compared to the larger brands.
Hendrick's Gin ($36): This Scottish gin is infused with cucumber and rose petals after the distillation process is complete. Aside from the typical ingredients, elderflower and chamomile are part of the recipe. As a result, Hendrick's is floral with the juniper tempered on the nose. The palate is soft and gentle. This is always the gin I recommend to those who claim they don't like gin.
Brockman's Gin ($35): Another Scottish gin, Brockman's infuses blueberries, blackberries, and almonds. This is very different from the two listed above, but this fruit-forward style can be a fantastic ingredient in a cocktail like a Negroni. The strong berry notes are a nice foil to the bitterness of Campari and a great way to start a cocktail party.
Caledonia Spirits Barr Hill "Tom Cat" Barrel-Aged Gin ($50-ish)
Want to try a barrel-aged gin? This is the way to go. Caledonia uses a corn-based spirit instead of the traditional wheat for gin. The second distillation includes honey since this Vermont distiller is also a beekeeper. After just three months in barrel, the gin shows a richness on the palate that is not typical of gin thanks to the corn base and honey combination. The juniper still comes through; any more time in barrel would kill the aromas. This is a real treat...seek this one out if you are into aged spirits!