Once again, there is a great interest in gin. However, it's a spirit that has come a long way from the medicinal origins of its inventor, the seventeenth century Dutch physician Franciscus Sylvius.
Following the coronation of William of Orange, a Dutchman, to the British throne in 1689, gin flowed across the English Channel and flooded its shores. The population of England was generally adapted to quaffing copious quantities of relatively, in comparison, low alcohol beer, so the introduction of a cheap, strong drink proved a catastrophe.
Gin Lane was one of two prints produced by English artist, William Hogarth in 1751. In contrast to its companion print, Beer Street, which depicts its people as happy, healthy and thriving on ale, Gin Lane shows starvation, madness, infanticide and decay. Several acts of Parliament (read: a nice little earner for the government) were passed to reduce the consumption of spirits, and given time, gin, after improvements in distilling technology, slowly gained the sophisticated and delectable reputation it has today.
The past few years have seen an explosion of new gin brands on the market so I thought it only right to lend my experienced drinking hand, no not the one with a glass in, the typing one, to a small list of some of the tastiest gins out there.
Martin Miller’s GinMartin Miller's Gin is made at the Langley Distillery in the Black Country. Its creator, Martin Miller, endeavouring to satisfy his own tastes, concocted a gin that, in his own words was: “Born of love, obsession and some degree of madness.”
This gin's earthier botanicals are distilled separately from the citrus ingredients thus creating a freshness rarely achieved by other brands. Its alchemic, botanical union consists of juniper, coriander, angelica, orange peel, orris root, cassia bark, cinnamon bark, ground nutmeg, licorice and one other secret ingredient. All gins after distillation must be reduced with water to reach the correct strength, but this is where Martin Miller's Gin goes the extra mile, thousands of them to be exact. An adventurous 3000 mile round trip to Iceland, where its glacial water, filtered through lava rock millions of years old adds yet further freshness and a unbelievably silky texture. Also, for those really special occasions their Westbourne Strength is richer due to its higher alcohol content (45.2%).
Miller's is the perfect balance of crisp, clean juniper and citric sweetness. Ultra smooth, effortlessly drinkable, enchantment in a glass. This is the gin for gin lovers. If you haven't already tried it, place it top of your list of important things to do before you die.
Plymouth
As London Dry has become the dominant style of gin worldwide it's only right to mention the often over-looked but unique Plymouth.
Oddly, Plymouth Gin is both a brand and a style. Plymouth is the only gin to have a Protected Geographical Indication within the European Union, meaning nobody can produce Plymouth style gin outside Plymouth. Plymouth's flavour results from using greater amounts of root ingredients than its London Dry counterparts, which bring a more earthy, full bodied feel. The addition of cardamom and sweet orange give a softer, sweeter but spicy finish. Plymouth gets its water from Dartmoor which adds its own clean, fresh and distinctive flavour. When making Pink Gin, always use Plymouth with your Angostura Bitters, it complements far better then the drier gins.
Their Navy Strength is bottled at 57% as this is the strength at which, if accidentally spilt on gunpowder on board a Royal Navy vessel, the gunpowder would still light! See, don't say drinking never taught you anything.
Edinburgh Gin launched in 2010 and harks back to the days when Edinburgh was a behemoth of distilling. In fact, in the late 1700s there were eight legal distilleries and an estimated 400 illegal illegal ones operating in Edinburgh. That's not bad going for a city with a population of around 60,000 at the time. In fact, it sounds like my sort of place.
Edinburgh Gin is batch distilled in a Scottish copper pot and the finest Scottish grain spirit is imparted with all the classic gin botanicals you'd expect. Also added to the mix is Scottish juniper, which is softer and less pungent than other varieties. Heather and milk thistle also make an appearance to give a truly Scottish feel.
A clean, refreshing, premium (43%, none of that 37.5% rubbish) gin which is unique enough in its own way to offer a serious alternative to its southern counterparts.
Lastly...
If you're going to go to the time and effort to procure these exceptional examples of botanical brilliance then don't go sloshing supermarket own-brand tonic over them. Use a premium brand with natural ingredients such as Fever Tree. Have enough lemons and limes, and always have plenty of ice cubes ready. Enjoy!
