I do love a good gin, the historically maligned social terror of the 18th century features in an early blog post of mine, (here). However, when I'm in a particularly sophisticated mood, the ice cube clinking, radiant refreshment of a gin and tonic becomes my drink of choice. Sorry Hogarth...
I discovered a new concoction over Christmas, bought from my friends over at Stirchley Wines, the intriguingly named Professor Cornelius Ampleforth's Bathtub Gin. Alas, I have no idea who Professor Cornelius Ampleforth is, but as he is bringing forth such efficacious substances then he is a top bloke in my mind.
So, Bathtub Gin, the bottle design by the way is brilliant. It's covered in slightly crinkled brown paper, flax twine tightly bound round the neck, and a cork stopper covered in dipped wax which you have to peal off first to get to. This along with the hand-drawn printed artwork and very tiny, nearly impossible to read, text about its delights inside makes it a real standout.
With only a relativity small number of botanicals present: Juniper, Coriander, Cinnamon, Cardamom, Orange Peel and Clove, this gin delivers a balanced and extremely drinkable delight. The drink itself bursts with juniper and citrus and has a viscous oily quality that I can only assume comes from it being created using its traditional cold-compounding method. It's bold, aromatic and extremely smooth, so much so that you'd get away with drinking it neat. I also rather expect it to be pretty useful in a dry martini too, though I've yet to mix it with any vermouth.
So there you have it, the only cold compound gin on the market and definitely a welcome addition to the premium gin scene.
