A Flowery Song

Background: Highly acclaimed London Dry gin from Anchor Distilling.

Nose: Clean and citrusy.

Taste: Fresh, crisp juniper. Hints of lemon and orange zest. Licorice in the finish.

Overall: Now this is a gin. Smooth and sippable, but plenty of spiciness and the juniper is the star of the show.

Background: From Anchor Distilling in San Francisco, a genever style gin using the same botanicals as their Junipero London dry gin. The difference lies in the base: rather than neutral spirits, a mash of malted wheat, barley, and rye is used. If it weren't for those pesky botanicals, the resulting spirit would be whisky.

There have been at least two releases, but the first one (bottled in the same clear bottles used for Junipero) was extremely limited and was mainly made available to restaurants and bars rather than at retail. The second release (which I have) is in green-tinted bottles and has much better availability. Anchor has not committed one way or the other regarding continued production, so if you absolutely must try it, sooner would be better than later.

Nose: Funky, earthy, fruity, and sweet. Rich malt aroma with refreshing herbaceous high notes.

Taste: Juniper hits first, but it's accompanied by a vegetal woodiness. Brash alcohol on a solid cereal background, with spicy rye notes complementing the spicy botanical elements. Medium, oily finish as the juniper fades away and is replaced by a gentle sweetness.

Overall: Full of character and unique. Highly flavourful, so it shows to best advantage when mixed rather than served neat. Nevertheless, simply sipping it with a few drops of water added is a rewarding experience.

Background: This gin is a blend of spirits from two separate stills: a traditional pot still producing a heavier spirit; and a Carter-Head still (a specialised reflux column still) producing a lighter, more floral spirit. The makers, William Grant & Sons, also use a unique blend of botanicals including rose petals (Bulgarian, evidently) and cucumber in making this small-batch spirit.

Nose: Floral and piny, with a citrusy high note. Definite cucumber and coriander influences.

Taste: Light, spicy flavour. Solid cucumber background complementing a sharp juniper bite. Oily citrus peel and coriander round out the flavour, followed by a bit of vegetal woodiness in the finish.

Overall: A delightfully idiosyncratic gin that's smooth and refined, shifting the emphasis slightly away from the juniper but not overwhelming it with the other ingredients.

Background: From New Amsterdam Spirits in Modesto, California. “Smoother by design”.

Nose: Orange dominates, with a tinge of juniper.

Taste: Oily and citrusy. The juniper recedes even more. Tastes like orange-infused vodka.

Overall: Obviously designed to appeal to flavoured vodka drinkers who are wary of gin; gin deserves better treatment. Cool bottle, however.

Background: Same 100% wheat base as the vodka, infused with ten botanicals and married with Penderyn barley spirit and water.

Nose: Sharp and fruity, with juniper and liquorice dominating.

Taste: Mild juniper, clear liquorice, citrus, and spice flavours. Surprisingly, the barley actually does come through in the finish.

(Watered)

Nose: Pretty much unchanged.

Taste: Less individual components discernible, but the separate flavours blend together into a well-realised whole.

Overall: Wonderful gin from the Welsh. Exceptionally smooth, and can be sipped straight.

Background: Boutique gin distilled in France by the makers of Ciroc vodka. Though nine of the botanicals used are fairly traditional, the tenth is hand-picked green grape flowers.

Nose: Crisp and floral, definitely some juniper there, though less than might be expected.. Licorice and lime notes.

Taste: Mmm. Juniper, cardamamom, and ginger clearly present. Fruity and smooth, with a mild bite. Anise in the finish.

(Water, water, everywhere…)

Nose: The individual components are less distinct. Very citrusy.

Taste: Maybe some coriander, but the taste is much more muddled and difficult to dissect.

Overall: Nice, complex sipping gin; maybe a bit light on the juniper.

Background: Um.  It comes in a blue bottle.  It's gin.  (Can you tell I'm not a gin drinker?)  Flavoured with ten botanical ingredients.

Nose:  Juniper and citrus.

Taste: Juniper and rubbing alcohol.  Lemon overtones.  Finish is short and junipery.

Nose:  Spice notes become apparent.

Taste: More lemony, some herbal (liquorice) undertones; better balance.

Overall: The flavour has real potential, but the sharp spiritiness is off-putting.  Good as a mixer.