Gin as Explained by Your Local Gin Granny
Although gin is one of the most popular spirits these days, especially considering all the craft gins that are available, I still find it can have a bad reputation. I’ve heard gin be described as “liquid pinecone death”, “someone ruining a perfectly good vodka”, “like an orphan crying into a Christmas tree”, and “just downright awful”. Not rave reviews in my opinion and I think gin deserves better. It may be because gin was my first love when it came to spirits, or maybe my palate is just more suited to the flavours in gin, both are possible. I also understand that for some people gin has never been and will never be something that they enjoy drinking, but I am of the firm belief that you need to try something over your life as your palate changes. You never know, maybe one day you will find a gin you absolutely love, and your life will change.
First things first, what can be classified as a gin? In Europe a gin has to be above 37.5% ABV and in America it has to be above 40% ABV. A gin also must contain juniper, other than those two stipulations the category of gin is very forgiving. I think that is why it lends itself to craft distilling so well, with gin, distillers are given more opportunity to experiment with both flavour profiles and local ingredients. This in turn allows there to be far more variation in the gins that are available. There are a few more specific categories under the umbrella of gin, these categories include London Dry, Old Tom, Genever, Sloe Gin, West Coast, and what I would describe as a contemporary gin. Here I am going to give you an overview of each category as well as a few examples of gins that would fit in these categories. I am mostly familiar with British Columbia’s craft spirits because I work in the industry here, but I will try to include some other more accessible gins too!
London Dry
London dry is the most common type of gin and the one that most people are familiar with, these gins are made with a very clean and neutral base spirit and there is no sugar added to them. These gins must be redistilled after the botanicals are added and nothing can be added after the final distillation process. All botanicals must be natural, and no additional colours or flavours can be added to the gin. The most prominent flavour is always juniper, usually followed by coriander or citrus notes.
Wallflower Gin- Odd Society
This gin is truly a beautiful representation of London dry gin, it has notes of juniper up front but evolve into notes of rose petals, citrus, and ends on a slight peppery note. It is a very complex and aromatic gin perfect for gin and tonics or any other cocktails because it is flavourful enough to not be overpowered in a cocktail but light enough to pair with more delicate flavours.
Beefeater Gin
Beefeater gin is one of the most well-known names when it comes to gin and there is defiantly a reason for it. This gin has been distilled in London since 1863 with very few changes in the recipe since then, if it ain’t broke don’t fix it and all that. This gin starts with the distinct taste of juniper on your palate along with some spicier notes, this then changes into a citrus and floral bouquet. This is quite a dry gin making it perfect for a classic martini.
Old Tom
The next type of gin on my hit list is Old Tom gin. Old Tom gin is one of the oldest surviving types of gin from 18th century London and can usually be recognized by its rich amber tones. This type of gin is not regulated in the sense that there are no specific rules you must follow to declare it an old tom gin. These gins tend to be on the sweeter side due to either the choice of botanicals or the addition of a sweetener. These gins are often barrel aged which I find also results in a sweeter feeling end product because of the notes imparted during the barrel aging process. That being said these gins do not have to be barrel aged and can in fact just have sweetener added to them instead. The flavour profile of these gins tends to be warmer and spicier with characteristics of vanilla, oak, orange peel, cinnamon, and caramel.
Old Tom Gin – Hayman’s
This is one of the Old Tom gins that has not been barrel aged and instead has just been sweetened with sugar after the botanicals have steeped in the spirit. Although this gin has not been barrel aged there are notes of cinnamon and orange peel throughout, as well as a slight licorice note along with the expected juniper. As far as Old Tom gins go, I feel like this is a very good representation of what old tom gin would have been like during the time of gin palaces in London.
Bourbon Barrel Aged Gin – Long Table
This gin is aged in ex-bourbon barrels which gives it a beautiful honey glow as well as imparts flavours of cinnamon, vanilla, caramel, and cloves into the spirit. Along with notes of baking spices you will find flavours of juniper, orange peel, and a slight pepperiness in this gin. This gin is beautiful just to sip on the rocks or in an old fashion style drink with spiced bitters, a cube of sugar, and a twist of orange peel.
Sloe Gin
Sloe gin is an interesting product because it is not necessarily a gin, it is classified as a sloe berry and gin-based liqueur that is usually around 25% ABV. Due to the lower alcohol content and the addition of both sugar and sloe berries after the final distillation process it cannot legally be considered a gin. However, I do believe this liqueur played an important part in the evolution of gin. Sloe gin came about during the 18th century gin craze in London when gin was particularly strong, unregulated, and overall questionable, it was often referred to as bathtub gin during this time. Lower class people would often pick sloe berries which were the by product of black thorn bushes used as fencing around large houses and properties, on their own these berries are very bitter and not something you would want to eat on their own. However, it was soon realized that they could be added to gin along with a bit of sugar if they could afford it and let it infuse. This was a very common drink during the winter especially around Christmas time. Sloe gin is a very sweet liqueur with a tart bite and flavours of cranberries, dried fruit, peppercorns, and juniper.
Sloe Gin – Sipsmith
This gin is less sweet than the majority of sloe gins that you will find on the market which is why I like it so much. It is full of robust fruit flavours and without the extra sugar you can really appreciate them, you get notes of pepper, red currants, cassis, and cherries throughout, the ending notes are of rich dried fruits and sweetness balanced with an nice tart bite.
Sloe Gin – DeVine
This sloe gin is the only one that is being produced in Canada and is a different take on the classic sloe gin because it is completely unsweetened. Due to the fact that there is no sweetness in this gin it gives you more room to play with cocktails because you don’t have to worry about making them too sweet. The flavours of this gin are very peppery and rich, you get notes of peppercorns and cranberry upfront followed by stewed plums and cherries. The final notes on your palate are black currents and pepper along with a slight tartness.
West Coast Gin
West Coast style gin is something that I’ve notice pop up here in BC in the last five or so years. I don’t know if this style extends beyond BC, but I thought it would be interesting to include here to show how gin has evolved over the years. These gins are made with a particular interest in local and sustainable harvesting practices, these botanicals are often harvested by hand either by the distillery itself or by a local company. These gins often have flavours of cedar, lavender, rose, kelp, and juniper. These gins usually tend towards more herbal or coniferous flavour profiles instead of citrus or floral dominant profiles.
Old Growth Cedar Gin – Tofino
This gin is very unique and does a very good job of representing what it means to be a west coast gin. This gin is made with the same botanicals as their west coast gin with one very important addition, Western Red Cedar Tips, this addition brings the gin to a completely new level! It is very earthy up front with notes of woods, tree sap, and juniper, followed closely by bright citrus notes and a slight floral undertone. This gin goes perfectly in a gin and tonic or a more savoury style cocktail.
Unruly Gin – Wayward
Wayward Distillery is BC’s first honey-based distillery which gives their gin a very unique aspect, this gin is lighter than your average gin but absolutely does not compromise on flavour. This gin only has six botanicals, so you get to appreciate each and every flavour without them competing. The notes of juniper are lighter in this gin which makes it more floral in nature this is also partly to do with the base of honey. You get notes of lavender and coriander up front, followed by lemon and grapefruit, the finish is where the juniper and young cedar tips peak through leaving you with a long-lasting flavour on your palate. This gin is delicious just on the rocks or in a lighter more floral cocktail.
Contemporary Gin
Last up is contemporary gins, this is less of a defined category and more of a catch all for gins that don’t quite fit into one of the other categories. These are the gins that have botanicals added to them after the final distillation, have added colours or flavours, or just have some form of unique attribute. For example, Hendricks gin, although this gin has been around for ages would technically fall into this category because cucumber is added after the final distillation. Or the latest craze of colour shifting gin, whether it is empress gin, Arbutus Blue Gin, or Okanagan Spirits Evolve Gin, each has botanicals added after distillation which results in the magnificent indigo colour that morphs into pink when met with an acid.
Hendrick’s Gin
Hendrick’s gin is best known for being infused with cucumber after the final distillation which gives it a very unique flavour profile. The first note you get is is very herbal and refreshing this is predominantly from the cucumber, it is then followed with floral notes of rose and lavender, next is citrus, the finishing notes are again very vegetal and refreshing. The finish on this gin is quite long and is definitely one of my go to gins in the summer because it is so bright and refreshing, just muddle it with a bit of mint and cucumber on ice and top with tonic and you’re good to go.
Kazuki Gin – Sheringham’s
Sheringham’s is most well known for their seaside gin which won gold in the contemporary gin category a few years ago, however, I think their Kazuki gin is woefully overlooked. This gin is entirely unique with cherry blossoms, green tea, and yuzu as just a few of the botanicals. It is beautifully delicate and floral without tasting like perfume, there are slight vegetal notes from the green tea followed by bright citrus, the finishing notes are soft florals and bright citrus. All the botanicals in this gin work so well together and do not compete or over power each other.
Genever or Jenever
Genever is the mother of all gin and originally developed in Holland. If these gins are made traditionally, they will be made from a base of barley distillate or grain wine. Barley gives these gins a very distinct sweetness as barley has more complex sugars than other grains, this sweetness plays nicely with all the botanicals that are featured. The most important ingredient in genever, like all other gins, is juniper but genever is known for its more complex flavour profile. This is because the process of making genever includes many more botanicals than would be found in a London dry style gin, obviously these botanicals depend on availability, local terroir, and distiller’s preference. However, the most common botanicals are orris root, angelica root, rosehips, licorice, dandelion root, chamomile, lavender, caraway, mug wort, wormwood, and Saint John’s wort. Genever’s are very herbal in flavour profile and are made in various aged formats, you can get unaged, slightly aged, or very aged Genever. Unaged Genever has notes of juniper, mugwort, licorice, and citrus, these profiles will change based on how long they are aged and what kind of barrel it is aged in.
Genever - DeVine
This genever was my first experience with genever and is still my absolute favourite. The palate of the genever is very smooth with a delicate sweetness from the malted barely, for me this genever very much reminds me of a more delicate and reserved absinthe. I find this is a good gin to start on if you don’t like the “pine needle” taste of other gins because juniper takes a back seat here, so you are able to appreciate the more delicate botanicals used. The finish on this gin is a long one, you can taste it well after you have finished taking a sip. I think I also love this genever so much because it is a very versatile gin, I have used it in everything from light floral cocktails, to Caesars, to very alcoholic drinks and it always shines through without overpowering the other flavours. I also highly recommend trying their “Dutch Courage”, they have barrel aged their classic genever in Ancient Grains Alternative Whisky casks. I would try to explain the flavour profile but nothing I say will give it justice so you will just have to try it for yourself.
Old Genever – Compass
This genever is produced in Nova Scotia and is made with a distillate consisting of barley, corn, and rye, all grown and harvested in Nova Scotia. With this gin I got less anise on the nose, but you can definitely pick out the juniper which is then followed by a lighter earthy smell. As far as palate goes the juniper is the first thing I pick up, followed by a slight pepperiness and bright citrus. I found the finish on this gin to be a little bit short, I am left with the taste of juniper and a little bit of licorice.
