gin

The Classicist: The Stylish World of Spirits & Luxury Hotel Guru Martin Miller

Filed under: Decor, Luxury Travel & Hotels, Spirits, The Classicist

As befits a Brit who has his very own brand of gin, Martin Miller is more than just an entrepreneur; he's a bon viveur and connoisseur of everything from antiques and historic houses to leggy women, fine spirits and elaborately coiffed canines. The self-described "gypsy who never settled" began building an empire as a schoolboy in England which led to an estimated $40 million fortune and the birth of Martin Miller's Gin. Having sold his antiques guide business for a tidy sum, in 1999 Miller hit on the idea of creating a super premium gin better than anything else available at the time; developing the perfect gin regardless of "practical, fiscal or even geographic limitations" became something of a fixation, hence the spirit's slogan: "born of love, obsession and some degree of madness."

Miller's is a top drawer London dry gin made from ten carefully balanced botanicals that's transported 1,500 miles to Iceland following traditional copper pot still distillation to be mixed with the purest spring water on the globe. The result is a potent spirit with a strong citrus nose and taste, notes of juniper and a clean, soft finish. A Westbourne Strength variation ups the ABV from 40% to 45.2%, bringing the juniper to the forefront along with spicier notes and the same soft finish. Both bottles are stunning. That degree of good taste and craftsmanship extends to Miller's small empire of boutique luxury hotels in renovated historic structures, the first of which he opened to house his burgeoning collection of antiques.

Miller's four UK properties echo the eccentricity and artistic sensibility of their creator; showcasing his "maximalistic" approach to decor, they're positively overflowing with antiques and finds from his lifelong adventures. Here's a rundown [cont'd]:

Gallery: The World of Martin Miller

Tags: antiques, England, entrepreneur, gin, hotel, Iceland, London, luxury hotels, Martin Miller, Martin Millers Gin, spirits, UK

Continue reading “The Classicist: The Stylish World of Spirits & Luxury Hotel Guru Martin Miller”

A Touch of Dickens: Tanqueray Finest Gin Punch

by David Kiley (RSS feed) —

Filed under: Spirits

Charles Dickens wrote in 'David Copperfield' in 1850, "Punch, my dear Copperfield, like time and tide, waits for no man ... His recent despondency, not to say despair, was gone in a moment. I never saw a man so thoroughly enjoy himself amid the fragrance of lemon-peel and sugar, the odour of burning spirit, and the steam of boiling water, as Mr Micawber did that afternoon. It was wonderful to see his face shining at us out of a thin cloud of these delicate fumes, as he stirred, and mixed, and tasted, and looked as if he were making, instead of a punch, a fortune for his family down to the latest posterity."

And, in Dickens' "Scrooge," the miser's assistant, Bob Cratchit, is heard to compliment his dear wife's gin punch as the finest in London.

For a Christmas party, a proper Dickensian Gin Punch sets a festive mood.

So, how does one make a gin punch, and should you use just any gin? The answer to the second, for me, is, No. Don't just use any gin unless pressed by budget or circumstances (i.e. you are snowed in, and can't get out of the driveway).

Tags: Bob Cratchit, Charles Dickens, cocktail recipes, gin, gin punch, holiday cocktail, holiday cocktails, Scrooge, Tanqueray

Continue reading “A Touch of Dickens: Tanqueray Finest Gin Punch”

Citadelle Gin Creates Oak Aged Vintage

by Michael B. Dougherty (RSS feed) —

Filed under: Spirits

Well this is different. France's Cognac Ferrand house (who has experimented with aging their Citadelle label before) will release their first vintage gin, distilled exclusively for oak aging, this October.

While oak aging is standard for everything from wine to whiskey, it's a rarity in the gin world. Cellar master Frederic Gilbert, along with owner Alexandre Gabriel, decided to challenge that with a specific combination of additional botanicals-violet, iris and grains of paradise (part of the 19 used in Citadelle)-designed for optimal oak barrel aging. The idea is that violet and iris provide more floral aromatics, while the grains of paradise contribute a hint of spice. The distillate was then aged for 6 months in lightly charred, 12-year-old reused oak casks. Cognac Ferrand has a bit of history with this kind of creative recycling, as the house also produces rums that receive further aging in former cognac casks. In the case of Citadelle, the oak works its magic to round off the flavor profile with an aromatic crispness and notes of cinnamon, vanilla, star anise, and of course, wood. The vintage will have a production run of 11,250 numbered bottles, worldwide.

Wine Enthusiast named Citadelle's 2009 release one of its "Top 50 Spirits of the Year," so we'll see if aging makes a good thing even better.

(750ml., $40.00)

Tags: CitadelleGin, cognac ferrand, gin, oak, reserve, spirits, vintage

G'Vine Nouaison, French Flower-Infused Gin

by Annie Scott (RSS feed) —

Filed under: Spirits

The long, hot days of summer are upon us. It's a time of garden parties and drinking on the patio, and fresh cocktails with good gin. G'Vine Nouaison is a new contender for you to consider -- a lovely, aromatic gin with a strong character infused with the rare Ugni Blanc vine flower.

This beautifully botanical-rich gin is made in small batches in France's Cognac region and has just begun US distribution. You may recognize the name from the other G'Vine gin, Floraison. The difference between Floraison and Nouaison is that Nouaison has stronger notes of juniper and nutmeg, focusing less on the voluptuous flavor of the vine flower and more on intensifying the herbal spiciness of the gin.

The concentrated spices of Nouaison are intended to encapsulate the spirit of the Ugni Blanc grape berry as it first "sets" on the vine flower, a phase in growing known as -- what else -- "nouaison."

You'll find that, especially in contrast to other gins, 43.9% ABV G'Vine Nouaison comes through elegantly in fruity cocktails and stands up boldly to any tonic. The grape base and infusion of the vine flower give G'Vine a definitive taste one could pick out from a crowd. G'Vine Nouaison retails for $34.00 for 750 mL.

Tags: gin, gvine, gvine nouaison

Beefeater Summer Gin

by Deidre Woollard (RSS feed) —

Filed under: Spirits

Gin is already a summer beverage, the gin and tonic is a warm weather classic but Beefeater has made gin even more summer friendly with the release of the limited Beefeater Summer Edition Gin. It's a lighter style gin with a more muted flavor. The juniper is still here but it's softened by elderflower, black currant and hibiscus. These additions help make it play more nicely with fruit juices so you can use it instead of vodka to make a new version of the Cape Codder or mix it with lemonade. It's also distilled to a lighter 40 percent alcohol by volume (ABV) compared to Beefeater's standard 47 percent ABV something that might come in handy on long summer afternoons. It retails for around $20.

Tags: beefeater, beefeater summer gin, gin, spirits

The Classicist: Sipsmith, the First New London Distillery in 200 Years

by Jared Paul Stern (RSS feed) —

Filed under: Spirits, The Classicist

The first new distillery in London for nearly 200 years recently began operating out of a tiny former brewery. Sipsmith is an independent micro-distillery producing small batch spirits in the true sense of the word; they never make more than 500 bottles at a time and often just half that number. After years working in the drinks industry, Sam Galsworthy, Jared Brown and Fairfax Hall struck out on their own to "pursue a passion for beautifully handmade spirits." They called themselves "sip-smiths" to celebrate the craft of distillation and artisanal methods. Since no one had done it for so long they had a hard time acquiring a license at first; when they finally obtained one from HM Revenue & Customs it was handwritten on a slip of paper.

The first thing the partners did was to commission a custom handmade copper-pot still from Germany's oldest distillery producers, Christian Carl, a small, family business in Bavaria who have been crafting stills since 1869; they named it Prudence. Of course they decided to start with the classics: a London Dry Gin and a Barley Vodka. Both are blended with pure water from Lydwell Spring in the Cotswolds, one of the sources of the River Thames, and each bottle is inscribed with a batch number which customers can be enter into the Sipsmith website to find out exactly what was happening and how the weather was at the distillery on the day it was made.

Gallery: Sipsmith Artisanal Spirits

To create their London Dry Gin, Sipsmith distills English barley spirit with a 10 carefully selected botanicals from around the globe - Macedonian juniper berries, Bulgarian coriander seed, French angelica root, Spanish liquorice root, Italian orris root, Spanish ground almond, Chinese cassia bark, Madagascan cinnamon, Sevillian orange peel and Spanish lemon peel - samples for some of which were originally collected from the Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew. The result is a particularly dry gin with a zesty, citrus freshness. They have also made a quintessentially English mince pie-flavored version, available exclusively at the bar of the Oxo Tower in London.

To craft their Barley Vodka, they distill English barley spirit cut from the very top of the 'heart' run, and carefully blend it with the exceptionally pure water of Lydwell Spring. The result is a smooth, buttery spirit with a light, nutty finish and a hint of spice and pepper. For now Sipsmith remains an extremely small operation; Galsworthy makes deliveries to Harvey Nichols and London's Ivy restaurant on the back of his moped. However we have a feeling there are grand things to come.

Tags: distillery, gin, London, Sipsmith, UK, vodka

Barking Mad for BULLDOG Gin

by Jared Paul Stern (RSS feed) —

Filed under: Spirits

Among the innovative new spirits we're finally finding time to catch up with is BULLDOG Gin, an ultra-premium gin handcrafted in London housed in a broad-shouldered charcoal gray bottle with deep purple hues and an iconic spiked collar.

BULLDOG is quadruple distilled, triple filtered, and infused with the taste and aromas of its twelve distinctive botanicals, including poppy, lavender, and dragon eye - a cousin of the lychee fruit often heralded as an ancient Chinese aphrodisiac.

Made from traditional copper pot stills and a painstaking distillation process, BULLDOG exudes a smooth and harmonious texture with a distinctive flavor, with notes of fruit and citrus lending a refreshingly crisp character and balanced finish.

BULLDOG has enlisted renowned mixologists Somer Perez, John Freeman, and Michael Waterhouse to create some signature cocktails using the bold spirit:

"Plumdog Millionaire" – created by John Freeman

2 oz. BULLDOG Gin
1 oz. Japanese Plum Wine
1 oz. Lavender Soda
Black Plum Half Wheel Garnish
Lavender Sugar Rim

Directions: Stir over ice, strain. Serve in a martini glass with lavender sugared rim and garnish. (Cont'd after the jump)

Tags: bulldog gin, BulldogGin, cocktail recipes, CocktailRecipes, cocktails, gin, spirits

Continue reading “Barking Mad for BULLDOG Gin”

Oxley Classic English Dry Gin

by Jared Paul Stern (RSS feed) —

Filed under: Spirits

A revolutionary cold distillation process is the genesis of Oxley, a beautifully-packaged new ultra-premium London dry gin from the UK rich with 14 botanical ingredients, including some unique notes making for a fresh, bright and intense spirit.

The heat used for traditional distillation can have an adverse effect on natural flavors, since boiling botanicals can cause delicate flavors and aromas to be lost, altered or diminished, while harsh or "cooked" notes can emerge. Oxley, the world's first cold distilled gin, prevents the problem entirely.

Oxley's botanicals including juniper, citrus fruits, and Meadowsweet, are prepared, weighed and measured by hand, and never overheated. Produced at 47% ABV and then hand-wrapped with a leather tie, only 240 bottles with galvanized metal accents are produced each day.

Unlike other gins which typically use dried peels, Oxley uses fresh, hand-peeled citrus fruits. Meadowsweet brings a rounded, almond flavor to Oxley and further harmonizes the botanicals in the spirit. To begin with Oxley will be available in limited quantities in select markets.

[via JustLuxe]

Tags: botanicals, distillery, gin, Oxley, UK

Beefeater 24, A Gentler Gin

by Deidre Woollard (RSS feed) —

Filed under: Spirits

Summer may be over but the appeal of gin goes on. Beefeater 24 premium gin is the latest creation from the venerable London brand. The 24 refers to the fact that it is steeped in botanicals for 24 hours. What makes it different is the use of citrus notes like Spanish grapefruit and Seville orange peel and teas including green tea and Japanese Sencha tea. The result takes the spirit a little away from classic gin and into something with a bit less astringency and more of a softer style.

For ambitious mixologists the Beefeater 24 website has 24 cocktails created by London bartenders. Start with something simple like the Amethyst Drop which combines the spirit with creme de violette and maraschino liqueur and work your way up to more complicated concoctions like the Er Shi Si which involves infusing the liquor with a chai tea bag before adding citrus juices, liqueurs and an egg white. Beefeater 24 can be found for around $30.

Source

Tags: beefeater 24, Beefeater24, gin

Port of Barcelona Gin by Esmeralda Distillery

by Noah Joseph (RSS feed) —

Filed under: Spirits

Bryan Davis loves the sauce. The founder of the Esmeralda Distillery has already launched his own highly acclaimed obsello absinthe, and has now debuted his own brand of gin. Called Port of Barcelona, the spirit offers a unique alternative to the usual Bombay Sapphire or Beefeater brands found in every bar with a more complex blend of citrus, pepper, juniper, floral iris and vanilla hints, making Port of Barcelona Gin a compelling base for a classic martini or gin & tonic. And while it's bound to impress your guests, at $30 a bottle, it won't break the bank.

Source

Tags: barcelona, barcelona gin, BarcelonaGin, esmeralda, esmeralda distillery, EsmeraldaDistillery, gin, port of barcelona, port of barcelona gin, PortOfBarcelona, PortOfBarcelonaGin

Tanqueray Freshens Up the "T&T"

by Jared Paul Stern (RSS feed) —

Filed under: Spirits

Tanqueray, the iconic London Dry Gin with a history that spanning 175 years and a Royal Warrant from the Queen of England, has come up with a number of new variations on the classic "T&T" - i.e. Tanuqeray and Tonic, which we hereby present so you can try them at your leisure:

T&T Refreshed

• 1.25 oz. Tanqueray London Dry Gin
• 1 Egg White
• .75 oz. Fresh Lemon Juice
• 1 oz. Simple Syrup
• Tonic Water

• Shake all ingredients without ice to aerate.
• Add ice. Shake.
• Strain over fresh ice into a Collins glass.
• Top with tonic water.

Muddled T&T

• 1.25 oz. Tanqueray London Dry Gin
• Tonic Water

• Muddle 3 lime wedges at the bottom of a Collins glass.
• Add Tanqueray London Dry Gin.
• Top with tonic water.

Continued after the jump.

Tags: cocktails, Gin, Royal Warrant, RoyalWarrant, summer cocktails, SummerCocktails, Tanqueray

Continue reading “Tanqueray Freshens Up the "T&T"”

The Classicist: Citadelle, the French Gin Made in a Cognac Distillery

by Jared Paul Stern (RSS feed) —

Filed under: Spirits, The Classicist

Summer to us, even when it's late in arriving, is all about gin. Recently we got reacquainted with one of the best, Citadelle Gin from France, and discovered its fascinating story. Citadelle is inspired by a recipe created in the 18^thcentury in the French seaport of Dunkirk. Originally, French distillers Carpeau and Stival took spices from ships returning from the Orient and Africa and distilled them in 12 traditional copper stills at the Citadelle Distillery, one of France's oldest registered genievre (ancient juniper distillate) distilleries. It might have been consigned to the history books had not Cognac Pierre Ferrand dug the recipe out of the archives and adapted it.

The process was ideal for Ferrand, which was determined to create a spirit with a great mouth-feel and the thirst-quenching taste of juniper berries combined with the complexity of a very fine spirit. It also solved the problem of what to do in the distillery's downtime; strict French AOC laws allow the distillation of cognac to occur only from November through March. The breathtaking estate of the Logis d'Angeac where Pierre Ferrand Cognac is made lies in the heart of France's famed Grande Champagne Cognac region and features classic copper stills, works of art in their own right. Citadelle now keeps them busy for the rest of the year.

Few gins are produced in pot stills, and Citadelle is the only gin distilled in a Cognac pot still with a naked flame. Distilling gin on an open flame requires a deft touch and far more attention than a column still or steam distillation which is otherwise used. It also means the gin is made in smaller batches, one cask at a time allowing the master distiller to precisely discard the "heads" and "tails" of the distillation, keeping only the precious, flavorful "heart". This costly distillation method imparts a texture only found in spirits distilled that way. The result is a carefully crafted gin, made from whole grain wheat, natural spring water and infused with 19 botanicals that when intermingled allow the complex flavors to create a subtle bouquet with aromas of juniper and citrus.

Gallery: Citadelle Gin

Tags: Citadelle Gin, CitadelleGin, cognac, distillery, Dunkirk, France, gin, Pierre Ferrand, Pierre Ferrand Cognac, PierreFerrand, PierreFerrandCognac

Continue reading “The Classicist: Citadelle, the French Gin Made in a Cognac Distillery”

The Red, White and Sapphire Cocktail

by Jared Paul Stern (RSS feed) —

Filed under: Spirits

Bombay Sapphire, the distinctive London dry gin infused with 10 botanicals hand-selected from around the globe, has come up with a festive twist on the classic Collins cocktail in honor of Independence Day, called the Red White and Sapphire (right).

Bombay Sapphire, distilled from 100% grain neutral spirit using a recipe that actually predates the Declaration of Independence by 15 years, includes lemon peel from Spain, orris root from Italy, coriander seeds from Mexico and cassia bark from Indo-China, among others.

To make a Red White and Sapphire:

1 1⁄2 oz. Bombay Sapphire
1 oz. fresh lemon juice
3⁄4 oz. simple syrup
3-4 fresh raspberries
3 oz. club soda

Muddle raspberries with simple syrup and lemon juice in a Collins glass. Add ice, Bombay Sapphire and stir. Top with club soda. Garnish with lemon twist and a fresh raspberry. Repeat as necessary.

Tags: 4th of July, 4thOfJuly, Bombay Sapphire, BombaySapphire, cocktails, gin, Independence Day, IndependenceDay, summer cocktails, SummerCocktails

The Handcrafted Spirits of Berkshire Mountain Distillers

by Deidre Woollard (RSS feed) —

Filed under: Spirits

Tucked into a barn in the Berkshire Mountains of Massachusetts, Berkshire Mountain Distillers is quietly making a new line of craft liquors. An article in the Berkshire Eagle led me to the story of Chris Weld who produces Berkshire Mountain Distillers gin, rum and vodka. Weld's operation is small,he has just one employee, and he sources his ingredients locally when possible, using grain from nearby farms and water from a spring on his Great Barrington farm. Weld, a former physician's assistant is one of many entrepreneurs bitten by the distilling bug recently as small craft liquor lines are popping up around the country and producing high quality spirits, often at prices lower than some of the "prestige" brands.

The first product from the distillery was Ragged Mountain Rum, a traditional pot still style of rum, hand crafted in small batches and aged in bourbon barrels from Kentucky to create a sipping rum. Ice Glen Vodka and Greylock Gin were added to the line and Weld is currently working on Ethereal, a new gin that will have a more heavily botanical slant. The spirits sell for just under $30 and are now for sale throughout Massachusetts with plans to expand into New York.

Source

Tags: berkshire mountain distillers, BerkshireMountainDistillers, gin, greylock gin, GreylockGin, ice glen vodka, IceGlenVodka, ragged mountain rum, RaggedMountainRum, rum, vodka

Bluecoat American Dry Gin from Philadelphia

by Jared Paul Stern (RSS feed) —

Filed under: Spirits

We recently had a chance to try Bluecoat (right), the only American dry gin, after seeing it recommended by several top mixologists. The citrusy nature of Bluecoat, which is distilled in Philadelphia, is particularly appealing. They use organic American orange and lemon peel, combined with a "proprietary blend" of other US-sourced citrus.

The five times distilled spirit in a dashing cobalt blue bottle is crafted using a custom-built, hand-hammered copper pot still. It's distilled to be an extremely pure spirit, without the harshness of impure alcohols often present in other gins, and uses triple-filtered water combined with grain neutral spirit created from rye, wheat, barley and corn.

Only certified organic botanicals are used in order to ensure no outside influences on flavor, and Bluecoat uses only organic juniper berries which, in comparison to the typical berries used in most gins, transmit spicy, earthy notes as opposed to pungent evergreen ones. The blue bottle with gold highlights personifies the historic blue jacket and gold buttons of the Bluecoat Revolutionary soldiers.

Tags: Bluecoat, Gin, Philadelphia

gin

Featured Galleries

HuffPost AOL Social News Most Popular

Also on AOL