The Tasting Panel magazine

May 2011

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FLOW CHART IN OUR fIRST INSTALLMENT Of THIS NEW DEPARTMENT, THE VERY SPIRITED ROBERT PLOTkIN SHOWS HOW TO PROfIT fROM The Renaissance of constituency. To explain gin’s nearly universal appeal, afi cio- nados point to its trim lightweight body, wafting aromatics and engaging fl avors. f For cocktail expert Julie Reiner, proprietor of New York’s Clover Club, Flatiron Lounge and Lani Kai, gin is an irre- placeable asset. “I fi nd most everything about it enthralling. Gin is the only spirit that we don’t drink straight. Its milieu is the cocktail where it absolutely shines to a degree no other New Aromatic Gems THE GIN ew better appreciate the cachet and mystique sur- rounding gin than those who work with it on a nightly basis. Mixologists represent the steadfast core of gin’s spirit can match. In fact, many of the most popular drinks served in my lounges are gin-based libations from the late 19th century.” Gin Gin has no equal behind the bar. As evidence, more classic cocktails call for gin than any other spirit. Their proprietary recipes endow them with personalities as individually distinctive as DNA, which explains why no two smell or taste the same. Enticing as well is that they’re a rarefi ed lot, an exclusive club with the fewest number of premium brands, making each a singular commodity representing a particular house. These are indeed heady days for gin. The resurgent popularity of the cocktail has prompted the release of new artisanal brands and revamps of old classics. THE GIST Created by Beefeater’s Master Distiller, Desmond Payne, Beefeater 24 is distilled with a unique blend of 12 hand-selected botanicals, a mix that features grapefruit peel and Chinese green and Japanese sencha teas. The juniper and citrus marry seamlessly. Ultra-premium Bulldog from London is handcrafted in small copper pot stills from English grain and a blend of 12 aromatics. The mix includes dragon eye, a fruit from Southeast Asia long renowned for its aphrodisiac properties. Surgically-balanced. Classically-structured No. 3 London dry gin from Berry Bros. & Rudd is comprised of pot-distilled spirits infused with six botanicals. It has a juniper-forward character, lively fresh fruit aromas and a dry crisp fi nish. Dubbed a “classic dry English gin,” Oxley is produced using a technique called cold distillation, in which the fresh fl avors of its botanicals are captured without the use of heat. The result is a delicate spirit with an herbal, citrus and lightly spiced persona. 94 / the tasting panel / may 201 1 THE STATS ORIGIN: England STRENGTH: 90 proof SRP: $34.99 SUPPLIER: Pernod Ricard USA ORIGIN: England STRENGTH: 80 proof SRP: $25.99 SUPPLIER: Bulldog Gin Company ORIGIN: England STRENGTH: 92 proof SRP: $39.99 SUPPLIER: Anchor Brewers & Distillers ORIGIN: England STRENGTH: 94 proof SRP: $49.95 SUPPLIER: Bacardi USA English meadowsweet is a unique component. Everybody loves a classic English bulldog. THINK WHILE YOU DRINK The Tower of London’s Beefeater guards. Berry Bros. & Rudd, No. 3 St. James’s Street, is London’s oldest wine and spirits merchant.

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