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[1] This strawberry sundae has a drizzle of gin instead of a conventional sundae sauce. It happens to be Hendrick’s Mids ummer Solstice Gin, a more aromatic twist on the classic profile with intense notes of summer flowers, orange blossom, and citrus, alongside the signature juniper and cucumber. But you can use whatever gin you have on hand (photo © Hendrick’s Gin | Abacus Photo).
[2] Drizzle sorbet with your gin or tequila for a new taste sensation. Garnish with grated zest if you like (photo showing Empress 1908 Original Indigo Gin © Empress 1908 Gin).
[3] A Gin & Tonic float. Here’s the recipe. The year’s 8 ice cream drink holidays (photo © Veggie Desserts).
[4] Empress Gin’s infused expressions are impressive. This is Elderflower Rose (photo © Empress Gin).
[5] Like Empress Gin, Isolation Proof Gin specializes in exciting infusions. Orchard, shown here, is infused with wild apples from the brand’s property (photo © Isolation Proof Gin).
[6] Tanqueray, the most admired London Dry Gin*, with a sprig from a juniper bush (photo © Diageo).
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> Check out the different styles of gin, below.
Years ago, a friend who was a great cook prepared an elaborate dinner for us: intricate courses of beef, fish, and fowl with layers of flavor.
We anticipated something equally elaborate for dessert. So we raised an eyebrow when he scooped vanilla Häagen-Dazs into dishes and topped each scoop with something that seemed bizarre at the time: a jigger of Scotch.
“Really?” we said.
“It’s delicious,” he replied. “Taste it.”
We did, and promptly discovered the easiest fancy dessert in the world. We often serve it at the end of a big dinner. The “recipe” works equally well with Bourbon.
We also created our own spin: sorbet with a jigger of gin. Use a very aromatic style such as London Dry or International—a flavored gin is even better (see below and photos #4 and #5).
Decades after that first ice cream/Scotch experience, we’ve been presented with a reversed version of that simple pleasure: The Macallan Ice Cream Brownie Sundae.
It’s impressive, but we’ll stick with the two-minute original.
> Check out the different styles of gin, below.
Elsewhere on The Nibble:
> The history of gin.
> The year’s 14 gin holidays.
> The history of ice cream.
> The different types of ice cream: a photo glossary.
> The year’s 50+ ice cream holidays.
THE DIFFERENT STYLES (TYPES) OF GIN
American Style Gin. This is more of a geographical term given because the style was largely led by U.S. craft distillers—a “New World” approach to gin in the early 2000s, aimed at breaking away from the juniper-heavy, traditional London Dry gins. It is essentially the same as New Western Gin with slight differences. See the chart below.
Flavored Gin. If a distiller adds significant flavorings (like fruit, honey, or sugar) after the initial distillation, it often moves out of the “London Dry’ or “Distilled Gin” category and into a specific legal type called Flavored Gin. See the separate section about flavored gin below.
Genever. Genever is the original gin, a rich distillation that’s more like a flavored whiskey than the more familiar English Dry gin. Bols Genever is an example.
London Dry Gin. The British evolved genever into a lighter-bodied, aromatic style that lends itself to mixing. Beefeater, Bombay Sapphire, and Gordon’s are examples.
Navy Strength. While most gins have an A.B.V.* around 40% (80 proof), Navy strength is at least 57% A.B.V. (114 proof).
New Western Gin. This term debuted in the early 21st century to describe small-batch, craft gins which were differentiated from the classic London Dry gin. These gins have flavorings or infusions added in redistillation, and may not be as juniper-forward as London Dry. The infusions can include anything from honey to yuzu.
Plymouth Gin. Made only in Plymouth, England since 1793, it is full-bodied with a balanced blend of botanicals and a long, dry finish. It calls itself “the world’s smoothest gin.” There currently is only one brand, Plymouth.
Old Tom Gin. Sweeter, rounder, and with more botanical expression than London Dry Gin, this style was popular in the 18th century. After many years out of production, it has been relaunched in recent years by Hayman’s. Booth’s and The Dorchester are two more brands of this style.
International Style Gin. Created in recent years by artisan distillers, these gins burst with a complex mixture of botanicals. We love to sip them straight—and pour them on sorbet. Martin Miller’s Gin of London and Bluecoat Gin of Philadelphia (which calls itself “American Dry Gin”) are examples (and our two favorite gins).
Sloe Gin. Sloe gin is a red liqueur made from sloe (blackthorn) berries. It is not a true gin, which is made from juniper berries.
Damson Gin. Not a gin, but a liqueur made from Damson plums.
FLAVORED GIN
Numerous brands make flavored gins as part of their lineup of expressions. This category changes often depending on consumer trends, can be limited editions, and can be market-specific. Some examples:
Major Brands
Beefeater: Blood Orange.
Bombay Sapphire: Bombay Bramble (blackberry & raspberry).
Seagram’s Twisted Gin flavors: Apple, Grape, Lime, Melon, Peach, Pineapple, Red Berry, Watermelon.
Hendrick’s: Flora Adora (hibiscus, lavender, and other sweet blossoms added to the base), Grand Cabaret (stone fruits), Midsummer Solstice (florals), Oasium (quinine, wormwood, and blue lotus blossom), and Orbium (blue lotus blossom).
Tanqueray: Rangpur Lime, Sevilla Orange (a.k.a. Flor de Sevilla).
Additional Brands
Bluecoat: Elderflower.
Drumshanbo (Gunpowder Irish Gin): Brazilian Pineapple, Sardinian Citrus.
Empress 1908: Cucumber Lemon, Elderflower Rose.
Four Pillars: Bloody Shiraz Gin (infused with Shiraz grapes).
Isolation Proof Gin: Mushroom, Orchard (Apple), Ramp, Strawberry Rhubarb.
Malfy: Con Limone (lemon), Rosa (pink grapefruit).
Sipsmith: Lemon Drizzle, Strawberry Smash.
Whitley Neill: Quince, Rhubarb & Ginger.
Wild Roots: Cucumber & Grapefruit.
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*Tanqueray, widely considered the benchmark for the London Dry style (photo #6), is most often chosen as the most well-regarded by critics and bartenders for its quality and consistency. It uses only four botanicals (juniper, coriander, angelica root, and licorice), a simplicity that makes it extremely balanced and “punchy.” A punchy gin has a strong juniper-forward profile and a dry, crisp character that cuts through mixers and other cocktail ingredients. This makes them excellent for Martinis and other spirit-forward cocktails where you want the gin’s flavor to shine through. The opposite of punch is a “softer” or more floral gin with subtle, delicate botanicals that blend more gently into a drink.
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It has a higher alcohol content than many other brands(in the U.S. it’s usually 47.3% A.B.V./94.6 proof vs. the conventional 40% A.B.V./80 proof), which helps the flavors stand up in a cocktail rather than getting lost in the tonic or vermouth. It has the nickname, “Bartender’s Choice.”
Runners up for best London Dry gin: Beefeater, the “Iconic Standard,” and Sipsmith, the “Modern Classic.” While Sipsmith (photo #7, below) is a newer brand (founded in 2009), it’s often cited by connoisseurs as the best “top-shelf” major London Dry. It’s important to note that Tanqueray and Beefeater are multinational legacy brands, while Sipsmith is a craft/small-batch brand.
Sipsmith is considered the “Founding Father” of craft gin. Before it was founded in 2009, it was actually illegal in the U.K. to distill gin in a small still (less than 1,800 liters). Sipsmith’s founders fought a multi-year legal battle to change this law. When they won, they opened the first copper-pot distillery in London in nearly 200 years. This paved the way for the hundreds of U.K. craft distilleries that exist today.
[7] A Sipsmith Martini (photo © Sipsmith).
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