Gin
This past weekend, Toronto hosted the fifth annual drink show at the Exhibition Place. There was a lot of promo going on in the city so Canadian Living took advantage and had Plymouth Gin give us a private seminar in the test kitchen. Plymouth is the oldest working distillery in England, in operation since 1793, and in that time they have only ever had 4 head distillers. We were lucky enough to have Sean Harrison, Plymouths head distiller, lead us in a tasting. He brought along a number of competitors to try blind, side by side. I have to admit that, for the most part, I never met a spirit I didn’t like, but gin has always been at the bottom of my list. However, having the opportunity to try a number of gins and discover an amazing range of profiles was very enlightening.
The gins ranged from citrusy, to medicinal, to sweet, depending on the botanical mix. The Plymouth landed somewhere in the middle with a well balanced round flavour that was not too heavy on the juniper.
I had the opportunity to put into practice what I learned at a lunch for Hendricks Gin the next day. Hendricks is based in Scotland and is one of the 
newer brands on the market. It has very distinct flavours of cucumber and rose petals and is very unique.
Both brands emphasize a return to classic cocktails. Gin really was the original spirit used in cocktails in the twenties. It was in the sixties and seventies that vodka began its rise to cocktail supremacy - a purposeful marketing strategy to tap into a youthful market that wanted to rebel against an older generation.
The LCBO was also holding a Gin seminar on the weekend, so perhaps gin is poised for a major comeback.
For my own part, I learned not to judge a gin by its cover. If you are a gin lover, let me suggest that you try a few different gins - straight with a bit of water - to discover what flavours you like. You will find they are all pretty diverse. Don’t simply rely on what packaging looks good. I predict we will be seeing a lot more gin cocktails on restaurant menus as the classic cocktail revival takes hold. I know the next time I order my beloved martini, it will be with my new favourite gin.
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July 23rd, 2008 at 1:40 pm
What exactly is Lemon Gin, Christine? A cheap, nasty gin disguised with lemon flavouring?