Perky citrus, a smidge of lemon oil, candied orange rinds, orange slice candy, and an interesting lime/orange shift right in the mids. More recently, it has appeared in West Texas, where the berries have their roots. Gordon's London Dry Gin was created over 250 years ago by Alexander Gordon. My favorite Gin reviled. I didnt mind the taste though. To be called a Gin, the Spirit must have a predominant flavor of Juniper berries. What did you do. ABV: Minimum 40% . Just because it is juniper-dominated, don't go thinking of it as Dutch gin. While New Amsterdam Stratusphere Gin is a HUGE upgrade when compared to the original, Im not sure its enough of an upgrade to warrant recommending it over other options on the market today. Gin does not have to be cask-aged, but doing so can bring new and unexpected flavors to it. I knew this Stratusphere was different, couldnt even get any info on their website. . The citrus is kind of fake/bad tasting. Im not an alcoholic but Ive had 3 strong gin and tonics and I havent felt anything. . A big fan of New Amsterdam No. Gin must contain at least 37.5% of alcohol. Fight Off Illness. Sure, it can certainly have other herbs or spices added to it such as rose petals, coriander, lavender, or mint, but at its core, it must have juniper berries. I noticed the change I enjoyed the year ago gin. It then became an object of commerce in the spirits industry. Historically, gin has been based on a core of a dozen or so botanicals: Juniper berries, coriander seeds, Angelica root, citrus peel (principally lemon and orange), Orris root, cassia, cinnamon . when i go out and have a gin and tonic I ask if they have Amsterdam and if they say no i tell them they need to get it in their bars and restaurants. London Dry is the best known (think Tanqueray or Bombay Sapphire) and is notable for its juniper-forward profile. Have you been drinking lighter fuel to compare? Will not be buying it any more! Exotic herbs, nuts fruits seeds, roots and spices are depicted in glorious detail and in many cases, are wrangled together by distillers in a bid to create incredible flavour journeys. If youre unfamiliar with Navy Strength, it just means strong, or over-proof. Juniperus squamata 'Floreant'. If you had worked harder at school you would not have even tried it, obviously I tried it because I left school at 14 I now wish I had turned up as this has made me see the error of my ways! It really is a very good gin for the price. The best way to think of junipers is as an herbaceous spice rather than a fruit or vegetable: they have a bright, pine-like flavor. Well, if it it makes you feel better, fine, go for it. Here atThe Gin is IN weve prided ourselves in reviewing contemporary style gins as spirits worthy of discussion on their own merits. Lacking that, this gin has an interesting flavor not sure that I like it enough to make it a staple in my cabinet. To each, his or her own, and enjoy the moment. I am allergic to natural and artificial flavors, and since I react to this gin, I can definitely confirm that the flavors are not from pure botanicals. Priced at an affordable point and curated with a citrus-forward perspective, it (especially at the time) was unlike anything else available. Be Sure to Use Gin With Real Juniper Berries. Juniper berries have been used in alcoholic drink production for hundreds of years - they were popular in Europe during the middle ages, especially in tinctures. Their method is time consuming: pickers will place a basket or a tarp under a branch, whack it with a stick, and try to dislodge only the ripe, dark blue berries while leaving younger, green fruit alone. The alcohols name is derived from , and its those berries that create the biggest distinction between gin and other liquors. Diane. 2 New American or Western Gin: Named after the region it started, these gins are now made everywhere in the world. I tried NAG straight as recommended & found it ok. To be honest New Amsterdam is one of my favorite gins second only to Hendricks and I like ot because it doesnt taste like juniper if i wanted that i would buy tanqueray, Reading earlier comments, I think I get where everyone is coming from. . For these situations, nothing beats a classic London Dry, juniper-forward gin. This was the gin that convinced me that I preferred traditional London style dry gin. Best gin I ever tasted I love juniper smell as much as Christmas and I really enjoy the flavorful abundance of the juniper berries in new Amsterdam gin and it goes down smooth I lemon and lime fresh squeezed ice cold or just shooting a shot just the right amount of alcohol for a borderline alcoholic. If you like citrus-forward gin, theres a lot of gins which bring that flavor to the party, but do so through distillation alone and dont add flavors/sweetening post-distillation. This is what you get when you make Triple Sec and put it in a bottle labeled gin. This is what you get from a company called New Amsterdam that is based in California instead of New York. Loved it and that became a regular event at 5pm on the porch. I wouldnt use it at home unless I was inexplicably out of other options but sitting under a pinon pine 10 miles past the end of pavement the citrus notes make a decent G&T. Going back to Beefeaters. If anyone can help me figure this out: Im a bartender and sommelier, and no other liquor or alcohol gives me an instant headache except for New Amsterdam Gin. Check out the price comparison below. If you want a gin with an especially pronounced citrus note, try Tanqueray Malacca. If price is a concern, Id go with the Gordons every time. | Everything You Need to Know. $15, Buy Now. Aside from the core use of juniper berries, sweet potato, aronia berries . Making juniper tincture. He opened a distillery in the Southwark area in 1769 . Theyre only used in gin because they help balance out other flavors like citrus and sweetness. Does burnett's London dry gin have juniper in it? Its drinkers are normally non-gin-drinkers. I will probably prefer other gins after this one, but I will definitely enjoy this one, relaxed & will take the walk another day. I hated this so-called gin. [emailprotected]. . Not to stray from the subject too far, there is a tiny, American distillery in Gloucester, MA that makes an interesting gin. Once picked, the juniper is spread out in a cool, dark place to dry. Sure it has a citrus taste but thats why we normaly add the lime! Firstly, New Amsterdam Stratusphere Gin is aLondon Dry Gin and says so right on the bottle. Greg Kong, Head Bartender at New York City's Kimika, a Japanese-Italian fusion restaurant, is a huge fan and was quick to sing this gin's praises. You taste juniper in every sip with a non-alcoholic gin substitute and a juniper syrup. I found it patently uninteresting. Bombay Sapphire A premium gin that uses 10 botanicals to produce an elegant gin with layered, subtle flavors and aromas. Wish I knew how to get my money back. Beefeater London Dry Gin is an affordable gin that holds its own in cocktails. In the past, we have warned against eating juniper berries for fear that they might upset the stomach or irritate the kidneys. I noticed the change I enjoyed the year ago gin. However over time, Im enjoying it less Im starting to find it a little bit cloying. Unduly harsh reviews for a fairly smooth drink. Sat back, took a sip and spit ip out. Why? It hardly even tastes distilled with actual plant material. im surprised no one has mentioned Cointreau, milder but it was the first essence that came to mind dont LOVE it, but it can be effective in a mixed cocktail. It doesnt actually taste foul. In order for a spirit to be called gin, the cones of the juniper bush (also known as "juniper berries") must be present and perceptible. Its too weak in cocktails (even in a gin and tonic the tonic overpowers it) and even though it has a juniper smell it doesnt show up in the taste at all. The common juniper plant is native to the UK and most of continental Europe, and is found growing across the northern hemisphere. Strangely, for me something Ive always liked about gin and tonic is that I dont really like it but I could continue to sip on it all night and not end up with a brutal hangover (as long as I was able to refrain from doing shots of jag or something at last call). Juniper. Waste of money. Vive Le difference! All Rights Reserved. It lacks any body and had vanilla notes. They include traditional gin botanicals such as , citrus, angelica and orris root. The G & T to my surprise seems good, not great or marvelous. Theres a slight metallic tinge on the finish. Ive always liked gin, and tangueray was my go to. Good God The alcohol will kill ANYTHING you are allergic to.. its psychosomatic my friend. The next Summer I visited my cousin down South where we spent a 5 day 4th of July celebration on his sailboat and I introduced him to the cucumber martini. I normal dont have any issue with this brand. What gin does not have juniper berries? Posted by Lorik24 (New Castle, Va/usa) on 12/30/2011 . The short answer is dial it up to a 2 parts to 1 part Sweet and 1 part Campari minimum if you want to taste any of the gin. Does All Gin Contain Juniper Berry? That said, I used to take shots of the original stuff and now Im mixing this. The result is remarkable: the resinous pine of the wood works exceptionally well with the richness of the sloe and cherry flavours. The gin certainly isnt a bad flavor (I actually like its citrus-y flavor even if its kind of fake) but its disappointing if youre expecting a gin flavor. Never thought Id dump a martini but that is what i did!! I then proceeded to complete a gin & tonic (canada dry). Gin is a liquor that gets both its name and flavor from juniper berries and is one of the most versatile spirits in the world today. Years later, in-laws moved to Florida and Bud, my father-in-law, introduced me to a gin and tonic. They taste like artificial citrus essences being added after distillation. Stratusphere doesnt equate; I really liked the citrus notes and didnt find it to taste fake or overwhelming. Recommended Reading: Members Mark Premium American Vodka, 2021 LiquorTalkClub.com | Contact us: contact@liquortalkclub.com, More bad news in 2020 Scotlands gin industry threatend by juniper disease, Bold & Aromatic Gin & Tonic with Orange & Juniper Berries, What is London Dry Gin? Each sip fades into almond-tinged sweetness, ending with a welcome blast of juniper and ginger heat. Wiki User. Its owned by EJ Gallo though, so its not a big surprise. I drink a coule of gin and tonic most nights of the week. The price is right for this purpose (who wants to waste a Beefeaters in a gin and tonic, but is a giant step above cheap gin that some use for that kind of drink. Btw. I think I should start my own review site. Ive always found it amusing that the place your beverage, automobile, motorcycle, tourist-trap or what-have-you snobs always have to try to polarize the rest of the public into thinking that somehow, thou art better than I. Juniper has to be foremost in any gin to my taste. I think I can get more buzzed from a Coors light right now. At 47% it is aimed more at bartenders and cocktail-creators. Some of the top shelfs seem harsher, but as for me, well, Scotch season is up next. The citrus dominates the palate, almost completely to the exclusion of any other notes. My favorite cocktail with New Amsterdam, though, is gin and juice {grapefruit juice and a splash of orange juice). However, for my home bar, this is a regularly purchased brand. These super berries are alsoyou guessed itthe main ingredient in gin. Appellation. But sometimes you crave that piney, juniper flavor for a cocktail, like say a Martini, or a Gimlet. The conservation charity Plantlife UK works to save Englands junipers, appealing to the British fondness for gin and tonics as a way to encourage conservation and habitat restoration. Why does gin have juniper berries? Being a gardener I experimented with all my vegetables but the cucumber still won. Or for something classically inspired, but very American in execution, try St. Georges Terroir. Well, the plan for tonight was to take a walk or have a drink, chose the latter. -Juniper berries are extremely small it takes about 16 pounds of them to make one gallon of gin. Gin-Soaked Raisins: Juniper berries are not to . This London Dry gin has an ABV of 37.5% and has a distinct taste of juniper. It was $40 for a 1.75 ml bottle and right next to it was New Amsterdam for half the money, so I bought both figuring someone will drink it when we have parties if we didnt like it. Hendrick's unique taste comes from its use of roses and cucumbers along with 11 other botanicals, of course including juniper - but also coriander, orange, lemon, angelic, orris root, cubeb berries, caraway seeds, chamomile, elderflower, and yarrow berries. If you like gin and are on a budget, buy Gordons. New styles like Japanese and Western . https://theginisin.com/gin-reviews/denver-dry-gin/, https://theginisin.com/gin-reviews/halcyon-organic-distilled-gin/. Gin is different from other liquors because of the use of botanicals in the distillation process. This is possibly the worst tasting gin Ive ever had. Step 3: Seal and shake the bottle, then store it on the counter for 48 hours. I tossed back the remainder of it and realized that it was by far not the worst gin Ive ever had, and just a style thats not my preference. So certainly, if you love this gin, by all means continue to enjoy it. The bottle appears bit different than one shown & has the word straight. bought a bottle and poured a chilled bit over a few olives. Skip it. So what makes equal proportions of juniper berries special? All gins contain juniper. I am not a big fan of the juniper flavor, so this is perfect for my cocktails. A gin liqueur will usually differ from gin in these ways: Has a high concentration of added sugar, leading to much sweeter, syrupy taste and texture than gin. Got so sick one night in college on gin that for years just the mention of it had me running for fresh air! Terrible taste. Gin cannot be made without juniper berries, because it is required by law to have the predominant flavor of juniper berries in a drink for it to be called a gin. Nuts & Spices. Five star? Historically I would agree with @Ben D but Im willing to give New Amsterdam a stab. Gin is a distilled beverage made from juniper berries. My friends and I all agree that New Amsterdam is by far the best. A tall pint glass filled to the top with ice; A quarter or smaller section of lime squeezed over the rocks; A four count pour (two and a half generous shots) of New Amsterdam gin; filled the rest of the way with Schweppes Tonic. Dr. Cummings uses berries from two Texas junipers for two different gins made by WildGins Co., a gin company headquartered in Austin and run by Cummings. Being mainly a gin drinker and really liked the flavor and smoothness. Or as the above poster said, theres also Dorothy Parker (as the above poster said), I absolutely love it. California's St. George Spirits has been making excellent craft spirits in different categories for decades now. grow on an evergreen type of shrub all over North America, Europe, and Asia, so theyre not terribly difficult to find. My biggest fear before I tasted it was that it would be harsh or oily. That said, for cheap gin, you could do significantly worse. New Amsterdam also won the Bloody Mary experiment. Its not really a good example of the style, and definitely doesnt do justice to the distillers who try to create new flavors while keeping juniper in the background. For . The inspiration is in the name, as the gin sources botanicals that reflect Southern Californias diverse agricultural offerings. That being said its pretty smooth when you drink it neat, its really easy to drink it straight. He was a Beefeater fan. The original was a bit nasty. Get it delivered to your door in under 60 minutes. Just yech. https://theginisin.com/gin-reviews/halcyon-organic-distilled-gin/. The lower prices make it easy to enjoy your favorite gin without breaking the . These two come as no surprise, as most gins will contain such botanicals, but Gordons manages to do it in a fantastic way. Beefeater Gin, and Haymans London Dry have an easily discernible orange note. 2023 New Amsterdam Spirits Company, Modesto, CA. This creates a wonderful, true gin-like flavor that we all know and love. I have learned that Gin is an acquired taste which I am kind of new to. But Id like to encourage you to try any of these gins mentioned above or any future gins we may suggest which are citrus forward. If you want a gin with an especially pronounced citrus note, try Tanqueray Malacca. Drinking . Mixing takes some of the edges off of Stratusphere Gin. It certainly isnt a London gin. This is not the gin you would want to drink neat or on the rocks, but it is the perfect choice if you are looking to add some flavor to your . Gin is not for everyone, and Its pretty much like anything else in lifesome people prefer a Pilsner over an IPA, some people prefer Jazz over Rock, and some folks are early-to-bed, early-to-rise, while others stay up all night burning the flame til sun up. Bombay Sapphires recipe is based on 10 botanicals. In addition to its juniper berries requirement, gin must be bottled at no less than 40 percent ABV, or 80 proof. Sunsets are glorious and so is the New Amsterdam gin and tonic. . J. communis is so common that it carries many different regional common names, including dwarf juniper, prostrate juniper, mountain common juniper, old field common juniper, ground juniper, and carpet juniper. Last summer, Molly Cummings stood atop a ladder at the broad waist of a juniper tree in Texas Davis Mountains, filling her apron with plump berries collected from its branches. That holds its own in cocktails the cucumber still won tonics and I all that. But that is based in California instead of New to or oily the G & t my... Company called New Amsterdam, though, so its not a big fan of the and! Do significantly worse to my surprise seems good, not great or marvelous up next citrus dominates palate. 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