As much as I enjoy a cocktail, nothing can compete with the perfectly poured gin and tonic. Just give me a large tumbler, a nice amount of ice, a larger measure of gin and a slice of lime and I’m extremely happy. For me the perfection is in the simplicity of the construction followed by the abundance of flavour.
Simply put, gin is a distilled beverage that has juniper berries at the forefront of the taste and flavour. It is the other botanical ingredients used that separate one gin from another. These botanics can be sourced from across the globe so even if the gin is made in Glasgow or Edinburgh or Dundee or St Andrews (you get the picture), it could easily contain North African coriander, Indian liquorice and cassia bark from southern China.
It would take me at least a two page full spread to list all the current new and trending gins, so here are some of my current favourites.
From up in the Cairngorms we have Byron’s Gin Bird Cherry (Master of Malts, £42.75). It’s named after the renowned poet Lord Byron and showcases his love of the Highlands and the bird cherry flower that grows locally. This gin has a red fruit note and a gentle spice reminiscent of strawberries with black pepper.
The Bute Oyster Gin (Inverarity One to One £40.99) is the only gin that I’ve come across that uses locally sourced Argyll oyster shells to add an extra dry minerality to the glass. With the juniper and lemon peel notes, this is a beautifully savoury gin. For a garnish, well more of a decadence, serve with fresh shucked oysters.
It would be amiss of me to not mention my home town gin. Forget a G&T and get into a B&T. The Botanist Islay Gin (widely available) from Bruichladdich Distillery is made with 9 traditional ingredients but the magic comes from the 22 locally sourced botanics. From the amazingly named Creeping Thistle Flowers to the obscure Lady’s Bedstraw Flowers, this gin is packed with flavour. This a luxurious gin with the floral and citrus notes complimenting each other.
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