Issue #43
Last Update December 24, 2005
Reviews Gin Trials by Sten Grynir In its perpetual quest for perfection, New York Stringer has conducted comparative tastings of pastrami sandwiches (Pastrami Nosh-off, December 2001), pickles (Sour Pickles Rule, June 2002), and linguini and white clam sauce (The Art of Clam Sauce, June 2002). Inspired by a study comparing the flavors of various brands of gin, and astounded at the high ranking that study gave to Fleishman's, one of the cheapest gins available, New York Stringer magazine assembled an all-star panel of gin becs fines from among its correspondents. The panel will remain anonymous, and will be referred to using pseudonyms: Game Girl, Orpheus and the Beloved Pickle Maven.
Three gins were the subject of this tasting: Tanquery, Bombay (regular, not Sapphire), and Fleishman's. In addition, a bottle of cheap 120 proof rotgut liquor imported from China, and available locally for around $5 a fifth, was available for the tasters to sample. The gins were chilled before serving. The gins were served one at a time in a small wineglass, undiluted and without the addition of lemon peel or olives. Between gins, the palate was cleansed with bread, pickled herring, olives and mild cheeses. Each gin was evaluated for nose (aroma, to the uninitiated), taste, and aftertaste. Since gin contains little or no glycerine, the liquid was not swirled to observe “legs”. The order of the gins was determined by the tasters' individual preferences.
Tanquery was deemed by Game Girl to have a piney aroma; Orpheus called the scent “sharp, not floral”; while the Beloved Pickle Maven, sipping thoughtfully, expressed no opinion as to nose. The flavor, all agreed, was smooth, with opinions ranging from tangy and spicy to tangy with no citrus notes. As for aftertaste, Game Girl noted a lingering warmth and full mouth taste, while Orpheus decided it had a level finish, i.e. relatively little aftertaste.
Bombay, when sampled, had a floral nose (Orpheus), or a citrus aroma (Game Girl and the Beloved Pickle Maven). Orpheus pegged the flavor as complex, with a hint of citrus; Game Girl tasted it as cucumber/veggie. The aftertaste was noted a lingering in the mouth, with Orpheus detecting as slightly bitter finish.
Opinions on Fleishman's were unanimous: no particular aroma; a smooth, simple, clean, slightly sweet flavor with no hint of botanicals and no finesse; not much of an aftertaste. All in all, the panelists declared Fleishman's to be bland but inoffensive.
The Chinese rotgut was sampled by Orpheus after the conclusion of the tasting. (Game Girl and the Beloved Pickle Maven had tried it on a previous occasion and declined the opportunity to try it again.) The aroma was slightly offensive, but not greatly so, as if it had just gone bad or had asafetida as an ingredient. Flavor was unpleasant, but not enough to cause nausea. No aftertaste was detected; Orpheus claimed it was because his taste buds had died. The 120 proof kick was evident.
The panel's consensus was that Bombay and Tanquery were both excellent, premium gins. The differences in flavor and aroma were a matter of personal preference. Fleishman's, at less than half the price of the other two, was the gin of choice for gin and tonic or other mixed drinks where the flavor of the gin was likely to be masked by the flavor of the mixer. To sum up: if you have the money, stick to the premium brands. If money is tight or you use your gin in mixed drinks, Fleishman's will do quite well. If you are on skid row, go for the Chinese rotgut.
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