Help me pick a new gin

[ernie_in_berkeley]

The Sapphire made a very good G&T tonight.

[Vecchiouomo (Tim Irvine)]

I can imagine it making a good G and T, but the Sapphire martini and I never clicked.

[linguafood (Natascha)]

Junipero has a smoked rosemary gin out now. I was supposed to try it last night at my show, but my PIC ordered a St. George Terroir for me instead — which is also delish, but I remain curious about the Junipero. The bartender uses two different Vermouths with that one.

Next time, hopefully!

[caractacus (Bill)]

The gin I’m really loving right now is Song Cai. I bought it because it’s made with Vietnamese botanicals, and I like this trend in the last x years of gins with local botanicals—there are some great Scottish and Australian gins of that sort, and my favorite gin with an asterisk is probably Oakland Spirits’ Sea Gin (the asterisk is that, according to the distiller’s own warning, it doesn’t play well with bubbles, and a gin I can’t have with tonic can’t really be my go-to). Anyway: despite that being my reason to buy it, it’s actually a very traditional flavor profile, but I think that might be part of why I’m enjoying it so much right now, after a long time of buying every yuzu, green tea, or baobab gin that made its way to New Hampshire.

(ETA: Okay, apparently Oakland Spirits went out of business a few years ago! That I have a half-full bottle of Sea Gin tells you a lot about how much my drinking has dialed down, though it’s also true that there are five or six other gins on that shelf.)

[ernie_in_berkeley]

1.75 liter Tanqueray is $20 at Costco now, after a $5 discount.

[MaxEntropy]

Friends in Irvine CA served dirty martinis made with Suntory Roku that my Significant Other adored. There seem to be multiple “editions” of Roku. Anyone able to describe the differences?

[linguafood (Natascha)]

I’ve only had the ‘regular’ Roku & find it pleasantly mild, but not very interesting. At the duty free leaving Berlin we saw the Sakura edition. I did not especially enjoy the nose of cherry blossoms. What are the others?

[MaxEntropy]

They list Craft (which I think is the “regular”) Sakura Bloom, Botanical Kasane, and Minori Select editions on their web site. I’ve also seen Osaka Brilliance edition at online retail sellers.

[linguafood (Natascha)]

Well, I would certainly be willing to try the others if someone offered

[linguafood (Natascha)]

We’re pretty hesitant when it comes to forking over $35+ for a gin we don’t know, and today we were torn between No. 3 London Dry and this one:

The description for both sounded promising. Just had a little taste, and it will make a nice martini. Just not tonight. Mondays are generally dry nites @casa lingua.

Still wanna try the London Dry, tho. Next purchase, perhaps.

[small_h]

Just picked up a bottle of Cotswolds Dry Gin. Very nice! Pine-y and citrus-y and smooth.

https://www.astorwines.com/SearchResultsSingle.aspx?p=2&search=38052&searchtype=Contains&region_id=777038&gad_source=1&gad_campaignid=232697439&gclid=CjwKCAiA95fLBhBPEiwATXUsxHFfKZFwHGEVk9YP9rMpAGhtGvbgsm0L6giW6uyLYaqWIAOGVRUxSRoCZC0QAvD_BwE

[linguafood (Natascha)]

It’s great in martinis.

[small_h]

I concur!

[medgirl]

https://ashlingpark.co.uk/gin-making-experience/

A colleague recommended this gin-making experience at a vineyard local to us. Sounds interesting. Might be a fun day out with a friend.

[Mna]

Glendalough Irish Gin.

[linguafood (Natascha)]

Mr. Pickles gin, Dolin, orange bitters, orange twist.

[BeefeaterRocks]

Love the bottle and backstory, how did it taste?

[linguafood (Natascha)]

Very nice. Smooth, herbaceous, some juniper & blood orange.