A slightly controversial name for what will be a semi-regular feature of this blog… Gin! Over the last few years I have been extolling the virtues to all who would listen to me about the drink, and finally it seems to be coming in vogue.
I have tried to sample many of the slightly more unusual and less mainstream gins on the market, and to that end I plan to review them (of sorts). Generally I have been questing for the perfect G and T, and for the most part I choose to make them with FeverTree tonic, although sometimes I do go for Fentiman’s and occasionally Schweppes.
Starting off the feature is a bottle I picked up on a trip to London a few months ago – Jensen’s London Bermondsey Dry Gin.
Although I won’t go to much in to the history of the makers and distillers of the Gins, Jensen have tried to create a very authentic old style gin, which they have achieved by finding and remaking recipes from the 1840’s. As such it is missing many of the new botanicals which flavour a great number of today’s Gins, although this is not necessarily to it’s detriment.
The scent is fairly juniper heavy (as you would expect from an old style gin) but its a nice fresh juniper with citrus notes, particularly lemon. On tasting there is a nice hit of coriander and liquorice which start quite sweet but develop and dry throughout the aftertaste. If your drinking it neat there’s also a pleasant nutty taste which develops but which is lost somewhat on mixing.
Serving suggestions would be – try it on its own! Maybe throw in a twist of lemon peel to accentuate the zesty lemon aromas you get on first smelling it. It’s a very distinctive ‘old world’ gin that also lends itself to a good dry martini – or if using it for a GnT then, as the blog title suggests, more G less T!
Coming in at 43% alcohol by volume this is slightly above average in terms of strength, and retailing at around £28-35 a bottle its slightly above average in that respect too. Is it worth it? Unequivocally yes! Maybe not a gin for the everyday G’n’T but definitely a bottle to have at home for when you fancy something a little different.
Not a bad gin to review first off, and as I am still at university I’ll be using their classification system to score..
Jensen’s London Bermondsey Dry Gin – First Class (82%)
More G, Less T 