“Organic,” for a while I thought was going to be the next BIG thing in spirits. It seemed all at once that vodkas and gins were appearing on the shelf at my local liquor store advertising that the botanicals, the base, everything was organic. So slowly, it seemed an inevitability that the USDA label would start appearing on liquor bottles, proclaiming (legally) that at least 95% of this beverage’s components were produced in accordance with USDA’s guidelines for calling something organic.

Well, I won’t turn this into a referendum on the “organic” label, nor on the USDA’s guidelines. Let’s get to the gin. Straight out of Minnesota, brought to use from the same people that make Crop Vodka [side note, better known as the folks who make the cucumber and the tomato vodka], we have Farmer’s Botanical Organic Gin.

Getting down to business
The scent is a little bit juniper and the faintest bit floral, with more than a little bit of alcohol burn. We are dealing with  93.4 proof gin here, so this is to be expected.

The tasting is where the array of flavors in Farmer’s gin begin to reveal themselves. Although juniper isn’t the focal point, it is very much present and pleasant. The mid palate sweetness of the elderflower is inescapable. If you’re down with the elderflower trend (and I very much am), you’ll like the lasting sweetness that compliments the dryness and the surprisingly mellow alcohol burn. If you’re not down with the elderflower, this might not be the gin for you.

Another note in here that makes Farmer’s stand out is the Lemongrass. Bombay Sapphire East put Lemongrass to nice work as well, though I think I prefer the way it is revealed in Farmer’s. Its a bit more vegetable-like, and the elderflower note I think is a much nicer sidekick than the spicy pepper. If  Bombay Sapphire East’s lemongrass brings to mind a wok and spicy dish, Farmer’s botanical brings to mind more of a warm late summer harvest. Sure, the name of the gin likely fed into my choice of metaphor, but all the same, I think its an appropriate descriptor of the character of this gin.

Making a few Drinks
Surely, the 93.4% proof helps this gin go a long ways in a cocktail. But right now I’m going to do something a bit different. Normally I’ll tell you that it makes a good gin and tonic (it does), a good Negroni (check) and then throw in one of my classic staples (Aviation anyone? yes, please). But today, I’ll point out a couple of cocktails suggested by other reviewers and weight in with a take on them:

 You might spike lemonade with it, and appreciate the 93.4 proof. I like it neat, on the rocks, with a generous squirt of lime. [New York Times, June 2010]

Its strength makes Farmer’s gin an an obvious call for spiking a large amount of “juice,” but I want to look at the second option. Neat w/ a squirt of lime? I admit, I’ve never had gin quite this way before. This is one of those cocktails that gets a bit better and more drinkable as the ice melts. The lime is a nice compliment and the elderflower seems to give way to more juniper flavor as the drink goes on. An enjoyable, if a bit unorthodox way to sip gin.

 They suggest drinking in aFarmers Runaway, which includes lime juice, lemongrass syrup, maraschino liqueur, and a “dash” of creme de violette. [Proof 66 review]

These syrups are always a bit of a hassle. Sure, a good lemongrass syrup can do a lot of good, like add some lemongrass notes to a Tom Collins, say with a gin that doesn’t have any to start with. The lemongrass is here, so I don’t think you’d be too far off in doing what I did and using regular simple syrup. Other than that, you’re looking at an Aviation cocktail with a citrus change. Swap the lemon for a lime. I’ve looked at these sort of takes on the Aviation before and I think that the citrus swap can change the flavor for the better, but not affect the underlying balance of the cocktail. This drink works, if only because it really is an aviation at its heart. The Elderflower is a nice backup singer to compliment the Creme De Violette.

Price: $32 / 750 mL
Origin: Minnesota
Website: http://www.farmersgin.com/home
Best consumed: A great mixing gin, it does make a mean Aviation
Availability: Primarily California and New York [availability from Farmer's Gin website]
Rating: I haven’t tasted a better organic gin yet, and even without the organic label its a standout gin. Many others are making gins with similar botanicals, so although it may not win points for being the first to the game, it does a lot of things well and its hard to take too many points for them on botanicals alone.
****~ (4/5)

West Virginia is a place that I mentally associate with whiskey. It may be that border with Kentucky. It may be the mountains and the inseparable notions of Appalachia and barrel-aged spirits. It may also be a reality: there’s more distillers making Whiskey in West Virginia making bourbon and whiskey (Smooth Ambler included) than there are those making gin.

But nevermind the stereotypes and ignore the preconceived notions. Although Greenbrier gin comes from the heart of moonshine country, it stands on its own while retaining a little bit of those bourbon roots.

Getting down to the Base
Where are these bourbon roots? Right in the base. Greenbrier Gin’s base is Smooth Ambler Spirits’ Whitewater Vodka, which unlike many others is not 100% wheat. Its closer to what you may find in a bourbon. Mostly corn, with some wheat and barley. I haven’t had the vodka, so its a bit hard to say how much of the flavor of the base is coming through here, but I suppose it would suffice to say that the difference in base is one of the things that sets this gin apart.

The Scent
Immediately, the nose is strikingly different from most gins. It has a warm and nutty aroma, which evokes passing visions of Bols Genever.  Its has a strong citrus scent which brings to mind the grapefruit forward spirit of Breucklen gin. It smells warm and inviting, and just a hint sweet. 

The Tasting
The taste is warm and balanced. You can taste hints of juniper. The citrus that seemed very strong on the nose is balanced and not overpowering by any means. The citrus balance reveals peppery notes of Coriander and drying sensation vaguely reminiscent of ginger and cinnamon. The finish is long and smooth, while never being too hot. It is extremely drinkable on its own, even neat, with sufficient depth and complexity to warrant further exploration.

Though big fans of the London Dry style should take heed. While there is juniper in here, it is very much as a member of the supporting cast than a lead star. Greenbrier Gin sits squarely in the Contemporary Gin camp while taking little other than inspiration from the classic formula.

Mixing
Firstly, Greenbrier gin makes a nice gin and tonic. The complex flavors and latent sweetness means that I would tend to recommend leaving the lime out. Mixed with Q Tonic, it sufficiently carried the show. It highlighted its unique flavors, accentuating the citrus, but left me somewhat wanting.

I was able to make a few other cocktails Greenbrier Gin which I think better highlighted its strong points. I thought it made very pleasant martini. Its fullness and depth neat came out and was nicely complimented by the vermouth. I actually thought it made some rather stellar cocktails once I deviated from the canon. The 20th Century cocktail (which has quickly become one of my favorites) took on a completely different character due to the pine notes giving way to warm citrus and a rich spiciness. It complimented the chocolate very nicely. I also think it made for a good Last Word and Aviation, though I would say I wasn’t a big fan of it in a gimlet. Something in the flavors just clashed. Oh, and it makes a great Negroni. Perhaps I’m crazy, but I swear you can taste hints of the unique base even with all that Vermouth and Campari.

Price: $36 / 750 mL
Origin: West Virginia
Website: http://www.smoothambler.com
Best consumed: It makes a great martini, but I also found that its unique notes made for some interesting spins on on classic more herbal gin cocktails, such as The Last Word for example.
Availability: California, and the Mid-Atlantic primarily [see map on Smooth Ambler Spirits' website]
Rating: A top notch craft gin, that pays homage to Old Tom style gins and Genever as much as it does to classic gins.
****~ (4/5)

Today, I’m briefly revisiting one of my first posts. 

When I was young (oh so young, and foolish may I add) I thought a Tom Collins = Gin + Sour Mix. Now, for the sake of not calling any one bartender out or any one specific bar tending school whose manual spelled out a Tom Collins as such I will let them go nameless in the hope that its not too late to right their wrongs and make an honest Tom Collins.

My friend went to bartending school. And I don’t know, do these bad kind of bartending schools still exist? 1 part gin, 3 parts from the hose behind the bar? Well even a few years after writing this initial post I marvel at how far my knowledge of cocktails have come. And even more at how far off I used to really be.

The Tom Collins is a classic and naturally has a pretty set recipe that doesn’t deviate too much from the original. Here is my take on it based on the many recipes out there:
2 shots of Blue Coat or your favorite middle-end gin
about 1 shot of lemon juice.
An amount of soda water equal to the amount of gin + lemon juice.
Shake with ice, and strain.
Put in one maraschino cherry, but leave out the syrup, unless its a really astringent gin.

I”m rather glad to see that my initial consensus recipe still somewhat holds up. I cringe at some of my terminology: “astringent*,” and “middle-end**?” What was I thinking? Let me re-write this:

Cocktail by Consensus: Tom Collins Recipe
2 parts gin
1 part lemon juice
1 tsp super fine sugar / 2 tsp simple syrup
Shake w/ ice and strain.
Top with soda
Garnish with Lemon.

Not all gins are created equal though, especially not for a complex mixed drink such as the Tom Collins. Keep in mind, the cirtus usually will overwhelm the gin, so you want a gin that is complimentary to the citrus, but won’t be bullied into submission. I recommend Blue Coat as one of my favorites for a Tom Collins,  and would warn against attempting to make one out of a strong herbal gin. But if you’re going to make a fake Tom Collins, or ”gin sour,” just grab the cheapest well gin you can find.

I don’t have anything to back off of my final comment. Drown any gin in sour mix at your own peril. But this advice isn’t terrible, even though I would say right now that my tastes have changed sufficiently in that I would say any gin worth its salt should be able to make a good Tom Collins. I rather enjoy the pairing of lemon and herbal nowadays, which I apparently didn’t have such a fondness for at the time.

Glossary a.k.a. Decoding What I wrote

*Astringent (adj.) – Having a distinctive and unabashed juniper like quality to it. (synonyms, Very London Dry, Hot and Junipery).

**Middle-End (adj.) – Somewhere between the top shelf and the bottom well. Literally [at a bar] “not a well gin, but not that very expensive one on the top shelf.” (synonyms, Reasonably Priced Craft Gin). 

The Gin is In is on Pinterest

Anyway, that aside there have been some particularly amusing moments from gin’s long and illustrious advertising history. Now a brief look at how far we’ve come and where our favorite liquor once was.

“My Dear- why don’t you do as I suggest?” This sounds like an awkward situation at the bar. And there’s something about the fact that this medicine is coming out of the “sideboard” rather than a “pharmacy” that just adds to the rather bizarre ambiance set in this old ad.

Also why does one need to differentiate between regular old gin and “the gin that has medicinal properties”? What botanical did Gordon’s have that would set you right at once? I suspect it was the alcohol, but I remain open-minded.

How far we’ve come in half a decade Gordon’s.

It’s not unusual for an advertisement to make an appeal to expertise. “I recommend this toothpaste because I’ve been a dentist for thirty years” or something similar. In this case, Gordon’s is making the case that they are superb gin distillers because Brits are just that inventive. Our credentials: Shakespeare and Short skirts.

And in case you were curious which credential was the more important, look at the size of the respective images in the ad above.

I’ve picked on Gordon’s enough. How about Gilbey’s? This gin has a couple of things going for it, primarily that drinking it invokes visions of a psychedelic trip. Does anyone else get that from this? I mean, I’d like to think I’m unwinding watching water drop into a pond, but I can’t think of any natural place on Earth where water might occur in close proximity to these colors.

I’ve never heard of Nicholson Gin, but one has to think their hearts are in the right place. Of course good gin shouldn’t be drowned in anything: not in Sour mix, orange juice, and especially not foul water having just been expunged from an Elephant’s trunk?

Also, Nicholson Gin reminds us of a simpler time, when advertising imagery could be considered successful and look no more professional than a doodle from the margin of my sixth grade notebooks.

Finally, a reminder of a different time. Today, alcohol is advertised by young people having parties. People having a great time, playing pranks and laughing with one another. But Roquintin’s Gin takes a very different angle. This is a gin to cry into. Why? Because this is all you have. This is all you have. 

The sole glimmer of hope in this darkness?

You’re right, I am depressed and now sorely need a drink as well.

A fantastic cocktail. The blueberry notes of the back river gin added some unique notes to this cocktail. I eased off and only added one kind of bitters as to not add to many flavor notes. I don’t think that the gin required me to go easy on it, but needless to say: it was an extremely good cocktail.

In the early days of Cocktailing by Consensus I took a look at the Gimlet in the spirit of the exercise, but without the same handy chart. Not much has changed in the nearly year and a half since I last looked at this drink.

Rose’s lime juice still advocates for a ratio which uses the most of their product. But I didn’t consider them for the panel of four cocktail variations we’re going to take a look at here. Nothing wrong with having a bias towards using as much Rose’s lime juice as possible, just that the 1:1 ratio was rather uncommon among other recipe writing folk.

Four of the recipes took the 4:1 route, only David Wondrich went 3:1. There seems to be a lot of inconsistency among writers as to whether the Gimlet should be shaken or stirred. Two went each way. William Hamilton’s iteration adds a bit of fresh lime, which I think takes the super tart edge off of the Rose’s. The Cold Glass variation adds some simple syrup to the equation. Rose’s is already quite sweet, so I’m not sure that the simple syrup quite balances this cocktail.

The Emerging Consensus:
4 Parts Gin
1 Part Rose’s Lime Juice
Garnish with a lime wedge if you have it.
I say stir, but if you went the other way, I don’t think anyone would blame you.

Final Thoughts
I haven’t made a secret of in the past, but I am not a big fan of Rose’s Lime Juice. I’m going to give this cocktail a more serious look in the future as I attempt to make my own Lime Cordial.

There are only a small handful of states that I’ve never visited: Alaska (hard to get enough time off work to drive there), Hawaii (I’m not a fan of flying), Michigan (I don’t know, always just seemed a little out of the way) and Maine. My reasons for not visiting Maine aren’t for lack of trying. My wife and I once attempted a weekend drive to Kittery. But that drive came up short as we spent the weekend wandering the Green and White mountains respectively (beautiful, of course). So I’ve never been to this state, but if the botanicals of Back River Gin are telling me anything about what this place is like, then the omission of Maine from my travelogues is a grave mistake on my behalf that I should remedy as soon as possible. Okay, now on to the gin but first- a special thanks to Keith and Constance at Sweetgrass Farm Winery and Distillery for sending me this review sample.

First Impressions
The nose of this gin is certainly unique. I’m immediately struck by the sweetness of it. There’s notes of Cassia and Cinnamon, a vague hint of citrus and floral fruitiness backed with a gentle and pleasant juniper aroma. It smells like a gin for sure, and I’m struck by certain aromas which might be unusual when looking at gin on the whole but seem so natural and harmonious here. The scent of this gin is a strong invitation to take a sip. And take a sip I did…

Second Impressions
Based on what I had read about Back River Gin, I knew to be on the lookout for the blueberry. It adds a mellow sweetness and even dominates the palette while never seeming quite like too much. The first sip is rich and smooth. The flavors begin with the same scents from the bouquet before the blueberry kicks in. The finish has a sharp juniper note that hits you in the back of the throat. The finish is long and just a touch fiery, but never too much.

At this point, Back River Gin had me pretty impressed. But how does it work in cocktails?

Three Third Impressions
First and foremost: the G&T. Stunning. I mixed it up with your traditional sweet supermarket Tonic. It was good with Canada Dry. The Blueberry and juniper came through, but only the faintest intimations of the Cassia. I then paired it up with the more bitter Q Tonic, and the flavors really shone.  The lime and the bitterness of the tonic make a refreshing counterpoint to the flavors of the gin. I highly recommend it.

Next on to the Aviation. The 43% alcohol gives Back River Gin a little more power and the ability to hold its own in cocktails such as Aviation. I chose this cocktail not only because it is among my favorites, but because the Blueberry and floral notes I thought would pair very nicely with the Violet. It paired very nicely, and the Cinnamon notes gave some depth to some of  the usually buried cherry and almond notes in the Maraschino liqueur. Its a very nice cocktail and helps showcase the diversity of the cocktail.

I’m sure you thought I was going to go Negroni right here. Probably because a) I always use Negronis as a benchmark and b) They’re one of my favorite cocktails. But this time I’m going in a completely different direction, and not just because I’m out of Vermouth.

Corpse Reviver #2: This is an ultimate test. There’s a lot of strong flavors swirling around here. You’ve got a little bit of Absinthe, the Lemon and the Orange, and of course its fair share of Lillet. And how did it hold up? Blueberry and Absinthe? Though a lot of the more exotic notes of Back River gin didn’t come out, the core juniper and gin-like qualities held their own and the Corpse Reviver had its characteristic juniper base.

Closing Impressions
Overall, its hard to find a better gin than this one. It certainly isn’t a classic London Dry style. It would likely get lumped in the category of “New American” or “New Western” simple because of the florals, the inclusion of ginger and blueberry and the strong Cassia notes. Simply put, Back River gin is an incredible contemporary style gin. This is the kind of innovation that makes tasting gin and writing about gins as exciting as it is. This gin works well in everything, from the martini to the G&T and everything in between.

Price: $30 / 750 mL
Origin: Maine
Website: http://www.sweetgrasswinery.com/
Best consumed: In nearly anything or anyway you can think of. 
Availability: Liquor stores in the Northeast with wide selections, as well as many places online.
Rating: Unique and worth hunting out. 
***** (5/5)

Darnley’s view gin (alike many other gins on the market) desires to create a sense of place on your palette. We’ve covered many gins that accomplish this to varying degrees. Caorunn worked to create that vision by choosing a whole slew of native botanicals; Seneca Drums, whose distillery is located in wine country created that vision by stacking traditional gin botanicals on top of a grape spirit base, and yet others (and this is where Darnley’s view come in) take a more abstract approach to that sense of place. Though one of the non-traditional botanicals (Elderflower) does grow wild on the Scottish countryside, the view isn’t told only through the names of the ingredients. The makers of Darnley’s view are telling a more complete story through the experience of their drink. First, a brief foray into history, then on to the drinking.

The Story

“Our family name, pronounced ‘Weems’, comes from the Gaelic word for caves which stems from the rocky outcrop on the Firth of Forth on which our family home, Wemyss Castle, sits. Our gin is made from a family recipe and captures the moment in 1565 when Mary Queen of Scots spied her future husband, Lord Darnley, through the courtyard window at Wemyss Castle.” [for the full story...]

The Tasting
Darnley’s view boasts a modest six botanicals: Juniper, Lemon Peel, Elderflower, Coriander, Angelica Root, and Orris Root. Rare among gins is a gin where I think each of the botanicals is present and detectable on the palette. Five of these botanicals should seem familiar and make up the base of most classically styled gins. Elderflower is the point of difference, and it does stand out.

First, a note on the nose. A surprisingly mild but pleasant juniper smell. The nose is not very strong, but it is very nice.

When tasting the full combination of the flavors come out. At first you can definitely experience a distinct floral note on the tip of your tongue. As the gin rolls back through your mouth you get the decisive flavor of lemon which then mellows a warm and slightly sweet  juniper aftertaste.  The aftertaste is drying, but not harsh. The simplicity of the dryness allows the individual flavors of the angelica and orris root to make themselves heard quietly.  Its a remarkably smooth gin, with not very much burn.

I was concerned when I heard the word ‘elderflower’ as a botanical. Though native to Scotland, Elderflower is probably best known by drinkers for being the primary flavoring in the ubiqitious St-Germain liqueur. Elderflower is one botanical that I would have classified as a trend/fad. Darnley’s view incorporates the botanical smoothly into the mix. Its there, but it doesn’t bring any of the strong over-the-top Elderflower notes that you may think of when you think of St-Germain. Its nicely balanced: just strong enough to be floral, but not so much that its overpowering.

Mixing
Darnley’s view is a versatile gin for sure. The floral notes can be accentuated and played up. Darnley’s view makes for a very favorable aviation or aviation style cocktail. It pairs very nicely with the floral notes of Creme De Violette, but has enough juniper to not be lost in the mix. It makes an excellent gin and tonic and as I mentioned already, its smoothness lends itself very nicely to martini drinking. The only cocktail which I thought did not do this gin justice was the Hair of the dog Cocktail,  as I guess not every gin, and especially not one with a floral taste such as this one,  can go well with Tabasco sauce.

Overall, this is a wonderful gin. I have to thank the fine folks who work with Darnley’s gin for getting me a sample to try out and taste for the blog. I enjoy the clear way each ingredient makes itself known and how well they balance out during the long smooth finish.

Price: $30 / 750 mL
Origin: United Kingdom
Website: http://www.darnleysview.com/
Best consumed: Top notch in martinis, aviations, and pretty much anything else you can find. 
Availability: Starting to see it in more place in the states. The larger liquor store near you likely already has it. Also available widely online in the states.
Rating: Balanced with enough unique notes to stand out in a crowded market.
****~ (4/5)

I’ve previously spoken very highly of Brecuklen Distilling’s Breucklen Gin. It has a slightly higher alcohol percentage than other gins. At 90 proof it stands mixing extremely well.

I felt based on the first time tasting it that the dominant flavor in this gin was the grapefruit. While other gins dabble in this flavor, Breucklen is the boldest that I have yet had.

So how did the cocktail work?
Grapefruit + grapefruit = grapefruit. The outcome of this rather obvious (in hindsight) equation is that the drink takes on a “one note” character. The thing that is lacking is that spicy juniper punch that normally balances the greyhound.

This is why I took the Salty Dog approach and added a bit of kosher salt to the rim. The salt takes the edge off the grapefruit a little bit, but it wasn’t enough to really balance the cocktail.

Breucklen Gin works well in so many cocktails, but in this case I think my cocktail concept suffered from a little bit too much of a good thing.