Flavor Profile
From the Francis Ford Coppola Winery in California come a line of spirits which celebrate great women in history. Great Women Spirits’ gin celebrates mathematician Ada Lovelace, who is credited with writing the first computer algorithm.
The gin celebrates her and her contributions in name only (we don’t know if Ada was a gin drinker herself), and it does so with Californian grown rose petals and lemon. There are ten botanicals said to be chosen to invoke the impression of London Dry process gins and it is explicitly designed for a Dry Martini.
The botanicals are added to a base of grain through a combination of maceration and vapor infusion techniques.
Tasting notes
Aroma: Bright and vivid it leaps from the glass. Highly volatile lavender notes simmer into a floral rose and green lavender leaves aroma. While the inspiration might have been London Dry, the aromatic impression is distinctly contemporary and bright.
Flavor: Ada Lovelace Gin is boldly flavored throughout. Bright fresh juniper is complemented by a melange of citrus zest early, sweet lemon most pronounced. It begins to show off its spice-forward side later. Lavender leads into piquant ginger root and coriander spice.
Finish: Long, somewhat sweet earthy ginger notes persist. the mouthfeel is gentle and somewhat light. Ada Lovelace Gin has a lasting presence on the palate with little to no heat or astringency.
It’s not a word I often use explicitly when describing a gin but it is notably smooth.
Cocktails
If Ada Lovelace Gin was designed for a Dry Martini— mission accomplished. The juniper, ginger, and citrus notes are lovely, even when slightly chilled and slightly muted. The mouthfeel is excellent. However, don’t stop merely at dry— overall it’s a great Martini gin, no matter you preferred ratio. I even find the botanicals nicely complement those in Dry Vermouth without clashing.
Bartenders will find Ada Lovelace Gin a good gin for nearly all gin cocktails— as long as their customers are looking for a bit of a floral note. Drinks like the Last Word emphasize the rose lightness; whereas others like the Negroni emphasize the ginger, even taking on hints of ginseng and licorice.
Mixed drinks will also find Ada Lovelace Gin a charm to work with. While my favorite might be gin and soda, it works well with tonic and lemonade as well.
In other words, while I find the connection to London Dry and classic style gins tenuous in execution, Ada Lovelace Gin is a remarkably pliable mixer that would be welcome in any bar program looking for a contemporary style gin.
Overall, Ada Lovelace Gin
Ada Lovelace Gin is a remarkably balanced, accessible gin that will appeal to fans of contemporary style gins. There’s enough juniper in here that it’s clearly recognizable as a gin; however, it’s that balance of contemporary botanicals and its superior accomplishment of its chief goal— a Dry Martini, that truly sets it apart.
Highly recommended to fans of both spice and floral-forward contemporary gins. And Martinis.
Awards
