Flavor Profile
We already talked about the history of the Gin 1495 in our previous entry on the Verbatim recreation of the gin. But now we’re going to try their modern interpretation, the one they designed to appeal to modern sensibilities, including a few more modern botanical additions.
Tasting Notes
Much quieter when compared side-by-side. Minty, menthol notes present, with ginger, nutmeg, grains of paradise and a slight, but present citrus lift with lemon and orange notes.
Bright green juniper present on the palate, with ginger and cinnamon jumping out, hints of cardamom as well, but they are much more restrained. An almost waxy juniper finish, with clove oil coming out again, fading gently with a sharp, warm ginger note.
Loud and contemporary, and clearly related to the first one. You can taste the similarities, but this is the superior gin [not the superior experiment! I’m only talking about the actual thing I’m drinking here]. There might be ⅓ the amount of ginger in here when compared to the first one, but that’s a good thing. It gives a rounder, more balanced approach. It shows you just what this gin could be.
In short, I’m not sure I would go out and buy this gin if it were on the shelf. It reminds me of Tru2 Organic Gin, meaning there is a modern precedent for these types of gin. But Gin 1495 Interpretatio is a decent gin, that does have some readily discernible gin-like characteristics, and it has promise that it could work in some cocktails.
Overall
Better balanced than the Gin 1495 Verbatim version, it does some nice things. Fans of contemporary gins and exotic spices will find that it puts the flavors of Southeast Asia front an center. Fans of classic styles might be left wondering how this is gin, and how did this begat the gins that we know and love today? That being said, it’s still a great experiment, even if the gin that came out of it isn’t a 5 star creation.