Flavor Profile
Rob as in Rob’s MTN Gin and Rob Masters a.k.a. the head distiller over at Spring 44 [whose gins have been reviewed on this blog before]. Rob has had his hands on more than a couple gins and has been a mainstay on the Colorado Distilling scene for nearly a decade now.
Of course I’m not the one to introduce you to Rob. His story has been covered, so if you want to get to know the man behind the name of Rob’s MTN gin check out this piece from Denver Off the Wagon.
Now that you know the name. Let’s get down to the spirit, because in his own words on his very own website, “it’s all about what’s in the bottle.”
Tasting Notes
Bright juniper on the nose, mild alcohol nose. Citrus. Very balanced with an almost single scent nose. A homogeneous balanced blend of botanicals. Very nice, very inviting. I’m excited to taste the gin based on the nose alone.
The palate of Rob’s MTN Gin is bright and nice. Plenty of juniper, but well balanced within the context of other flavors and notes.
Walking you through the taste of Rob’s MTN Gin:
- subtle bright, juniper begins.
- heat building, quiet floral note
- middle palate, bright and herbal, basil
- ….evolving into mint, bright mint flash
- juniper still holding strong
- mint begins the closing notes
- a touch of pepperiness – black pepper specifically
- palate still bright and refreshed from mint
- hint of citrus on close, still a bit of heat
- mint holding on, faint burn
- strong bright lime on finish, slight acidity
- very long finish, very nice.
All of that being said, the mint never quite overpowers, it lends a refreshing cooling texture to Rob’s MTN Gin. It’s recognizable and refreshing. But it’s not quite all mint, you have a hint of basil, something greener and more aromatic tasting rounding it out. Overall, it’s quite nice neat. I like the flavor profile and although it feels classically styled, it has a couple of contemporary notes to set it apart.
Cocktails
This is a small sample obtained from a bottle at the ADI conference. So like with all small bottles, we have to be a bit choosy to try and pick a range of drinks, but not spread it so thin that we don’t get a chance to taste it.
Juniper shines through, a nice classic styled but subtly nuanced drink. A hint of mint on the edges. I like this, this is refreshing: very classic, very solid.
Negroni: you get a bit of the juniper/mint coming through. It holds its own, imparting a well rounded perspective, citrus and herbal notes rounding it out. Though a little more power/strength might have really set it apart, I think it works and is quite nice, recommended
When you have a smooth juniper forward gin with a subtle perspective shift, you want to taste it in a martini. Rob’s MTN Gin keeps its point of view even in a 3:1 martini. A nice drink.
The Gimlet as you know isn’t among my favorites, but I felt it a good experiment. I thought about the Southside [mint in a gin w/ mint? how predictable are you getting Aaron!?] but decided to go for a drink that I know a lot of folks like. The mint is restrained a bit, basil comes through more strongly. You even get this bright exotic note [I’m going to say Kaffir Lime leaf…
Wow, where did this come from. Okay, so the Kaffir lime leaf. First, the Kaffir lime tree mostly grows in Southeast Asia. Its fruits are a bit more astringent than the limes we usually buy and that most gins use. The fruits though aren’t what is in this gin. Its the leaf.
One never seems to forget encountering a Kaffir Lime Leaf for the first time. Its scent and taste is incredible-there’s nothing quite like it. In fact, this leaf is so aromatic that when you’re served a Thai dish containing it (such as Tom Kha Soup), you may not be able to tell what is stronger-the scent or the taste. [source]
Some have likened the taste to “concentrated lime oil,” or “the power of 5 limes.” I’d say it has a distinctly citrus taste without the acidity and puckering effect. It’s bright. but unmistakeably citrus. Although I didn’t quite pick it out on the nose/taste, it seems to be highlighted and focused in the gimlet….
Overall, Rob’s MTN Gin
A very nice, well balance classic style gin which sets itself apart with well considered notes that don’t take away from the juniper but balance it and make it something memorable, and perhaps even special. I wish I had a full bottle to put through the wringer to make sure its worthy of this high rating, but thus far with the little bit I had: I was impressed.