Innehållsförteckning för Dec 2018/Feb 2019 från Gin Magazine

Are there more gins out there these days than aftershaves and socks? Whatever the answer, we’ve rounded up a selection of gin-related gift offerings that are surely more appealing and perfect for the gin lovers out there, or simply for those looking to escape the inevitable family dramas. THAT BOUTIQUE-Y GIN COMPANY Advent Calendar & Yuletide Gin That Boutique-y Gin Company – they of creative gins selected from distilleries across the globe, with intriguing illustrations – have paired up with Drinks By The Dram to produce a 2018 Advent calendar with 24 different 3cl measures behind each door. Gins include Mojito Gin, Rhubarb Triangle Gin and Icewine Old Tom, just to name a few! Just when festivities seemed to have reached their limit, That Boutique-y Gin Co. have also continued…

“…Gin is defined in the English version of the law as having sufficient juniper” As per European Union Parliament Regulation (EC) No 110/2008 — the rather important one that lays out the criteria for each type of spirit produced in the European Union — aquavit and gin have something rather unusual in common. They are both among a handful of spirits that by definition include the subjective character of taste. The infamous taste test for gin is defined in the English version of the law as having sufficient juniper, “So that the taste is predominantly that of juniper.” In the aquavit regulation, there must be sufficient caraway and/or dill such that, “The flavour of these drinks is largely attributable [to them].” But it’s not merely the definitions that gin and…

Filliers, one of the world’s biggest genever producers, is aiming to restore the category to its former glory. The Belgian distillery has taken a remarkable step to accomplish that goal – overhauling its entire core range. Located in Bachte-Maria-Leerne, a modest village home to a few thousand inhabitants, family-run Filliers Distillery has a history dating back to the early 19th century. During that period, this Belgian genever producer has gone from being a small fish in a big pond to being a big fish in a very small pond. It used to be that over a thousand distilleries populated the Belgian countryside. Now there aren’t more than a handful left. Belgium’s genever industry never really recovered from World War II and from a partial prohibition on spirits, which was only…

Botanicals have abundant flavours to offer, but in the form of essential oils and flavour compounds which must first be liberated. As they are soluble in alcohol, this is their way out. The vital question is how the botanicals are introduced to alcohol, the options being alcohol in liquid form (using maceration) or in vapour form (using the vapour infusion method). Macerating means submerging botanicals within the charge (ie. spirit being distilled), which may take place the night before, or just before distillation begins. “Flavour compounds leach out from the botanicals into the charge, even before distillation begins, and all sorts of reactions and interactions take place between the flavour compounds and alcohol. Once distillation begins, the botanicals are effectively stewing in a soup, which prompts another range of reactions,…

In arguably its most significant development since launching in 1999, Hendrick’s has revealed a new distilling home, befitting a gin famed for its invention and personality: The Hendrick’s Gin Palace. The Hendrick’s Gin Palace and distillery has been artfully expanded to meet the global demand for Hendrick’s, which is infused with essences of cucumber and rose. As an engine of innovation, it is an institution dedicated to exploration and discovery where Hendrick’s master distiller, Lesley Gracie, will have the creative freedom to experiment and conceive new Hendrick’s variants, as well as being the distilling home for the brand. The distillery has doubled its capacity to meet demand and the extraordinary facilities that are now available to Lesley will allow her to explore what she can do with the brand. The…

As we’re well aware, botanicals play a key part in raising the flavour profile and character of gin, and ultimately provide a valuable point of difference. Yet, while many of the native ingredients which make up British gin are foraged from the UK’s bushes, hedgerows, shorelines and green spaces – think roots, leaves, herbs, seeds and petals – there are a number of distillers looking in less verdant places. From tufts of unassuming dandelion and burdock growing unnoticed along Manchester’s canals, to the hawthorn berries and lemon verbena which line East London’s formerly desolate canal paths, gin producers are getting seriously creative with their botanicals blends, as we discover… Honey, honey Weeds, herbs and flowers aside, many distillers are also using a number of high quality city-sourced ingredients to enhance…

Understanding that the spectrum of gin is constantly evolving, with a new generation of distillers, varying botanical blends and creative base spirits, most of us avid drinkers are receptive to tasting new flavours and categories. FACT #1 GENEVER IS NOT GIN The resurgence of genever, neither new nor gin, is regaining popularity in cocktail bars around the world as a rich spirit packed with both botanical savvy and a malty mouthfeel. As the technical predecessor to our favourite gins, genever is often misclassified as a gin, a mistake that undervalues the hundreds of years of expertise in malt wine production that goes into every glorious bottle of genever. With cocktail bartending at a high, it’s the perfect climate for malt wine to make its comeback… FACT #2 GENEVER LOVERS HAVE…

To say that London Cocktail Club have taken over the city’s cocktail scene isn’t too far a stretch of the imagination. To date, the group has 11 London venues, ranging from Bethnal Green to Covent Garden, and one in Bristol – the LCC revolution is spreading. Founded by JJ Goodman and James Hopkins, their brand – bringing events and takeovers such as the recent City of London Distillery night – is unashamedly brash and loud, but delivers a night out to remember. Each bar in the group has a specialist drink, although that is not to say that you won’t find an excellent selection of gins in those saying their area is whisky or rum. For gin lovers – and that’s why you are here right? – the Goodge Street…

Continuing its Barrel-Aged Gin programme, East London Liquor Company has released 621 bottles of its latest Barrel-Aged Gin. East London Liquor Company has taken its London Dry Gin and separately aged it for six months in ex-cider barrels and ex-ginger beer barrels from its Hackney neighbours, Square Root Soda. The liquids are finally blended to create the expression, coming in at 42% ABV. To best highlight the flavour of the gin, global brand ambassador Mikey Pendergast offers up GinCider Knowledge for a suggested serve: GINCIDER KNOWLEDGE • 50ml East London Liquor Company Barrel-Aged Gin• 15ml dry amaretto• 5ml maple syrup• 1 bar spoon chardonnay vinegar Stir down all ingredients over ice, strain and serve neat in a Nick & Nora glass.…

The more people you ask about what drives the gin-boom, the wider the answers. Some say it’s the versatility; gin’s agreeable to cocktails and easy in a long drink. Terroir is common in wines and whisky, but gradually it’s creeping into gin too – and that’s worth celebrating, as we search for brands with authentic stories rooted in a local place. For others, the pace of innovation in gin means that the category is forever interesting and offers something fresh. Copper Rivet Distillery ticks all of those boxes. It’s a place where all of those arguments are correct, nor definitive. Where all the cogs mesh to create something bigger. The sense of things coming together is key at Copper Rivet and to understand the brand and its gin, you first…

It’s hard to surprise those of us who travel the world visiting hundreds of the world’s best or up-and-coming bars. We think we’ve seen it all. But then you visit Tokyo. Between the famed Japanese “hard shake”, hand-carved ice in diamond form, exquisite barware and insane collections of rare spirits, it’s easy to feel as if one has stepped into a different universe when drinking around Tokyo. A treasure hunt would be right to describe the experience of finding Tokyo’s best intimate bars hidden in high-rises and basements. You’re rewarded with game-changing bars like the legendary Bar High Five, backed by cocktail master and pioneer, Hidetsugu Ueno. To set the city even further apart, Japanese service knows no equal in the world. Tokyo gin bars are on the rise, as…

Many of us had those science kits as kids where we pretended to cook up crazy potions. For most of us however, we only took it as far as the Bunsen burners in chemistry class. Now, many of you will know your stuff when it comes to your favourite gin and tonics, but if you’re ready to step it up a notch, then why not try one of these gin schools? We’ve selected a few that caught our eye, but with even more on out-there and the chance to create your own gin, you’ll be packing your sachel and heading off in no time. 45 GIN SCHOOL Situated at the home of Burleigh’s Gin in Leicester, the city has a growing reputation for cultural offerings, be that its cathedral, parks…

“These cocktails are perfect for when the dark nights roll in and the fire gets stoked up” Founded by co-partners, Neil Everitt and Bob Fowkes in October 2008, Brockmans Gin celebrated its 10th anniversary this year and toasted the occasion with the release of a limited edition cocktail book, The Black Book of Gin Cocktails. Distilled in the heart of England and with a botanical profile that includes: juniper from Tuscany, blackberries, blueberries, bitter-sweet orange peel, liquorice, almond, angelica, cinnamon, coriander, cassia bark, lemon peel and orris – the berry notes certainly make the gin stand out. The Black Book of Gin Cocktails includes over 40 gin cocktails, all said to be inspired by both the black bottle that contains the liquid and the prominent berry-forward flavour. Opportunities to get…