HOW TO EXPERIENCE GIN
HOW TO EXPERIENCE GIN
A QUICK GUIDE TO PRO GIN TASTING
Gin is a sharing experience. Our objective is to show you gin through our eyes. Drinking gin the correct way is magical. I will come back to this time and time again: it should be theatre in a glass.
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You’ve all been to the pub and had a gin, and typically you’re given a handful of regular options that you’ve always associated with gin. There’s the Beefeater, Gordons and Bombay, and the new pub favourite, Hendriks. It’s this lack of variety that has suppressed gin and not converted many people as their drink of choice.
Do it the right way:
GIN SELECTION
There are thousands of new craft gins out there, and it’s what we focus on. We try to stay clear of the volume pub gin, and bring a bit more variety to the public. We ensure we offer all the variations from dry, citrus, aromatic, spiced, complex, savoury and sweet.
THE COPA GLASS
We believe it should be served in the beautiful and stylish Spanish Copa glass. The reason is twofold. First off it’s a style and design and makes you feel good about drinking from it. The theatre of it takes you back to that beautiful Spanish holiday overlooking the beach in the sun (if you are lucky enough to have been there drinking a good gin).
Secondly, it’s large enough to accommodate a generous helping of ice, a double shot and full tonic without filling the glass. It allows the gin to breathe, mix correctly without settling, and give off its aroma to enhance the taste. It negates the risk of the gin settling in the bottom of a long tall that you would typically get in most licensed establishments.
THE ICE
Ideally the ice pieces should be as large as possible. Cracked ice is best. The difference between large and small is significant as larger chunks melt slower. In fact one large chunk of ice in your Copa glass again not only looks fantastic, and enhances the theatre of the ritual, but would most likely last you for two G&T’s. Melting ice changes the taste, as you’re diluting the drinking experience.
THE TONIC
Some will tell you to pair different gins with different tonics, and although experimentation should always be encouraged, we believe your first experience with any particular gin should be with a neutral tonic.
Put simply, a gin is a hand-crafted drink that is a delicate balance of flavours perfected by dedicated gin craftspeople over many years. Thus, to experience the gin, neutral tonic offers the best uninterrupted, pure experience as was intended by the original distillers.
We recommend Fever Tree, because of their no-nonsense approach to high-quality neutral tonic.
HOW MUCH TONIC/GIN
You add to taste, although we recommend one serving (tin or bottle) per double shot (50ml), so a single gin would require half a tonic. A ratio of between 3:1 and 4:1 is best.
THE CORRECT GARNISH
Gone are the days of ice and a slice (of lemon). Each type of gin is infused with different botanicals, and a default slice of lemon just won’t do the drink any justice. So the challenge is to find the correct garnish that will enhance the flavour and aroma of the gin, and secondly again add to the theatre of the gin drinking experience. The correct garnish puts the finishing touch to a drink that is indeed beautiful to look at. We research our gins to ensure we recommend a garnish that will complement and enhance the flavour.
Gin tasting bottles give the event that extra bit of class
“We use glass screw-cap gin bottles for a retro-modern look that lets you enjoy the clarity and colour of each gin.”
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-GINSANITY TEAM