Tripe Dept: Gin and flavor misprepresented?

F. Paul Pacult calls gin "...the best of white spirits for cocktails and my favorite overall white spirit." That's saying something. Gin has all the finesse and sophistication that vodka never will. Best yet, true world class gins can be purchased in the $20 range. A very few valid wodkas (and Everclear) appear here!
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Capn Jimbo
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Tripe Dept: Gin and flavor misprepresented?

Post by Capn Jimbo »

You be the judge...

An infamous self-appointed "reviewer":

"...the gin is distilled with 12 key botanicals ...It is bottled at 47 % alcohol by volume ensuring a more concentrated flavour than more traditional spirits which are bottled at 40 % alcohol by volume."
You get first crack at why this reviewer's claim may be pure, triple-distilled mooseshit...
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Capn Jimbo
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Post by Capn Jimbo »

Shocking!


Not this reviewer's claim - which by the way may be entirely accurate - but that potential posters either didn't know that, or for some reason didn't wish to clarify the claim.

What the reviewer is referring to is the notion that the addition of water does indeed dilute the spirit and whatever flavors may be present - however - what I'd like to add is that this statement was made without acknowledgement of just how this gin was produced.

While this statement would always be true with any of the brown spirits, it MAY not be true insofar as gin. Here's why: with brown spirits like whisky or unaltered rums, the flavor produced is entirely due to the distillation, be it by pot, column or a combination.


Not so for gin...


Gin on the other hand is simply tasteless vodka or grain alcohol to which juniper and other flavorings - usually but not always real - are added in a number of ways.

Cold Compounding Method: in one form, the juniper et al is simply allowed to soak in the tasteless base white spirit for perhaps a week, then filtered and bottled. If the reviewer's gin was made this way, there would be no difference in flavor if the base spirit had already been diluted to bottle strength. This may also be true in the other form where "teabags" of flavorings are soaked in the base spirit (which simplifies the filtering later).

These are the two most common methods of flavoring gin, particularly the first.


Essential Oils Method: In this method the botanicals are crushed and heated to extract the "essential oils", which are then diluted with alcohol into a very concentrated form. The oils are then added to the final base spirit, filtered and bottled. If this method was used the reviewer is likely to be wrong as well.


Gin Head Method: This is the least used, and classic method, wherein the base spirit is made with a pot still. In the final run, the botanicals are placed in a "gin head" - a chamber at the top of the pot still. The alcohol vapors pass through the botanicals picking up flavors, and pass to the usual condenser where water is automatically added to bottle strength.

This last, very expensive (and thus less used) method is the only case in which the reviewer's statement will always be true.


Flat Ass Bottom Line


The kindest thing I can say about this reviewer's statement is that it may be true, but it is more likely that it is not due to the unique way gin is produced. Since the reviewer does not acknowledge how the gin was made, it seems clear that he is relying on what certainly would be true for a brown spirit, but is unclear or likely untrue for the gin.
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Capn Jimbo
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Post by Capn Jimbo »

What is it about gin that the Frozen One just doesn't get?


I'm sorry, I truly am. I hate having to post such, but OTOH I simply can't stand well meaning readers from being misled. It's no secret that this reviewer actually believes two things: first, that readers are mad to learn of his personal preferences (rather than the real quality of the spirit) and second, that his rather uninformed opinions are somehow therefore accurate.

Neither is true.

This time the FO has yet another bizarre belief, namely that all gin (a) is to be rated as a sipper and (b) only in comparison to the London Dry style, to wit:
"When I take my first sip of the gin, I have to admit I am confused as to why Tangueray went in this direction. The spirit possesses more than just a passing resemblance to the new “American Style” of gin making. In the American Style, juniper is held in check and other botanicals are allowed to have a greater expression in the final spirit. It’s not a direction I prefer, I like my gin to have a firm juniper presence reveling if you will in the berry which gives the spirit its name.

Rather than reveling in the juniper, Tanqueray Rangpur revels in citrus flavours as lemon drop candies and lime zest lead out across the palate with juniper softening their bite somewhat. Coriander and ginger provide a light spicy backdrop for the main flavours. There ia also (unfortunately) a bit of rough alcohol which makes sipping uneasy unless an ice cube is added."

Let's start with F. Paul Pacult...


Pacult - along with a handful of reviewers like Dave Broom or the late Michael Jackson - is brilliant. He adores gin as truly the King of white spirits, which is meant almost entirely for mixing or martinis and which should be judged solely for its balance and harmonious integration.

Not personal preference.

Although the Wolfboy gives lip service to an "American" style, he immediately reverses course to give what for him is a VERY low score and why? Well, simply because it doesn't meet his personal preference and expectation for the juniper forward, London Dry. Mind you there are five distinct styles of gin, including the original, Holland, then Old Tom, London Dry, Plymouth and German.

For the Frozen One to denigrate Tanqueray and to give a low score simply because he expected "more juniper" is just plain ridiculous. He does no service to himself, to Tanqueray and to readers seeking honest and educational reviews. Mind you Tanqueray has earned rare five-star ratings from all the gins reviewed by F. Paul. You can be sure they know their business and frankly, I am offended this self-centered review.

Sorry mates, I just couldn't let this one pass. I tried...




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