Tracing Gin’s Botanical Blueprint: Diving Into The Science Behind The Spirit’s Flavours
Gin is one of the most well-known spirits used in mixology to craft some stellar drinks like the classic martini cocktail or an age-old gimlet. The spirit, made using juniper berries, has a very long and interesting history and within mixology, it continues to retain its popularity as a spirit used to prepare different imaginative, contemporary mixes.
While a classic gin features the herbaceous flavours of juniper, it is also infused with a number of different botanicals that are continually contributing to developing the flavour composition of this spirit.
Gin is one of those liquors which is most often than not combined with a mixer before serving. From a classic gin and tonic to a floral gin and elderflower spritz, gin is a versatile drink that can be combined with a whole host of mixers to craft interesting blends. Inevitably, tracing the science of the spirit’s flavours becomes integral to mixology in order to understand how botanicals play a role in enabling the spirit to acquire its rich, yet crisp and complex flavours and how these can be paired with other ingredients.
Juniper-Forward Notes
Examining the different ingredients and processes involved in crafting a good quality gin gives a mixologist a glimpse into elements that contribute to its complex profile. One of the primary ingredients in gin juniper. This pine-like herb builds the foundation or core of the spirit and provides it with a resinous and slightly citrusy quality. The herbal taste brought forth through juniper’s notes is visible in a premium quality gin such as the Tanqueray No. 10 whose 750 ml bottle can be purchased at Rs. 3090 in Maharashtra or at Rs. 2300 in West Bengal.
Earthy And Peppery Herbs
Another element integral to a quality gin’s flavour profile is its earthy and peppery finish. This comes from the grassy and bitter notes of botanicals that are blended with juniper to craft the complex spirit. Such a gin can be distilled with the addition of herbs and roots like angelica or even liquorice and coriander. The peppery profiles of a gin like Tanqueray No. 10, priced at Rs. 1700 in Gurgaon or at Rs. 1880 in Uttar Pradesh for a 750 ml bottle, are often integral to the preparation of savoury drinks like a cucumber and gin fizz.
Citrus And Floral Infusions
What brings citrusy, floral, sweet or herbaceous notes into the spirit, imbuing it with layers of flavour are the botanical and floral infusions used while distilling this spirit. A gin with tangy flavours often incorporates lemon or orange peels into its making while a rendition of the liquor carrying a floral feel is often infused with the aromas of lavender and chamomile. Botanicals play a major role in introducing mild yet quite perceptible layers of multiple flavours into the spirit to give it a complex feel.
Crisp And Dry Finish
One of the most widely recognised formulas for making gin is the London Dry blend. This gin contains juniper-forward flavour notes and is triple distilled to produce a clear spirit with a crisp taste and a dry finish. A classic gin of this kind carries simple but very pronounced flavours of citruses and juniper and is most often than not incorporated into cocktails which highlight this spirit – such as the classic martini cocktail or a highball like gin and tonic. A fine 750 ml bottle of a good quality London Dry gin such as Gordon’s can be purchased for Rs. 1750 in West Bengal or for Rs. 1300 in Gurgaon for making a variety of cocktails complete with the spirit’s dry, herbaceous and crisp flavour.
Note: Price points mentioned above are applicable only to the following places: Maharashtra, Gurgaon, Uttar Pradesh, Delhi NCR and West Bengal. Price points are indicative only and subject to change according to local liquor laws.
Drink Responsibly. This communication is for audiences above the age of 25.
