Gin and Genever Reviews, Ratings and Facts - Best Gin and Genever | Tastings Video About Gin & Genever Gin and its Lowlands cousin Genever (Jenever in Belgium) are white spirits that are flavored with juniper berries and so-called botanicals (a varied assortment of herbs and spices). The spirit base of Gin is primarily grain (usually wheat or rye), which results in a light-bodied spirit. Genever is made primarily from "malt wine" (a mixture of malted barley, wheat, corn, and rye), which produces a fuller-bodied spirit similar to raw malt whisky. A small number of genevers in Holland and Belgium are distilled directly from fermented juniper berries, producing a particularly intensely flavored spirit. The chief flavoring agent in both Gin and Genever is the highly aromatic blue-green berry of the juniper, a low-slung evergreen bush (genus Juniperus) that is commercially grown in northern Italy, Croatia, the United States and Canada. Additional botanicals can include anise, angelica root, cinnamon, orange peel, coriander, and cassia bark.

All Gin and Genever makers have their own secret combination of botanicals, the number of which can range from as few as four to as many as 15. Distillation of Gin Most Gin is initially distilled in efficient column stills. The resulting spirit is high-proof, light-bodied, and clean with a minimal amount of congeners (flavor compounds) and flavoring agents. Genever is distilled in less-efficient pot stills, which results in a lower-proof, more flavorful spirit.Low-quality "compound" gins are made by simply mixing the base spirit with juniper and botanical extracts. Mass-market gins are produced by soaking juniper berries and botanicals in the base spirit and then redistilling the mixture. Top-quality gins and genevers are flavored in a unique manner. After one or more distillations the base spirit is redistilled one last time. During this final distillation the alcohol vapor wafts through a chamber in which the dried juniper berries and botanicals are suspended. The vapor gently extracts aromatic and flavoring oils and compounds from the berries and spices as it travels through the chamber on its way to the condenser. The resulting flavored spirit has a noticeable degree of complexity.

Classifications of Gin London Dry Gin is the dominant English style of Gin. As a style it lends itself particularly well to mixing. London Dry Gin is the dominant Gin style in the United Kingdom, former British colonies, the United States, and Spain. Plymouth Gin is relatively full-bodied (when compared to London Dry Gin). It is clear, slightly fruity, and very aromatic. Originally the local Gin style of the English Channel port of Plymouth, modern Plymouth Gin is nowadays made only by one distillery in Plymouth, Coates & Co., which also controls the right to the term Plymouth Gin. Old Tom Gin is the last remaining example of the original lightly sweetened gins that were so popular in 18th-century England. The name comes from what may be the first example of a beverage vending machine. In the 1700s some pubs in England would have a wooden plaque shaped like a black cat (an "Old Tom") mounted on the outside wall. Thirsty passersby would deposit a penny in the cat’s mouth and place their lips around a small tube between the cat’s paws. The bartender inside would then pour a shot of Gin through the tube and into the customer’s waiting mouth.

Until fairly recently limited quantities of Old Tom-style Gin were still being made by a few British distillers, but they were, at best, curiosity items. Genever or Hollands is the Dutch style of Gin. Genever is distilled from a malted grain mash similar to that used for whisky. Oude ("old") Genever is the original style. It is straw-hued, relatively sweet and aromatic. Jonge ("young") Genever has a drier palate and lighter body. Some genevers are aged for one to three years in oak casks. Genevers tend to be lower proof than English gins (72-80 proof or 36-40% ABV is typical). They are usually served straight up and chilled. The classic accompaniment to a shot of Genever is a dried green herring. Genever is traditionally sold in a cylindrical stoneware crock. Genever-style gins are produced in Holland, Belgium, and Germany. Gin Regions The United Kingdom produces mostly dry Gin, primarily from column stills.

British gins tend to be high proof (90° or 45% ABV) and citrus-accented from the use of dried lemon and Seville orange peels in the mix of botanicals. British gins are usually combined into mixed drinks. Holland and Belgium produce Genever, mostly from pot stills. Genevers are distilled at lower proof levels than English gins and are generally fuller in body. Many of these gins are aged for one to three years in oak casks. Some Genever producers now market fruit-flavored genevers, the best known being black currant. Dutch and Belgian genevers are usually chilled and served neat.Germany produces a Genever-style Gin called Dornkaat in the North Sea coast region of Frisia. This spirit is lighter in body and more delicate in flavor than both Dutch Genever and English dry Gin. German Gin is usually served straight up and cold.Spain produces a substantial amount of Gin, all of it in the London Dry style from column stills. Most of it is sold for mixing with cola. The United States is the world’s largest Gin market. London Dry Gin accounts for the bulk of domestic Gin production, with most of it being produced in column stills.

American Dry gins (often termed "soft" gins) tend to be lower proof (80° or 40% ABV) and less flavorful than their English counterparts ("hard" gins). This rule applies even to brands such as Gordon’s and Gilbey’s, which originated in England. America’s best-selling Gin, Seagram’s Extra Dry, is a rare cask-aged Dry Gin. Three months of aging in charred oak barrels gives the Gin a pale straw color and a smooth palate.The Martini and the Meaning of LifeThe best known of hundreds of Gin-based mixed drinks is the Gin and white vermouth combination called the Martini. As is usually the case with most popular mixed drinks, the origins of the martini are disputed. One school of thought holds that it evolved from the late-19th-century Martinez cocktail, a rather cloying mixture of Old Tom-style Gin and sweet vermouth. A dissenting sect holds that it was created in the bar of the Knickerbocker Hotel in New York City in the early 20th century. The ratio of Gin to vermouth started out at about 2 to 1, and it has been getting drier ever since.

The great British statesman Winston Churchill, who devoted a great deal of thought and time to drinking, was of the opinion that passing the cork from the vermouth bottle over the glass of Gin was sufficient.The martini has frequently served as a metaphor for some of the great social and political issues of our times. President Jimmy Carter denounced the "three martini lunch" in a thinly-veiled attempt at class warfare during his election campaign. He was not reelected.Gin - Origins and HistoryGin is a juniper berry-flavored grain spirit . The word is an English shortening of Genever, the Dutch word for juniper. The origins of Gin are rather murky. In the late 1580s a juniper-flavored spirit of some sort was found in Holland by British troops who were fighting against the Spanish in the Dutch War of Independence. They gratefully drank it to give them what they soon came to call "Dutch courage" in battle. The Dutch themselves were encouraged by their government to favor such grain spirits over imported wine and brandy by lack of excise taxes on such local drinks.A clearer beginning was a few decades later in the 1600s when a Dr.

Franciscus de la Boë in the university town of Leiden created a juniper and spice-flavored medicinal spirit that he promoted as a diuretic. Genever soon found favor across the English Channel; first as a medicine (Samuel Pepys wrote in 1660 of curing a case of "colic" with a dose of "strong water made with juniper") and then as a beverage.When the Dutch Protestant William of Orange and his English wife Mary became co-rulers of England after the "Glorious Revolution" drove James II from the throne, he moved to discourage the importation of brandy from the Catholic wine-making countries by setting high tariffs. As a replacement he promoted the production of grain spirits ("corn brandy" as it was known at the time) by abolishing taxes and licensing fees for the manufacture of such local products as Gin. History has shown that prohibition never works, but unfettered production of alcohol has its problems too. By the 1720s it was estimated that a quarter of the households in London were used for the production or sale of Gin. Mass drunkenness became a serious problem.

The cartoonist Hogarth’s famous depiction of such behavior in "Gin Lane" shows a sign above a Gin shop that states, "Drunk for a penny/Dead drunk for twopence/Clean straw for Nothing." Panicky attempts by the government to prohibit Gin production, such as the Gin Act of 1736, resulted in massive illicit distilling and the cynical marketing of "medicinal" spirits with such fanciful names as Cuckold’s Comfort and My Lady’s Eye Water.A combination of reimposed government controls, the growth of high-quality commercial Gin distillers, the increasing popularity of imported rum, and a general feeling of public exhaustion gradually brought this mass hysteria under control, although the problems caused by the combination of cheap Gin and extreme poverty extended well into the 19th century. Fagin’s irritable comment to a child in the film Oliver —"Shut up and drink your Gin!"—had a basis in historical fact.Starting in the 18th century the British Empire began its worldwide growth; and wherever the Union Jack went, English-style gins followed.

In British North American colonies such celebrated Americans as Paul Revere and George Washington were notably fond of Gin, and the Quakers were well-known for their habit of drinking Gin toddies after funerals.The arrival of the Victorian era in England in the mid-19th century ushered in a low-key rehabilitation of Gin’s reputation. The harsh, sweetened "Old Tom" styles of Gin of the early 1700s slowly gave way to a new cleaner style called Dry Gin. This style of Gin became identified with the city of London to the extent that the term "London Dry" Gin became a generic term for the style, regardless of where it was actually produced.Genteel middle-class ladies sipped their sloe Gin (Gin flavored with sloe berries) while consulting Mrs. Beeton’s Book of Household Management (a wildly popular Victorian cross between the Joy of Cooking and Martha Stewart lifestyle books) for Gin-based mixed drink recipes. The British military, particularly the officer corps, became a hotbed of Gin consumption. Hundreds of Gin-based mixed drinks were invented and the mastery of their making was considered part of a young officer’s training.

The best known of these cocktails, the Gin and Tonic, was created as a way for Englishmen in tropical colonies to take their daily dose of quinine, a very bitter medicine used to ward off malaria. Modern tonic water still contains quinine, though as a flavoring rather than a medicine.In Holland the production of Genever was quickly integrated into the vast Dutch trading system. The port of Rotterdam became the center of Genever distilling, as distilleries opened there to take advantage of the abundance of needed spices that were arriving from the Dutch colonies in the East Indies (present-day Indonesia). Many of today’s leading Dutch Genever distillers can trace their origins back to the 16th and 17th centuries. Examples include such firms as Bols (founded 1575) and de Kuyper (1695).Belgium developed its own juniper-flavored spirit, called Jenever (with a "j"), in a manner similar to that in Holland (which controlled Belgium for a time in the early 19th century).

The two German invasions of Belgium in World Wars I and II had a particularly hard effect on Jenever producers, as the occupying Germans stripped the distilleries of their copper stills and piping for use in the production of shell casings. The remaining handful of present-day Belgian Jenever distillers produce Jenever primarily for the local domestic market.Gin may have originated in Holland and developed into its most popular style in England, but its most enthusiastic modern-day consumers are to be found in Spain, which has the highest per capita consumption in the world. Production of London Dry-style Gin began in the 1930s, but serious consumption did not begin until the mix of Gin and Cola became inexplicably popular in the 1960s.Gin production in the United States dates back to colonial times, but the great boost to Gin production was the advent of National Prohibition in 1920. Moonshining quickly moved in to fill the gap left by the shutdown of commercial distilleries, but the furtive nature of illicit distilling worked against the production of the then-dominant whiskies, all of which required some aging in oak casks.

Bootleggers were not in a position to store and age illegal whisky, and the caramel-colored, prune-juice-dosed grain alcohol substitutes were generally considered to be vile.Gin, on the other hand, did not require any aging, and was relatively easy to make by mixing raw alcohol with juniper berry extract and other flavorings and spices in a large container such as a bathtub (thus the origin of the term "Bathtub Gin"). These gins were generally of poor quality and taste, a fact that gave rise to the popularity of cocktails in which the mixers served to disguise the taste of the base Gin. Repeal of Prohibition at the end of 1933 ended the production of bootleg Gin, but Gin remained a part of the American beverage scene. It was the dominant white spirit in the United States until the rise of Vodka in the 1960s. It still remains popular, helped along recently by the revived popularity of the Martini. Top Picks and Reviews for Gin & Genever Frey Ranch Gin Clear color.

Bold, pungent, piney complex aromas and flavors of pine sap, lacquer, dried flowers, and smoked pepper and campfire fire with a creamy, lively, dryish medium-to-full body and a peppery, complex, long pine needle, honeyed juniper, and chalk finish. An amazingly powerful and intense gin with 3D fresh piney juniper flavors. $32.99 Gin | Cocktails Wiki | Fandom powered by Wikia Share Ad blocker interference detected! Wikia is a free-to-use site that makes money from advertising. We have a modified experience for viewers using ad blockers Wikia is not accessible if you’ve made further modifications. Remove the custom ad blocker rule(s) and the page will load as expected. Gin is a spirit flavoured with juniper berries. Distilled gin is made by redistilling white grain spirit which has been flavoured with juniper berries. Compound gin is made by flavouring neutral grain spirit with juniper berries without redistilling and can be considered a flavoured vodka . The name gin is derived from genièvre (French), jenever (Dutch), and ginepro (Italian), all of which mean "juniper".

The most common style of gin, typically used for mixed drinks, is London dry gin. London dry gin is made by taking a neutral grain spirit (usually produced in a column still) and redistilling after the botanicals are added. In addition to juniper, it is usually made with a small amount of citrus botanicals like lemon and bitter orange peel. Other botanicals that may be used include anise, angelica root and seed, orris root, licorice root, cinnamon, coriander, and cassia bark. Distilled gin evolved from the Dutch spirits jonge- and oude- Jenever or Genever (young and old Dutch gin), Plymouth gin, and Old Tom gin. Compound gin is gin made by adding the juniper flavouring to the neutral spirit with no redistillation. Sloe Gin is a common ready-sweetened form of gin that is traditionally made by infusing sloe (the fruit of the blackthorn) in gin. Similar infusions are possible with other fruits, such as damsons (See Damson gin ). A well-made gin will be relatively dry compared to other spirits. Gin is often mixed in cocktails with sweeter ingredients like tonic water or vermouth to balance this dryness.

Some brands of gin include: The Botanist, Tanqueray, Beefeater, Bombay Sapphire, Gordon's, Hendrick's, Ford's Gin, and Broker's. Gin | Spirits Spirits Tweet Gin is a versatile spirit made from a grain mash of barley, corn or rye. Its unique flavor comes from a combination of juniper berries, herbs and spices, coriander, angelica and a number of other ingredients. Gin serves as the main ingredient in many classic cocktails, including the “gin and tonic” and the classic “dry martini.” History of Gin While the exact origins of gin are unknown, some have suggested possible beginnings for this alcohol. Some mixology experts point to 17th century Dutch professor Franciscus de la Boe as the “Father of Gin.” He developed an alcohol-based medicine with the added medical benefits of juniper berries. His creation was groundbreaking due to his use of cheap grains, instead of fruit, the standard base ingredient of most alcohol at the time. Gin also has historical roots in battle.

In Holland during the 1580s, British troops fighting against the Spanish in the Dutch War of Independence drank a juniper-flavored alcoholic beverage that they nicknamed “Dutch courage.” The Dutch named the concoction “jenever,” after the Dutch word for “juniper.” As the drink became more popular, drinkers eventually adopted the shorter name “gin” for the liquor. Gin continued to grow in popularity in the late 17th century England due to religious politics. When Dutch Protestant William of Orange assumed the throne, he established tax laws designed to hurt neighboring Catholic countries and aid the Protestants in Holland. He created high tariffs on French wines and spirits, but abolished taxes and licensing fees for Dutch imports, including gin. As a result, English consumption of gin increased dramatically. Types of Gin London dry gin, the most common form of gin, lends itself well to mixing and is the most popular gin in the U.K., the U.S. and Spain. Popular brands of London dry gin include: Beefeater Tanqueray. Other types of gin include: Jenever Gin: This Dutch version of gin is made from a grain mash made of barley, rye and corn.

There are two styles of Jenever gin: Oude (“old”), which has a golden tint and a sweet, aromatic flavor; and Jonge (“young”), which is drier and has a lighter body. Holland, Belgium and Germany are the main countries that currently manufacture Jenever . Old Tom Gin: This is a slightly sweet gin that was popular in England in the 1700s. The name comes from a fixture common in 18th century English pubs — a black wooden cat. Customers would put a penny into the cat”s open mouth and receive a shot of gin from a small tube between the cat”s paws. Plymouth Gin: This dry, full-bodied, clear, aromatic and somewhat fruity gin was originally created as a local gin in Plymouth, England. Modern Plymouth gin is only made by one company, Coates & Co. distillery in Plymouth. In addition to being the only distiller of this type of gin, Coates & Co. also owns the rights to the name “Plymouth Gin.” Sloe gin: While not technically a type of gin, sloe gin is a red, gin-based liqueur flavored with sweet blackthorn plums.

Because of its sweet flavor, people of all ages tend to enjoy sloe gin. How Gin is Made Most dry gin is efficiently distilled in column stills, contributing to the light, clean texture of this alcohol. Alternately, jenever gin is distilled in pot stills. While pot stills follow a slower process than column stills, they do create a lower-proof gin with more flavor. Cheap compound gins are usually made by mixing the base spirit with juniper and plant extracts. Gins created for mass consumption are mixed like a compound gin but then redistilled. High-quality gins go through an additional distilling process where the oils from the berries are extracted and condensed, resulting in a more complex flavor. Gin Drinks Gin is a bar basic that is the base of many popular cocktails. Here are a few recipes for some of the most popular gin drinks. Dry Martini 1/8 to 1/4 oz. dry white vermouth ice Gin | Bon Appetit Email May 1, 2008 Gin is a liquor made from grain (some combination of barley, corn, and/or rye) that has been infused with juniper berries and other botanicals.

Juniper berries—small, bluish berries with a piney flavor and aroma—are the predominant flavoring for all gin. Other botanicals that are used to flavor gin include coriander seed, anise, caraway seed, cinnamon, cardamom, citrus peel, ginger, and licorice. The combination of botanicals—along with the production method—is what distinguishes one brand of gin from another. Re-distilling the grain alcohol with the flavorings is considered the finest method of producing gin; it is also the original method of production, and the most expensive. The cheapest mass-produced gins are made using the cold compound process, by which the extracted flavors are simply added to the alcohol, a practice that is not as highly regarded as distilling. Dry gin—made primarily from corn, with a small amount of malted barley and other grains—is by far the most common type of gin. As its name indicates, dry gin is not sweet. It is usually aromatic and light in flavor and body. Dry gin originated in England, and most dry gins are labeled "English Dry Gin," "London Dry Gin," or "London Extra Dry Gin"; the names refer to the gin's style, not where it was produced.

Plymouth gin is a type of gin that can legally only be produced in Plymouth, England, and is fuller-bodied, smoother, and stronger in flavor than the London style of dry gin. Dry gin is typically mixed in cocktails, most notably gin and tonics or classic Martinis. You may also see Dutch gin, which is typically made from equal parts malted barley, corn, and rye, resulting in a stronger malt flavor and fuller body than dry gin. Because of its fuller flavor and body, Dutch gin (also called Hollands or Genever gin) is usually drunk cold and straight, not used as a mixer. See More Beefeater - A Look At The Iconic London Dry Gin - Drink Spirits Tweet on Twitter Desmond Payne Making Beefeater Gin When it comes to gin, there are few brands as iconic as Beefeater. This definitive London Dry Gin is one of the few London Dry Gins actually distilled in London . Producing over 2.5 million cases of gin a year, the Beefeater distillery is surprisingly staffed by only five people. At the helm of this operation is Master Distiller Desmond Payne , one of the most experienced distillers in the world with over 46 years of distilling experience.

With Beefeater London Dry Gin, Desmond continues producing a spirit which has seen very little change since its creation in 1820 by James Burrough, a chemist who created the gin for its medicinal properties. While the predominate flavor note in Beefeater is juniper, the gin contains nine different botanicals: juniper berries, orange peel, lemon peel, orris root, liquorice, angelica root, angelica seed, coriander seed, and almond. These botanicals are soaked in a pot still with neutral grain spirit for twenty four hours before they are distilled. It’s this steeping process that gives Beefeater its signature flavors and complexity. Beefeater Botanicals As the predominate flavor in the gin, juniper berries are so important to the creation of Beefeater that a two year supply – forty tons of the berries – is stored at the distillery.

Every year Desmond and company test over 200 different samples of juniper berries and over the course of three months painstakingly select which ones will be combined to make the signature Beefeater flavor profile Two of the stills at Beefeater All 2.5 million cases of Beefeater are produced using just four stills, each of which are constantly in one phase of the steeping or distilling process. One of the biggest challenges is ensuring that the final product always tastes the same, and so a complex process of mingling and balancing the spirit as well as adding spirit or water to bring it to the correct proof finishes the distilling process. Beefeater has spent much of its existence preserving the original gin recipe created by James Burrough, but recently Desmond Payne was given the opportunity to create a new expression of Beefeater. Still done in the London Dry style, Beefeater 24 is an interesting riff on the traditional Beefeater flavor profile. Using many of the same botanicals as the London Dry Beefeater, Desmond adjusted the recipe and added both Chinese green tea and Japanese sencha tea along with grapefruit peel to produce a unique and modern London Dry Gin.

Beefeater 24 It’s pretty amazing for a company that has been producing a single product for hundreds of years to launch a new major product. Whereas the Beefeater London Dry is the gold standard for many classic gin cocktails, Beefeater 24 is aimed at a new generation of cocktails. With the soft tannins from the tea and the grapefruit notes added to the traditional Beefeater flavor notes, there are a lot of new and interesting ways that Beefeater 24 can be used. One of the more inventive uses of Beefeater 24 is in cocktails which feature tea as a key ingredient. Beefeater 24 was actually inspired by tea. On a trip to Japan, Desmond ordered a gin and tonic only to discover that the Japanese don’t permit quanine (a key ingredient in tonic) in their beverages. Instead, the gin was mixed with tea. This combination inspired Beefeater 24 as well as a number of Beefeater 24 cocktails featuring tea as an ingredient. One of the best examples of this is the English Breakfast Cocktail, created by Beefeater brand ambassador Dan Warner .

Beefeater 24 is combined with breakfast tea, marmalade, egg white, sugar and lemon juice, resulting an exceptional and unique cocktail. Beefeater 24 English Breakfast Cocktail 2 oz Beefeater 24 infused with English Breakfast Tea 1oz lemon juice Shake all ingredients hard & strain in to tea cup. Garnish with and orange zest Beefeater London Market Gin While Beefeater London Dry and Beefeater 24 are the core focus, Beefeater also produces a number of limited edition gins. These gins are designed to be produced in short runs and be available for a limited time. Two of these limited edition gins, the Summer Edition and Winter Edition , have been very well received in the market. The Summer Edition Gin adds hibiscus, elderflower and blackcurrant leaf to the botanical mix, while the Winter Edition adds pine shoots, cinnamon, nutmeg and additional Seville orange. The next limited edition gin is called London Market, inspired by James Burrough’s frequent trips to the London markets in search of ingredients for his spirits. Burrough actually had a number of recipes for gins and whiskey which were produced for local bars.

London Market was created after Desmond traveled to the modern London market and brought back such items as kaffir lime leaves, pomegranate and cardamom. The London Market Gin will be available in Europe in limited quantities and may not make its way to the US. Beefeater Gin Through The Generations Beefeater has the unique position of maintaining a classic brand that has seen very little change over the years and yet has managed to remain relevant. For many years I considered Beefeater to be the gin of my grandfather and father, and now I find that it’s become my preferred gin. It’s a rare product that can span generations like Beefeater and still be as fresh and vibrant of a brand today as when it was created in the 1800’s. For more Beefeater cocktail recipes and info visit Beefeater’s new gin site Gin & Tales . TAGS Classification of Gin | Citadelle Gin Classification of Gin ACCORDING TO THE TASTE Genever There are various ways of producing genever, but the basic process is the same: fermented grain mash is infused with juniper berries then distilled. Compound Gin Compound gin is not redistilled: flavorings are added to a neutral spirit.

The flavorings may be natural or artificial. In some cases, the gin is made simply by infusing juniper berries. Distilled Gin Grain mash is distilled to produce a neutral spirit, then infused with juniper berries and botanicals and redistilled. Alcohol and flavorings may be added after distillation and the end product may be colored and sweetened. London Gin London gin is redistilled in a traditional still with juniper berries and botanicals. The flavorings may be added only during distillation and must be natural. The ethyl alcohol must be of high quality and the gin must contain at least 70% alcohol after distillation. No coloring may be added after distillation, though sugar may be added to the end product. Citadelle – Gin distilled in a small Charentais copper still From the standpoint of the legislation, Citadelle Gin is a London gin.

However, the method used to produce Citadelle Gin is more complex: – The use of a Charentais pot stills with a maximum capacity of 25 hectolitres – Naked flame distillation (no steam) – 18 botanicals in addition to juniper berries – Pure gin – no sugar added Because the regulations governing gin are relatively loose, taste profiles vary considerably from one gin to another according to the producer’s wishes and talent. Therefore, we have established categories of gin based on taste, no matter the production method. This classification system is the outcome of our own research and extensive tastings. The main “Gin Families” as we call them are as follows: Simple classics: juniper (and sometime a touch of citrus) is the only taste: no other flavor can be detected. They are therefore often one-dimensional in terms of aroma and flavor. Complex classics: these gins use a combination of juniper berries and other botanicals to give complexity and refinement. They are multi-dimensional and more complex. Old Tom gins: sweetened classic gins. Light gins or Vodkas-Gins: a new range of gins has emerged in recent years to attract vodka drinkers.

Less intensely flavored, they have been developed for drinkers who are discovering gin and whose palate is not yet used to that marvellous spirit. Some people call them “Vodkas-Gins” because their taste profile lies somewhere between vodka and gin. Flavored gins: these gins give priority to one or more botanicals to the detriment of the juniper flavor. They are sometimes called « New Western Gins ». ACCORDING TO THE PROCESS Genever There are various ways of producing genever, but the basic process is the same: fermented grain mash is infused with juniper berries then distilled. Compound Gin Compound gin is not redistilled: flavorings are added to a neutral spirit. The flavorings may be natural or artificial. In some cases, the gin is made simply by infusing juniper berries. Distilled Gin Grain mash is distilled to produce a neutral spirit, then infused with juniper berries and botanicals and redistilled. Alcohol and flavorings may be added after distillation and the end product may be colored and sweetened. London Gin London gin is redistilled in a traditional still with juniper berries and botanicals. The flavorings may be added only during distillation and must be natural.

The ethyl alcohol must be of high quality and the gin must contain at least 70% alcohol after distillation. No coloring may be added after distillation, though sugar may be added to the end product. Citadelle – Gin distilled in a small Charentais copper still From the standpoint of the legislation, Citadelle Gin is a London gin. However, the method used to produce Citadelle Gin is more complex: – The use of a Charentais pot stills with a maximum capacity of 25 hectolitres – Naked flame distillation (no steam) – 18 botanicals in addition to juniper berries – Pure gin – no sugar added ACCORDING TO THE TASTE Because the regulations governing gin are relatively loose, taste profiles vary considerably from one gin to another according to the producer’s wishes and talent. Therefore, we have established categories of gin based on taste, no matter the production method. This classification system is the outcome of our own research and extensive tastings. The main “Gin Families” as we call them are as follows: Simple classics: juniper (and sometime a touch of citrus) is the only taste: no other flavor can be detected.

They are therefore often one-dimensional in terms of aroma and flavor. Complex classics: these gins use a combination of juniper berries and other botanicals to give complexity and refinement. They are multi-dimensional and more complex. Old Tom gins: sweetened classic gins. Light gins or Vodkas-Gins: a new range of gins has emerged in recent years to attract vodka drinkers. Less intensely flavored, they have been developed for drinkers who are discovering gin and whose palate is not yet used to that marvellous spirit. Some people call them “Vodkas-Gins” because their taste profile lies somewhere between vodka and gin. Flavored gins: these gins give priority to one or more botanicals to the detriment of the juniper flavor. They are sometimes called « New Western Gins ». CITADELLE GIN 44% ALC/VOL.2012. RESPONSIBLE DRINKING · WWW.COGNACFERRAND.COM · Terms & Conditions Select your language What is the difference between gin, vodka, whiskey and rum? - Quora Quora Updated Dec 30 I'll try to add a framework around my answer to help put things in context.

There are really four major steps to making spirits. (Drinks like wine and beer that are not "spirits" skip the distilling step): Sourcing the initial ingredient. Fermenting the sourced material (that is, adding yeast which breaks down the sourced material to create alcohol). Ending product is a drink with 4-15% alcohol. Distilling the fermented wash from step 2 (that is, boiling the liquid to separate out the alcohol and increase the alcohol content to >40% alcohol). Distilling is a required step to make spirits. Wine and beer are not distilled; hence are not called spirits and have lower alcoholic content than spirits. Aging of the distilled spirit. This is an optional step, but storing the spirit in oak barrels will add some flavor and gold/red/yellowish coloring. For example, whether or not a Tequila was stored in oak barrels determines whether the Tequila is white (not stored in oak barrels), or gold (was stored in oak barrels). This is also how whiskey gets much of it's color and flavor. Additionally, flavoring drinks at various steps may in turn make different spirits (gin is vodka that has been flavored with juniper berries during distillation).

Mixing different drinks also results in new drinks (for example, wine + brandy = vermouth). Ok, so what are the various drinks? Non-sprits: Beer: Grains (barley, wheat, corn) -> fermentation "Hops" are added for bitter flavoring. Wine: Grapes (sourcing) -> fermentation -> aging Whether or not grape skin was present during fermentation determines whether the wine is a white wine (grape juice without skin was fermented), or a red wine (skin was included during fermentation). Carbonated wine is called sparkling wine. Carbonated wine specifically from the Champagne region of France is called Champagne. Spirits: Whiskey: Grains (malted barley, wheat, corn) -> fermentation -> distillation -> aging Note that whiskey is basically made by distilling beer. Aging in oak barrels is what gives whiskey the distinct color. Prior to storage, the distilled liquid is clear. Some whiskey tends to be very smokey/peaty in flavor. This is because the grain was dried in a peat powered kiln prior to being fermented, and the smoke from the peat imparts flavor. Islay scotch tends to have an extremely strong smokey flavor and smell.

Scotch is any whiskey made in Scotland (usually uses malted barley, though may also use wheat and rye). Bourbon is an American whiskey made specifically from corn. Brandy: Grapes (sourcing) -> fermentation -> distilling Basically distilled wine. Cognac is a variety of brandy from the Cognac region in France. Rum: Sugarcane or Molasses -> fermentation -> distilling Like you'd expect out of something made from sugarcane or molasses, rum tends to be on the sweeter side. Vodka: Pretty much anything (grapes, grains, potatoes) -> fermentation -> distilling In making vodka, the liquid is distilled to 90%+ alcohol to remove most taste and aromas of the source material. It is then diluted with water to 40% alcohol. Tequila: Blue Agave plant -> fermentation -> distillation -> aging White/silver tequila has not been aged in oak barrels. Gold tequila is aged in oak barrels (hence the color). Gin: Vodka with juniper berries added during distillation.

Liqueur or cordials (not liquor, which is simply another word for spirits) is a generic term for a spirit with added sugar (or some other sweetener) and flavored with fruit, cream, herbs, spices, flowers or nuts. Examples of common liqueurs include Fireball, Fernet-Branca, and Jagermeister. Written Dec 21, 2013 gin vodka whiskey rum All spirits are made by roughly the same process. Something sugary is fermented, during which yeast convert sugars to alcohol, and then distilled. Distillation is the process of bringing the fermented mash to a warm temperature and collecting the vaporized liquid. More of the alcohol, which has a lower boiling point, will evaporate than the water, so you get your high proof spirit. Some spirits are then aged or undergo some other special process and finally additional water is often added to achieve the desired strength, and the liquor is bottled. The things that change between liquors are what the initial sugary substance is, if and how it is aged, and other special things that happen along the way. Other factors, like the method if distillation, effect the flavor, but don't effect what type of liquor is made.

Vodka is the simplest of spirits and consists almost entirely of water and ethanol. It's distilled many times to a very high proof, removing almost all impurities, and then watered down to desired strength. Since just about all impurities are removed, it can be made from just about anything. Potatoes, grain, or a mixture are most common. Flavored vodkas are made by adding flavors and sugars after the fact when the liquor is bottled. Whiskey is specifically made from grain and is aged in wood casks. The grain is mixed with water and fermented to make beer and then distilled. The liquor comes out of the still white and is very much like vodka, although less aggressively distilled so with some flavor from the grains and fermentation. The color is imparted by aging in wood casks. Different types of whiskey are separated by the grain they are made of, how they are aged, and specific regional processes. Scotches are from Scotland, made mostly with barley, are smokey from the way the barley is kiln dried. Bourbons are made from at least half corn and are aged in charred barrels which impart caramel and vanilla flavors. Rye is made from rye, and there are plenty more variations.

Gin, like the others made with grain, starts is life as beer, which is then distilled to a high proof like vodka. Aromatic herbs including juniper berries and often gentian, angelica root, and a host of secret flavorings depending on the brand, are added to the pure spirit. The liquor is then distilled again. The second distillation leaves behind heavy bitter molecules which don't vaporize readily, capturing only the lighter aromatics. Appropriately bathtub gin omits the second distillation. Dutch gin is made by including the aromatics in the original fermenting mash and has a different, harsher flavor. Rum is made by fermenting and distilling cane sugar. Traditionally made from less refined sugar, it contains aromas of the sugar cane. Originally it was an inadvertent by product of making sugar as runoff from the refinery quickly fermented. Like whiskey, some rums are aged, giving them an amber color. And, like other sprits there are regional variations with slightly different processes. And to be thorough... Brandy is a distilled spirit from fruits. Most commonly grapes.

Agave liquors, including tequila, mezcal, and sotol, are made from fermented sugars from the agave, a relative of aloes. All of this, however, is only relevant to traditionally made spirits. It all goes out the window with lesser quality liquors which try to capture the spirit of each by adding artificial flavors and colors to grain alcohol and water. Except, of course, for vodka, which is already that thing. Even many expensive whiskeys are watered down and artificially colored. Identifying the real deal can be a big project. Gin - •The spirit is once again in vogue and a favorite of mixologists around the world. •In Holland or Belgium, distillers began to infuse alcohol with juniper berries and a variety of other botanicals. (This spirit was arguably the first flavored vodka.) •While all gin has some juniper flavor, the other botanicals can include a wide array of herbs, vegetables, flowers, fruits, spices and even tea. •The spirit could be made easily and quickly, even in a bathtub. The botanicals also helped to make rough alcohol somewhat more palatable. Vodka - •The final product is supposed to be colorless, odorless and tasteless.

•Traditionally, vodka was made from potatoes, corn or grains, but it is now made from a range of exotic bases including grapes, maple syrup and even soybeans. •Vodka is usually produced in a high-volume, continuous column still. After distillation, the spirit is filtered to remove any remaining impurities. Coal is a traditional filter, but brands today use a range of materials, even including diamonds. •Vodka isn’t aged and can be bottled and sold immediately after production. •People began drinking vodka in America as early as the beginning of the 20th century. Sales of the spirit were low until after World War II, when Americans began to shift away from Scotch and bourbon. •This movement was helped by Smirnoff’s aggressive marketing in the ‘50s and ‘60s and later by the introduction of the Swedish Absolut and the super-premium Grey Goose. Today, vodka is the most popular spirit in America and outsells rum, tequila and gin combined. Rum - •Hundreds of years ago, there was a sugar craze in Europe, and colonies were established around the Caribbean to make the sweet commodity. But the production of sugar creates a lot of byproduct—namely, molasses.

There wasn’t much use for the thick, sticky, sweet substance until it was discovered that molasses could be fermented and then distilled. •The alcohol quickly became popular with pirates, sailors and America’s founders. •The color of the spirit is primarily determined by the amount of time it has spent aging in oak barrels. The longer it’s been aged, the more color and flavor it picks up from the wood. Whiskey - The type of whiskey is determined by the grain used in distillation and/or where it is produced. The different grains produce different taste characteristics of whiskey, and there are differences in distillation methods that vary by region and by producer. This creates a wide variety of flavors of whiskey from the sweet to spicy, from smooth to bold and smoky. The Different types of whiskey are listed below: Bourbon / American Whiskey - Liquor & Drink Gin Gin Note: for the purposes of drink recipes on this site, "gin" refers to the London dry style. Other styles of gin will be specified (ie Old Tom). Whoever first thought of adding juniper berries to a base spirit was a genius. This was a pioneer of the first order, with cunning creativity and good taste. This person was also the inventor of gin.

Gin originated with the Dutch, who called it genever. It was likely invented by an alchemist named Sylvius de Bouve in the early 17th century. Because distillation techniques back then were quite crude, the resulting spirit was harsh. In order the mask the harshness, herbs and botanicals were added and it was found that juniper berries were a superior additive. Juniper has been the main additive ever since, along with others such as citrus peel, angelica root, anise, coriander, cinnamon, and licorice root. The subtle differences in flavor between gins are a result of the guarded botanical recipes of the producers. When William of Orange invaded England and assumed the throne in 1688 in the aptly named Glorious Revolution, Dutch gin came with him. The English took to gin quite quickly, and it helped that the government did not require a license to produce gin. Also, imports of gin were heavily taxed, so domestic production flourished. By the mid-18th century, gin production was at five to six times that of beer. Gin was popular with the poor because it was a cheap, strong drink.

A series of new taxes starting in 1736 led to riots in the streets. The onerous taxes were eventually rescinded and replaced with more gradual taxes and regulations that led to more government control over the production and distribution of gin. The free wheeling unlicensed days of the early 18th century were over in England. With the invention of the more efficient column still in 1832, the London Dry style that we are familiar with today came about. It is has a higher alcohol content than Dutch gin--usually 90 proof or more. How gin is made The base spirit for gin can be made from a variety of cereal grains--wheat, rye, or barley. The grains are used to make a neutral base spirit to which flavoring is imparted from botanicals. There are two basic methods for instilling the flavors. Distilled gin The neutral base spirit is infused with botanicals and then distilled a second time. Botanical essences travel with the alcohol vapors and flavor the gin in a delicate manner. Compound gin The neutral base spirit is flavored with botanicals and there is no second distillation. Technically, compound gin is the same thing as flavored vodka.

The Dutch tend to use barley to make the base spirit, and then will age the gin in oak barrels for up to three years. This results in a fuller body akin to whiskey. English gin is not aged, and is lighter and clear in color. Some gins are a combination such as Seagram's Extra Dry in the United States. Clear Seagram's gin sits on oak for three months and attains a straw color before it is bottled. Variations Genever The original form of gin that was invented by the Dutch in the 16th century. The English call it Holland gin. It is made from malted barley or other grains (or in later years from molasses or sugar) and infused with juniper (hence the name) and other botanicals. Oude Genever ("old") is a bit sweet and quite fragrant while Jonge Genever ("young") is drier and more delicate. Genever can be aged in oak barrels which imparts some color to the liquid. This gin is often served very cold in the Netherlands and Belgium, and can be served with a cold lager as a chaser.

London Dry The most common form of gin today is London Dry, which is a light, dry, clear spirit that is heartily flavored with juniper and other botanicals, fruits, and nuts. The gin you see on the shelf at the liquor store in England, the United States or Spain is most often London Dry gin. It is produced with a column still from a variety of cereal grains. Each producer has their own secret recipe of botanicals that impart the characteristic gin flavors and aromas to their products. London Dry gin is quite mixable, and is often found in mixed drink recipes. Old Tom Gin Old Tom straddles the gin spectrum between genever and London Dry (it is sometimes called the missing link). It is moderately sweet, but usually drier than genever and not as sweet as London Dry. It was popular in England in the 18th and 19th centuries but only a few distilleries still make it today. This was the original gin used in the Tom Collins. It got it's name from how it was dispensed in the 1700's. Gin houses would hang a plaque shaped like a tom cat on the outside wall.

A patron or passerby would drop a penny in the cat's mouth and a bartender inside would dispense a shot of Old Tom Gin through a tube that led outside between the cat's paws. Due to hygienic reasons, I doubt we'll ever see anything like this again, though it does have a certain charm. Plymouth gin Plymouth gin is made only in the channel port of Plymouth, England. It is similar to the London Dry style, but is slightly sweeter on the front of the palate with a fuller body and a dry finish. It is made with the traditional gin botanicals, though no one botanical dominates the flavor. Today, this style of gin is made by only one distillery--the Black Friars Distillery. They make a standard proof and a navy proof (114 proof) version. Sloe gin The most popular and original flavored gin is sloe gin. Sloe gin is gin flavored with sloe berries and sugar. Cheaper brands will also use vodka. Better brands will steep sloe berries in quality gin for months and will not add any coloring or artificial flavors. Sloe gin is made between 30 and 60 proof, and is sweet with some balancing bitterness from the berries.

It was popular during the Victorian era among the ladies. Today, you mostly see a pale attempt at sloe gin on the cordials shelf. You can still find quality if you look for the Plymouth or Gordon's brands. Tasting notes Gin is usually mixed with liquors, wines, or mixers. By itself, it can be a little rough, especially if it is not aged (most of it is not). The most famous mixer for gin is vermouth in a dry Martini. This is a drink that was pervasive in bars around the world in the middle part of the last century. Unfortunately, (or fortunately depending on your taste) gin has been eclipsed by vodka in the Martini. Right after the Martini, you have the Gin and Tonic. This drink came about because the British needed something to help them gulp down their quinine, which they used to combat malaria in India and other colonies. They mixed it with gin and the rest is history. Tonic water today still contains quinine, although much less than the medicinal doses the British once used. I have found Schweppes or Canada Dry tonic water to be far superior to the cheaper brands. If you're using good gin, use good tonic.

Each brand of gin has their own recipe of botanicals and resulting flavor and aroma profile. Tanqueray has a strong juniper and cassia bark flavor and not as much citrus. Bombay Sapphire is quite pungent with hints of liquorice and almonds. Hendrick's gin is softer with rose petals and cucumber added to the botanical mix. For a very good, inexpensive gin, try Barton gin. It has a very fresh botanical flavor, especially considering the price. As you can see, there is a huge variety of flavor in different brands of gin. Flavors

Question: What spirit is traditionally made from maize grain, flavoured with juniper berries?
Answer: Gin