We are in the midst of a gin explosion. Sales are up across the province; there are new bottles on the shelf every time you walk into a shop; it’s a welcome development for gin lovers.
by Mary Bailey
Why is gin, the preferred tipple of elderly British ladies, so hot right now?
According to Manuel Barreira, Global Wine Merchants, importer of several fine gins, tonics and vermouths, “it has always been gin. The classic cocktails of a century ago were gin based. Vodka came on strong in the ’60s when vodka became part of popular culture; I blame it on James Bond. Now, with the renaissance in cocktail bars, it’s the golden age of gin.”
Peter Hunt, head distiller at Victoria Gin, also credits the evolution of cocktail culture for the swing back to gin. “With gin you have lots of elements to play with. Bartenders get a chance to show their creativity to people who like to actually taste the alcohol.”
It helps that there are so many different expressions of gin to experience.
“I like the flavoured gins, like Eau Claire’s Equineox, the Ferdinand Quince, Sloe gin and Dillon’s Cherry and Rose gins, a touch sweet with lower alcohol, fun to have on the rocks,” says Juanita Roos, Color da Vino. “Tinto, the red gin from Portugal; Dillon’s is unique; Spruce Gin tastes like a forest; the gin from Saar and Boodles is pretty fun too. And of course the mainstays; The Botanist, Hendricks, Tanqueray, Fords. Yikes, I might just really love gin.”
Juanita’s reaction to all this bounty is typical. There is an entire world of gin out there to try. The thing to remember is that quality counts. The base spirit must be well-made and the botanicals used make a compelling difference.
“Gin had this sort of sordid nasty history, but it’s like a naughty teenager who became an elegant adult,” says Tommie Cheng of north 53 and Uccellini. “The trend is if you can distill a cool artisan batch gin you are the story these days, but gin is a vulnerable spirit,” says Tommie. “Makers better understand what the end product is going to be because there is nothing to mask the flavour, time and wood won’t change the profile.”
Gin is a distilled spirit made with neutral spirit produced from grain, barley, molasses, corn, even grapes, with the addition of botanicals. Cheap nasty gins use essences rather than the real thing. Highest quality gins are pot distilled with juniper, angelica, orris root, citrus, flowers and various herbs and spices. Each house blend is a trade secret, some use as little as six, others 47 different botanicals. Flavoured gins such as sloe gin macerate gin with fruit.
 Hayman’s Old Tom (England, $32)Noticeably heavy on the palate with well-integrated sweetness and botanicals with a decidedly juniperish top note. A mellow spirit with a long finish. Old Tom is a style of sweeter gin revived by Hayman’s and loved by bartenders for classic cocktails. The reference to a tom cat is part of that sordid history Tommie Cheng refers to. In wild and wooly gin-mad 19th century Britain, gin palaces would have a contraption outside their doors in n the shape of a black cat — put the money in the mouth, press the paw and out came a squirt of gin. Or so the legend goes. |
 Plymouth Gin (England, $43)Attractive earthy notes in the aromas and flavours, liquorice, coriander, some pine and lavender. It’s a full-bodied gin with a nice round texture, flavourful and satisfying. |
 Hayman’s Family Reserve (England, $45) This gin spends three weeks in a barrel rounding out any rough edges. It’s extremely well-integrated with a juniper focus and a long finish. The creamy texture and warmth rather than heat means this gin is quite capable of being drunk on the rocks. |
| Herno Sloe Gin (Sweden, $65) Sloe gin is made from a maceration of sloe berries (blackthorn, related to the plum) gin and sugar. This sloe is on the dryer side, subtle on the palate with complex red fruit flavours. A fine spirit handmade by a small company in Sweden. |
 Hayman’s Sloe Gin (England, $32)It’s an English tradition to make sloe gin in the fall to have it ready for Christmas. Or, you could have Hayman’s, which tastes of plum tart and red berries along with some nice ginny botanicals; lots of body and flavour with noticeable sweetness. Serve on the rocks with a slice of lemon as you would Dubonnet or a fine pre-dinner drink. |
 Dillon’s Cherry and Dillon’s Rose Gins (Canada, 375mL, $30)The base for both is Ontario rye whisky distilled into a London-style-gin. These are the Canadian version of sloe gin, the Rose infused with rose petals and rose hips, the Cherry with, well, cherries. Both possess clarity and complexity of flavour, are well-balanced and not cloyingly sweet. To paraphrase another gin lover, Queen Victoria, we approve! Drink on the rocks or in a cocktail. |
 Ferdinand Quince Gin (Germany, $66) Their dry Saar gin is infused with quince then cut down to bottling strength with Rausch Kabinett Riesling. A fine spirit loaded with citrus flavours, pine and woodsy notes, honey. A bit confounding (it’s a bit like drinking marmalade, in a good way) but you’ll find yourself going back for another taste forthwith. |
 Saffron Gin (Gabriel Boudier, Dijon, France, $42) The neon orange colour may be off-putting but the gin is most definitely, emphatically not. First of all, it smells beautiful, like a flower garden with violet, lavender, orange blossom, also curry leaf, mustardy, along with coriander and bay leaf and allspice undernote. Crazy! Complex and herbaceous, sublime in a Negroni; try it in your favourite holiday punch recipe and we have been told it makes an amazing Caesar. |
 Ungava Dry Gin (Domaine Pinnacle, Quebec, $35) Ungava is made with indigenous Quebec herbs, Labrador tea, juniper, cloudberry and wild rose hips harvested by hand during the short summer around Ungava Bay. This gin is incredibly balanced, with grassy flavours, juniper and thyme, citrus and floral notes with a hint of bitter greens, a Jagermeister-ish note, on the finish. Its taxi-cab yellow colour is startling, yet calms down to a soft creamy shade over ice or with tonic. |
 Gin Tinto 61 (Portugal, $60)This wine-coloured gin is triple distilled from barley and rye spirits, juniper, orange and lemon peels, then macerated with poppy, a local red-skinned pear called perico, blackberries, laurel, wild celery and wild herbs picked near the sea. It tastes of herbs, red-skinned fruits, lemon balm, sweet cherry pie, friendly and approachable. |
 Tanqueray Rangpur (England, $34) Citrus lovers, look no further, you have found your gin. Exotic and heady with overt citrus, a hint of bay and some juniper on the finish, crisp and beautiful. Rangpur limes, which are also called Canton lemons and look remarkably like a mandarin orange, make up a good part of the botanicals. |
 Berry Bros. & Rudd No.3 (England, $54) A classic London dry gin. There seems to be a trend afoot; who can put the most botanicals in their gin? Berry Brothers eschews all that. “Just three fruits and three spices, collectively known as botanicals, are all we deem essential to the flavour of No.3 London Dry Gin.” No wonder they ruled the world. |
 Gilpin’s Westmorland Extra Dry Gin, (England, $58) Focused, crisp, fine, dry with aromas and flavours of warm citrus (lime, lemon bitter orange, with juniper, sage, borage, coriander and angelica. An elegant and sophisticated London dry gin. |
 Eau Claire Parlour Gin (Canada, $54) Parlour has become the darling of many due to its origin story, the great package and its soft and easy drinking personality. Pine and lavender, citrusy rose hip, berries and warm spices, what’s not to like? |
 Victoria Cocktail Gin (Canada, $50) Canada’s first craft gin, in a bright new package, has a slightly lower proof and a new home on the Sidney B.C. waterfront. Still delicious, citrus, warm spice (star anise and cardamom) with some nice woodland floral and subtle juniper flavours. |
 Dillon’s Unfiltered Gin 22 (Canada, $45) The Dillon family makes their base spirit from Niagara region grapes that are pruned during green harvest (thinning the fruit) Even if the gin wasn’t spectacular (which it is) you’d have to give them kudos for being a vital part of their community. Then it’s copper pot distillation with 22 botanicals, followed by bottling the gin unfiltered. A lovely gin, junipery with cool citrus and warm spice notes. |
 GVine Floraison (France, $69)GVine Floraison possesses a lovely lushness and balance and complex flavours of nutmeg, licorice, juniper, coriander, ginger, a hint of pepperiness, orange citrus and sweet pastry notes. Smooth and a bit winey, displaying its grape spirit origin. |
 Poli Marconi (Italy, $73)Well known for grappa, the Marconi 46 is their first foray into that other aromatic white spirit, gin. It smells so good we don’t know if we are to drink it or date it—warm notes of rose, germanium, orange peel, juniper, cardamom and coriander, cool mountain pine and mint. Have it in a cocktail at corso 32. |
 Ferdinand Saar Dry Gin (Germany, $66)
The gin is a lovely project between winemaker and distiller, Dorothee Zilliken (VDP Mosel-Saar-Ruwer Zilliken) and Andreas Vallendar (Avadis Distillery). We love the complex Riesling flavours, grassy notes, rose, juniper and hit of ginger on the finish. A remarkable gin. |
 Koval Gin (USA, $65) OrganicThis is an elegant gin with attractive wildflower pine and meadow aromas, peppercorn and bitter orange flavours with a satisfying weight on the palate and a long warm finish. Made with organic grains. |
| Monkey 47 (Germany, $180) Monkey 47 is fast becoming a legend, as much for the price as for the 47 botanicals that make up the infusion. The hype is warranted. It is an amazing gin, fine, balanced, with a penetrating warmth and depth of flavour. It has a lively yin/yang of sweetness/bitterness, a refreshing acidity and a remarkable smoothness. A gin of contemplation. |
BARTENDERS TALK GIN
Elizabeth Yu, Three Boars Eatery
“There are a couple of gins I’m really stoked about. One is the Ferdinand Saar Gin. It’s made with beautiful German Riesling and distilled spirit, floral, very beautiful. The other is the Ranson Old Tom. They rest their gin in wine barrels. It has a slight whiskey hue and deeper character due to the corn and barley base spirit.”
The Tomcat, Elizabeth Yu
| 1 oz | Ranson Old Tom |
| 1 oz | Pineau des Charentes |
| 1 oz | Pierre Ferrand Dry Curaçao |
| 2 | lemon peels |
Stir to dilution, strain and serve in a coup.
Elizabeth talks ice. “The thing to remember about a cocktail is that that you are cooking with ice. It’s important to use enough ice and at least 1×1 inch cubes not smaller, too much dilution. Ample ice means the drink gets cold before it dilutes too much. Taste at the beginning there will be burning astringency. After stirring there will be a mellowing out, all the flavours are married.”
Tyler Gushaty, North 53
“As much as I love classic London dry, the funky new American style gins are fun to work with. I love Victoria especially the Oaken gin; Berry Bros #3 is super peppery, love it in a Vancouver cocktail. For the season it’s Hendrick’s for the rose and cucumber and, always, Monkey 47.”
The One Meter, Tyler Gushaty
| 1½ oz | Uncle Val’s Botanical Gin |
| ½ oz | Cocchi Rosa |
| ½ oz | rosemary grapefruit syrup |
| ¾ oz | fresh lemon juice |
| ¼ oz | fresh grapefruit juice |
Add all ingredients into a shaker tin with ice. Shake to dilution. Double strain into a chilled coupe. Garnish with rosemary. Makes 1 cocktail
Brandon Baker, el Cortez and Have Mercy
‘I am a self-proclaimed gin addict. Within one category you can have so many different expressions—the juniper hit of Beefeater, the citrus heart of Tanqueray. Then there’s the more modern styles like Uncle Val’s Botanical, Ranson Old Tom and the Botanist. But for a martini it’s Gilpin’s.”
Gilpin’s Martini
| 2½ oz | Gilpins |
| ¾ oz | Dolin dry vermouth |
| 2 drops | 2 drops orange bitters |
Stir until very cold. Serve with a twist
Jordan Clemens, Bar Clementine
“I like Tanqueray 10 for a gin and tonic; Beefeater for cocktails is the definition of London dry with that biting juniper. Plymouth is much lusher, more lemony, less junipery. I like Dillon’s a lot. My desert island gin would be Monkey 47 or G’vine Floraison.”
The Southside
| 2 oz | gin (something floral and citrusy is best) |
| ¾ oz | lemon juice |
| ¾ oz | simple syrup (or honey or really any sweetener) |
| 8-10 | fresh mint leaves |
Combine gin and mint leaves in bottom of shaker and gently muddle. And the other ingredients, plenty of ice, and shake vigorously. Double strain into a chilled cocktail coupe. Garnish with fresh mint leaf.
Slate, Bar Clementine original
| 1 oz | Genever (Dutch malted gin) |
| ¼ oz | maraschino liqueur |
| 1 t | raw honey |
| ¼ oz | lime juice |
| ¾ oz | fresh pressed green apple juice |
Combine ingredients in shaker and shake short to incorporate ingredients, but not dilute too much. Strain into a white wine glass onto large piece of ice. Top with 3-4oz of sparkling Riesling (we use Andreas Bender Sekt), garnish with apple spiral.
Tommie Cheng, North 53, Uccellino, Biaju this fall.
“One of my favourite gins of all times is the Botanist, so amazing, so much happening. And Ungava, truly Canadian, love it, Nordic, juniper, wild rose hips—it really does speak to terroir.
“I am just starting to think about cocktail for Baiju (opening this fall) but I do love making cocktails inspired by places from all over the world.”
“This drink is a riff on the Last Word. It looks like golden sunshine.”
The Yellow Card, Tommie Cheng
| 1 oz | gin |
| ¼ oz | yellow chartreuse |
| ¾ oz | marashino |
| ¼ oz | saffron infused simple syrup |
Shake, double strain and serve in a coupe. Makes 1 cocktail.
Ramon Miranda, color de vino, corso 32
“Gin is the best summer spirit,” says Ramon. “The botanical aspects of gin reflect what grows in the summer and what’s available in the garden, like the cucumber in a Pimm’s cup. Right now we are selling a lot of Eau Claire, Ungava, unique gins. I find that people who don’t like gin do like the barrel- aged gins. It’s as if it bridges the gap between gin and whiskey. I’m loving the Italian gin Poli Marconi right now. The guys at Bar Bricco made a cool rhubarb spirit and I made a rhubarb sour.”
Rhubarb Sour, Ramon Miranda
| 1½ oz | Poli Marconi |
| 1 oz | rhubarb syrup |
| ¾ oz | lemon juice |
Shake together in a mixing tin, then strain into a coupe. Garnish with rosemary. Makes 1 cocktail.