**Mathochist ** and Ass for a Hat, I took your suggestion, and tried Citadelle. I like the fact it’s $4 less for a bottle, but as to whether it’s better than Bombay Saphire… The jury’s still out.
Don’t get me wrong, it’s a very good gin. Definitely a top shelf. Not a gin for diluting with tonic water, but it doesn’t have the same subtleties of Saphire.
Sapphire only. I love the way it gets all syrupy after it’s been in the freezer for a while. I usually have it with tonic, but when I feel a bit of a heathen, I use Grapefruit juice.
MMMMmmmmm, Gin.
Lately I’ve been buying Daresbury’s Quintessential Dry. It’s top shelf, full flavor, and not as common as some of the others, so it marks one as a bit snobbish.
Difficult to say what’s the best, since they are all made with different aromatics. It’s really a matter of what flavors trip your taste buds. I like Bombay Sapphire, but also like Tanqueray. Totally different taste.
I like Bombay Sapphire myself but often drink Gordon’s which is very decent. To be perfectly honest when it comes to G & T’s I don’t really mind what brand is used, after two or three I care even less!
I drink Plymouth Gin, which is citrussy rather than juniperry.
I had a bad G and T experience the other day - my inner tightwad had talked me into buying cheapo supermarket own brand diet tonic water. It was vile, half flat and a complete false economy. So, folks, don’t do what I did. Buy a decent tonic water.
Ok, this may become another thread, but teach me how to make a good Gin and Tonic. I enjoy them at the local bar on occasion, and would like to be able to make one at home that’s just as tasty.
I’ll be starting that other thread too… teach me how to make drinks. Period!
I have just discovered the joys of Gin and it’s love at first taste! I’ve only tried Sapphire, which I keep in the freezer too. I’ve been adding a wee bit of olive juice in with the tonic- I really like the slight salty tang.
How does the taste of Sapphire differ from regular Bombay? Tanqueray? Can you really tell the difference?
I usually get plain ol’ Seagrams Extra Dry. I’ve had Tanq (still got a bit of the bottle I bought a few months ago sitting in my freezer at home) and Bombay Sapphire (my friend drank most of that, but the bottle was too pretty to throw out). But recently, I had a Gimlet with Beefeater, and I really liked it. Maybe I’ll shell out for a bottle of Beefeater sometime.
Maus Magill: Is Vodkatini the accepted term? That’s what it’s called in my Ultimate Book of Cocktails, but it’s a British book.
I’m a martini man, and I actually prefer regular Bombay to Bombay Sapphire. I like that it’s a little lower in proof (86 vs. 90), and to my taste, the botanicals work better in the regular than in the Sapphire. If Bombay’s not available at a bar, I’ll take Beefeater.
Nobody ever gives any love for Booths or Boodles, either of which could be counted as a better than average inexpensive gin. I will not make g&t’s with Sapphire, that’s a sacrilege. So for those hot summer days I keep Booths or Boodles in the house, depending which is on sale.
I read this thread this morning, and went for lunch this afternoon at the White Spot, a local chain. Since the liquor menu was there on the table, I read the ‘Spotini’ section, and found a few gems. (The real martini was halfway down the list.)
I forget the name of the last on the list, but the ingredients included vanilla-flavoured vodka, something called Sour Apple (another liqueur?), and “a swirl of caramel”.