Best gin for gin and tonic? martinis?

[ryland]

I like gin and always seem to buy plymouth because I havent found any other brand that I think is as good but what gin do you guys use for martinis and gin and tonics? What vermouth and tonic water do you use? What garnish?

I use plymouth gin, schwepps tonic, noilly prat vermouth, and use lemon twists for my martinis and lime wedges or nothing for my G&T's.

 

[pickled]

I swear that I drank a gallon of tanqueray rangpur when it first got warm here. I find it pretty consistent and after a while ice cubes make a great mixer LOL!

 

[tom slick]

I prefer Bombay Sapphire with tonic. I also have my eye on "Old Raj" but haven't tasted it. no vermouth for me.

 

[greenaccord02]

I got me some Seagrams gin. (But it tastes like christmas tree + rubbing alcohol.)

I have a friend who loves gin and he prefers Tanqueray Rangpur.

 

[pickled]

The first time I had gin I thought that someone made a horrible mistake at the bottling plant! Now I "Get It" and find it to be a refreshing beverage base in the summer months.

 

[ionbeam22]

Old Raj is incredibly good, you wouldn't want to waste it in a G&T where the tonic and bubbles will overwhelm the flavors.

Overall, I like Gordon's Gin for making G&T's. In England Gordon's is a top shelf brand, but in the US it is "bottom shelf" essentially the same formula. And it has a Royal Warrant from the Queen Mother, who drank a fair amount of it.

 

[bepperb]

Bombay Sapphire and cheap tonic is all I need. It's probably the only thing I can drink that will raise my wife's eyebrow, and I puked the bed twice since we've been married so she could be more harsh.

Rehorst I hope the spelling is right??? is made here in Milwaukee and is surprisingly good, but I'm not sure how big their distribution area is.

 

[jdeare]

I like Tanqueray or Gilbey's, Whole Foods "365" brand tonic water, and a lime... no vermouth.

 

[CivicFan]

me: Bombay Sapphire, Schwepps tonic water and lime.

 

[benjamming]

How is there any real difference in brands of gin?

 

[CivicFan]

There is a big difference. Each brand has its own mix of spices and herbs for making the gin. If you can have differences in between vodka brands (a supposedly pure drink), gin surely can have differences.

BTW, we have bottles of Beefeater and Tanquerey and we just can't drink them. To us, they are not as pleasant as Bombay Sapphire.

 

[bepperb]

Moreso than any other liquor Gin varies in taste between brands.

Whiskey and Vodka seem to be more one dimensional (clean taste vs cheap), whereas Gin is all over the place. IMO.

 

[benjamming]

Interesting. Maybe it was vodka that I was thinking more about no differences between brands.

 

[greenaccord02]

I don't even like gin, but I can tell one from another. They all taste bad, but they're all a different flavor of bad. There are very distinct differences between different brands of Vodkas, Gins, and Whiskeys. Vodka is perhaps the most one dimensional, but to illustrate differences, mix up two screwdrivers, one using Grey Goose and one using McCormick's and see which one you prefer.

 

[ryland]

Originally Posted By: greenaccord02
I don't even like gin, but I can tell one from another. They all taste bad, but they're all a different flavor of bad. There are very distinct differences between different brands of Vodkas, Gins, and Whiskeys. Vodka is perhaps the most one dimensional, but to illustrate differences, mix up two screwdrivers, one using Grey Goose and one using McCormick's and see which one you prefer.


BOOO!!! I say if you dont like gin than you have no palate! Gin has a very complex flavor that some people cant detect or appriciate and I dont trust anyones opinion on food or drink if they dont like gin. I mean my god man between 7-12 botanicals whats not to like? Even if you dont like juniper there are many that have a more subdude juniper flavor. Hendricks taste like cucumber and roses. The thing that I think is really cool about Bombay Saphire which I think will be the next bottle I pick up is that it dosent physicaly touch the botanicals. Most gin they boil the botanicals in the alchohol and distill again but with bombay saphire the botanicals are seperate from the alchohol in baskets with holes in them. The alchohol vapors are the only thing that actually come in contact with the botanicals which is very cool that all the flavor can be transfered by vapors.

 

[greenaccord02]

Well, you may be right - I've got about 3/4 of a 5th of Seagrams Distiller's Reserve left and I have no idea how I'm getting rid of that but when I do, I plan on getting some Bombay Sapphire and giving it a shot.

EDIT: I take it back - I'm going to mix me up a gin and juice right now.

 

[nthach]

I like Hendrick's(no, not that Hendrick involved with NASCAR and Hondas) or Bombay Sapphire myself...

 

[moribundman]

Gin is what old British ladies drink.

 

[greenaccord02]

Originally Posted By: moribundman
Gin is what old British ladies drink.


Thank you, finally somebody agrees with me.

 

[sprintman]

Huge differences in vodka. Gin I guess would be si,ilar. G&T isn't bad imo.