If you’re anything like us, the extra time in quarantine has allowed us to flex our sensory muscles in our own homes. For neuroscientist and trained spectrum method taster Ellen Thomas this means a closer look at her gin collection. Read on to learn a bit more about 5 gins she had at home. Just in time for Gin and Tonic weather!
Many of us know Dogfish Head for their beers. I recently learned they make several spirits too – including three gins. Their Compelling Gin, in aroma, is citrus-y (orange peel?), alcohol, and slight cardamom. In flavor, it packs a massive cardamom punch – more so than I’ve ever tasted in any other gins. I maybe get slight cinnamon underneath but cardamom dominates. I want to try making a Chai Tea Fizz with this!
As its name suggests, this gin is the most citrusy of the five. In aroma I get lime and orange – a lot of expressed notes, even some raw and distilled too. In flavor it is also very citrus-forward – sweet, distilled notes of lime and orange. There is slight piney in the background and maybe slight licorice.
In aroma, I get a lot of sweet aromatics from this gin – almost distinctly vanillin or caramelized which is surprising. I smell citrus and a sweet berry note as well. In flavor, this is the most sweet-aromatic-flavored out of the five gins. It has sweet floral notes, jammy berry notes, and a little citrus.
I think regular Hendrick’s is known for its floral, even rose-y character. Hendrick’s Orbium stays true to that floral identity. In aroma, I mainly just get a piney/juniper note and sweet aromatics. Tasting it, its very floral, quite sweet, and I get a little citrus.
This is an interesting one – the aroma is not as high-intensity as some of the other gins, but the character is herbaceous, particularly lavender. It is not as high in sweet aromatics in the aroma as some of the other gins. In flavor, this gin has one of the lowest alcohol burn for me. It has anise, floral (lavender) notes, and I was even debating mint. I need to find some Crème de Violette and make an Aviation with this!
Cheers!