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by **Zosherooney** » February 12th, 2015, 7:52 am

I do enjoy a gin and tonic. Used to wonder what others saw in them but my tastebuds have changed over the years. A friend recently introduced me to Bombay Sapphire (40 proof). It is lurverley ! Quite an oily spirit, with loads of flavour, much more so than common gin, so much so that I cannot add tonic to BS gin. It has to be drunk neat and in small amounts. Mr Z found a great deal at Muscat airport.......a 2 bottle carton of the stuff (47 proof !!! litre bottles) for £30.

Long may it last !!!! :cocktail:

by **suffolk** » February 12th, 2015, 8:51 am

I do enjoy Bombay Sapphire - but I like to drink it with good tonic - have you tried the Fevertree tonic?

by **smitch** » February 12th, 2015, 9:05 am

I love gin, but I'm really not a fan of Bombay Sapphire. I find it a bit lacking in flavour. My 'everyday' gin is either Aldi's own brand or Greenalls (from Tesco or Sainsburys). I love Hendricks and recently had Bathtub gin in a bar in Manchester. That was lovely, really aromatic. I've also got a Heston from Waitrose Earl Grey gin. It seems to have mixed reviews, but I really like it. Has to be good tonic though, either Fevertree (I like the elderflower one with Hendricks) or Fentimans. I hate the Britvic tonic you often get in pubs. Far too sweet and overpowers the gin.

by **earthmaiden** » February 12th, 2015, 9:12 am

I like Greenhalls too, so many people rave about Bombay Sapphire though. Gin is surprisingly good with bitter lemon as a change from tonic - but I think I prefer good tonic. I only add a bit unless it is lunchtime or something. I hate it when barmen add the tonic and drown the gin.

by **StokeySue** » February 12th, 2015, 9:50 am

I like Bpmbay Spphire but not enough to pay a premium price for it

Greenall's is good, and they manufacture nearly all those supermarket gins in nice square bottles - the house gin is usually Sainsbury's Blackfriars, a good all rounder, they sometimes brought down to £13 a bottle, bargain

The cheapest drinkable gin is Aldi's Oliver Cromeell, not bad at all, recommended, and they do a premium version called 1599 in 500 ml bottles, only available on special offer, not all the time, it's up there with Tanqueray 10 in my estimation

I think Tanqueray 10 is my favourite, but too expensive unless for a treat when passing through Duty free

Can any one recommend a dry tonic? They are all way too sweet , including Fevertree

I emailed Fevertree suggesting there was a market for an extra dry tonic (Mr Werner who makes Harrington gin agrees; his gin is nice but too much ginger for my taste) and they didn't bother to reply (presumably didn't bother to read it), just stuck me on their junk mail list, which I found so rude I'm tempted to boycott the beggars.

Lemon flavoured tonic is just :sprout:

by **EmWilk** » February 12th, 2015, 9:52 am

For years, I thought I didn't like gin. Turns out, I don't like tonic :rolleyes:

I do enjoy the occasional gin now and I do like bombay sapphire but really, I'm a rum bugger at heart :lol:

A new gin bar has opened which is pretty good - it used to be a fairly modern style bar so it's great to see how they've turned it into an old fashioned style bar. Lots of moonshine on the menu...

by **smitch** » February 12th, 2015, 10:48 am

StokeySue wrote:

Can any one recommend a dry tonic? They are all way too sweet , including Fevertree

I emailed Fevertree suggesting there was a market for an extra dry tonic (Mr Werner who makes Harrington gin agrees; his gin is nice but too much ginger for my taste) and they didn't bother to reply (presumably didn't bother to read it), just stuck me on their junk mail list, which I found so rude I'm tempted to boycott the beggars.

Lemon flavoured tonic is just

Have you tried Fentimans?
http://www.fentimans.com/cocktail_mixers

I didn't find that too sweet, but I haven't had it for a while. I've not tried the new herbal tonic they mention on their website. I've bought the normal one (in a pack of 4 small bottles, which is great for me as my OH hates tonic) from Ocado.

by **StokeySue** » February 12th, 2015, 11:28 am

Thanks smitch
I'll try to track some down
I see the pink lemonade all over the place, but I've never seen the mixers anywhere, I'd have bought some to try if I had.

by **hickybank** » February 12th, 2015, 11:28 am

Zosherooney wrote:I do enjoy a gin and tonic. Used to wonder what others saw in them but my tastebuds have changed over the years. A friend recently introduced me to Bombay Sapphire (40 proof). It is lurverley ! Quite an oily spirit, with loads of flavour, much more so than common gin, so much so that I cannot add tonic to BS gin. It has to be drunk neat and in small amounts. Mr Z found a great deal at Muscat airport.......a 2 bottle carton of the stuff (47 proof !!! litre bottles) for £30.

Long may it last !!!!

Not in your household it won't :lol:

by **northbelfastman** » February 12th, 2015, 11:33 am

Tanqueray or Bombay Saphire are the ones for me. I like lots of ice, a slice of frozen lime and Schweppes tonic water. More a summer drink for me. Give me Laphroiag to help get me through the cold winter nights :cocktail:

Chin chin!

by **Zosherooney** » February 12th, 2015, 2:50 pm

It's interesting how everybody has their own likes and dislikes within a small area such as G&T. I must give some of those other tonics a try, I tend to get S'market own brand.

Mr Z likes Tanqueray but is keen on BS gin.

So Hicks, what makes you think the strong stuff doesn't last long in our household ???? Maybe it is the fact that most of the posts on the 'celler' thread are from me !!! :oops:

Smitch, I was introduced to Hendricks and Fevertree, it did slip down the tubes well but bought in a pub was fairly costly, we tend to do most of our imbibing at home these days, for the cost and the driving...

Em, I am a rum buggar as well ! Pussars and anything with a dark demerara flavour is my tipple. We used to buy Stroh when we went sking many years ago, have not had any since then, it went great with coke.

Anyway, thanks for all your imput, will try not to finish the 2nd bottle before the end of the weekend !!!

by **smitch** » February 12th, 2015, 3:50 pm

I tend to mostly drink gin at home, but some of the bars in Manchester do a nice gin and tonic. I recently changed jobs and was given a bottle of Hendricks as part of my leaving present. I've managed not to open it yet, but don't think it will stay that way for long :lol:

by **Zosherooney** » February 12th, 2015, 4:49 pm

So, Smitch, what is your address ?????? :lol:

I have just colapsed the carton the BS gin came in and I notice on the side is the following...

Almonds from Spain
Lemon Peel from Spain
Liquorice from China
Juniper berries from Italy
Orris (iris root from Italy

And I thought it was only juniper berries that flavoured it..... No wonder I like the flavour so much :cocktail:

by **smitch** » February 12th, 2015, 5:22 pm

this was my alcohol cupboard. Doesn't look like this anymore though, sadly!

by **Zosherooney** » February 12th, 2015, 5:52 pm

Mmmmmm ! Looks enticing....

by **StokeySue** » February 12th, 2015, 6:08 pm

Zosh. my understanding is that it has to contain Juniper in order to be gin, but that most gins contain a mixture of botanicals, (plant flavourings)

At well as the ones Bombay Sapphire list coriander (seed) and angelica (stem) are pretty usual, some contain ginger too, and other things

In fact I think it may be the lack of coriander that makes Bombay S. seem underpowered to some folk

I tried Bombay London Gin
Underwhelmed

Just checked

The flavouring ingredients are all natural and are referred to as 'botanicals'. The type and quantity of each producer's botanicals vary according to their own closely guarded recipes; all are carefully selected and tested for purity and quality. All gins include juniper as an ingredient: other botanicals used are coriander, angelica, orange peel, lemon peel, cardamom, cinnamon, grains of paradise, cubeb berries and nutmeg. Typically a fine gin contains six to ten botanicals. Like all gins, London gin should have a predominant juniper flavour.

From here
http://www.ginvodka.org/history/ginProduction.asp

by **Zosherooney** » February 13th, 2015, 9:11 am

Good info Sue, having ditched the box for the 2 bottles, I can now see that printed on the bottle itself in addition to the list on the carton is....

Coriander (seeds) from Morocco
Angelica (root) from Saxony
Grains of Paradise from West Africa
Cubeb berries from Java
Cassia bark from Indo China

Maybe that is the reason I like it so much

by **scullion** » February 13th, 2015, 12:45 pm

maybe you need an outing here.

by **smitch** » February 13th, 2015, 1:36 pm

I've been there! I lived in Plymouth for a short time 6 or 7 years ago. I'd totally forgotten about Plymouth gin though. That's another one I really like :cocktail:

by **StokeySue** » February 13th, 2015, 1:43 pm

smitch wrote:I've been there! I lived in Plymouth for a short time 6 or 7 years ago. I'd totally forgotten about Plymouth gin though. That's another one I really like

I've not been, but I like Plymouth gin, and it is an attractive bottle.

by **WWordsworth** » February 13th, 2015, 1:50 pm

I like Bombay Sapphire or Tanqueray with the Fevertree tonic that has the blue label, lots of ice and a slice or two of lime.

A friend recently served Williams gin, which I hadn't come across before.
I thought it delicious - very aromatic.

by **WWordsworth** » February 13th, 2015, 1:54 pm

I tried Bombay London Gin
Underwhelmed

Me too

by **Zosherooney** » February 13th, 2015, 4:34 pm

Mr Z used to have a selection of whiskys, then he did some trips to Estonia and the baltic countries and ended up with a selection of vodkas, I might have to invest in a selection of gins

by **StokeySue** » February 13th, 2015, 5:00 pm

Tonight at 18.30

the weekend starts with the Now Show & a nice G&T :cocktail:

by **Zosherooney** » February 13th, 2015, 10:27 pm

Hear Hear Sue ! I did have a lump of ice and a warming shot of BS... before supper...

by **spotteddick** » February 14th, 2015, 6:11 am

I (we) used to start our weekends with a nice Large GT, I then started to prefer G and BL on a hot summers evening, but of late we don't seem to be drinking anything. I may well go back to having an 11 O'clock pinkers on a Sunday, that was a relic of the sea days, Sunday was always up to the Oldmans suit for pinkers at 11, if he was a decent Oldman he would always have a few nibbles, you know Bombay mix and the like. Now where did I put the Angosturas?

I am a Sapphire man, used to be a Gordons (export, yellow label), and a Hendriks for special occasions. Tonics, can be a bit strong at times, which is the reason why I changes to Bitter Lemon, Sch...... you know who

Though a pinker is still my favorite.

by **StokeySue** » February 15th, 2015, 11:05 am

Do you put a diluent in your Harry Pinkers Dick?

I used to work in a pub frequented by naval gents

Some took just gin + bitters as a strong drink. some added ice, some added a dash of water, and one gent took just a splash out of his wife's tonic

A lot of variety

by **scullion** » February 15th, 2015, 11:15 am

my dad used to drink gin and milk. i tried it once - definitely not as bad as it sounds - quite smooth.

by **MrsWWoof** » February 15th, 2015, 11:19 am

My favourite but rarely had due to price is Hendricks.

Every day G is Gordons.

Bought a bottle of Tanquerey yesterday to try.

My favoured tonic is Fever-Tree, either Elderflower or plain. I find other tonics a tad too harsh in flavour.

by **Luca** » February 15th, 2015, 11:20 am

My father used to drink pink gin........... and only good gin and a couple of drops of Angostura were allowed. A different elderly relative, when told to stop drinking alcohol switched (occasionally) to Angostura and soda which she said made the transition easier! There were certainly more than a few drops though!

by **StokeySue** » February 15th, 2015, 11:25 am

Luca wrote:My father used to drink pink gin........... and only good gin and a couple of drops of Angostura were allowed. A different elderly relative, when told to stop drinking alcohol switched (occasionally) to Angostura and soda which she said made the transition easier! There were certainly more than a few drops though!

I was taught in the pub to make a pink gin by putting a good shake of Angostura into a Paris goblet, swilling it round to give a pink tinted glass, pouring out an excess, then adding the gin - a bit of a ritual.

Angostura & tonic is a good low alcohol drink (Angostura bitters are alcoholic, in for most cases not enough to matter in the amount used)

by **earthmaiden** » February 15th, 2015, 2:33 pm

In Australia they sell a delicious drink which is displayed on supermarket shelves and sold in cafes along with all the other soft drinks. It is a light fizzy drink with Angostura and fruit flavouring. There can't be much alcohol if it's sold to anyone and it's really refreshing and delicious. I often wonder why we can't get it here, it can't be any worse than shandy.

by **Zosherooney** » February 16th, 2015, 8:40 am

Since going to Tobago, we now have 2 different Angostura bitters, bog std. and an orange one, helluva lot cheaper over there...... Also quite interesting to read the bottle and why the label is overlarge. Wikipedia tells some interesting facts about it as well.

Mr Z is a 'pinkers chap' too......

BrewTube brewing videos · by **cheshire-cheese** » March 24th, 2015, 9:59 pm

It's Hendricks for me, but I'm such a tightarse that I can't bring myself to spend that much on Gin just for me, so I bought it for my wife and drink hers.

by **StokeySue** » March 25th, 2015, 9:21 am

I'm looking forward to going to Menorca in June and getting reacquainted with Xoriguer Mahon gin, which I drank in Mallorca, many years ago

by **earthmaiden** » June 6th, 2015, 5:41 pm

I have just discovered that June 13th is World Gin Day ...

Who's going to celebrate?

https://food.list.co.uk/article/71411-w ... this-june/

.. there are loads of entries if you Google it!

by **hickybank** » June 6th, 2015, 5:51 pm

Today I was judge at the Keniworth show
I had to taste Sloe Gin, Damson Gin in one section, any other liqueur in another, Cider in another & wine.
There was only one wine entered & ws undrinkable so was awarded nothing.
only two ciders, one good the other rubbish.

the liqueur were quite good, so difficult to choose a winner, there were 23 in all to judge, I hope I made the right choice.
Unfortunatly I have a streaming cold so trying to judge bouquet was almost impossible.

But I did enjoy the day & got a free meal thrown in as well

by **suffolk** » June 6th, 2015, 7:12 pm

Apparently there's some sort of gin-based goings on in Norwich to mark this event ..... I shall have to investigate ....

by **StokeySue** » June 7th, 2015, 8:51 am

Went to Stoke Newington Literary Festival event last night with Olivia Williams who wrote "Gin Glorious Gin How Mother's Ruin Became the Spirit of London"

http://www.amazon.co.uk/Gin-Glorious-Mothers-Became-Spirit/dp/1472215338

They gave us a Hendrick & Tonic (with cucumber of course) :tu:

Considering getting the book, as a gin drinker it sounds like good holiday reading

I think I might invest in a bottle of Hendricks it has so much flavour you can actually get away with a bit less alcohol

Checking for the price of Hendricks I found a summary of the gin awards 2013; I still think Tanqueray 10 (must be 10 not the standard one) is the best gin I've ever had, but it is a matter of personal taste
One of the Sunday papers did a gin tasting a few years back, and the interesting thing was all the tasters chose 2 gins, one for martinis and one for G&T; and they chose mostly very different gins for the two drinks.

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2312917/Bottle-gin-Aldi-costing-just-10-beats-rivals-including-Bombay-Sapphire-Hendricks-taste-test.html

by **Zosherooney** » July 8th, 2015, 6:36 pm

Seeing your picture of 3 bottles of gin Sue, I have two empty ones of the one on the LH side, they act as bookends for my few books on cocktails and other stuff about alcohol, quite relevant don't you think ???

by **StokeySue** » July 9th, 2015, 8:01 am

Like the idea of using the Mahon gin as book ends (it's all the sam egin, just prettier bottles)

Quite nice, think I liked it more than my friend did

I got some Bombay Sapphire 47% Export Strength on offer in a duty free at Easter
I really don't like it much - somehow coarse & unbalanced

by **Zosherooney** » November 28th, 2015, 7:53 pm

Treated us to Ophir Gin and Feverfew tonic yesterday - Boy ! what a different drink, it is almost not a G&T but tons better !!!! I could get too used to the wonderful taste....... Frightening :shock:

by **smitch** » November 28th, 2015, 8:55 pm

Zosherooney wrote:Treated us to Ophir Gin and Feverfew tonic yesterday - Boy ! what a different drink, it is almost not a G&T but tons better !!!! I could get too used to the wonderful taste....... Frightening

I've been tempted by that gin. It might just find its way into my next Ocado delivery :lol:

I prefer Fentimans light tonic to Fevertree. I no longer buy standard tonic waters- I'm really fussy about my gin and don't want to ruin it with an inferior mixer!

My latest discovery is Brooklyn Gin. I bought a bottle in New York and it tastes fab. I looked it up online when we got home and it is £60 a bottle here :shock:

think I'll be rationing it!! I'm hoping Santa brings me a bottle of the Manchester gin that has come out recently. Not had chance to try it yet :cocktail:

by **Zosherooney** » November 29th, 2015, 3:26 pm

I have not seen Fentimans tonic on supermarket shelves, only in a pub..... Can highly recommend the Ophir gin and it is on offer in Tescos ATM... £18 I have had to hide it now or it won't last till Ch******s..... !

I have also hidden a bottle of Smokey whiskey from Mr. Z.

by **StokeySue** » November 29th, 2015, 11:15 pm

I haven't tried Ophir gin, must look out for it

I'm not keen on Fentiman's tonic slightly too sweet for me and it's flavoured with the botanicals used in gin, which I thought changed the flavour of the gin too much

Still waiting for an extra dry tonic why are they all so sweet?

I do intend to try East London Gin

by **spotteddick** » November 30th, 2015, 6:00 am

We just do not drink spirits any more :cry:

, since my dear old neighbour passed away, " we had our Friday ritual" but it was either cognac or a nice single malt with old Günther. I am looking forward to visitors in the next few weeks, as I need to shake myself out of this lethargy and get a grip of a good G&T :tu:

by **MrsWWoof** » November 30th, 2015, 6:11 am

It's been a while since I've had a G&T. I guess I'm literally a "fair weather" G&T drinker.

by **earthmaiden** » June 14th, 2016, 8:26 am

Zosh - and others - did you know that the Bombay Sapphire distillery was here and that you could visit? I didn't. http://distillery.bombaysapphire.com/

Wildie day out idea! :lol:

by **StokeySue** » June 14th, 2016, 8:40 am

earthmaiden wrote:Zosh - and others - did you know that the Bombay Sapphire distillery was here and that you could visit? I didn't. http://distillery.bombaysapphire.com/

Wildie day out idea!

Good Lord, that's an area I used to know well, no sign of gin in those days

by **Kacey** » July 21st, 2016, 6:51 pm

Had a bottle of St Georges Terroir gin delivered with my Ocado shop last night. Treated ourselves to a slurp, despite Wednesday being a 'dry' day for us. Wow, it is fabulous!, its a Californian gin with botanicals of Douglas Fir and California Bay Laurel amongst others. It has a definite but subtle piney flavour which we loved. Can't wait to have another taste.

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