Favorite Martini Gin [Archive]

castlecraver

10-17-2006, 05:46 PM

I'll admit it... I'm a martini junkie. But I'm in a rut. I've played around with the standard crap... Bombay, Gordon's, Beefeater, Tanq, and the Vermouths they stock by the wine shelf in the grocery store for years now. I stuck on Sapphire for awhile, now I'm ready to move on... anyone know of any "must try," lesser-known Gin I can try?

Shane

10-17-2006, 05:57 PM

Martin Miller's Westbourne Strength Gin.

Shane

zachster

10-17-2006, 08:33 PM

Have you tried Boodles?

Mama Bear

10-17-2006, 09:04 PM

Um... Belvidere Gray Goose......

ouch

10-17-2006, 09:21 PM

Plymouth? Hendricks? Citadelle?

TimmyBoston

10-17-2006, 09:44 PM

Um... Belvidere Gray Goose......

Somebody's been drinking :001_tt2:

TimmyBoston

10-17-2006, 09:45 PM

Plymouth for something different.

Tanq Ten for something excellent but a little more mundane.

Mama Bear

10-17-2006, 09:53 PM

Somebody's been drinking :001_tt2:

No way! This has Nothing to do with a life deprived of love and companionship... It has nothing to do what so ever with JoAnna... or the lack thereof....of Dom....

I am dancing on tables tonight... for Jo's parking space... my little kittens who were so totally unexpected.... and for the fact that I can still spell and the new house of course....

No, Dom has any part of this conversation.... as long as I can still spell the word conversation... lol

In the meanwhile, I would like to add that the WWE wrestlers are all dancing on my coffee table naked tonight.......... :001_tt2:

Um, yeah OK... going to bed now.

I have packages to ship tomorrow..

rikrdo

10-17-2006, 10:28 PM

Bombay Sapphire

joel

10-17-2006, 10:43 PM

I am a fan of Hendricks.

mullenpf61

10-17-2006, 10:44 PM

Zuidam. Dutch. Not mundane, storng vanilla notes

mullenpf61

10-17-2006, 10:45 PM

shoul be "strong" vanilla notes

mullenpf61

10-17-2006, 10:46 PM

and "should" not "Shoul"
going to bed now

TimmyBoston

10-18-2006, 04:20 AM

This is what happens when you have too much gin.

BlackLabelBrewer

10-18-2006, 09:33 AM

I always go back to Tanq or Beefeater. Gin has such a bold and distinctive flavor that I just find the brand with my particular flavor balance and stick with it. It's a Coke or Pepsi thing with me.

Dennis

10-18-2006, 09:39 AM

Got sick on gin once - felt like I was throwing up a Christmas tree. Haven't had it since. :thumbdown

castlecraver

10-18-2006, 09:50 AM

Thanks for the suggestions! I forgot about Hendricks... one I haven't tried. May pick that one up when I finish off this bottle of Tanq. :biggrin:

jduffy

10-18-2006, 09:55 AM

I'll have a Gibson please. :biggrin:

Who is picking up this round?

Tribe

10-18-2006, 08:04 PM

BlackLabelBrewer

10-19-2006, 08:49 AM

Perhaps Venture to the Darkside of Martinis ... VODKA ... A good Russian Vodka makes an excellent Martini ... Try Putinka if possible ... or the standard vodkas; Moskovskaya Osobaya, Stolichnaya and/or Imperia ...

Svedka (http://www.bevmo.com/productinfo.asp?sku=00000032209&Dn=166+168&Nr=Store%3A99&Ntt=svedka&N=168+0&Nty=1&D=svedka&Ntx=mode+matchallpartial&Ntk=All)'s my vote on vodka. Rated comparable to Grey Goose, but at half the price.

castlecraver

10-19-2006, 09:03 AM

Svedka (http://www.bevmo.com/productinfo.asp?sku=00000032209&Dn=166+168&Nr=Store%3A99&Ntt=svedka&N=168+0&Nty=1&D=svedka&Ntx=mode+matchallpartial&Ntk=All)'s my vote on vodka. Rated comparable to Grey Goose, but at half the price.

I like Svekta quite a bit, and have a small hoard of Russian Standard brought back from Moscow for me by a friend, in addition to my usual Stoli. I just can't drink Vodka in a martini though... its a major hang-up that I have. Only Gin.

doctorsimon

10-19-2006, 09:26 AM

It was published in the newspapers over here recently how the Queen Mum liked her martini to be mixed...

The gin would be poured into the glass, then vermouth poured into the bottle top held over the gin. The vermouth was to be waved over the gin and then discarded. She said that the gin should take the slightest essence of vermouth and no more. I think she liked a neat gin.

I thought that she preferred Tanq, but a good friend told me that he thought she drank Gordons.

Plymouth is a nice gin though.

Most imortantly, cheers!

castlecraver

10-19-2006, 10:12 AM

ratcheer

10-19-2006, 07:17 PM

I like Bombay Sapphire if I want a sweeter martini and regular Beefeater if I want it drier. I usually have a slight preference for the Beefeater.

I also like a normal amount of vermouth (6:1 to 4:1 ratio) and a couple of pimiento-stuffed olives.

Tim

reeffanatic

10-19-2006, 07:49 PM

You could also try Magellan Gin. Only gin that I have ever served that was blue. I happen to like Beefeater so the Magellan tastes a little weak to me, but not a bad gin for the price.

pellicle

10-19-2006, 08:32 PM

anyone know of any "must try," lesser-known Gin I can try?

Junipero (http://www.anchorbrewing.com/about_us/junipero.htm).

doctorsimon

10-20-2006, 01:48 AM

I splash in some Vermouth over the ice, shake quickly, and empty before putting in the gin. Same effect... just lightly coats the ice with Vermouth. :biggrin1:

I'm not a big martini drinker but...

1. Shaking. Who are you, James Bond? I thought shaking diluted the drink more, which is *BAD*.
2. Maybe I wasn't clear, the vermouth never touched the drink it was only held over it briefly. Maybe a stray fume slipped out and dived in. Maybe not.

ouch

10-20-2006, 04:17 AM

My friend likes his very dry. He says there's a liquor store that sells vermouth about a mile from his house, and that's close enough.

castlecraver

10-20-2006, 07:26 AM

I'm not a big martini drinker but...

1. Shaking. Who are you, James Bond? I thought shaking diluted the drink more, which is *BAD*.
2. Maybe I wasn't clear, the vermouth never touched the drink it was only held over it briefly. Maybe a stray fume slipped out and dived in. Maybe not.

1. Hell no. I drink Gin martinis, never vodka. And I'm not talking about shaking until my arms get tired, I'm talking more like just inverting the shaker a couple times. Shaking makes the drink colder, which I happen to prefer.
2. You were perfectly clear. If you like neat gin, that'd be awesome. Again, not for me. I like just a little more than the ghost of vermouth, but much less than the typical 4:1-6:1 ratio you'll see in most martini "recipes."

ratcheer

10-20-2006, 01:04 PM

I like Svekta quite a bit, and have a small hoard of Russian Standard brought back from Moscow for me by a friend, in addition to my usual Stoli. I just can't drink Vodka in a martini though... its a major hang-up that I have. Only Gin.

Rightly so.

Tim

michaelskar

02-01-2007, 11:15 AM

I personally really like Boodles gin. I did a little comparison with tanq, bobmbay saphire, and boodles and I preferred boodles over all 3...which surprised me as I've always heard sapphire was the best. I will have to try hendricks next.

SteveS

02-02-2007, 08:22 AM

If you like your gin big and brawny, I'll bet you'd like Old Raj. It's my favorite gin.

Ben

02-02-2007, 10:34 AM

Thanks for the suggestions! I forgot about Hendricks... one I haven't tried. May pick that one up when I finish off this bottle of Tanq. :biggrin:

Hendrick's is likely my favorite gin. Great stuff.

tm3

02-02-2007, 06:38 PM

80 proof tanq mixed 8:1 ratio with vermouth, shaken, olives not lemon rind

Mottern Man

02-02-2007, 07:07 PM

Beefeater! Forget the Vermoth and make mine extra dirty! :biggrin:

galpman

02-02-2007, 07:20 PM

Plymouth or Bombay-The Best (Xtra Dirty) with Onion

El Bigote Magnifico

02-05-2007, 08:54 AM

Junipero (http://www.anchorbrewing.com/about_us/junipero.htm).

+1, my wife and I say this is the BEST!!!
Hendrick's is a close second.

However, She drinks her Gin with Ginger Ale, and I like it over ice. I would go with Junipero for the martini, just get/make it extra extra dry.

Bob Dobbs

02-05-2007, 11:19 AM

I love martinis and have been making them for years. I always seem to come back to Tanqueray.

stefano

02-05-2007, 11:31 AM

I don't know how widely available it is outside the San Francisco Bay Area, but my favorite is Junipero Gin, made by the same guys that make Anchor Steam Beer. They started making small batches gin and rye whisky a few years ago. To me, the Junipero has a unique peppery taste that I love, straight or in a martini.

--Steven

_JP_

02-05-2007, 11:52 AM

I was practically weaned on Gilbey's, the gin in those frosted square glass bottles. It was the only gin that my parents used. My brother and I used to like to steal the olives out of their martinis.

Phil

02-05-2007, 12:13 PM

Have any of you guys over the pond tried Plymouth Navy Strength Gin? It is 100 degrees (english) Proof which is 57%:thumbup: Which is apparently the strength that the Royal Navy insisted upon because at strength it could be poured onto gunpowder and it would still ignite. I learnt all about Plymouth Gin whilst visiting the city a couple of years ago and took the distillery tour which was very educational. They also have a website which can be found at plymouthgin.com.
Navy Strength Gin is now my favourite gin:biggrin:
Phil

ratcheer

02-05-2007, 02:37 PM

I was practically weaned on Gilbey's, the gin in those frosted square glass bottles. It was the only gin that my parents used. My brother and I used to like to steal the olives out of their martinis.

The olive at the end is my favorite part! :thumbup:

Tim

Ken from Denver

02-05-2007, 08:56 PM

Love my Boodles martini's................but keep in mind, the martini was invented so that men would have a civilized way of drinking gin straight up.

Lynchmeister

02-06-2007, 03:26 PM

I know I've posted this before, but it might be worth mentioning again. For something a little different, try a Hendrick's Gin & Tonic with a slice or spear of fresh cucumber. Very tasty!

Bricktop

02-06-2007, 05:06 PM

I am not a big fan of the over-dry martini. 3:1 is my preferred ratio. And a dash of orange bitters is de rigeur.
Of course with this ratio, the vermouth is as important as the gin. Vya or Noilly Prat.
The gin of choice right now is Junipeiro. However today, I bought a bottle of Bluecoat.
I just had a sip, and it's on the citrusy end of the scale. Very pleasant.

TimmyBoston

05-24-2007, 03:53 AM

I've been drinking Boodles Gin Martini's lately. I've had them neat and with vermouth, I like mine with vermouth, not a heavy ratio, but I like the vermouth added. I've also had some with Plymouth that has been tasty as well.

The Plymouth Navy Strength is good, but IMO it's too strong for a martini, keep it with a G&T.

dawgball

05-24-2007, 06:09 PM

Gordon's. Tasty and cheap. A winning combination. Enjoy!

_JP_

05-24-2007, 08:01 PM

The olive at the end is my favorite part! :thumbup:

Tim

I still think that someone could make money marketing martini soaked olives.

boboakalfb

05-25-2007, 11:35 AM

I still think that someone could make money marketing martini soaked olives.

I agree...I have thought of buying the vermouth soaked ones...draining the vermouth and filling the jar up with Gin. Let them marinate for a while and enjoy. I guess I could just buy the regular ones and do the same...

Phog Allen

08-03-2008, 09:03 PM

Alright. With Timmy giving the Boodles top billing for the month, I thought I would resuscitate this thread. While we are finally seeing the summer sun start its waning toward fall, it is still bloody well hot here. 100F + the last few days. Heck, we were hotter than Phoenix today. Yuck.

Anyroad, I made up a few gin Rickey's and G&T today and rediscovered that this is really my go to drink for most of the year. I love my ales. Big and fruity with lots of malt character and all that. But when the occasion calls for a truly refreshing summer drink, not much beats the libations made with gin. That I have started using fresh squeezed lime juice has probably had more influence than anything else. It just makes the melange of gin and tonic or club soda come together in real harmony. My big issue is that I just don't know gin brands and styles that well. I mean, they are all neutral grain spirit and get their flavours from the adjuncts that are added. Is this correct? Could someone offer up an opinion and maybe a short list of the best brands and what they perceive as the character of each. Maybe a list that includes the Bombay's, Gordons, Tangeuray, Boodles, Beefeater, and maybe one or two others. Mostly just stuff like "this one is citrus predominant" or something like that. How about it fellas. Help educate a fellow B&B'er. The only gin I have bought so far is Bombay Sapphire.

Regards, Todd

BTW, I grabbed this old martini thread to try and kill two birds with one stone. Hope it works.

Aevum

08-03-2008, 11:16 PM

btw, anyone else here who think people who ask for blue cheese insted of onion or olives in their martini have serious mental issues ?

TimmyBoston

08-04-2008, 03:04 AM

btw, anyone else here who think people who ask for blue cheese insted of onion or olives in their martini have serious mental issues ?

Nope, I love mine with bleu cheese stuff olives.

sullivanpm

08-04-2008, 07:22 AM

1. Hell no. I drink Gin martinis, never vodka. And I'm not talking about shaking until my arms get tired, I'm talking more like just inverting the shaker a couple times. Shaking makes the drink colder, which I happen to prefer.
2. You were perfectly clear. If you like neat gin, that'd be awesome. Again, not for me. I like just a little more than the ghost of vermouth, but much less than the typical 4:1-6:1 ratio you'll see in most martini "recipes."
I drink Gordon's (What can I say I am cheap)
Usually 8:1 ration the 1 being a cap full of Vermouth.:biggrin:

JackinNC

08-04-2008, 08:54 AM

I am a fan of Hendricks.

+1000000

Make it *very* dry, like this...

3 fingers of Hendricks, shaken.
Gaze into the glass thoughtfully and whisper "vermouth."
Enjoy Martini.

Jack

langod

08-04-2008, 10:10 AM

Made very dirty, shaken and "up"
Gin: Tanqueray 10
Vermouth 1/6 ratio: Lillet Blanc -- I tried it trying to make James Bond's "Vesper" (which are very good, btw.) Now I like Lillet better than standard vermouth.

And for GOD'S SAKE, never put in TWO olives! Olives should be odd numbers! 1 or 3, never TWO! (It amazes me how many bartenders don't know this small bit of Martini tradition.)

And you people who just wave the vermouth bottle around on top of the Martini glass -- sorry, you're not making a Martini, you're making a glass of Gin. (not that there's anything wrong with that.)

MTgrayling

08-04-2008, 11:20 AM

I love martinis and have been making them for years. I always seem to come back to Tanqueray.

Same here. If I could only have one gin it would be Tanqueray. Thankfully that is not the case and I do like a bit of variety now and then.

Hendricks with a Cucumber is a wonderful seasonal Martini for me, screams summer and fresh Cukes minutes from the garden. :cool:

Beefeater is more of a winter Martini and its spicy profile pairs wonderfully with Jalapeno stuffed olives.

Plymouth makes light and tasty Martini's that would be my second choice desert island gin.