Pub Snippets..

THE NEW GIN GAME

Classic cocktails have made a comeback, and so has gin. Here's what's shaking.

Bon Appetit - July 1999

By Anthony Dias Blue

THE ENGLISH WORD GIN comes from the Dutch word for juniper: genever In the seventeenth century, Dutch physician Franciscus Sylvius of the University of Leiden in the
Netherlands first prescribed distilled spirits infused with juniper oil for stomach and kidney disorders. British soldiers soon brought this tasty "Dutch courage" home with them. Penny-cheap, gin became the favorite drink of the English working classes. Abuse was so rampant that social reformers denounced "gin madness" as the root of all evil.

The invention of the Martini–claimed by both San Francisco (in the 1860s) and New York (m 1910)–gave gin a new raison d'etre. Then, in post-Prohibition Hollywood, the mixing of Martinis on-screen brought gin a new aura of glamour. When it comes to that classic cocktail, dry is the name of the game. Novelist Herman Wouk said that the Martini should be "just a cold cloud," with only a hint of vermouth to soften the gin.

The clear spirit was also the fuel behind such archetypical libations as theSingapore Sling, the gimlet and the Tom Collins. During the fifties and sixties, these cocktails served as stress relievers in "Leave It to Beaver" suburbia. Then, as health conscious executives swilled Perrier with the midday meal and social drinkers sipped Chardonnay and Cabernet before and during dinner, mixed drinks went the way of hair oil, car fins and, yes, the three-Martini lunch. Gin suffered accordingly.

But the Martini has had a nineties renaissance, bringing gin back from the dead. Industry statistics indicate that sales of this idiosyncratic alcohol are skyrocketing. Consumers are rediscovering older quality brands, and producers are crafting exciting premium bottlings to meet the sophisticated tastes of a new "gineration."

Established brands like Beefeater, Boodles, Seagram's, Smirnoff, Gilbey's and Tanqueray are more in demand than ever, but as Curtis Post, owner of The Occidental Grill, San Francisco's major Martini mecca, observes, "Our patrons are seeking out more distinctive gins." He cites the new premium Junipero ($30), produced in San Francisco, as a top call for its pungent juniper and spice. Equally enticing are Cascade Mountain ($20), a refreshing new small-batch 95-proof gin made in Oregon from wild juniper berries and other aromatics, and its sibling, Desert Juniper ($24), which is similar in taste but lower in alcohol and smoother. These three brands are paving the way for domestic gins in a market that has long been dominated by English imports.

But there are those who will not stray from the British standbys. Les Huhn, bar manager at Manhattan's busy Grill Room, reports that his conservative Wall Street customers prefer Martinis made from such London dry gins as Bombay Sapphire ($17). The recipe for Sapphire dates back to 1761 and consists of ten botanicals. The crisp and elegant flavor is a perfect example of the singular London dry style. It recalls the days of the British Empire when the English living m India and other hot colonial outposts kept their cool by downing gin and tonics. For another taste, there's Plymouth Gin ($23). It possesses the typical flavorful character of gins from Plymouth, England, which were favorites of the Royal Navy. Soft water keeps it smooth, while the slightly lower alcohol content helps emphasize its striking botanical profile.

In a British class all its own is the exotic new premium Tanqueray Malacca Gin ($18). Malacca's enticing nose and tantalizing citrus and spice flavor are a revelation for any gin lover.

Dutch gins are fuller and maltier than their British counterparts. Leyden Dry Gin ($19), named after the spirit's birthplace (but spelled in Old Dutch), is setting the pace for premiums from the Netherlands with its distinctive taste and smooth finish. Bokma Geneever ($26 per liter) is a classic Dutch gin, which means it's heavy on the juniper. The folks in Holland drink it neat.

France's first gin distillery, registered in 1771 in Dunkirk, made a delicious gin. When present-day spirits manufacturers Gabriel Andreu investigated the now-defunct distillery, they found the recipe and decided to re-create it at their plant in Cognac. The result is racy Citadelle Gin ($22), fashioned from 19 flavorings, with a fresh nose and a sophisticated finish.

The Rolls-Royce of gins just might be Cadenhead's Old Raj Dry Gin ($58), made
in Scotland and infused with a palette of botanicals that includes saffron, which gives the drink a golden hue. This gin is as dry as British wit: The label suggests serving Old Raj straight up when observing an approaching tiger–omitting the tonic for the sake of expediency.

No matter how you drink gin, now's the time to drink it.