Gin Lovers Unite!

[lindylady]

I've recently started drinking gin, so the only brand I knew to buy was Tanqueray. I bought their new gin concoction, Rangpur, with the lime flavoring. I like it in my favorite cocktails. Is this a decent gin? Purists, forgive me if I don't drink it straight. I'm unaccustomed to the strong flavor of gin.

 

[ShortClara]

I've never even had a vodka martini... my drink of choice...

Bombay Sapphire martini
Very dry
Very dirty
2-3 olives

I just want the vermouth bottle waved over the glass to say hello

My mother got me this tiny little spray bottle for vermouth - the tiniest of spritzes only and that's it! Mmmmmmmm

 

[K.D. Lightner]

Wow, I've got some new gins to try out.

Do they sell Old Raj in the U.S. Does anyone know?

Lindylady: Also, did not know that Tanqueray makes a gin with lime in it. Let us know how it tastes. If you like it, I will have to give it a try. I've only had extra-dry Seagrams with lime.

karol

 

[ClayBob]

Bombay Sapphire Straight Up Martini w/two olives, lemon, and once in a while (if i haven't eaten) a cocktail onion. :essen:

 

[Smithy]

Do they sell Old Raj in the U.S. Does anyone know?

I'm sure someone must import it. I'll warn you it's not particularly cheap but honestly, I wouldn't buy another type of gin now, to me it's that good.

Just the thing for a burra peg!

 

[K.D. Lightner]

I'd like to find it (Old Raj), price won't bother me unless it is $40 or more. I am always willing to try a new gin (or whiskey).

Question: has anyone here ever had a martini with caperberries in it? I took a class on martini making in San Diego at Tupelo's some years ago and the head bartender there, who taught the class, turned us on to caperberries, as well as olives and onion.

A caperberry is a hybrid cross between an olive and a caper. I like them in my martinis when I can find them.

Shane, the bartender there used, exclusively, Vodka -- some interesting brands, although I am not a fan of vodka. He did make me a special vodka/gin mix which wasn't bad at all. I think he used Skye vodka.

And I have to concede that, although I may be disdainful of the many sweet tasting martinis out there (apple, lemon, etc.), I was quite fond of the chocolate martini. Not sure it is really a martini, either, but boy was it some wild dessert!

karol

 

[olive bleu]

My love affair with Gin began when I had my very first martini. It was made with Bombay Sapphire, and it was perfect-very dry,3 olives and very cold.

Gin has been my spirit of choice ever since. If I don't want to go through the trouble of making a martini, and cannot persuade anyone to make it for me, I will just drink it on the rocks.no lemon.no tonic.

 

[SWTroopers]

I had a thought gang, why not have a gin drink for all of us together at the QM? We can all think of a gin cocktail that we like and order it on the QM. I hope they have more than just well gin. That would be a greek tragedy.

FG.

My vote is for an Aviation. Or maybe a Gimlet.

Folks, you can find Old Raj here:
http://www.chelseawinevault.com/pro...229&products_id=13063&osCsid=2f7bf86084f571e9

Price $48 a bottle. A little high, but within the realm of attainability. I'll try it soon, but for now with stick with Magellan!

Marc

 

[4drymartinis]

College Style

Beefeater and Dry Bombay: My favorite.
Bombay Saphire: What I get if the bartender doesnt stock the first two.
No. 209: Liquor store guy said I'd love it, I didn't care for it.
Boodles: Considering all the hype, I found the taste to be a little muddled.
Tanqueray: The standard in this town, but I find it a bit too citrusy for my taste(s)
New Amsterdam: Bleech!

 

[olive bleu]

Gin is my drink of choice, although I admit to not having tried a lot of different kinds. About 8 years ago, I had Gin for the first time(Bombay Sapphire) and was instantly smitten. It was in a perfect( to my mind), beautiful ,dry martini. If I am feeling festive I will make myself one , or try to coerce someone into making it for me. Generally though, I just drink it on the rocks.

 

[zaika]

Give me a reaper and a gang of gin.
Play me cause I'm in my sin.
Blame me cause I'm full of gin.



for me, i'm happy with good old bombay sapphire and tonic on the rocks with a twist of lime and a sprig of mint. it really quenches my thirst during the summer.

 

[Mike in Seattle]

My drink of choice these days is a Bombay Sapphire, lime, ice and diet tonic water. Tanqueray will also do nicely.
After an ill-advised bout with a bottle of gin as a youth (I lost the battle...) I steered clear of the stuff for years, but dared to try it again recently and fell in love with it.

You might like Tanqueray Ranchipur - very strong lime flavor to it. I had some at friends and didn't like it in a martini at all, but others thought it would be great during the summer with tonic & ice.

 

[Shaul-Ike Cohen]

Old Raj - tried it meanwhile, and I really like it.

Bombay non-Sapphire - does anyone happen to know where on earth (rather literally, I'm afraid) one can get it?

Plymouth Navy Strength - to my mild elation, it seems they've relaunched it, even though in a less charming bottle, like with the "Original Strength" variety some time before.

(Now proceeding to mix a Naval, of Plymouth Original and Cinzano Rosso. They were out of kosher dry vermouth, and I need what I have for when my in-laws will come and see us next Sunday, so I thought I'd give the sweeter variety a chance after all.)

 

[carebear]

I got turned onto the Tanqueray Rangpur (the lime infused) in June, I currently am the only one drinking it at my bar. I have to have gone through at least a couple cases by now.

 

[K.D. Lightner]

Have any of you tried the Seagram's Extra Dry that has lime added to it? You can't find it everywhere, it is my favorite, though I also like others, such as Boodles.

I will have to try the lime infused Tanqueray. Hope I can find it here. Is it extra dry?

karol

 

[scotrace]

Thanks to this thread, I have a Bombay (regular) martini in front of me. Wonderful!

(Shaul = my local likka sto has it right next to the sapphire stuff)

 

[LocktownDog]

For some reason, my martinis lately have had jalapeno stuffed olives in them. I don't know how that started, but I am really enjoying it.

Richard

 

[olive bleu]

Gin is my drink of choice, although I admit to not having tried a lot of different kinds. About 8 years ago, I had Gin for the first time(Bombay Sapphire) and was instantly smitten. It was in a perfect( to my mind), beautiful ,dry martini. If I am feeling festive I will make myself one , or try to coerce someone into making it for me. Generally though, I just drink it on the rocks.

Wha??
Just realized i said the exact same thing in this very thread,exactly 3 months ago.
Either I have had one too many, or I need another round.

 

[EvenOdd]

I know what makes it a dry martini, but what makes it a dry gin?

I'm more of a beer person, but if I'm drinking liquor, it's usually a whisky. When I aim for a cocktail, I like a dirty martini not too dry. I like 3 part gin, 1 part vermouth, little water if the ice doesn't melt enough. Throw in two olives and a little olive brine.

I've only had Bombay Sapphire. I aim to expand my selection a bit now.

 

[Shaul-Ike Cohen]

I know what makes it a dry martini […] I like a dirty martini not too dry.

I don't want to be patronising, particularly as your taste in martinis is very good (read: close to mine ), but there are two meanings of dry martini.

The original meaning is a martini made with dry vermouth, as opposed to sweet vermouth. The ratio of vermouth and gin doesn't have anything to do with it, in fact much more vermouth was usually added than today.

Nowadays, dry is used to indicate a higher level of alcohol, that is more gin. Or typically v*dka, I suppose. Free country and all that. And the more alcohol, the more of a man you are, so "dry" martinis with v*dka from the freezer to avoid the diluting ice, and with a stupid Churchillean hint of vermouth from the duster seem to be considered hip. The giant olives in the giant glasses are mainly there to keep the indispensible umbrellas. But I digress.

The other common misunderstanding (historically, that is - language changes!) is the one about the Perfect Martini. Whatever the perfect martini is for me, a Perfect, or Perfect Martini is one that has the same amount of dry and sweet martini (plus the gin and often a dash of Angostura).