I'll Have a Gin Martini...Stirred, Not Shaken.

My most humble apologies to Ian Fleming, but honestly, that James Bond is one serious Class-A wimpus when it comes to cocktails. Vodka martini, shaken not stirred. Harrumph!

What real man would ever be so insecure in his personal tastes that he'd have to stoop to the lighter, softer feel of a vodka martini when he could be brash and bold enough to enjoy a martini the way a martini was meant to be enjoyed --- and that's made with gin.

Vodka is really no substitute at all when it comes to making a good martini. You need the sharp edged, almost prickly sensation of a good, solid, London dry gin. It's what makes a martini a martini and not one of those little girlie drinks for the lightweights. Gin is just plain more flavorful than vodka, so it makes for a more manly martini.

Opinions can vary as to what gin works best, and to be honest, I've had lots of good martinis made with lots of different gins. Some folks swear by Tanquerey and some folks love the bright juniper bite of a Boodles. These days, folks like paying too much for their liquors, so they opt for over-marketed brands, like the popular Bombay Sapphire. Don't get me wrong, Bombay Sapphire is a good gin, no doubt about it, but for most mixing purposes, Sapphire's less-advertised little brother --- Bombay London Dry Gin --- will perform better, and at a much better price.

Why do I say it will perform better? Well, part of the advertised cachet of Sapphire is it's "smoothness". Translated into real-world terms, it's a bit lighter on the palate with a sweeter sensation and a more complex blend of spices infused into it. Bombay London Dry Gin has a more pronounced juniper emphasis --- and in my opinion, that's a good thing when it comes to gin.

Bombay Sapphire ads say there are 10 herbs and spices infused into their upscale brand. Your average London dry gin uses about half that, but the number of spices isn't really very important (except to advertising guys and people trying to impress on their dates that they know so much more than they really do). It's the same concept with most liquors, and with beers, mulled wines, and even cooking. The critical factors are always how pure the flavor is, how pleasing it is, and how balanced the net effect is. More spices are never a recipe for "goodness" --- except in the hands of someone who could produce an equally masterful product with zero or just one spice. When it comes to gin, it's really only juniper that I want my tongue to lock on to.

Bombay Sapphire is a good gin. But so too is their cheaper London Dry Gin...it just costs less...and tastes a bit different. Not worse. Just different.


Bombay In a Glass...
Mixing is all fine and dandy, but the only way to ever really get to know a spirit is by drinking it neat. So, let's go ahead and pour a shot and see how it expresses itself by itself.

Like all gins, it pours crystal clear without a trace of color or additive. The scent is sharp and crisp like pine needles on a cold winter morning just after a big new snowfall. It's refreshing and it smells like coolness and winter. A sip and a swirl of cool liquor around the mouth only intensifies the impression of crisp coolness. There's some definite resin character coming through, but it's not at all like the sharp prickly sensation I get from gins like Boodles. It's a little bit smoother and more rounded out. There's also a bit of a wood-like character, but like smelling a fresh cut tree, not like the kind of woody character you get in aged spirits --- it's not a smoothness, it's a sharpness, and it enhances the gin's "dry" character.

It's an enjoyable shot, but I still think gin is made for making martinis...


Making a Picture-Perfect Martini...
A martini is just about the easiest drink in the world to make. First, get a nice clean cocktail glass at the ready. Toss a few ice cubes into a tall mixing glass. Pour 2 shots of gin over ice. Splash in some dry vermouth. Stir to chill. Add olive to cocktail glass and pour the drink.

Easy breezy. Of course, there are dozens of variations, but the good ones don't shortchange the gin and they don't use vodka.


A Couple Other Classic Drinks for a Good Gin...
Martinis do serious justice to the flavor of a good gin, but I understand some folks wanting to shy away from their inherent strength. That's why we always keep a few bottles of tonic water handy to mix up a fast Gin & Tonic (just pour over ice and add a twist of lime) ---- ahhh, now that's what I call summertime refreshment!

Gin is a great spirit for just about any kind of citric flavor, and lemon marries to it especially well, although lime is the flavor of choice for several excellent classic gin drinks. Here's a couple faves...

Gimlet
2 shots gin (3 ounces)
short shot Rose's sweetened lime juice (1 ounce)

Pour gin and lime juice over cracked ice in shaker cup. Shake and strain into chilled cocktail glass. Garnish with a sliver of lime.

Gin Rickey
2 short shots gin (2 ounces)
1 short shot fresh squeezed lime juice (1 ounce)

Pour gin and lime juice over ice cubes in highball or tall cocktail glass. Fill with sparkling water. Stir lightly.


Bottom Line...
Every home bar should have some gin on hand, and Bombay London Dry Gin is a great workhorse brand to have around for those occasions when you need to deal with martini emergencies. Give it a try!



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