The Good Stuff Guide To The Misunderstood World Of Gin: A Very Misunderstood Spirit

*Click on the photo below to view our selection of gin:

Depending on who you ask, gin could either be the best or worst spirit known to man. While the same could be said for any form of alcohol, gin seems to be the most polarising liquor in the eyes of the general public – with good reason.

Some people claim that the taste of gin is reminiscent of lighter fluid (with hints of liquorice). Others recall horror stories of blacking out and forgetting the remainder of their night after a couple rounds.

In actuality, gin’s very misunderstood and can make for some pretty amazing drinks and moments when drank the right way.

What’s In Gin?

Gin is a clear spirit made from distilled fermented grain and a variety of botanicals, one of them being juniper which is an essential ingredient when crafting gin. So essential that the word ‘gin’ itself is derived from the Dutch word for juniper – genever.

Despite being heavily associated as a British drink, gin most likely originated from Holland where it was first mentioned in the year 1269 by a Dutch publication that referred to the spirit as a juniper-based medicinal drink.

A Very Stylish Spirit

As is the case for most liquors, gin comes in a large number of variations – each featuring their own distinctive characteristics. Over the years, these variations have evolved so much that the lines of categorising gin have been blurred to a certain extent.

Additionally, different countries have their own methods of categorising gin. If I were to list down every single type of gin ever recorded, you’d close this page in a heartbeat to avoid being haunted by visions of different gin styles due to the sheer number of them.

Instead, I’ll list down what might be five of the most famous forms of gin known universally today.

The 5 Gins

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Left to Right (type)

New Western Dry Gin: These gins contain such a low level of juniper to the point where some would question whether spirits that fall under this category even classify as gin. The low level of juniper in these gins allow for the flavour of supporting botanicals to stand out more.

London Dry Gin: Arguably the most famous style of gin. A spirit qualifies as a ‘dry gin‘ when there is no artificial flavouring involved. This means that the flavour found in such gins are mainly naturally obtained from its mix of botanicals.

Cold Compounded Gin: Also known as ‘bathtub gin‘ as a reference to its popularity during the Prohibition era in the United States. Cold compounded gins are usually created by mixing juniper oil with other flavour essences – typically without distillation.

Old Tom Gin: Old Tom is a sweetened and softer style of gin. This form of gin was first created as a way to mask gin’s rough taste by adding flavours such as lemon and aniseed or sweeteners like liquorice and eventually sugar sometime in the 19th century.

Genever: Genever gins are crafted using a malted grain base and consists of two types – jonge (young) and oude (old). Old genevers have a malted grain concentration of anywhere from 15-50%, likening it to whisky, whereas young genevers contain up to 15% at most.

Honorable mention – Navy Strength: Really strong gins with an ABV of at least 57.1%.

How to Drink Gin

Honestly speaking, there is no ‘right’ way for you to enjoy some gin. However, there are some methods which could make your overall drinking experience all the more pleasant. You could try:

• Cocktails: Be creative and play around with your gin. Find the right mix of beverages, syrups and garnishes to make the perfect gin-based cocktail. If you’re not in the mood to experiment, a good Negroni or the classic Martini would definitely hit the spot.
• With Tonic/Soda: Mixing gin and tonic is like putting bread on butter. Somehow it just feels so right. If you’re opting for something a little sweeter, you could try adding some lemon and lime-flavoured sodas to your gin.
• Neat: This goes without saying but is generally avoided due to the bad publicity surrounding gin. These days, many gins are crafted to feature certain flavours making it more accessible when drinking neat.

What Bottle of Gin Should You Get?

While you could settle for a bottle of Hendrick’s or Sipsmith London Dry Gin, The Good Stuff is proud to announce that we are finally selling the one-of-a-kind Monkey 47 Dry Gin and its Sloe Gin version on our virtual store!

Monkey 47 is a very unique gin hailing from The Black Forest, Germany and gets its name from the 47 different botanicals used to craft it with an ABV of 47% to match.

Aged in Mizunara oak barrels, this gin will leave you absolutely mesmerised with its complex flavour and fragrant aromas.

Follow The Good Stuff on Facebook for our latest updates and keep your eyes peeled for this upcoming release. In the meantime, if you’re craving for some gin…

Get some from The Good Stuff and have it delivered to you today!

Today’s picks:

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