Gin
is my favorite flavor of vodka. It's true; if you
take away all the botanicals used to make gin, you would end
up with some mighty fine vodka, but removing all those wonderful
flavors would be nothing short of a criminal act. And the
good folks at Four Pillars, just outside of Melbourne, Australia,
have really gone out of their way to incorporate some mighty
fine botanicals in their gins.
Four
Pillars gin comes in two flavors: Rare Dry Gin (41.8% ABV)
and Navy Strength (58.8% ABV). Besides the obvious differences
in alcohol content, there's also a considerable difference
in botanicals. The Rare Dry Gin contains lemon myrtle, Tasmanian
pepper, juniper, cardamom, coriander, star anise, lavender,
cassia and angelica, along with 8 pounds of fresh oranges
that go into the botanical basket for every distillation.
The Navy Strength gin boasts finger limes, fresh ginger, and
turmeric.
Today,
we'll be tasting their award winning Rare Dry Gin. The nose
is flowery and floral and citrusy and light and sweet and
features the juniper and oranges. On the palate, I immediately
get the taste of candied orange peels, juniper, cinnamon,
and muted floral notes, along with just a hint of spiciness.
The finish lasts a medium amount of time leaving that touch
of spice, along with the juniper and oranges and liquorice.
All the botanicals are well combined and quite subtle, without
any one of them overpowering any other. A touch of tonic water
and a cube or two of ice and a touch of orange peel turns
this into one of the better gin and tonics I've had in a long
time. It is both tart and sweet at the same time. I have to
admit I also tried it as a straight up martini, of course,
without that pesky vermouth, and I liked the subtlety of the
flavors and aromas. (By the by if you should happen to ever
buy a bottle of vermouth, it should last you the rest of your
life. It should be utilized so sparingly that you don't even
actually need to open the bottle, just pass it over the intended
drink, recite an ancient Celtic rune, nod your head reverently
and be done with it!!)
Four
Pillars rare dry gin can be found in two flavors
and strengths and prices. The Four Pillars rare dry gin weighs
in at 41.8% ABV or 83.6 proof and costs around $38.00 per
750ML bottle while the Navy Strength gin weighs in at 58.8%
ABV or 118 proof and costs $48.00 per 750ML bottle.
By George Brozowski
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more Rants & Raves click
here.
https://www.fourpillarsgin.com.au/