John Orrell Physics - Nuclear & Particle

John Orrell Physics - Nuclear & Particle John Orrell Physics - Nuclear & Particle This page used to be about beer. Here is my beer diary from years gone past. Now my thing is gin...

GIN SNOB: Juniper flavored vodka?

So gin and vodka are an odd couple in that gin is really nothing more than the first flavored vodka. Would you buy Absolute Juniper if they sold it?

Consider this: Both gin and vodka are produced by first creating a neutral spirit which is defined as:

"Neutral spirit refers to alcohol which has undergone rectification. This alcohol is free of any flavor, aroma, or other distinctive characteristic of the originating mash. Normally neutral spirits are produced at or nearly at the azeotrope maximum of 192 degrees proof." (Thank you Home Distiller.)

To make gin: (1) soak juniper berries and other 'botanicals' in the neutral spirit, (2) filter, and (3) add water to get back to ~80 proof.
To make vodka, just skip steps (1) and (2). Add some artificial flavoring, graphic label design, and commercial marketing to get to a flavored vodka.

With that in mind, why bother spending the time and money to become a gin aficionado? Well, because it makes for an interesting hobby. Let the taste testing being!
A few preliminary notes:

There is really very little variability in taste between gins. You have to really try to compare them to notice any difference.
Direct comparison is hard if you are trying them straight-up: Your palette is toast immediately after your first sip.
Taste comparison is a slow process of sip, water, plain cracker, water, (wait...) and try the next one.

I'm just getting started on this... So far I have tried to compare and rate:

Bardeney - A strong gin with some remaining bite.
Voyager - The best Washington State gin I have had. Clear, clean, and smooth.
Tanqueray No. 10 - Spicy.
Tanqueray - Like No. 10, but not as much so.
Beefeaters 24 - Definitively a step above regular Beefeaters.
Beefeaters - Probably the best ubiquitous gin to compare against. Call it 'a good plain gin'.
Bombay Sapphire - Tastes like dirt.
Quintessential Gin - "The high-quality vodka of gins." (Depending on your persuasion that is either an insult or high praise.)
No. 209 - Sweat candy syrup.
Plymouth - Distinguished. I swear it made me think of well worn leather-bound books "from grandpa's personal library." Both weird and cool.
Old Raj - This is a light yellow color... but makes for a great martini. Wow!
Citadelle - Compared to many other gins (that I have tasted) this is FULL of flavor. It is almost like a juniper 'wine', if that makes sense.
Hendrick's - I agree, does seem to have a hint of cucumber flavor, but would rather have Tanqueray or Beefeaters at a bar.
Boodle's - Very similar to Plymoth, but not quite as smooth of a flavor.
Nolet's Dry Gin (Silver) - Another very good gin for martini. This is the bottle I save for 'special' occasions.

There are professional ratings out there, but I'm dubious about anything more that individual preference.