Thanks to the incredible folks at ILoveGinDotCom, I am lucky enough to receive a monthly supply of epic gins and tonics to sample.... yeah, dreams really can come true folks! Gin in the post.... who wouldn't love that hey?! But it's not just us Ginfluencers for whom Christmas can come once a month...you too, dear folks at home, can join the club! Find out more over at
www.ilovegin.com
So this months box offered up a couple of tempting looking tonics from a brand I was unfamiliar with-
Luscombe, a Devonshire based company. An Indian Tonic, and a fruity little number with Grapefruit were included in this box but do check their website as they have plenty of beverages in their repertoire. I was certainly intrigued by the Grapefruit tonic as I am a fan of sharp, citrus fruits, rather than sweeter flavours, so this was right up my alley.
To accompany these were a Damson Gin from 6 o Clock Gin (which i'll be chatting about in an upcoming post) and
Tiger Gin - I had heard of these guys and was keen to sample Tiger Gin, which some of you may know as the underdog who won their legal battle with a well known beer giant of the same name.
Having looked into the tasting notes and botanicals, I personally would have probably served the Tiger Gin with an Indian Tonic and a slice of Orange, but as recommended by ILoveGinDotCom I instead paired it with the Luscombe Grapefruit Tonic, and then for added omph, whacked in a cheeky slice of pink Grapefruit.
Before mixing, I took the time to sample both the Gin and Tonic separately to be able to comment on their individual flavours... the Tonic was thankfully not erring on the sweet side too much although was not nearly as 'sharp' as I was expecting. The Gin I was confused by slightly... notable flavours being juniper, juniper and juniper... there was no doubt that this was gin, but as for determinable botanicals...I was drawing a blank. For me this wasn't a huge issue as this Gin was surprisingly smooth and went down well on its own thanks to a delightful sweetness from the liquorice root, and the juniper-heavy flavours make it a really versatile Gin which will adapt to a multitude of pairings and cocktails...but if you're looking for a Gin whose botanicals leap off the palette, this isn't the one for you.
As a complete beverage it gets a thumbs up from me. The juniper isn't overpowered by the flavourings in the tonic, rather complimented if anything. Citrus is the way forward with this Gin to balance out the heavy juniper - grapefruit or orange would be the garnish of choice for me. Drink it neat over ice with a slice of orange, or pop in a tonic (flavoured or Indian) and garnish to your hearts desire.
Emma-Louise
