Elly Ginstress I bought a bottle of Beefeater. I’ve always been suspicious of Beefeater. For a start I don’t eat beef. Yes, I know that’s not what it means, but it’s so inelegant it always struck me as the wrong name for a gin. Anyway, I was lulled into a false sense of security after enjoying a couple … Read more
I’m in Melbourne for Christmas and popped into Acland Cellars for a scout around their interesting range of imported spirits. (We’d had dinner at Blue Corn Mexican around the corner first, highly recommended!). They had a reasonable collection of uncommon gins, 47 Pink, both Martin Millers, Bulldog, as well as the usuals. I’ve had my eye on … Read more
I was in Canberra over the weekend for a birthday party. Rooftop. 2pm. 38 degrees. Gin and tonic weather. We were staying right in the CBD so I expected easy access to a good liquor store, but no. The only option was a supermarket with a liquor section. All the spirits were locked behind glass, … Read more
We were lucky to be invited to a housewarming party over the weekend. The host is a passionate spirits enthusiast. He has custom built shelves with down lights to house his collection. He even brews his own bitters. My first gin sample of the evening was St George’s Terrier gin. I’m not going to write … Read more
A dear friend of mine has been touring the country in various plays for quite some years now, and in doing so discovered the Stone Pine Distillery in Bathurst. He’d been telling me about this wonderful gin for a year or so before he was back in the region and had the chance to pick up a … Read more
My beloved Gentleman Caller recently took a business trip to the States, and bless him, used up his entire duty-free allowance on gin for me. Didn’t bring home a single bottle of whisky for himself. Now that is true love. My first tasting is of a gin I hadn’t heard of before. Farmer’s Gin is a small … Read more
William Chase Gin is a gin I desperately wanted to love. William Chase is the only gin in England made from a neutral spirit made by the distillery; all other distilleries buy in their neutral spirit. Most gins are made with a grain based neutral spirit, William Chase make their spirits from cider apples. So you … Read more
Firstly, a confession. Somewhere between my aunt’s house in London and my house in Sydney, my notebook with all my gin notes from my trip to Europe went missing. Hence it’s been months and I still haven’t written up my gin tastings. I’ve finally accepted that the notes are gone for good and I’m going … Read more
If money was no object and you just wanted to make the most wonderful gin possible, what would you do? This was the starting point for Martin Miller’s Gin. And it’s not a bad starting point, if money is no object. Martin Miller the man came to prominence publishing an etiquette guide called Success with … Read more
‘But hang on!’ the most observant of you say. ‘You already reviewed Martin Miller’s Gin!’ That’s true, but I reviewed the Westbourne Strength, which clocks in at 45.8% ABV, this is the regular strength at 40% ABV. From my extensive research (reading their website…) I have gathered that the two versions are made in much … Read more