Friday, February 25, 2005
The Sissy-fication of Gin
The reason that the proportion of vermouth in martinis gets smaller and smaller is because gin is being made more fruity and flaccid.
A martini is straight alcohol, it is meant to be strong. The flavors of gin are supposed to be herbal and intense--the vermouth offers a roundness and another dimension of herb flavor and the olive (or onion) give the complimenting salt and acid.
The "high end" gins released over the past 8 years have been fruity and wimpy, better suited to gimlets or G&Ts. Tanqueray had a release of Malaca gin a few years ago that was fantastic with lime, and the 10 has a nice flavor but it is NOT martini gin!
Adding vermouth to a fruity, bland gin tastes awful because there's no balance. The flavors clash. So, of course, you don't want to do it. But it doesn't make you a connoisseur. On the contrary, it means you don't understand the drink at all.
If you'd like to give the classic cocktail a try, mix about 10 to 1 dry gin like Bombay Dry (not sapphire), Tanquery, (not 10) or even Gordon’s (a Hemingway favorite) and high quality vermouth. You will stir this with ice. You can stir vigorously, we are not double-oh-seven and this is not vodka, so do not shake gin. It does bruise and the flavor is marred if you shake it. Strain it if you like, into a high stemmed glass, or have it over ice with a nice big pimento olive. If you want a giant martini, please do make two small ones. It should be a small, forceful, aperitif--cold, not a bucket-o-gin. I've heard that martinis are excellent in the sommelier-type champagne flutes (which are kind of diamond shaped,) as well. If anyone tries this, please do let me know.
A martini is straight alcohol, it is meant to be strong. The flavors of gin are supposed to be herbal and intense--the vermouth offers a roundness and another dimension of herb flavor and the olive (or onion) give the complimenting salt and acid.
The "high end" gins released over the past 8 years have been fruity and wimpy, better suited to gimlets or G&Ts. Tanqueray had a release of Malaca gin a few years ago that was fantastic with lime, and the 10 has a nice flavor but it is NOT martini gin!
Adding vermouth to a fruity, bland gin tastes awful because there's no balance. The flavors clash. So, of course, you don't want to do it. But it doesn't make you a connoisseur. On the contrary, it means you don't understand the drink at all.
If you'd like to give the classic cocktail a try, mix about 10 to 1 dry gin like Bombay Dry (not sapphire), Tanquery, (not 10) or even Gordon’s (a Hemingway favorite) and high quality vermouth. You will stir this with ice. You can stir vigorously, we are not double-oh-seven and this is not vodka, so do not shake gin. It does bruise and the flavor is marred if you shake it. Strain it if you like, into a high stemmed glass, or have it over ice with a nice big pimento olive. If you want a giant martini, please do make two small ones. It should be a small, forceful, aperitif--cold, not a bucket-o-gin. I've heard that martinis are excellent in the sommelier-type champagne flutes (which are kind of diamond shaped,) as well. If anyone tries this, please do let me know.
# posted by Comida Evangelista : 1:05 PM
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