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In Alice in Wonderland, after Alice falls down the rabbit hole she finds herself in a strange room. In the room is a table and on the table a mysterious bottle with a message: "Drink Me." And she does. I forget whether she grew bigger or smaller as a result. But I remember that she had an amazing experience, and I have always admired her spirit of adventure. I felt just like Alice a few weeks ago when, sitting with a friend at one of my favorite upscale bars, I said to the bartender: "I'm bored with everything I usually drink. How about something different?" The bartender smiled, and said -- "How about gin?" "Oh, you mean a Martini. That's nothing new." "No, I don't mean a Martini," he replied, adding, "Although I'll wager you haven't had a perfect Martini for awhile." He turned his back and poured a glass of something from a bottle I couldn't see, and he added a few drops of something from a smaller bottle. "Here, " he said, handing me a cocktail that was a sexy, fleshy pink, "Drink this." Like Alice, I did. And like Alice, I had an amazing experience.
What he mixed for me was Bombay Sapphire London Dry Gin -- only the bottle is blue; the gin is crystal clear -- with a few drops of Angostura bitters. It had a captivating, full-bodied flavor of juniper berries with some other botanicals, intensified by the bitters. And it was just what I was looking for, something completely different.
Of course, the adventure continued. I learned to distinguish two levels of gin, ultra premium/premium and everyday. Aside from the obvious demarcation of the price tag, ultra premium and premium gins are above all quality spirits: from the neutral grain base spirits, the multiple distillations, and the botanical flavorings (sure to include juniper berries) which are the secret formulas of all gin distillers. Van Gogh ultra premium gin, the newest import from Holland, lists the following: almonds, angelica, cassia bark, coriander, cubeb berries, grains of paradise, juniper berries, lemon, licorice and orris.
And I learned to distinguish between two basic styles: London dry gin (which can be made legally anywhere in the world), and Dutch style (made usually in Holland). London dry is, as the name suggests, dry and crisp although botanical flavors abound. Dutch style gin is sweeter (but by no means sweet) and more full-bodied. Exceptions to these generalizations include Plymouth gin, made in Plymouth, England, that is not as dry and crisp as London dry but not as aromatic and full-bodied as Dutch gins -- it falls somewhere in between. And then there is Cadenhead's Old Raj gin, made in Scotland, that is not only the most expensive I've found ($50 for a 750 ml bottle) but is flavored with, among other botanicals, saffron. And last, but not least, there is Henrick's gin from Scotland with a hint of cucumber.
I discovered that elegant gins are made in Britain, Holland, France, Germany and the United States (see list). And unlike the varieties of Scotch whisky -- too numerous to sample them all -- gins are a smaller group. In a year or two I will be able to taste each and every one.
My five favorite ways to drink premium gin are: on the rocks, with Angostura bitters, with tonic, in the perfect dry Martini, and in a gimlet with fresh-squeezed -- never bottled -- lime juice.
On the Rocks: In a perfectly clean rocks glass free from soap residue, place four ice cubes and 2 ounces of premium gin of your choice.
Gin and Bitters: Add several drops to taste (at the most 1/2 teaspoon) Angostura bitters, swirl and sip. You may stir to chill and strain the drink into a chilled cocktail glass, or simply and strain the add a splash or soda.
Gin and Tonic: In a chilled collins or high ball glass with four or five ice cubes place 2 ounces of gin of choice. Add tonic, but not to the top, six ounces or less. Squeeze juice from a lime wedge in and drop the wedge into the drink.
The Perfect Dry Martini (stirred, not shaken): In a mixing glass with four or five ice cubes, add 2 ounces of London dry gin, and dry vermouth to taste (I like about 1 teaspoon). Stir to chill and strain into a chilled cocktail glass. My favorite garnish is a pitted green olive (no pimento or anchovy stuffing). Lemon peel? I like to save the citrus for a gimlet.
Gimlet: In a mixing glass with a little crushed ice (about 1/2 cup) add 2 ounces of gin of your choice and 1 tablespoon freshly squeezed lime juice. Stir to chill and serve in a rocks or old-fashioned glass. You may add a strip of lime zest (the pith or white part of the peel can be very bitter).
Sipping Gingerly
The following selection (by no means complete) of 750 ml. bottles are all splendid, ranging in price from $14 (Beefeater London Dry Gin) to $30 (Junipero, made in San Francisco) to $50 (Cadenhead's Old Raj).
Beefeater London Dry Gin (England)
Bombay Sapphire London Dry Gin (England)
Boodles London Dry Gin (England)
Boomsa Jonge (Holland)
Cadenhead's Old Raj (Scotland)
Cascade Mountain (Oregon)
Citadelle (France)
Hendricks (Scotland)
Junipero (San Francisco)
Leyden (Holland)
Plymouth (England)
Schlichte Steinhaegen Dry Gin (Germany)
Tanqueray No. 10 (England)
Tanqueray Malacca (England)
Van Gogh (Holland)
Gin's Checkered Past
Gin is invented in 1650 by Franciscus Sylvius, a professor and doctor at the University of Leyden, Holland, who infuses juniper berries into distilled spirits. The good doctor is looking for a cure for kidney and stomach disorders. It is called genever, Dutch for juniper.
By the late 1680s Dutch exports of gin top 10 million gallons per year.
The English begin distilling gin and call it "Dutch courage" for its effect on and discovery by British soldiers who passed through Holland.
British beer taxes are raised, making gin the cheapest beverage in England.
By the 1720s "gin madness" spread through London slums. Dram shops advertise, "Drunk for a penny, dead drunk for two pence and straw for nothing."
By the 1750s Londoners drink 11 million gallons of gin per annum.
In 1751, Parliament passes the Tippling Act, wiping out small gin ships and consigning distribution of gin to larger distillers and retailers. In a few years consumption goes down (to 2 million gallons per year) and the quality of gin goes up.
Settlers bring gin to the New World in the mid-18th century.
Tonic water is invented in the 1870s to disguise the bitter taste of the quinine prescribed to fight malaria in the tropics. Gin complements tonic and gin and tonic is born.
The true Martini is born. Martini di Arma di Taggia, bartender at New York's Hotel Knickerbocker, mixes up equal parts of gin and dry Vermouth and serves it to John D. Rockefeller.
In 1920, Prohibition begins and speakeasies take the place of legitimate bars. Cheap gin, an easy spirit to produce, is king of illegal booze. By the time Prohibition ends in 1934, gin is an indispensable ingredient in many cocktails.
In the early 1950s, the cocktail hour is an evening fixture and business executives invent the three-martini lunch.
By 1985 business executives have substituted Perrier for martinis at lunch and Time magazine dubs the martini an "amusing antique."
In the 1990s, the martini is the comeback kid of cocktails and bars invent dozens of different flavored martinis.
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