Best Gin In The World - Old English Gin

Old English Gin harks back to a time when drinks were a lot simpler; there wasn't thousands of gins with weird and wonderful botanicals competing with each other like Roman gladiators for a start! Back in the 1700's you had two choices when it came to gin, English or Dutch. English gins were nicknamed Old Tom or after the various distilleries that produced them, such as Booth's for example. Back in those days we really loved Champagne and Britain was the biggest importer of the stuff in the entire world. Due to the large number of empty fizz bottles lying, they were often refilled with gin and then sold to the public. We certainly were an industrious lot back then weren't we! Old English Gin, made by Hammer and Son, takes an authentic gin recipe from 1783 and re-creates it down to the smallest detail as closely as is possible today. The only singular difference is the omission of an ingredient that you will be glad is not in there; turpentine oil. Back in the day they used turpentine oil to bring out the juniper flavours without having to source quality juniper or distill the gin with any great skill. Taking shortcuts like this is not something Hammer and Son condone and there is also the small fact that turpentine oil is a toxic product and should never be consumed by people! Hammer and Son are going to great lengths to make their gin as truly authentic as possible. They are using the oldest potstill in commercial service anywhere in the UK today in addition to selling Old English in champagne bottle with organic sealing and silk print. This obsessive attention to detail has not gone unnoticed and Old English has bagged loads of awards, including the coveted title of Best Gin In The World! This goes to show that this isn't just a clever marketing gimmick as the liquid obviously stands tall on its own with or without the provenance. Here's a list of what Old English have won;

• World's Best Gin at World Gin Awards 2015
• Best Traditional Style World Gin Awards 2015
• Double Gold at the San Francisco International Spirits 2014
• Double Gold and Best in Show at the Fifty Best Gin 2014 in New York

So, what does it taste like then? It's very juniper forward on the nose but there are other notes present that culminate in autumnal notes; wet leaves and soggy paper may not sound overly appealing but it is not an unpleasant aroma. Not knowing what to expect, I took my first sip. There is an unexpected traditionalist structure despite the slightly confusing nose. Juniper is prominent in addition to citrus. The gin is pleasantly thick in the mouth with a silky mouthfeel. Next comes the complexity; earthy cloves, nutmeg and a discernible sweetness. The finish is pleasantly long; overall a very nice gin with some confusing complexities. You can buy this award winning gin by clicking here.