Labor Day has passed us by and the kids are back in school, but that doesn't mean that summer is completely over. According to MY calendar, it doesn't end until September 22nd at 4:01PM EST, which of course means that we still have some warm days ahead. Days that will leave you hot, thirsty, and craving a cool, refreshing drink. I know this because my kids used to play Fall soccer (or as the rest of the world likes to call it, football), and let me tell you, it gets awfully hot on the pitch in September. Especially at 1PM on a Saturday afternoon when you're out there on a treeless field with the sun beating down on you, seering your flesh like a prime grade rib eye hitting a smoking hot grill. Sadly, drinking anything beyond water, soda, or some other soft drink is highly frowned upon. A beer would be nice under those circumstances. Or how about a really tall, cold, and refreshing Gin and Tonic? That would have totally quenched my thirst!
Now that I'm talking about Gin, let's move on to a review of the spirit that you see in the above photo: The London No. 1. But first, here's what the makers of The London No. 1 have to say about their London Dry Gin...
It is all of the components that give The London No 1 it's singular character - the quality of the ingredients, the distillation method, the colour and the bottle's design. During the 18th century, London was a world-renowned hub for international trade, where all types of herbs and spices were bought and sold. That is why the London Gin soon became the most complex drink on the market. Loyal to this tradition, The London Nº1 consists of 12 different botanicals from around the world. Twelve carefully chosen ingredients that create a unique gin, giving it a unique complexity, elegance and perfect balance.Distilled in small batches in the heart of London, this gin's unique flavour is the result of the quality of the raw ingredients used, as well as its distillation in Pot Stills (traditionally the only stills used for distillation in small quantities).And now for my impressions...
- Appearance: Crystal clear with a pale, sky blue color.
- Aroma: Very little alcohol burn. Very fresh and fragrant with oodles (not to be confused with Boodles) of botanicals. I'm getting lemon peel, eucalyptus, licorice, white pepper, and of course, juniper.
- Taste: A touch of alcohol burn at the onset followed immediately by cracked white pepper and lemon zest. Juniper and other botanicals in the middle along with a bit more peppery spice. Eucalyptus and licorice make an appearance in the finish but never overpowers the lemon zest and pepperiness.
- ABV: 47%
The Verdict
I'm far from a Gin expert, so my verdict will have less to do with how this rates against other gins and more to do with its actual drinkability. Overall, I found The London No. 1 to be very easy to drink neat. It's very soothing thanks to its combination of pepper, lemon, herbality, and juniper. It's also quite crisp and clean tasting. I'm guessing that this would make one hell of a cocktail and am looking forward to trying this in a Gin & Tonic or a Tom Collins. Or how about a Gin Ricky?
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Many thanks to Victoria Cooper of Colangelo PR for sending us this very generous sample!
Categories: Booze Review, The London No. 1
Tagged as: booze, Boozeography, Drinkwire, Gin, Liquor, London Dry Gin, Review, Reviews, Spirits, The London No. 1
