In Search of a Cocktail

Martin Millers Gin

A small batch distilled London Dry Gin, one whose distillation process is quite a journey literally. Once the distilling in London has been completed, it is shipped over to Iceland to be blended with ‘The purest water on earth’ to give the gin a clean, fresh, crisp taste.

The bottle is a rather eye catching, It stands tall with bevelled corners, its silver and blue colour scheme compliments the clear liquid that it encapsulates. The aspect of the bottle that I like the most is the ‘map’ that is printed on the back of the bottle (so you can see it from the front) that shows you the ‘path the gin travels’ from London to Iceland.

Martin Millers comes in two varieties, the standard 80proof and a ‘Westbourne Strength’ at 90.4proof, I am reviewing the 80proof.

On the nose the gin is soft, dominated by orange/mandarin zest the fragrance that is released from the glass does not contain a large amount of juniper nor many strong herbs, lighter more refreshing herbs are present, corriander, thyme and lemon grass. This gin reminds me of fresh green grass. Impressive.

This gin is by far, the smoothest, most enjoyable gin that I have indulged in. The softness that was found in it fragrance carries over to its taste and mouth feel. On first contact, there is no burn, there are no harsh flavours or imbalances, its simply smooth, it rolls across your tongue leaving nothing but an ever so slight spiciness. How many times have you had a gin, that had these properties, while neat? I am stunned, I haven’t even gotten around to putting it over ice yet.

Picking flavours out of a smooth, soft spirit can sometimes be a challenge, and this is no exception, there are soft floral properties, bursts of lemon and orange, and hints of juniper, coriander and anise. Once over ice, the spirit becomes very light, almost like cold water, except with a herbal back end to it, the citrus notes fade and ‘rootier’ flavour dominates the drink.

This is one gin that I will be saving for use in special cocktails, its soft touch will make for amazing Martinis (which I have been acquiring a taste for since I made one for the first time when I started this site)

Martin Millers Gin sells for around $65AUD and is well worth a look if you can find it.

Cocktails

Mississippi Mule

2oz Gin
1/2oz Creme de Cassis
1/2oz Lemon Juice

Genoa

2oz Gin
1 1/2oz Grappa
1/2oz White Sambuca
2tsp Dry Vermouth
Olive garnish