New Amsterdam Gin.

I had been wanting to give this gin a try for a while now and noticed that a local store was having a tasting for it. I had heard mixed reviews about this gin, it being rather un-gin-like and too citrus-y for martinis and G&Ts.

I had part of a tasting straight to assess how ridiculous this gin really was and found it distinctively citrus-y and noticeably muted (to the point of being merely absent) juniper flavors. I had the rest with a bit of tonic which I think is the ultimate test of a gin's drinkability. Though the martini is very nearly straight liquor, mind you, being able to balance with other flavors, particularly quinine, is an important trait.

Having a proper G&T at home (no lime at the store) confirmed what I had surmised at the tasting: drinkable, yes but refreshing, no. Tanqueray is an iconoclastic gin: crisp bite with juniper-dominated nose but contains no features that scream for distinction which makes it very neutral and thus a very good all-around, flexible liquor. Others place more emphasis on other botanicals like Bombay Sapphire or Magellan which make them excellent with tonic but less so with other mixers. Bafferts, I found to be a more refined version of Tanqueray in that it's distinctively gin but smoother and just as crisp. New Amsterdam is the inverse of Bafferts in that it masks the juniper with citrus and, while smooth, takes it to an extreme and turns the crisp edge into flab.

I'm sure it will make a great mixing gin for melon-based drinks, but I'd rather shell out the extra cash for Bafferts or Tanqueray. Also, Polar < Schweppes.