The lemon gin has just arrived, and, unable to resist the temptation, I poured a little into one of the glasses that came with the set. "High octane lemon sherbets" is my immediate reaction. There's a nice warmth to it, a fresh, lemony, aftertaste and it would be all too easy to pour a full glass, put some music on, and forget doing anything for the rest of the day. It does not require tonic water, although if you're intending to spend any time in the company of this gin I'd probably recommend it as it would be all too easy to get drunk, very quickly and very pleasantly. I think it would also make a very nice Negroni. A definite success, and nowhere near as 'subtle' as I was expecting, Malfy's 'Con Arancia' (blood orange) gin is definitely next on my list.
I'm going to have to revise my "accidental non-drinker" status. I've had this in my Wish List at Amazon for three or four years, and it's finally in stock. As soon as I (first) saw it I wanted to try it, as I love (loved?) Gewurztraminer. I'm prepared to be disappointed.
I've tasted that Marc de Gewurztraminer d'Alsace Brandy and I mean just that, I tasted it. It's got a huge floral bloom (pun intended) on the tongue, almost "perfumed," which I'm not sure about, but the aftertaste is all Gewürztraminer. I think chilled, with a small splash of water may be the way to go. It's definitely not something one would set out to get drunk on.
I didn't use to need the internet, my wife knew everything.
I've not tried this Paul, is there anything similar that might be a point of reference for me?
Grappa might be a touchstone for you, Jules.
It's an eau de vie, so a clear fragrant, grape-based pomace brandy. If you've enjoyed Gewürztraminer it'll give you a sort of idea, but as I say it's much more intense and aromatic too, not to mention 45o proof. If you haven't experienced the glory that is Gewürztraminer wine, grab yourself a bottle of it and enjoy either on its own, or with a strongly flavoured meal. It goes brilliantly with curry. If you like that then this is a possible next step.
We used to have a fantastic local Italian restaurant which we used to visit quite regularly. At the end of the meal, after I had enjoyed a few glasses of red wine, the owner always wanted me to have some grappa. I drank it to be polite really but remember feeling pretty rank afterwards on more than one occasion; lots of very rich food probably didn't help!
This Hot Chocolate by Cafe Direct just oozes class and refinement. It’s a single origin from the Dominican Republic and the taste is somewhere between milk and dark chocolate, so not too sweet and not too bitter. Somehow it’s only 3 quid which is just a giveaway for the quality.
