Clare Teale: Gin is all around me...

Gin is enjoying a new surge in popularity

Sitting in the kitchen and to royally misquote Reg Presley from the Troggs, “Gin is all around me.” I usually drink beer these days but there’s nothing like a stiff G & T,. You feel it in your fingers, you feel it in your toes and occasionally in your head the next morning.

Gin is very trendy I’m sure you’ve noticed, in fact not just the gin but the tonic bit too. It has been noted of late that some of our friends have taken to buying us gin. Believe me I’m not complaining. Our friend Holly Bower has even created her own gin ‘Scout & Sage’, and it was whilst we were enjoying a sample with a slice of orange and a splash of Mediterranean tonic that she explained the gin making process. It’s all about the points of distillation and the botanicals, heads and tails, I fear as we got round to trying some of the other gins in our cupboard I may not be remembering all the details correctly.

There’s great skill in making fine spirits, the combination of flavours are unique.

Juniper should be the main botanical in gin in fact the name gin is derived from the French genièvre and Dutch jenever words both meaning juniper. Other common ingredients are coriander, cloves, fennel, cardamom, anise and citrus peels.

Some manufacturers heat up their botanicals to create an essence which is added to the distilled alcohol. More sensitive classic type brewers prefer to gather their botanicals in a purpose built basket and let the alcoholic vapour subtly pass though taking with it hints of the chosen ingredients.

I must say I’ve enjoyed all the gins I’ve ever tasted and am starting to appreciate the different individual flavours. Tonics are also far more sophisticated then ever before and matching the right gin to the right tonic requires a certain level of aptitude as they contain a whole array of tastes and tones to balance the various gin botanicals.

After you’ve matched your tonic, you may then want to add a slice of lemon, or maybe orange or possibly cucumber or even lime or perhaps a sprig of rosemary or why not a few mint leaves or maybe all of them.

Or if you don’t have degree level mixing abilities simply pour a measure over a glass of ice and enjoy it on the rocks - straw optional.