Plymouth Gin is the gin of the officers of the British Navy. While the enlisted men drank rum, the officers drank Plymouth Gin. Since 1793, Plymouth Gin has been produced in the town of Plymouth, England, a city located on the south-west coast of England. In fact, the pilgrims on the Mayflower took shelter from a storm there as they set sail for the new world. Maybe this is why they named their town Plymouth. Unfortunately form them, the Pilgrims didn’t shelter any Plymouth Gin on their voyage as the famous gin wasn’t distilled there until over 150 years later.
Plymouth Gin can only be made in Plymouth England. It’s a bit sweeter than London Dry Gin or the styles of gin that mimic London Dry Gin and drier than Old Tom Gin. Plymouth Gin is also earthier than most gins as a number of botanicals are used in the infusion, which helps keep the juniper under control. For many of us reformed gin haters, we have since found out that it is the overwhelming juniper in some gins that kept us from appreciating the spirit. Luckily for Plymouth, it found a way to integrate the juniper, yet, not allow it to dominate. Plymouth also has more texture than a number of gins, which helps it to make a killer cocktail. Here is our tasting note for Plymouth Gin:
Appearance: clear, bright, water-white, colorless with medium legs.
Nose: clean, unaged, pronounced intensity of juniper, citrus, orange, lime, lemongrass, grass, white flowers and anise.
Palate: off-dry, medium minus body, well integrated, smooth alcohol with an oily texture, pronounced intensity of lemon, orange, orange peel, citrus blossom, orris, juniper, white flowers and anise. Medium plus length with a clean, smooth finish.
Rating: Very good. Well balanced with integrated alcohol and good structure. The body and the flavors lend themselves to cocktail making as the juniper is restrained. Try in Plymouth’s twist on the Aviation or in a Strawberry Ginger Martini.
