The G&T

In Spain it’s treated with a reverential respect which has hitherto not been apparent in other gin strongholds – but now the G&T is under the spotlight. Patience Gould reports

IT MAY HAVE TAKEN more than 10 years but it’s fair to say that gin has at last shaken off its old fuddy-duddy ‘gin and jag’ image and has not only emerged as the preferred white spirit among the top mixing fraternity in über watering holes around the world, but is finding favour with a growing band of trendy “young things” – aka consumers. 

The reasons are two-fold. There are more and more gins coming on to the market, their arrival stirring up interest among both trade and consumer, while gin’s labyrinth of botanicals makes it a great tapestry of taste for the mixologist to ply his trade on.

“Without doubt the key surge in the interest around the topic of gin in recent years has produced a ‘reawakening’ to the complexity and depth that a product like gin can bring to spirits in general,” says Lewis Johnstone, Hayman’s director of international sales. “But it is quite clear that this [reawakening] has been and is being driven by core historical gin strongholds.”

These are, of course, the US, Spain and the UK, and it’s interesting to note that consumption patterns are very different in these top stamping grounds.  

Gin Tonica

Cocktails, led by the Martini, predominate Stateside while in Spain it is estimated that the G&T – or Gin Tonica – accounts for 80% of gin consumption. As for the UK, it’s a goodly mix of the two, but it has to said that the G&T – that most simple of ‘cocktails’ – is coming to the fore big time.

“I think the G&T will continue to account for the majority of sales in the category,” says Johnstone. “The simplicity of it, whether it’s ordered across a bar or whether you make it at home, has endless appeal. 

“There can be few drinks such as a G&T that enhance the moment or the mood and bring a super satisfaction at the point of tasting.” 

Much of the renewed interest in the G&T is not only being driven by the flood of new gins on to the market but also the improved quality of tonics and the range of flavoured tonics which are now available.  Indeed the question about which tonic is being raised more and more, and companies both large and small are beginning to produce numerous tonic flavours. 

“As consumers and trade alike begin to grapple with these offerings then it really will continue to expand on the creativity and theatre around the selection of what goes with your favourite gin,” says Johnstone. 

It’s already apparent in Spain where a Gin Tonica is very different to any other G&T in the world. Indeed the Spanish take the drink to a new art form, treating it as the king of cocktails. A typical bar will list well over 100 gins, many, many, tonics and boast veritable forests and fruit gardens when it comes to accoutrements – today a slice of lime or tonic is just not sufficient.

Beefeater master distiller Desmond Payne on a trip to Spain recently settled down to enjoy a Gin Tonica in Santander at the end of the day. “The gin was perfect as it was Beefeater 24 – but the garnish included a slice of lime and lemon, a cherry, a strawberry, an 18-inch stick of lemon liquorice and more besides.” 

Clearly, when in doubt just sling everything in. Not quite the finesse favoured by Sam Carter, Bombay Sapphire’s UK ambassador.

At a serious preview of the brand’s new distillery, Laverstoke Mill down in Hampshire, Carter was showcasing three Bombay Sapphire & Tonics (all Fever Tree) – the straight, with a T’wist  – which featured Fever Tree Lemon Tonic – and finally a swirl of lemon and cassia bark. All were served in very large bespoke Bombay Sapphire balloon glasses. Perfecto. 

Stylish serve

“I think the G&T is very exciting in Spain, with its stylish serve and variety of garnishes,” says International Beverage Holdings’ Ibolya Bakos-Tonner, brand manager for Caorunn Gin. “While the traditional G&T is still one of the best-loved drinks, other serves are emerging and gin-based cocktails have become incredibly popular, especially with younger consumers. 

“Alongside this, the emergence of smaller, niche brands have brought something different to the market and challenged the preconceptions of gin. It’s a vibrant, creative market now and consumers have responded to this amazingly well.” 

In short, consumers are now seeing gin in a new light and are happy to experiment with flavours and cocktails. International Beverage’s super-premium Caorunn has a signature G&T which sports a wedge of red apple to complement the aromatic flavours – “aesthetically it looks great” and the experience is a quantum leap away from the now prosaic wedge of lime or lemon.  

“The G&T is definitely the drink in Spain,” says Beefeater brand ambassador Tim Stones. “At last trade and consumers are starting to understand the need for more than one ice cube and that’s thanks to the movies. There’s that great line in the Casino Royale remake where Bond’s just gone through hell, then gets to a bar and asks for a Martini and when the bartender asks if he wants it shaken or stirred he replies: ‘Do I look as if I care?’ It’s wonderful.”

That said, in the actual book Bond is after his own version of a Martini, which he christened the Vesper after his love interest.

The Vesper comprises: “Three measures of Gordon’s, one of vodka, half a measure of Kina Lillet. Shake it very well until it’s ice-cold then add a large thin slice of lemon peel. Got it?” 

When his friend Leiter comments on the drink Bond goes on to explain: “When I’m ... er ... concentrating, I never have more than one drink before dinner. But I do like that one to be large and very strong and very cold and very well-made.” 

Well these days, Bond would have to be careful where he orders his Gordon’s, in case it’s below 40% abv, and a substitute for Kina Lillet would have to be found, as the Bordeaux-based aperitif wine producer has replaced this with Lillet Blanc. 

Over in the US, BB&R Spirits’ distributor Anchor Distilling has devised a bespoke Vesper cocktail for its stonking 47.1% abv gin No.3, which pays homage to the Vesper as described by Ian Fleming in Casino Royale.  

It combines 2oz No.3 London Dry Gin, 2oz HopHead Hopped Vodka and ½oz of Maurin Quina Aperitif. Combine the ingredients in a mixing glass with ice and strain in to a coupe. Garnish with an Orange zest.

“This makes a beautiful pink-hued drink that combines the citrus and spice of No.3 with the hops of the vodka and the quinine of the Maurin to give a subtle bittersweet cocktail,” says president and chief operating officer David King. “It’s a little like the relationship between the UK, US and France, which supply the ingredients, so I call it the Triple Entente.”

Bartender power

Overall the US the gin market is developing largely as a consequence of bartender power and the proliferation of local craft producers. “Everywhere, it seems, has a local gin often with local ingredients,” says King. “Often this is not really distillation but just rectification and bottling locally.”

No. 3 is a classic London dry gin and as such is perfect for the spirits range of classic cocktails, namely the G&T, Martini and Negroni (right), which account for the majority of the volume. “People like to put a twist on the classics so they might experiment with different Vermouths or use Luxardo Bitters rather than Campari in a Negroni for example,” says King. “Cocktails and bartenders are definitely changing the consumer attitude to gin in the US, which has been adversely affected by high-volume, lesser-quality brands and substandard mixers for many years.”  

Happily the “improvements all round” are enabling gin “to kick vodka off the lists in many modern accounts”, particularly in major metro areas. This is good news indeed as in terms of cocktail history gin held sway for many years before the vodka tsunami got underway. Even a Bloody Mary was traditionally made with gin. 

“When you start looking at the classics they are all largely gin-led,” says Beefeater’s Stones. “But when you are demonstrating the quality of gin, the Martini and the Negroni are the litmus tests.”

Indeed, International Beverage Holdings is currently showcasing Caorunn’s five Celtic botanicals with a range of Martinis following close work with a select group of bartenders. As a result they now have five Martinis: Blush Apple, Myrtle, Heather, Dandelion and Rowan . 

“One of our latest favourites is Apple Three Ways from Ryan Chetiyawardana,” says  Bakos-Tonner. The latter is part of the team of bartenders who fronted Caorunn’s Sensorium during the Taste of London Festival week in June.

“A classic Dry Martini is unstoppable when made well, but with re-emerging gin styles coming back into play such as Hayman’s Old Tom gin, the cocktail universe is being handed previously lost gin styles with which to get at even more classics such as the Martinez and Tom Collins,” says Hayman’s Johnstone. 

“That hint of sweetness and smoothness of an Old Tom, versus the crisp dryness of a London Dry, just opens up once more a whole raft of gin complexity and creativity.” 

However, when it comes to the Negroni Johnstone is reticent. “ It’s a classic that is rarely made well, and is quite a bitter offering, which I think reduces an opportunity to really bring new folk towards us. It’s a bit like going straight to   Islay malt Scotch whisky, before you’ve come up through the blends or the softer Speysides.” 

Marriage made in heaven

Once described as a marriage made in heaven – that is Beefeater and Campari – the Negroni holds no problems for the London-based Beefeater camp. “With its citrus notes going on Beefeater is an ideal partner to Campari and sweet vermouth, whereas more herbal gins will clash,” says Stones. “In its way the Negroni is simplicity itself with its equal parts (gin, Campari, and sweet vermouth) – even a dodgy boozer is likely to come up with the goods.” 

Well that’s a moot point indeed. But look at the variations on a Martini – much like a cup of tea it has three ingredients and yet no one person goes for the same ‘brew’. And that’s true of the Negroni as there has been much tinkering of late on substituting the vermouth element with the likes of Punt e Mes or Carpano Antica – or the bitters with Cynar or Aperol – but whatever the ‘tinkering’ a fine balance is needed between the trio of ingredients and that is  definitely rocket science.

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