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My Mrs wants to try gin so I'm after a couple of recommendations from the connoisseurs we have in the house! It seems to be a mine field with all the different mixers and producers available so suggestions welcomed. Being a peasant I drink beer then if I get pissed I move onto vodka so haven't got a clue. She likes Rose and white wine if that helps?

Bombay Sapphire is a good start.

I wouldn't spend a lot on a bottle if you both don't really drink it. I like Hendricks with a slice of cucumber and Tanqueray with a slice of lime, they're both available in supermarkets too. If you enjoy them then start looking at small batch brands. I'd get a nice branded tonic water too: fentimans, fever tree, Schweppes etc. I'll be having a few tonight. Enjoy!

I'd say go to a bar and have the bartender set her up with two or three and then she can pick her favourite???

I'm with Tony, start on a Hendricks. I drank cheap nasty gin for far too many years. Hendricks is my base gin now and I only drink Bombay if that's all a bar has. And as Tony says if you (or your wife in this case) enjoy it try some small batch

D is also on the money, rather than spend small fortunes on a small batch bottle try a good gin bar and explain to the bartender what you are up too and try a few back to back. There is such a range in the new generation gins with different botanicals and personal tastes.

And as Tony mentioned, use cucumber rather than lemon or lime. Much more refreshing and compliments Hendricks very well. Also some gins are good with a sprig of fresh rosemary.

I had a stunner a few weeks ago in a gin bar in Warwick with a slice of fresh ginger. I can't remember the name of it so will have to go back soon...

Kiwi, Tony and Daz have pretty much summed up most advice I could offer regarding gins/tonics, however I would add a few pointers of my own.

1, Price is no guide to quality - I've had £40 bottles that tasted of nothing.

2, Tonic is a primarily bitter flavour, Schweppes is quite sweet, but fancy tonics tend to be more bitter due to a higher quinine level and work best with big flavour gins like Hendricks and Adnams Copper House, however brands like Fever Tree can and will overpower subtle flavoured gins, hence the need for a minimum of 2 tonics in the fridge.

3, Gins vary in flavour - "London" style is slightly dryer than say a traditional gin like Haymans Old Tom - which is almost sweet. Genever (Dutch Gin) is horribly sweet btw.

4, Consider a tasting night with miniatures, £2-4 each easily bought online, a great way to whittle down her likes/dislikes (get her to make notes btw, she'll be too pissed to remember what she liked or otherwise the next day) use Schweppes as a control tonic for a fair tasting.

5, I know I'll get shot for this by the rest of the Gin-Crowd, but if she doesn't like tonic with gin, try another mixer, lemonade, ginger ale etc, all work and can taste great for the right palate.

6, Test different glasses - it'll taste slightly different in different styles of glass - my favourite is an Old Fashioned, a friend of ours favourite is Highball, it's fun testing btw.

7, Given your Missus preferences, I'd recommend an Old Tom and schweppes tonic with a slice of lime. Also worth trying that with some Roses lime cordial instead of tonic as a sweet Gimlet. Look online for amounts etc.
Hth, Cheers, DG

TonyB wrote:I had a stunner a few weeks ago in a gin bar in Warwick with a slice of fresh ginger. I can't remember the name of it so will have to go back soon...

The thought of a ginger in a gin bar asking for ginger is too much....

Lolz.!!

When you asked did the bartender just hand you a pair of scissors??

I found an old bottle of London dry gin in the drinks cabinet. "Expertly distilled in a 100 year old copper pot still" so it must be good! Nipped out and got a bottle of Schweppes slimline tonic and some cucumber for a tasting session and... dear God that stuff tastes like feet! What's wrong with you people lol? We rather enjoyed gin with lemonade and the classic gin'n'juice so we'll definitely be trying a few more gins anyway. Thanks for the advice all.

LOL @ "tastes like feet"!!

So a little update after trying copious amounts of gin we are now converts! One we've tried and really liked that you've probably never heard of is Wirral gin. It's a small batch gin made locally to me on a copper still called Thumbelina using bog myrtle and juniper. Mmmmm bog myrtle

Gin from the Wirral? Whatever next?

I take it gin making doesn't need much room?

No idea to be honest! Just done a little googling and the farm it's made at is 1.3 miles from me so I might pop down and have a look.

Small batch doesn't need much room at all, my mates distillery including three stills and cooling water system and storage is all in a 10m x 8m unit.

Glad you are converted Andy, welcome to the fold

Wot he said! ^^^^

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