Plymouth Gin

Much better balanced than “newer” styled gins that overload the juniper and other botanicals. It has a nice sweetness that is balanced with just the right amount of botanicals. Best gin I’ve had.

I was curious to try this legendary gin, so I took a couple of sips. It's much sweeter than I'd expected and it's also fruitier. There's not a ton of juniper, but there is a surprisingly large prickly, spicy element. There's some clear minerality as well. I'd like to try this side-by-side with Ford's, which seems like the closest parallel I can think of. This isn't terribly strongly flavored and the flavors smoosh together a bit (but I've just been making some strongly flavored soup, so my palate could be way off). I like this, but I'll need to give it a proper tasting to make a call on whether I really like this. Well, at least if I like it enough to say it's worth the price. Based on this tasting, I give it a thumbs up, though not the most enthusiastic one.

Nose: Fresh citrus, more like lemon juice than lemon peel, with juniper, caraway seed and coriander all easily discerned. There is a warm, restrained spice quality to the nose. Palate: Mild peppery juniper, citrus, and warm earthy spices. The texture is outstanding, with an oily quality that makes it smoother and more rounded in character than most gins. The palate is rich and satisfying and has excellent balance. Finish: Medium. Citrus and spice notes with a fruity hint in the aftertaste. Unlike many gins created over the last decade Plymouth does not try to bombard the palate with a barrage of juniper or overload the senses with a bushel of botanicals. The recipe is reputedly simple with just seven ingredients, all of which are distilled in a “one shot” process, as is the case with London Dry gin. In fact, Plymouth is essentially a type of London dry ... just made in Plymouth. "Plymouth Gin" used to be a protected regional designation that could only be used by gin made in Plymouth, England but that is no longer the case. The aroma and flavour are excellently balanced, but its outstanding characteristic is its texture. The mouth-feel is rich, creamy and full which makes the palate seem more intense than it actually is. The result is a gin that is full and satisfying but also delicate and relaxed. Whilst I very much enjoy exploring new gins I sometimes find myself gravitating back to Plymouth and there is often a bottle in the bar. “Very Good” : 85/100 (4 stars)

This gin is so old school. Heavy juniper w a bit of sweetness. There’s a piney, spicy bite at the end. With so many new western gins out there that have so much more depth and flavor, this one is just okay. Solid for the classics like a martini and a G&T