Nose: An initial aroma of juniper is closely followed by citrus and floral notes (orange blossom). A herbal presence of coriander and angelica appears after a while but this is fundamentally a classic juniper nose. Palate: A sweet and slightly oily/creamy arrival. The palate is reserved and well balanced and again primarily juniper, citrus, floral and ever so slightly herbal in character. The texture is good but not outstanding. Finish: Short. Slightly sweet and there are no metallic or other off-notes. Gordon's is a great value product that is my baseline for measuring gin. There are many better gins available but if it's not as good as Gordon's then don't drink it, it’s that simple. It's a good mixer in any context. The juniper focus works well in a martini and its slightly sweet character is particularly suited to a gin & tonic where it balances against the bitterness of Indian tonic water. It's available almost literally everywhere, is reasonably priced, and there is simply nothing to criticize. It is by no means the finest gin available - many others have more complex or delicate or robust characters - but that does not detract from the quality of Gordon's or its value in the bar as a versatile, dependable and economical spirit. However if you want to make the best Negroni choose a more expensive gin with a heavier juniper profile, and if you want to make the best G&T choose a more expensive and subtle gin with a prominent floral and citrus profile. A rating of 2.75 stars might seem low but in my system that means it’s on the good side of average, and I can’t think of a better summary description for Gordon’s than that. Also note, in Australia and New Zealand since 2011 this gin has been sold at 37%abv “Average” : 79/100 (2.75 stars)