I thought it would be interesting to compare two French gins with the same ABV, similar price point, and similar botanical make up – that screams side-by-side opportunity to me. I feel a little hoodwinked though because I thought they were both distilled gins; the Esmé is a distilled gin while apparently the G.W. Goodwynn is a London Dry Gin. So slightly less comparable, but it could still be informative to see which comes out on top. Here’s a quick rundown of what I could find out about Esmé: Style: Distilled Gin Country of Origin: France Disclosed Botanicals: juniper, citrus, spice (ok, so they’re not really disclosed); infusions of rose and cucumber ABV: 40% (100% neutral grain spirit from French winter wheat) Price: $22.99 Nose: Very light. So light I grabbed my bottle of Empress 1908 to check my sensitivity. If Empress 1908 is at volume 10, this is like 3. Juniper is predominant but very muted; there’s floral and citrus but it is buried in there. Palate: Oh, there it is! Light bodied and creamy mouthfeel. A quick succession of juniper, lemon peel, cucumber water, and rose petals. Crisp, fruity and floral, faint earth. Not getting much in the way of spice. Finish: Medium length with a bit of spice and a very prominent rose aftertaste that transitions to long lasting juniper. Verdict: I liked this at first, probably because I was surprised there was any flavor in the dram after the disappointing nose. Then, as I kept sipping, the lemon became more soapy. There may be no lemon peels in the mix whatsoever, but I am getting a lot of lemon dish soap now. Additionally, I think this is way too delicate to stand up to mixing. And I could be wrong, but I don’t know how well that lemon dish soap would play in cocktails. Probably best to try this neat if you’re looking for a lemon-forward sipping gin but I'd say look elsewhere for a mixer (unless you have ideas for this - if so, let me know below!). 3.25 ~ Average