Tasting

Anyone tasting Plymouth Gin for the first time often expects the sharp juniper attack of a London Dry. Instead, something rounder comes first: more root and peel, less pine-needle sharpness. Only on the second sip does juniper announce itself more clearly.

A good starting point is the Original Strength at 41.2 percent. Best enjoyed neat, in a small measure, at room temperature, with no ice at all, which would otherwise numb the aromas. Anyone trying the Navy Strength at 57 percent should add a drop of still water. This opens up the nose without watering down the gin.

A third example worth trying is Black Friars Distillery's Sloe Gin, a variation made with steeped sloes. It gives the gin a fruity, tart, deep-red character. This shows how flexible the same base recipe can be, without changing anything in the actual gin recipe itself.

When tasting, a simple nosing glass with a narrow opening helps concentrate the aromas rather than letting them scatter immediately. Take a brief sniff, pause, then take the next one. Otherwise the nose adjusts too quickly to the alcohol's sharpness and picks up little of the finer notes.

Between samples, a neutral sip of water or a piece of bread helps. This lets tongue and nose recover before the next gin comes up. This matters especially when comparing Original Strength and Navy Strength back to back, as many guests do on a tour through the Barbican.