A GIN BY ANY OTHER NAME

I am a fan of many types of gin, and appreciate when someone else discovers the category and joins in. Here Masterchef Dean Banks talks with The Spirits Business about his new gin.

Unfortunately, I cannot agree with this chef's assertions against artisan gin. Yes, there is a lot to be said for a clean, straightforward gin. Those make for the best mixers. And can be quaffed clean, maybe on ice. And yes, some of the recent trend towards flavored gins - beyond the usual recipes and creations - has produced some excessive and even untasty products.

But every palate is different. And - unlike most liquors - gin distillers create a unique recipe for each brand. It's one of the primary attractions of the category, although it also acts as a deterrent for people unfamiliar with gin. If the first gin you taste disagrees with your palate then you're unlikely to try something else. (Hence the argument for brands such as Hendrick's, Ford's and Tanqueray, which have milder flavors than some other gins.)

Banks elects to make his gin broadly accessible and simple, and that's his option and I can applaud it. If he attracts consumers who might otherwise avoid the category it's all to the good. But to diss on artisan gins which may be heavily peated (The Botanist, also a Scottish gin) or floral (The Citadel) misses the entire attraction of gin as a category.

Gin is, by design, a more challenging spirit than most others. Each bottle is something different. And that makes it harder for the novice to pick through the noise and find one they like.

But once you do, it's certainly worth the effort.

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