Ask the Expert

Our gin expert, David T. Smith, is on hand to answer all your juniper-related questions. Tweet us @ginmagazineuk or email editor@paragraph.co.uk for a chance to feature

Do other people ever just drink gin and water? Not fizzy water, flavoured water or water for a pink gin, but just good, old-fashioned, unadulterated water?

ALICIA, WICKHAM

A good observation; these days, a lot of attention is given to cocktails and various tonics, and a small, gradually increasing set of gin fans like to enjoy gin neat. A lot of people are familiar with the idea that whisky can be enjoyed with a drop or two of water, but what about gin?

Your question also reminds me of another query: I had never got to the bottom of why so many gin companies historically produced large, branded gin water jugs. These were much larger than the equivalent whisky jugs that we see, often holding at least a pint of water. In old films and TV shows (up until at least the 1970s), these gin water jugs can be seen on the bar top, often alongside an ice bucket for patrons to “help themselves” to either.

In search of an answer, I spoke to master distiller of Hayman’s Gin (and Gin Hall of Fame member), Christopher Hayman, who told me, “When I joined the board of the family gin company in 1977, the lunchtime drink was gin, water and some ice in a small wine glass or equivalent.” So it seems that, while it might not be popular nowadays, it was once essentially the only way to drink your gin for those in the know; esteemed company, indeed!

For those wanting to give it a try: take a small wine glass and add a few cubes of ice, 25ml gin and 25-50ml of still, chilled water. Leave for a minute or two for everything to marry together (you can lightly stir it if you like, but a gentle swirl of the glass should be sufficient). As long as the drink is cold, it’s still refreshing and the water helps some of the more nuanced botanical notes come through.

What is a ‘well gin’ and how is that different from a normal gin?

SAM, NAIRN

A ‘well’ gin is essentially the same as a ‘pouring gin’ or a ‘house’ gin. It typically means that it is one of the cheapest that the bar/pub/restaurant sells. If you ask for a gin and tonic at a bar and, when the bartender asks, “What gin?”, you reply (heavens to Betsy!), “I don’t care”, then what you’d get would most likely be the well gin. Most establishments will also have a well rum, vodka, etc.

It is called ‘well’ because that’s where it is kept in a bar. Also known as a speed rail, this is a small trench for bottles that sits in front of the bartender so they are easy to reach as they are often used the most.

A well gin is not necessarily of inferior quality; while cost is a factor, bars can still buy quality gin at an affordable price. It does, however, mean that well gins are typically of a lower strength – around 37.5% to 40.0% ABV – and are generally made by brands that have achieved large economies of scale.

Can you give me some tips for mixing flavoured gin?

ELLIE, RUISLIP

Flavoured gins are often designed to be served with a mixer. The usually bold flavours stand up well to heavy mixing; for example, you could pair a citrusforward gin with cola, fruity gins like rhubarb ones with ginger ale, or floral gins with lemonade or sparkling water. Many flavoured gins are also sweetened, so be aware of this when mixing. If your drink accidentally becomes too sweet, you can redress the balance by squeezing in a wedge of lemon or lime (or both!).

When finding recipes for more complex drinks, I would look for any that use sugar syrup; you can substitute some or even all of the sugar syrup with your flavoured gin, resulting in such delights as (imagine, if you will) a Pineapple Gimlet, Cherry Gin Sour, Blackcurrant Aviation, or Strawberry Gin Collins. Another option is to use a split base of gin. For example, if a recipe calls for 50ml of gin, then try 25ml dry gin and 25ml fruit gin. In this way, you can create a light, refreshing citrus Martini with a mix of Gordon’s Gin and Gordon’s Sicilian Lemon. Equally, Warner’s Harrington Dry and Warner’s Rhubarb Gin come together to make a very tasty Gimlet with a delightfully complex tartness.