FRUITY

ADDING BITTERS TO GIN SEEMS LIKE GILDING THE LILY, BUT A DASH CAN ADD ANOTHER DIMENSION TO A FRUITY GIN. More unusual citrus fruits like yuzu, bergamot and Meyer lemon bring a new flavour as a garnish.

Classic gins always balanced juniper with enough dried lemon and orange peel to give a fruity tang. Some gins deliberately emphasize the citrus, often macerating fruit for long periods before distilling it—or even adding fresh fruit to the mash. But it’s not just citrus. Some new Scottish gins use local apples or rowan berries. In England, I recently encountered gins distilled with quince or rhubarb or even Christmas pudding. Factor in gins that are infused with fruits like sloe or elderberries and the list grows ever longer.

MARTIN MILLER’S GIN LCBO 545657, $55.35

One of the early “contemporary” gins (first made in 1999), this English spirit is finished with Icelandic spring water. Orange zest is delightfully apparent on the nose and palate and so is cucumber, which perfectly suits its very smooth, soft, almost creamy texture.

TANQUERAY NO. TEN GIN LCBO 600163, $49.95

Using whole fresh grapefruits and limes, not just dried peel, in the distillation accounts for the forward citrus notes in this groundbreaking English gin. There’s a touch of fruity sweetness too, as well as the classic juniper and angelica flavours— perfect for an Aviation Cocktail (see page 142).