SEASON OF GOOD GIN
2020 is on its way and bringing with it good drinking habits
Between the time that this issue has gone to print and the next Gin Magazine lands on your doorstep, we’ll have swiftly passed through several of the yearly drinking phases; the merry excesses of late November and December, the cashstrapped sobriety of January and then the frantic making up for lost time of February. Chances are that good intentions for the year and resolutions will have been tested by then too and possibly long forgotten.
I’m hoping to commit a few readers to some principles for the months ahead. Apologies if I sound a little too sanctimonious.
Many of us will be flitting between parties this side of the
New Year and the celebrations themselves should be enough for each to standout. However, I think now is the moment, more than at any other time of the year, to take up that mantra of drinking less, but higher quality.
I don’t strictly mean drink less altogether – we’re grown-ups and can make our own choices – but why not make this the time that you go to that bar you’ve always wanted to visit, try the cocktail you’ve often fancied, or the new bottle of gin that you’ve had your eye on? A few standout occasions and I’m sure you’ll banish the winter blues. You’d remember this year if it was the one where you enjoyed a Martini at Duke’s, London, for example.
When it comes to making New Year’s resolutions, the obvious ones about fitness or drinking less come to mind. I get that. We’ll have probably indulged and naturally will want to pay our dues. I can’t really challenge you on that one – despite my living being made through spirits – I’d be a hypocrite if I did and I think there’s little better for you than resetting your goals and pushing yourself sometimes.
However, if I could propose instead a further resolution, it would be to learn more about your gin next year. Once the sober January has passed, why not go and visit one of the fantastic gin experiences that are popping up all over the globe. Whether you learn how to make the stuff yourself, or find out more about what goes into your favourite, the more educated we become on the products we love, the higher the standard will be. There’s a lot that’s misunderstood about gin, but for me learning about how much hard work often goes into making a bottle is one of the main issues to be addressed.
I’m optimistic about what 2020 has in store. I think gin producers are understanding that average is not acceptable – we all want better. Similarly, provenance and transparency matter to us. I hope we’ll be seeing gin-makers take the time to be open about what goes into a bottle and where things come from. There’s demand among us consumers, and brands that fail to do so might find themselves falling off the bandwagon. I’ve mentioned it, but we’ll see gin’s geographical boundaries expanding further than before too.
Sustainability will be increasingly at the forefront and I think we’ll find that there’s more to carbon footprint than simply where packaging comes from.
I hope this issue acts as a taster for what might come in the year ahead. Bernadette has set the scene for where we are with sustainable practices in gin and we look forward to seeing how this progresses. Virginia is exploring gin cocktails in both Dublin and the US, while I’m pleased to introduce Blair Phillips and Davin de Kergommeaux to you and can’t wait to share their current thoughts on the Canadian gin scene.
I think gin producers are understanding that average is not acceptable – we all want better
Thijs has witnessed a genever revamp and David has prepared cocktails perfect for enjoying around the fire. Ian has explored the suppliers behind popular botanicals and Joe reflects on one of the moments of the year for duty-free spirits.
We’ve looked at Yorkshire, a region quickly becoming a hotbed for gin and caught up at Atlas in Singapore, with its head bartender, Jesse Vida. All there is to say is enjoy the festivities. I hope you enjoy this issue and the gin-ball keeps rolling into 2020 at, www.gin-mag.com.