Five favourites: Geraldine Coates on gin

Our Gin lecturer, Geraldine Coates, shares five of her favourite gins in the world right now. With so many gins to choose from, it’s difficult to definitely pick a favourite but Geraldine shares the following “quarantine gins” in no particular order of preference.

Plymouth Gin

My Platonic ideal of gin, Plymouth has got everything – a long and romantic history, unique location, tradition of craftsmanship and above all, flavour. A higher than usual proportion of root ingredients is the source of Plymouth’s distinctive, earthy, rooty tastes whilst the addition of sweet orange and cardamom impart a softly fruity, spicy finish.

Hepple Gin

A collaboration between leading drinks industry figures, Hepple is made in the wilds of Northumberland using three different flavour extraction methods. Thirteen different botanicals including three different types of juniper – Italian juniper, Macedonian juniper and green juniper grown locally on the Hepple estate combine to deliver a big, powerful herbaceous gin. A star of the gin renaissance.

Berry Bros No. 3 London Dry Gin

I have to confess an interest here as I helped to develop No. 3. Made in Schiedam, Holland’s distilling centre and gin’s ancestral home, No 3 is a watchmaker’s gin – the essential classic London Dry Gin bottled at a serious 46% ABV. Perfect when you want lush and bold flavours.

Sipsmith Gin

Marrying the best of the old and the new, Sipsmith has been a pioneer of new gin movement. The range includes a classic London Dry that is one of the best around but constant experimentation and ongoing curiosity have produced some corkers such as their Lemon Drizzle and the Chocolate and Orange expressions. Yes, chocolate and orange flavoured gin.

Tanqueray Gin

Probably everybody’s desert island gin, Tanqueray is proof of the philosophy that less is sometimes more. Instead of a bewildering list of exotic ingredients there are reputedly only four - juniper, coriander, angelica and liquorice. Each one perfectly proportioned to produce a flavour that sums up the essence of gin.