{"id":33727,"date":"2021-12-29T23:38:46","date_gmt":"2021-12-29T21:38:46","guid":{"rendered":"\/blog\/?p=33727"},"modified":"2021-12-29T23:38:46","modified_gmt":"2021-12-29T21:38:46","slug":"how-to-host-a-summer-gin-tasting-at-home","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"\/blog\/how-to-host-a-summer-gin-tasting-at-home\/","title":{"rendered":"How to Host a Summer Gin Tasting at Home"},"content":{"rendered":"

Love gin? Of course, you do! And summer is a perfect time to explore new tastes and new pairings by throwing a gin tasting party. It\u2019s a great way to break the ice with new acquaintances or add a cool activity to your next catch-up with your besties. And, if you have far-flung family and friends, it makes for a fantastic festive season Zoom party. Keep reading for some great pointers on how to host a summer gin tasting this festive season.<\/p>\n

Finding the right gin<\/h3>\n

First thing’s first, you’ll need the right gins for your party. Focus on finding the perfect serve. \u201cA great gin tasting aims to create the perfect pairing of a particular gin with some beautiful and carefully matched garnishes,\u201d says Glyn French of Flowstone Gin. Here\u2019s how…<\/p>\n

\"gin\"<\/p>\n

Also read:<\/strong><\/em>\u00a0Buyer\u2019s Guide: What To Know About Drinking & Buying Bourbon<\/a><\/p>\n

If your budget allows, invest in at least 2 or 3 different gins to offer your guests variety and the pleasure of exploring different flavours. Three gins will allow your guests to contrast the interaction of each garnish with the different gin types. Try to find a classic London Dry gin, a locally-made gin, and for your third option, something with a unique flavour profile or story.<\/p>\n

London Dry gins\u00a0are made by distilling natural botanicals, nothing can be added after the distillation except water. In these gins juniper forms the backbone for other botanical flavours to interact with.<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/p>\n

For a London Dry gin<\/strong>, we love Beefeater London Dry gin<\/a>. The iconic tipple is a great representation of the category, with juniper, clean citrus and almond, for a nutty tone. It’s the ideal gin for a classic\u00a0gin and tonic, as it has the perfect balance of botanicals to complement the bitterness from the tonic and tang from the citrus.<\/p>\n

For the locally-made gin<\/strong>, try something like\u00a0Six Dogs Pinotage Stained gin<\/a>.\u00a0The love-child of Six Dogs Gin and a neighbouring farm\u2019s Pinotage grapes, this exciting locally distilled gin is a must-try.<\/p>\n

\"Hendrick's<\/p>\n

Lastly, for a<\/strong>\u00a0special gin<\/strong>, we love Hendrick\u2019s Lunar\u00a0gin<\/a>\u00a0for its unique flavour profile. This special-edition gin offers a\u00a0night-blooming floral essence, with a delicate balance of warm baked spices, and finished with a crisp burst of citrus.<\/p>\n

Find the best prices on gin online with PriceCheck now:<\/strong><\/em><\/p>\n

\"view<\/a><\/p>\n

Gather the garnishes<\/h3>\n

Next, do some research on the different flavour profiles of the gins you have selected for your tasting. Offer your guests different garnish options for each gin in order to bring out the flavours in each different option.<\/p>\n

\u201cSpread out a smorgasbord of possible garnishes and include unusual options like celery, toasted nuts, bay leaves, coriander, thin curls of carrot, edible flowers, fresh lemon leaves from the tree in your garden, nasturtium leaves… And let your friends mix and match,\u201d advises\u00a0French.<\/p>\n

\"Flowstone\"<\/p>\n

If you can only invest in one gin, then a truly unique gin like Flowstone Bushwillow gin<\/a> may be sufficient for your tasting. It combines woody, earthy notes with a rich, nutty warmth, and you\u2019ll have more than enough fun finding complementary options to serve with it.<\/p>\n

Now for the tasting…<\/h3>\n

THE NOSE<\/strong><\/p>\n

Pour half a teaspoonful into a small glass (we recommend finding one with incurving edges). \u201cWith the glass just below your nose and your lips slightly apart, breathe in slowly and gently. A long slow in-breath is the secret to unlocking the aromas. See if you also experience the gin flavours gently at the back of your mouth,\u201d says\u00a0Flowstone’s\u00a0Glyn French.<\/p>\n

\"Silver
\nKeep in mind that you will only be able to do a few sniffs before your nose becomes overwhelmed. Rest awhile, sniff a few coffee beans, and off you go again.<\/p>\n

THE TASTE<\/strong><\/p>\n

At formal gin tastings, the gins might be served neat or with just a splash of water, but that\u2019s an acquired taste, says French. Adding that it can actually be difficult to discern nuances in this format. \u201cRather dilute the gin 50:50 with water, or place a small piece of ice in the neat spirit and swirl it to let the ice melt a little.\u201d Now, take the tiniest sip and let it move through the different areas of your mouth. With a good gin, you\u2019ll experience different tastes in different parts of your mouth. \u201cSee what the tastes make you think of and have fun trying to put names to the flavours,\u201d she says.<\/p>\n

Have a glass of water for each guest, so they can clear their mouths between sips and between different gins.<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/p>\n

TIME FOR TONIC<\/strong><\/p>\n

The flavour profiles of most gins were developed to work well with tonic, and there are many lovely tonics around. \u201cServe a selection and see how their flavours, and colours, work with the different gins,\u201d French advises. \u201cSee if a citrus flavoured tonic goes better with a complimentary citrus gin or with a contrasting herb flavoured tonic, or try an Indian tonic to hero the gin? Then try the other tonics.\u201d<\/p>\n

Remember the magic formula is 1:4. So it\u2019s usually whole tonic with a double tot gin (50mls). But for a single shot (25 ml) try just half a tonic\u00a0\u2014 otherwise, you swamp the delicious gin. You can also try your gin with freshly squeezed orange juice, as well as still or sparkling water.<\/p>\n

\"Hendricks<\/p>\n

Also read:\u00a0<\/strong><\/em>Buyer\u2019s Guide: Everything You Need to Know About American Whiskeys<\/a><\/p>\n

TOP IT OFF<\/strong><\/p>\n

Now that you have added your mixer, it’s time to garnish. \u201cGarnishes should be the crowning glory of a \u2018perfect serve\u2019,\u201d says French. \u201cTo choose the perfect partners, ask your guests to think back to the flavours they experienced when tasting the gin and think of what would complement those.<\/p>\n

Say you tasted a hint of cinnamon; well, cinnamon and apple are best buddies, so a thin slice of apple in that gin would probably be wonderful.\u201d Mulberries are fantastic with any gin that has notes of freshness and hints of fruitiness, she adds.<\/p>\n

\"Flowstone<\/p>\n

French\u2019s final tip for the perfect serve, is to aim for visual contrasts: say, a slice, a curl, and a segment. \u201cAdd sprigs of fresh herbs for height, use contrasting colours, or go a themed palette \u2013 try all pinks with just a highlight of green for contrast. You\u2019re looking for that beautifully served and garnished G&T – a drink that mesmerises the eyes and gets the taste buds dancing.\u201d<\/p>\n

Her last word of advice? \u201cHave fun with your imagination and creativity. Get to know your friends better and make wonderful memories. Enjoy!\u201d<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Here’s how to get the perfect serve?<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":20,"featured_media":33729,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_mi_skip_tracking":false,"amp_status":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[88,2849],"tags":[8960,6923,8965,8964,8961,8963,8962,8583,8959],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/12\/Flowstone-Bushwillow-cashews-gin.jpeg","_links":{"self":[{"href":"\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/33727"}],"collection":[{"href":"\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/20"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=33727"}],"version-history":[{"count":5,"href":"\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/33727\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":33817,"href":"\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/33727\/revisions\/33817"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/33729"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=33727"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=33727"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=33727"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}