Beefeater London Dry Gin

It's been decades since I first tried Beefeater gin, but it's always been in a cocktail. That's what it was made for. So this time, neat but chilled. Clear and moderate-to-thin legs in the glass. Nose is strong and clear juniper and citrus (lemon, orange), then anise and corriander, and dry spices in the background. In the mouth, juniper, anise, corriander, and dry grassiness. There's a floral sweetness too, surrounding a bare hint of ethanol. It feels thin and tastes watery without a bigger ethanol bloom. A higher proof would benefit it, especially in a cocktail. The finish carries those same flavors, but adds a mint tingle. Short (very!), clean, unremarkable. I know I drank hundreds of G and Ts and Martinis made with Beefeater before Tanqueray and others showed up to replaced this classic. I also remember drinking some pretty awful well gins in dive-ish bars (as a bartender) and restaurants (as a waiter and cook) that made me appreciate Beefeater. It's hard now to judge it fairly with so many quality gins out there, but at $20 it's hard to ignore, if nothing else than for memory's sake... which ups it a quarter point in my rating.

Its legendary and consistent but I cant help but feel indifferent. Its a tad watery and doesnt jump out in cocktails the way I would prefer. Still this is an old go-to for many and still a classic standby in the gin world. Disappointing that they lowered the abv going forward in this market. All that means is more water and less booze in each bottle. You would think after almost 200 years in the gin making world you would not be so...you know...lame. You would think that you would not be so....I dont know...miserly. If you are still cutting corners after cornering the market for over a century then you are either not doing it right or have lost touch.

Juniper and Citrus: Tastes strongly of juniper and lemon rind and earl grey tea. I also can't help but notice a bit of chemical taste. Overall, standard gin, its got all the basic elements, but adds a bit of a twist with the earl grey. The only downside is that solvent flavor, and for me, it ruins it. This gin is cheap as chips (as they say), for the price and how it tastes, its definitely worth it if you want a standard experience

So far, this seems like the quintessential gin-lover’s gin. You get what you asked for here; but the fan service doesn’t get in the way of the balance. It’s got a moderate sweetness that rounds things out, and the juniper is right up front and being its best self, but the supporting cast is there to really carry it forward, including citrus peel, and deeper herbaceous and earthy notes. A classic for a reason.

A crisp, London Dry Gin by Beefeater Distillery in London, United Kingdom crafted with 9 botanicals: juniper, coriander, citrus peel, etc. & bottled at 47% ABV. It has an aromatic birth with notes of pine, juniper & citrus; while a full life adds notes of earth, darker citrus, fresh coriander & anise; that led to a zesty death of medium length with notes of lemon rind. February 2023

Better than I would have expected. Not quite as bold or complex as a man of my obviously Uber refined tastes would prefer when given my druthers Why Father Abraham himself swore I had the truest pallet in all the Land. Then he broke my spirit and killed my grandparents and erased my entire history. Turns out father abraham is a father A Hole