Citadelle Gin

Nose: Refined and poised - juniper is squarely in focus but supported by a plethora of light spice and herbal fragrances including lavender and rosewater. The summary impression is of smelling flowers, but it's not sickly-floral - more austere and lifted. A really good example of a gin nose done with restraint and panache. The banality of alcohol is nowhere to be seen. Palate: A very pleasant arrival that begins lightly with herbal notes, then quickly moves into sweet territory before expanding into a warm development. The palate throughout has excellent balance and cohesion, with the individual botanicals acting their part but never upstaging the company as a whole. The texture is just right. Finish: Medium. The sweetness of the late palate fades into warmth as the spicy notes reassert in the aftertaste, and there is no trace of bitterness. This is a very good gin. It has a classic gin profile but it is executed in a subtle yet expressive manner with a light touch. Everything fits together with the precision of a jigsaw puzzle and the palate shows distinct development both in the mouth and in the glass. It's a delicious gin to sip neat. I can recommend this as the base for a subtle G&T using Fever Tree Naturally Light and no citrus, or even with soda water and a couple of drops of orange bitters. This gin is a delicate and shy performer and you must allow her the entire stage. I love big hefty juniper monsters like Never-Never Juniper Freak and summer-lightningbolt gins like Cotswolds. I also love the softness of Aviation, the funky earth of Herno and the herbal explosion of Monkey 47 - but this gin is something else again. It's light, subtle, passionate and demure - a ballet of nuance and refinement. The official comments here are on target. This is a very good gin but I would recommend it for neat drinking over a chip of ice or in a very simple drink, such as a light G&T. It would drown instantly in a heavy cocktail. "Very Good" : 86/100 (4 stars)

I'd run out of my favorite Monkey 47 and my second favorite The Botanist, so off to Total Wine I went. While I was perusing the reviews and looking at the selection I noticed that this gin has some pretty positive ink and a very attractive price. Life's too short to wonder about such things, so a bottle went into the cart for an up-close and personal interview. Tasted neat from a glencairn - it's not my normal gin format but it is a fair way to establish just what this is before I introduce it to vermouth and bitters. Fragrant juniper and sweet florals greet the intruding nose, but there's really no ethanol or (thankfully) acetone to spoil the impact. Too often I find a promising gin compromised by a lackluster GNS base. This seems to have a certain measure of quality right from the start. There's a bit more evergreen than I find in Bombay Sapphire (my bar staple), but they are closer in fragrance than one might guess. The Bombay's nose is a bit sweeter and lighter, the Citadelle's richer and "greener". On the palate this is superbly balanced, slightly bitter, vegetal and with a forward juniper presence. It avoids sweetness, being just slightly less sweet than the Bombay Sapphire and a bit richer. The overall palate leans towards spices; anise, juniper, pine, cardamom fennel and coriander. I don't get too much of the citrus in this pour. The finish is clean, the mouthfeel rich. It's not as insanely complex as Monkey 47 (what is?), nor is it as deeply herbaceous as The Botanist. It is quite nice and is certainly competitive with my long-term regular Bombay. I can't wait to try this in a Martini. This is a fine pour for the price, absolutely.

Initial Taste A delicate blend this gin is easy and approachable, the coriander and cardamom are notable while the tart citrus rinds come through finally finishing with a power anise, while I don't care much for a licorice note, it really isn't a problem and doesn't distract from the over all profile and those who like it will enjoy this even more. Mixed Was perfect with Fever Tree tonic in a pink gin combo. Just happened on to this gin at a local shop and decided it might be worth a try. For those into the more imaginative gin blends this is going to be certain upgrade of the traditional London Drys. Assuming any level of consistency in production this should be a must try for the gin drinkers. Cheers!

What can I say about this Gin? I have thoroughly enjoyed tasting this in all of its glory and flavor. It has a smooth juniper nose and a light citrus flavor and it mixes with everything I have made with it. I will have to add this to my list of "Gins for people that say they don't like Gin". The flavor is light but it does not disappear in drinks like Hayman's or Aviation. This is a solid gin and the only thing that is close to a negative is that I wish it had a higher proof but other than that I really enjoy this gin and will continue to stock it in my bar.

Medium juniper, airy citrus second in rank, I also thought I made out a certain earthiness and it comes across as a little muted overall. Well palatable and easy but not quite lively and exciting enough to pass as a summery gin. I try to avoid comparisons to other gins but in this case it's too fitting because it's the same brand, and the standard Citadelle is to the Jardin d'Été what looking at a summer garden through a window is to actually sitting in a summer garden.

I normally prefer a London dry, but I really like this gin. It has a lot of heat to it, but also a lot of juniper and other botanicals that make it quite interesting. I’m looking forward to trying it mixed with tonic and as a base for a number of cocktails.