Opihr Spices of the Orient London Dry Gin

Nose: Coriander, juniper, ginger, pepper. Palate: Enormous seed-spice presence (coriander, cumin, fenugreek) and powdered ginger in the entry, with a strong oily orange flavour building as it rests on the palate. Finish: Medium/long. Spices and orange oil. This was tasted at a pop-up stall at our local liquor store last Saturday, which was World Gin Day. I’ve seen Ophir Spiced around for a while but never tried it before. It is different to most other gin recipes as it is very heavy on the spice notes. Coriander seed is a standard gin ingredient but here it is dialed up to 11 and I also tasted a huge hit of intense oily orange on the palate. It is earthy and warming in profile but over-powered for many uses, and for my palate the spices were so heavy as to make it unbalanced. I did not particularly like it in a gin and tonic, but I can imagine it working well in a negroni or perhaps with a more robust mixer like ginger ale. It was interesting to try but I doubt I’d ever buy a bottle. “Above Average” : 82/100 (3.25 stars)

If there’s one good thing to be said about the gin renaissance (ginaissance?) that’s going on these days it’s that all of the old rules about what gin “has” to taste like are out the window. Legally, juniper has to be present among the botanicals, but presence is no longer the same as dominance. Take this lovely offering, for example - while there’s just enough piney juniper in the background to remind you that this is gin, the predominant flavor profile is warm and spicy - cumin comes to the forefront, along with black pepper, clove, and a South Asian market’s worth of other spices. It’s a bit much to drink neat, but the cocktail possibilities are endless. My current go-to is a spin on the Sazerac - wash a glass with raki (just to give it a hint of aniseed flavor), muddle some cardamom bitters, a little sugar, and a dash of water, then add Opihr, 3-4 ice cubes, and a lightly bruised sprig of spearmint. It’s Istanbul in a glass.

At first sip, the gin seems very traditional, with perhaps more citrus than a typical London Dry, but I soon realized that this was only the gateway into the heart of the gin. Laying beneath the juniper and lemon zest, is a small furnace of warming spices and percolating heat. Peppery, yes, and with a lasting gingery texture. In fact, the heat goes on for several minutes. But not to fear, the overall effect is cooling. In a cocktail, this gin works well with curries, vindaloos and masalas. Try some more citrus forward libations to add a tropical color. Very nicely done.

A complex, London Dry Gin by G&J Distillers in England infused with botanicals… Malaysian cubeb berries, Tellicherry black peppercorns from India, Turkish cumin, Moroccan coriander, Italian juniper & orange zest from Spain. It has an aromatic birth with notes of coriander, lemon pepper in a pine forest & a hint of juniper; while a bold & spicy life adds notes of peppercorns & citrus; that leads to a long & dry death with notes of berries & cracked pepper. July 2020

88 N: hodně kořenitý, pepř, dřevitost, maličko citrusy, taková drsnější vůně obecně 21 T: koření, pepř, ale i lehká sladká dřevitost, žvýkačkovost, kardamom, hřejivost 23 F: střední, citrusově kořenitý, lehce alkoholový 21 B: hodně výrazný celkově, a ač by se dost hodil do GT, tak i samotný mě chuťově baví ta výraznost chutí 23

Spicy aromas with Asian scents speak up. Apparent cardamom and cubebs blend in which remind of the body of ginger. An almost liquorice-like flavor follows on the palate where peppers overrule. No extra peppers needed. Add two slices of lime for sweetness and tonic for a fresh 'bite.' Such a surprisingly tasty gin!