What flavour combination brings you back to a certain time or a place? When I was in India, I drank plenty of streetside chai. When I encounter that familiar combination of spices, I'm transported back to Rajasthan holding a little clay cup of tea. Reid's Distillery manages to bring that back for me with their Spiced Gin. Oh my, I love the nose. This really smells like a chai tea with prominent cardamom, clove, cinnamon and peppercorn. It's hard to believe that this is gin! Sips are smooth, well bodied and carry dueling initial black peppercorn heat with mild ginger sweetness that add to a concert of chai spices from the nose. Because it is so spice forward, there's a touch of bitterness through the moderate fading finish. This gin is so intriguing to me. Reid's Spiced Gin may be a good option for those who might not be big fans of juniper and enjoy chai masala. My first inclination would be for it to star nicely in a cocktail; Perhaps even tea-inspired! It earns extra kudos for both uniqueness and packaging. 8/10
