Hendricks: Damn, smooth, still creamy and it just tastes rounded not sharp, wifey likey.
Plymouth: smooth, very smooth, ummm, too smooth? Wifey say, “Listen, I’m trying to cut a mango and make sure Cole (our 19 month old) doesn’t do something worthy of his last name with the cat out on the lanai now gimmee my Hendricks”
Bombay Blue: smooth but complex as the botanicals come through
Bombay: actually very nice, smooth, not as complex as the Bombay blue but very drinkable. Wifey likey (has settled down now that the cat has skeedoodled to a safe location).
Beefeater: Hmmm, you know I think there’s a slight difference since I know what’s what but you could swap this out with the Plymouth and I’m not sure I’d complain. Wifey a bit miffed at me since I went ahead and read the last page of her Harry Potter book she got at midnight last night and now I know know how it ends all in the context of the fact that I’m not all that interested and haven’t before now read one word of any of the other Potter books and she’s pretty much interested in the Hendricks.

Bottom line:
Hendricks: in – damn that’s different, smooth, creamy, complex and almost no bite.
Plymouth: this was not expected but I could replace this with beefeater
Bombay blue: still in, very nice, smooth, lots of complexity not a lot of bite
Bombay: you know very nice but I can tell the difference in a martini between regular and blue and for the five bucks difference for a 750 ml I think I’ll snag the blue.
Beefeater: for $15 bucks and a nine smacker difference between the Plymouth I could swing the Beefeater – call me crazy.

Anyway, I tried to be brief, hope I wasn’t too long.

* 1 1/2 ounces gin
* 1 ounce Cointreau
* 3/4 ounce Campari
* 1/2 ounce lemon juice
http://www.drinkboy.com/Cocktails/recipes/Jasmine.html

Also featured on Rob Hess’s Small Screen Network show the Cocktail Spirit:
http://www.smallscreennetwork.com/

I’ll have to try the Jasmine Cocktail recipe with a dash or two of Pechyaud’s and a splash of tonic a la Tart Gin Cooler. Or maybe a splash of soda water.

Gin originated in Holland in the 17th century (as ‘Genever’) but after the column still was invented in the early 1800s, London distilleries developed their own process and style of gin production that led to the ‘London Dry’ (and FAR more prevalent) style of production. London Dry is so prevalent that most recipes assume London Dry when they state ‘gin’. In truth, ‘Plymouth gin’ is the only other recognized English ’style’, but other gins (such as Hendrick’s, Citadelle, Magellan, etc.) that may use the column still method but not feature the same primary flavor profiles are coming into their own and you’re seeing them featured more often.

You’ll notice that neither your Hendrick’s nor Plymouth bottles designate them as ‘London Dry’ but your Bombay Sapphire does. That being said, both Hendrick’s and Plymouth are sweeter in character (though the Plymouth finishes damned dry) than almost any London Dry gins I’ve had. So, while you might find a gin designated ‘London Dry’ that’s sweeter in character than non-London Dry designated gin, I think you’d be hard-pressed to do it. The ‘Big 3′ of premium London Drys are Beefeater, Bombay, and Tanqueray (Gordon’s, Booth’s, Boodles, and Llords are examples of others at varying levels of quality).

The Dutch-style Genever is a whole other subject I’ll do a piece on soon. Anyone have anything to add or have I missed something? There are certainly some grey areas here I know.