Gin Notes: Tanqueray London Dry Gin

by Jonathan M. Forester, Posted Nov 6th 2006 @ 4:02PM

Tanqueray London Dry Gin is 94.6 proof/47.3 abv. and has a nice juniper flavor with sharp hints of spice and citrus. When sipped straight it has a sprightly juniper bite on the tip of the tongue. Once watered down, more of the botanical flavors are released and you get the addition of many mild floral and citrus notes. Some of the botanicals used are Juniper, coriander, angelica, and my guess is some form of citrus. It is quadruple distilled, first in a continuous column still, and then a final time in a pot still.

Tanqueray is based on a 200 year old recipe and is the number one imported gin to the U.S. Supposedly the Tanqueray recipe has been carefully guarded since it was first made and there are only four people in the world today that can make Tanqueray. This gin is a genuine, classic gin that tastes like gin should.

Fun facts: The late Johnnie Johnson (known best as Chuck Berry's piano player) wrote a song named Tanqueray. It appears on the album Blue Hand Johnnie which was released in 1991. At Rhapsody you can hear the original and several other versions of Tanqueray, as well as other sings with the same name, which are all really, really great. Well, maybe not in the case of "interesting" song called Poon Tanqueray by Rapnexx.

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Tags: america, british isles, classic, cocktails, europe, gin, liquor cabinet, spirits, tanqueray