![]() Low-quality 'Compound Gins' are made by simply mixing the base spirit with juniper and botanical extracts. Gin's lowland cousin, Genever, is distilled in less-efficient potstills, which results in a lower-proof, more flavorful spirit. The resulting spirit is high-proof, light-bodied, and clean with a minimal amount of congeners (flavor compounds) and flavoring agents. Most gin is initially distilled in efficient column stills. All gin makers have their own secret combination of botanicals, the number of which can range from as few as four to as many as 15 or more. Additional botanicals can include anise, angelica root, cinnamon, orange peel, coriander, and cassia bark. The chief flavoring agent in gin is the highly aromatic blue-green berry of the juniper, a low-slung evergreen bush (genus Juniperus) that is commercially grown in northern Italy, Croatia, the United States and Canada. The spirit base of Gin is primarily grain (usually wheat or rye), which results in a light-bodied spirit. Smith for the sample.Gin is the original flavored vodka, a clear spirit that is flavored with juniper berries and so-called botanicals (a varied assortment of herbs and spices). It’s a unique gin that may be able to carve out a niche all of it’s own if the right people find a way to highlight some of McQueen Mocha Gin’s unique selling points But for those looking for an after gin, or for bartenders looking to playfully expand the role of gin in their bar (mint? cream? literal coffee or espresso cocktails) they’ll find a gin that occupies a space that no other gin really does right now. McQueen Mocha Gin is not as flexible in cocktails and I think there’s more that it really doesn’t work in than it does. While McQueen Mocha Gin certainly does highlight chocolate and coffee notes, it does have a good deal of gin character, and gosh, it actually sort of works. But I can admit that I was wrong judging this book by the cover. I was prepared to be skeptical and the name seemed gimmicky to me. In fact, there might not be a better gin out there for making dessert inspired gin cocktails than this one. But really, I think this makes one heck of a Gin Alexander. ![]() It worked in a Negroni as well, with only a slight hint of chocolate and citrus coming through amidst the Campari. Chuck out the chocolate and coffee flavored vodkas, there’s a new game in town!Īs for traditional drinks, I am not a big fan of chocolate and coffee in my Gin and Tonic, so while I don’t think it was to my taste, I could really see how McQueen Mocha Gin would work for someone with the right palate. If you ever saw a Chocolate Gin Martini or Espresso Martini with gin, I would say this would be the right gin. It’s odd that I think “hey this might be the perfect gin for one of those chocolate bar/mainstream ‘everything’s a Martini’ style restaurants,” but I do. One might even say, it warms the body like a Mocha on a cool day. Though the flavors are somewhat on the medium-to-short length of the finish there’s a real pleasant residual warmth here that persists. Hints of bitter chocolate at the edges on the back of the palate. The citrus and gradually darkening juniper seems to dominate the finish. ![]() There’s a hint of vanilla and cream in here as well. The palate has a surprisingly large amount of traditional gin like notes with juniper, white grapefruit pith, and bitter orange merging with the gentle bitterness of dark roasted coffee beans. Unique, but not overwhelming nor too literal. Tasting Notesįor a gin that says “Mocha” on the label, the nose is a surprisingly laid back profile of dark chocolate and orange chocolate- kind of like those giant orange shaped chocolates you smash on the table- right those are still a thing? There’s dark roasted espresso bean and pine-accented juniper as well. ![]() Unlike the infused gins from Lee Spirits Co, McQueen Mocha gin is not the result of post distillation infusion, but instead the result of a carefully crafted distillation process designed to taste like what the bottle says. Really, rather than hiding the flavor behind a brand name, more distillers who are opting for less traditional flavor profiles are calling their gins “flavored” right on the bottle. And don’t forget nginious!’s line of flavored gins. in Colorado has a line of gins including two eccentric flavored gins. We’ve previously covered others who are part of this movement. The McQueens, hail from Scotland, and their line of gins- including McQueen Mocha Gin - sought to shake things up and stand out on the shelf.įlavored gins have always been around however, with more and more distilleries putting out series of gins like the McQueens did, this flavored gin thing is a full blown trend in the gin world right now. ![]()
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