STRETTON'S LONDON DRY GIN

Since vodka has taken the reins as the most popular grain neutral spirit, we believe that the gin was a bad reputation. For many people looking for refreshing and pleasant palaces cocktails, apple pine tang of berries is the last thing on their minds when they belly up to the bar. We have to admit, even if we are guilty of falling into the gin-free category in recent years, but our avoidance of mind is mainly due to means of our friends and family who had had enough our perfume pin-belligerence when we 're a gin and tonic too deep.

So what makes us around the spirit once known as Dutch Courage? For one thing, we discovered it was originally distilled in the Netherlands as a remedy for stomach ailments, gout and gallstones, and we all take our medicines, particularly when it is suspended in alcohol. For both, we have our hands on a bottle of Stretton, London Dry, a South African spirit distilled from sugar cane. He came to us highly recommended, we decided to end our drought gin and give it a whirl.

When we unscrewed the cap we prepare for the industrial, medicinal smell we associate with gin, but he had a mellower, but still Evergreen, perfume. When we tasted, we were impressed by the smooth, without biting on the back, and it has a flavor more complex than we would have waited for the price. The label said Stretton contains coriander, juniper berries, angelica root, cassia bark and dried orange peel ... we do not know what half these things are, but there were certainly a citrusy taste to be found. In all a pleasant experience, and we could already say that it will be a worthy mid-range gin.

Drink Recipes: Insofar as we are concerned, there are only two drinks containing gin - Martini and gin and tonic. We made our extra-dry martini, with just a wave of vermouth, and it is really very tasty. Regarding the tonic, you can not really a mess ... citrusy taste of gin not mix well with tonic and lime, we've added, and we had a feeling we could get ourselves a lot of problems if we were constantly a bottle of Stretton drag.

Another drink we never wanted but was Tom Collins, and a bottle of Stretton gave us a great excuse. We found a recipe and stirred a lot, and we can see why people like these guys enough that they have their own name glass.
Tom Collins recipe
2 oz gin
1 oz lemon juice
1 C. Tea superfine sugar
3 oz Club Soda
1 maraschino cherry
1 slice orange
In a shaker half filled with ice cubes, combine the gin, lemon juice and sugar. Shake well. Strain into a Collins glass almost filled with ice cubes. Add the Club Soda. Stir and garnish with cherry and orange slice.