- Ask the Experts
Build a better bar: Vodka & gin
When it comes to cocktails, no other distilled spirit is used as an ingredient more than vodka, making it an absolute necessity in every bar. Gin is the other transparent spirit that is a popular component in a large variety of cocktails, due to it complementing so many different ingredients.
Versatile vodka
With its clean, neutral taste, vodka is a versatile spirit that can be enjoyed neat or straight, mixed in a tall drink like a Moscow mule, or as the hero when it comes to making a vodka martini.
One thing is certain, not all vodkas are created equal. Unlike some other spirits, there are no set regulations governing its production. The standard method is by fermenting and distilling grain which can be corn, rye, wheat, or any other grain the distiller chooses to use, so check the label on the various brands to find out what has been used.
A lot of brands will promote how many times their vodka has been distilled, as the higher amount produces a cleaner and smoother vodka with fewer impurities. After distillation, vodka is then filtered through charcoal. Because it requires no aging it is ready to enjoy straight away. You will find that less expensive brands will tend to produce more heat in the mouth and throat, while premium brands are much smoother and subtler.
Belvedere Vodka
The first super-premium vodka. It won Producer of the Year at the International Spirits Challenge 2017.
666 Pure Tasmanian Vodka
100% Australian made, this velvety smooth, yet distinctly clean tasting vodka claims to be the purest on the market.
Skyy Vodka
Made using a quadruple distillation and triple filtration process, it displays notes of anise and coriander.
42 Below Vodka
Capturing the essence of New Zealand’s wilderness, this vodka has a delicate flavour and rich mouthfeel.
Vodka O
Triple distilled and made in Australia from pure Aussie water. It has a silky clean taste and is free from impurities.
23rd St Australian Vodka
On the palate, it has a beautifully smooth mouth-feel with evidence of sweetness from its sugarcane origins.
Cîroc Snap Frost Vodka
Cîroc vodka is distilled five times and then finished in a tailor-made copper pot still in Southern France.
Purity Vodka
Perfectly balanced, it has won more than 150 international awards and is recognised for its smoothness. 2016 Best Tasting Vodka – Sip Awards: International Consumer Tasting.
I dream of gin-ie
A neutral grain-based spirit, gin has become very on trend recently due to the variety of new and different styles available, from Japanese gins to a range of coloured and flavoured gins.
What they all have in common is that they are all predominantly juniper flavoured. From there the addition of botanicals creates the unique flavours and variations produced by the different brands and distilleries.
When choosing a gin for your bar, it’s important to remember that good gin brings out the aroma and flavour of the botanicals in abundance. You should detect notes of citrus, fruits, spice, flowers and wood when you smell it. On your first sip you should notice the subtle taste of juniper followed by the variety of other infused flavours like liquorice, cinnamon, aniseed or herbs. The best gins have the ability to blend the flavours well and complement each other. However, juniper should always be the outstanding flavour in your gin.
Hendrick’s Gin
Distilled in not one but two utterly dissimilar stills creates an unusually smooth gin unlike any other.
Roku Gin
Roku Gin is premium, one of a kind, Japanese gin. ‘Roku’ is Japanese for ‘six’ referring to the six Japanese botanicals used.
Tanqueray No. Ten
Tanqueray No. Ten, named after the stills of its origin, is a small batch gin crafted using fresh citrus fruits.
Malfy Gin Con Limone
The G.Q.D.I. stamp stands for ‘Gin di qualità distillato in Italia’ to guarantee its quality and origin.
Jinzu Gin
A unique UK-made, Japanese-inspired gin with a palate of classic gin botanicals, cherry blossom and yuzu.
Bombay Sapphire Gin
This excellent gin is leading the new era of gins by championing vapour infusion processes and sustainably sourced botanicals.
Tanqueray Sevilla
This variation of the classic is made with Sevilla orange essence to perfectly balance bittersweet orange notes with complex gin.
Antipodes Gin
This gin is Australia’s first certified organic spirit infused with native Australian botanicals of citrus and spice.
- Also in Ask the Experts
- View More Post Ask the Experts
