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January + Gin = Ginuary

Posted by Tracy Newel on Jan 15, 2012
Filed: Random Things
Tagged: gin ginuary tower sports club

January is a month of despair. After the highs of the holidays, we are left with a long, grey, and treacherous month of going back to the grind, attempting to shed a few pounds, and realizing that our New Year's resolutions mean jack squat.

Okay, so the weather's surprisingly spring-like this year, but if you, too, are lamenting the "late winter" drudgery, I’ve got a great solution: celebrate a month long love-affair with gin in honor of "Ginuary." (Have you noticed we like to theme our months by alcohol around here?!)

Back to the gin: it's is a stunning, underrated beverage that will surely put you in the right mood. It’s a smooth dose of booze that mixes great in a cocktail, but is fine and dandy as a neat martini. All you need is a dash of citrus (it is in season after all!) and you're set. 

It was tough work, but James, Alisa and I set out to try a variety of gins to give you the best options while bar hopping (or keeping warm at home) this winter. We hit up the new Tower Sports Club on Wishon, a spot that is rapidly becoming our favorite stop for a nip. It’s mildly country club, mildly hipster (complete with vintage furniture), and overall very mellow.

BRAND
 APPEARANCE
(color, swirl)		 AROMA
(citrus, floral, fruit, earth, spice, sweetness, wood) 		TASTE
(juniper, coriander, citrus, licorice) 		FINISH
(dry, smooth)		 NOTES

RATING
(1 - 4, from least drinkable to most) 
Beefeater Crystal clear and slightly thick. Alcoholic and a tad woodsy/herbaceous. Herbal. Clean with a little burn. Heavy on the front of the mouth. Decent. Great mixer. 2
Tanqueray Thick with a slight beige tint. Citrus, pine. Cucumber, citrus pith, savory. Smooth with very little burn. Summery. As one taster said, “this is why I like gin.” 4
Bombay Sapphire Creamy color, very leggy but thin. Fresh, bright, sweet. Citrus zest, juniper. Very light. Clean, smooth finish. It’s very reasonably priced at Costco. 3
Seneca Drums Gin Yellowish in color. Slightly thick. Pungent. A hint of pheromones. Savory. Smooth. This gin is from a small batch distiller in New York. 1
Bathtub (homemade) Thin, beige. Mild and sweet. Sweet, citrusy, herbaceous, soapy. Smooth and mellow with very little burn. This was fantastic! Good luck finding such a nice gin out of someone’s house… 4

This is Pete--he's the owner of the bar. Stop in and have one on us tell him we sent you!