Gin O’Clock (101)
The seemingly unstoppable impetus of the ginaissance has, rightly, had me focussing on the enormous range of so-called premium gins that are now available. Such is the range and so wide is the taste spectrum that it is almost impossible to find a gin that doesn’t suit, unless you have a pathological hatred of the spirit. I have always found it a little strange, though, that with so much attention focussed on the gin, the botanicals used, the aroma, taste and aftertaste, the backstory of the distillers, the look and feel of the bottle, and the marketing, there is little focus on what you mix it with. There is little point, it seems to me, to go to enormous lengths selecting a gin that suits your taste or the mood of the moment, and then pour any old mixer into it. One size does not necessarily fit all.
I am wired psychologically to resist the blandishments of market leaders and like from time to time cast my net out wider. Bored with the hegemony of Fever-Tree and Schweppes 1783, my normal mixers, and finding my favourite spirit a little heavy for an evening’s session when taken neat, I was attracted to investigate Double Dutch Indian Tonic Water, available at my local Waitrose and with a price enticingly discounted. I am on a pension, after all.
The name, Double Dutch, refers to the founders, twins Joyce and Raissa de Haas, who were raised in the Netherlands, the spiritual home of gin. Frustrated that the spirit of innovation and experimentation amongst gin makers was not being matched by the providers of mixers, they decided to take matters into their own hands. The initial two flavours they developed were Pomegranate & Basil and Cucumber & Watermelon. Now the range has been extended to include Ginger Ale, Double Lemon, Soda Water, Indian Tonic Water, Ginger Beer, and Cranberry & Ginger. Something for everybody’s taste, it would seem.
The duo’s aim was to produce a mixer that stood up on its own as well as being a perfect accompaniment to a spirit and that they were natural and free from preservatives. Despite the name the drink is manufactured in the United Kingdom, using natural ingredients, according to their website, and the highest quality (natch) spring water from the North of England. They are also slimline, for those who care about such matters, with just 66 calories.
As I prefer a tonic that enhances the flavours of the gin I’m drinking rather than setting itself up as a rival, I decided to err on the side of caution and go for the unflavoured Indian tonic. It comes either in a bottle or a can, I bought the canned version. Emphasising the Dutch origin of the idea if not the manufacture of the tonic, the can is an appealing orange colour with a logo of two girls, perhaps the De Haas twins, facing each other with glass in hand and the motto “perfectly balanced”. There is a strangely Masonic feel to the design between the two women, but that may just be me.
[image error]
I decided I would try the tonic on its own before adulterating my gin. It had a slightly spicy note to its aroma and in the glass had enough bubbles to convince you that it wasn’t flat without unleashing a torrent. To the taste it was not as bitter as some tonics I have tasted. The spicy elements were present as was the citrus, but they seemed well balanced and unobtrusive, making it an interesting, if somewhat bland, drink.
Mixed with a gin, if anything it improved immeasurably and seemed to enhance the flavours of the juniper-led spirit I had selected. I suspect with the spicy element that you need to be careful which gins you decide to add it to, but I found it a perfectly acceptable alternative to the tonics I normally use. And with all the other flavours in their cabinet, some a little too recherche for my taste, they are well positioned to make a splash in their market.
Until the next time, cheers!
