England Archives - First Pour Cocktails

Fords Gin

Posted on October 8, 2021October 3, 2021 by Nick

Fords Gin seeks to be a versatile gin that is perfect for classic gin cocktails. This is an ideal application of Gin, as of all the base spirits, it’s one of the only choices that doesn’t also have a significant number of individuals enjoying it neat. The result of the choices made by Fords is a gin that seeks to bring out the best mix of flavors that are awakened by the addition of other elements, be they water or cocktail ingredients.

Fords Gin

Most gins don’t give you the exact percentage breakdown of their herbs and spice. Fords is a bit of an exception in this regard, providing exactly what percentage of each item is. Per their website:

Juniper – 49.5%
Coriander – 30.5%
Lemon – 3.2%
Bitter Orange – 3.2%
Grapefruit – 3.2%
Cassia – 2%
Angelica – 3.2%
Jasmine – 3.2%
Orris – 2%

Sight: Clear.

Smell: Juniper jumps out, but it’s more subdued. It’s followed by notes of creamy lemon and orange, earthy notes reminiscent of cassia and coriander, and floral notes. There’s a touch of heat as well.

Sip: Smooth and silky on the start, notes of citrus lead off the palate, bringing out orange and lemon zest. The background begins to building, adding touches of spice, plenty of juniper and coriander, and hints of jasmine. The heat on the noses doesn’t materialize here, but a pretty brightness does.

Savor: The ending brings in more notes or orange zest and lemon. It gets more pithy and a touch dry as it goes.

Fords Gin has a nice complexity to it, and is clearly configured to try to achieve balance instead of dominance. The overall smoothness gives it a pleasant texture that seems to be built to compliment other flavors. The spicing is just complex enough that it keeps begging your attention in the background. Overall, it’s very inviting and curiously interesting.

In Cocktails

In a Martini Fords Gin is well balanced, giving a nice mix of juniper and spice while also providing a space for the citrus to thrive. The texture is smooth, and the finish is clean and slightly citrusy and floral. Some of the spice notes are surprisingly prominent, and help to subdue the traditional juniper forward nature that are associated with gin.

In Review – Fords Gin

Fords Gin earns a lot of positive nods for both it’s pedigree and the development focused balanced drinks. Fords Gin does fairly well at achieving balance, especially on its own. It also does fairly well in cocktails, although it isn’t the most prevalent and sometimes almost blends with other elements. The other element of Fords Gin is the price. At nearly $30, it sits at almost double a traditional gin like Beefeater. The problem is the flavor isn’t twice as nice. For these reasons, we encourage lovers of gin to try Fords, but it’s not a must have for those running their home bar.

Plymouth Gin

Posted on November 18, 2019 by Nick

Odds are good if you’ve hung out in a cocktail bar, you’ve seen a sea glass green bottle with a rather oblong shape sitting on the shelf. Plymouth Gin is produced by one of the oldest distilleries in the world, Black Friars Distilleries. The name Plymouth is actually a geographical regulation for gin produced in Plymouth, England. It happens to now be the only gin distilled in Plymouth.

So what’s the difference? Plymouth Gin tends to be less dry, and a little lighter on the juniper. In Plymouth Gin’s case this results in a nose that opens with juniper but gives way more easily to citrus and coriander. The floral notes in the nose are robust and play well with some of the herb and spice elements, giving a very perfumed nature. The body is smooth and easy, with plenty of lemon and coriander playing equal fiddle to the juniper. The finish is clean after the gentle richness of the body, and maintains a similar flavor profile.

On it’s own, Plymouth Gin is simply delicious.

Plymouth Gin In Cocktails:

Plymouth’s delightfully softer style makes it at home for more delicate floral drinks. In bolder drinks – Plymouth fights a bit more – but is still capable of showing up. The citrus notes comes forward more and the spice is more subdued. Experimenting with our gold standard of a Martini we found it to be level with the vermouth, and less juniper forward than most gins.

So Is Plymouth Gin Good?

We quite like Plymouth, and are happy to keep a bottle around. While it’s not the most versatile gin in our collection, it’s smooth body and balanced spicing makes us like it. The lower ABV (41.2%) makes it a little less dominant, but keeps it above the 80 proof line. This means the impact in most cocktails should be relatively minimal compared to standards like Beefeater & Bombay Sapphire.

Looking for something more contemporary? Check out our take on Aviation Gin.

Want more information? Check out Plymouth’s website.

Raw Tasting Notes:

The nose opens with a solid amount of juniper – but gives way gently to notes of citrus and coriander. There’s a certain floral character to the nose but it mixes well with a more herbaceous note – leaning toward perfume. The body is smooth and the lemon and coriander almost play equal fiddle to the juniper. There’s a richness to the body, and it finishes cleanly – maintaining notes of pine, lemon, and gentle cardamom and root spice.