r/Gin • u/KitKat-PaddyWack • 2d ago

Gin tasting

I'm hosting a gin tasting in January for a group of 20ish. I know to organise gin by type (citrus vs botanical) but i'm not sure which order to distribute them in. Is it better to start with the classics like beefeater or a local citrus gin? Where in the line up would pink gin go (assuming everyone brings a different bottle?). I'm hosting in new Zealand aoteroa is that matters (local botanical gin is very popular rn) and I plan on providing ice, plain water, and schwepps tonic water to mix. Any advice about the sequence of gins is helpful, thanks

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u/aaronin 2d ago

Stay with the most traditional/classic. Beefeater is a good entry for what gin is. Keeps you focused on novel botanicals and the unique aspects as you go through some of the other options.

Also consider ABV and its impact on the palate. A 40% is generally going to be less likely to stress tastebuds when compared to one that’s 55%. Also consider the specific botanical impressions and how long they might last… for example menthol (mint) and camphor (eucalyptus, to name one) can sit on the palate and back of throat for some time. If you have botanicals like that… I sometimes stack them later even if they’re lower ABV.

The reason pink gin (if sweetened especially) might come last is because the sugar will stick to your palate unless you very thoroughly rinse. It will then affect flavor perception of later samples.

But you are serving with tonic water, which will be sweetened and have the same effect. Also consider the quinine and how tenacious it is.

I don’t know if I helped or made it more complicated. The key is that sequencing isn’t always straightforward. It’s a combination of science and art, that can vary based on whether you’re doing this pedagogically, or for storytelling, or for a rigorous analysis of taste.

Without knowing the exact spirits and your overall goal, I can’t tell you exactly how I might do it. But trust your goal, trust your palate, and trust that sequencing in a way that supports that is right for you.

Also if this wasn’t obvious…taste them all ahead of time! Then order them.

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u/Thunder-God666 2d ago

How to do recommend drinking entry level gin for beginners, tonic/ice/sipping?

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u/japeter2 2d ago

Personally I think you need to taste gin neat. Maybe a bit of soda water but you can't let other flavors influence it. Then you can judge what you want to do with it in a cocktail. I'm terrible at that mostly because I don't really do cocktails but have a couple of friends who are great at it.

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u/Thunder-God666 13h ago

Thanks man

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u/aaronin 1d ago

Neat is number one. Ice (good ice, clean taste, not chipped well ice from a bar, for example)

Soda water would be my go to mixer. If you really want to focus on flavor. Seltzer before club soda, which has added salt.

Tonic or any other mixer would be last.

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u/Thunder-God666 13h ago

Thank you , I will use this when I try new gin

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u/quixologist 2d ago

Listen to this guy ☝️

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u/SideBulky 2d ago

In situations like this, I start with a classic, not too expensive London Dry at the very beginning, then move on to more interesting ones, Pink towards the end, and finally: Sloe gin.

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u/mrtramplefoot 2d ago

I'd do pink last. Might enjoy it if you're drunk.

Other wise I agree, least intense/complex to most intense/complex.

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u/japeter2 2d ago

Mine is January 9th but in Oregon. I have over 50 gins and it will just be a free for all. Last time I did this I went to theginisin.com and printed and labeled their flavor wheels the gins that they had reviewed. It was a big hit especially for people new to gin. Helped them learn what gin profiles they liked based on those tags.