It seems that these days there are boutique and small gin distilleries popping up all over.  Being a long term gin drinker I can recall the days when my choices at any typical bar were severely limited; Beefeater, Tanqueray, Bombay, and Gordon’s.  If I was lucky a bar might have Hendrick’s.

I generally applaud this renewed interest in Gin.  It gives me a lot of new flavors, tastes, and aromas to experience.  But it did get me thinking, there are a lot of new ‘twists’ on Gins these days and I’m not sure I like where some of them are going.

Barrel Aging!  Gin aged in Whiskey barrels?  Cognac Barrels?  Really?  Either of these treatments will certainly add color and different flavors to the Gin.  And, most likely, add a certain astringent taste to the Gin – what wine enthusiasts refer to as tannins.

The lack of clarity of these barrel age gins certainly would not appeal to a traditionalist.  And the tanninic taste I think will not go well with the fundamental juniper flavor required in all Gins.

But the other flavors that come from barrel aging may, or may not, indeed offer some surprises and pleasures.  I haven’t tried these yet, but I’m dubious.  I’ll withhold judgement, for now.

But Craft Gin?  Did gin becoming a trend?  Or, god forbid, a FAD?  I sure hope not, I’m about as anti-fad as they come.  I’d be really annoyed that some snot nosed runt of a frat boy thinks I just jumped on the Gin bandwagon last week.  When I’ve been drinking gin since …. well, you know.

There used to be a certain sophistication and ‘bon vivant’ feeling to ordering a ‘real’ Martini in a crowd of Vodkaphiles.  I’m going to miss that.