Gin Gents

Monthly Archive: July 2016

SACRED GIN-A London home run–or should we say boundary?

Sacred Gin-London

Distillery:Sacred Spirits Company

Style: London Dry

Price: $50 (at least in Virginia!)

Website: https://sacredspiritscompany.com/

Harold’s Review

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Photo Notes: Nice Label. They smartly chose the biblically significant colors of purple and gold.   Photo by Jim Trotman

This distillery is so small, it’s in a house in London, which was quite a popular tradition on this side of the pond during the era of Prohibition. The gin proves size desn’t matter once and for all.

This is just a damn good gin which I could drink all the time if I had more money. It’s not cheap, but it is good in the London Dry style of that I imagine when I think back to the “roots” of gin, with Juniper and other botanicals delicately balanced to make a “gentlemen’s spirit”. It has flavors similar to, but not the same as many London Dry gins, but they are so subtle that you find yourself unconcerned with them, and just enjoying the taste.

If you follow us, you know I pass on almost all additions to my gin except ice. In a glass, poured over ice from the refined waters of Nags Head, Sacred was a blessing. Flowing over my taste buds, it has nothing that offends, and much that commends it. I can’t say enough good about it. The down side is that it is scarce and pricey here in the US, as it will be, given the size of Sacred’s operation. I’m surprised a bottle escaped the United Kingdom and made it to us!

Jim’s Review

I concur with my fellow gents. A grand gin this is.

I found none of the claims on the label to be overblown, which is so often the case. It is, in fact, a creamy, aromatic gin, with Juniper topping the list of citrus flavors bounded with Cardamom and Angelica.

And then Frankincense. Who saw that coming? I consulted my vast research library, otherwise known as google, and discovered that this thing I’ve heard about my whole life was not nearly what I thought it was.

I thought it was a kind of baby powder. You know, that might have been something poor Mary could have used with her new Baby Jesus and all. But seeing as how the birthing suite was essentially a place for livestock, I can understand a greater appreciation for the gift of some heavy duty air freshener. The gold is something we could all use. As for myrrh? Jury is still out.

So Frankincense is an aromatic resin used in incense and perfumes. I could not tell you what it smells (or tastes) like but I’m willing to believe it really is in there. There is a subtle hint of something I can’t put my finger on, so I guess that’s it.

Frankincense is tapped from trees of the genus Boswellia sacra. Sacra = Sacred. There you go.

Now, I didn’t notice the Atlantic parting out Russ’s window, and if I heard his bushes talking, I would have put that to the alcohol, but yes, this gin could be called heavenly.

 

Russ’s Review

I found this bottle at my favorite liquor store in Virginia Beach, VA.

sacred003It’s must serve as the main state owned store in the city as it always has tons of spirits in any category imaginable that aren’t on the standard Virginia inventory list.

If you special order, they must order a case, but they only make you take two or three bottles. The rest they happily place on the shelf knowing gin, vodka, whiskey, rum and others will come looking.

People like me who almost always leave with a new gin!!

Over the course of three or four trips to the stored I spied 4 bottles of Sacred on the shelf. But at $50 a pop, I wasn’t sure I wanted to go all in, especially after our terrible experience with Monkey Feces 47, which cost $50 for 375 ml.

One day I walked in and there was just one bottle left and it was on their special “exotic display” which translates into “this is special order shit you’ll never see again unless some other dweeb orders it.”

It’s made in London, so I figured it should taste like the London Dry’s this group loves so much.

And it did.

Juniper–right up front where it belongs– but not in the least overpowering. Balance. Zen-like balance.

Hell, this stuff was smooth outta the shot glass.

On the rocks, smooth as silk. The mouthfeel is almost silky, if that’s possible for a gin.

A dozen botanicals go into Sacred and once them is Frankincense. I have no idea what Frankincense is supposed to taste like and therefore, I can’t comment on its addition to the flavor profile.

But there’s citrus in there for sure and it tastes like to good citrus that belongs in gin, such as lemon, orange or lime zest. Cardamon is there also.

Like Jim, I’m just going to cut to the chase.

This an awesome gin as a martini, on the rocks or in a gin and tonic. It is substantial enough to stand up to tonic and smooth enough to be mixed only with ice, shaken or poured over.

$50 is a hefty price, especially compared to Boodle’s ($25 in our neck of the woods) and Plymouth ($32) and I’m not sure how widely available Sacred is.

But it’s in my Top 5 thus far on our gin journey and it gets my highest rating–right up there with Boodles.

Five Churchill’s!

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