Tasting Tuesday: Plymouth Gin

London Dry is probably the most common style of gin, but with the ever-increasing popularity of classic cocktail recipes from the turn of the century, more styles of gin are becoming easier to find in liquor stores and bars. If you’ve only had London Dry, one style that you should consider trying is Plymouth Gin. This gin is both a brand and a type, since the term “Plymouth Gin” is only applied to gin produced in Plymouth, England and there is only one distillery producing gin there. That gin is Plymouth and it is produced by the Black Friars Distillery, which has been distilling gin since 1793.

Plymouth is known for being slightly sweeter and lighter in flavor than many London Dry gins. The botanicals in the gin are somewhat muted and earthy, and the gin is less dry than other styles. You’ll pick up citrus and cardamom before you pick up the juniper, which is not the dominant flavor here, and you’ll get a smooth, easy finish. One thing that you’ll notice immediately – and this makes it easy to identify in a glass – is that Plymouth is more viscus than other gins and will coat the side of your glass if you swirl it around undiluted. This body makes it easy to savor the gin and pick out some of the flavors that might pass too quickly in other types of gin.

Worth another round? Yes, absolutely. Plymouth is a unique and delicious spirit that is good on its own and great for mixing. It will give a cocktail a nice body and the relatively subdued flavor of the gin means that other ingredients will not be overshadowed by the gin itself, nor will you feel like you’re overwhelming an extremely complex gin with other flavors.