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Gin Tasting at LeNell’s Wine and Spirit Boutique
Jessica Clegg | August 9, 2007
The opportunity to taste a variety of free gins at LeNell’s, a Red Hook Wine and Spirit Boutique, presented a two-fold benefit: a way to expand my Brooklyn range outside of the reaches of the F-train and to discover what gin actually tastes like when not drowned in Schweppes tonic water.
LeNell’s is a charming, homey shop with bottles arranged on antique bathtubs and barrels. I thought I might have to fight against my usual impulse at free wine store tastings: grab and gulp the little plastic cup while trying not to feel self-conscious about the fact that I’m only buying the bargain white in the counter bucket for sangria. Colby, a friendly staff member, was there to lead us through the tasting. During the tutorial, I discovered the reason that I prefer gin so much to vodka: juniper berries. Gin starts out basically as vodka, a neutral spirit, which is then re-distilled with flavorings. A common flavoring or botanical to nearly all gins is juniper berries, originally valued for their medicinal properties, which I guess makes gin the healthy spirit of choice.
We tasted three gins: Desert Juniper and No. 209, both of which keep their recipes tightly shrouded in secrecy, but would well liven up a gin martini, and DH Krahn, which is distilled with botanicals including Italian juniper berries, Moroccan coriander seed, various citrus, and a touch of Thai ginger. All three happily lacked the medicinal tinge of my usual bottom-shelf choices.
I had wanted to find a higher quality gin to add to my tonic. Turns out I discovered a finer tonic too. Q Tonic is made with natural ingredients, for example organic agave syrup rather than corn syrup. Another plus is that the sleek bottles look sexy in an ice bucket.
Our tasting session ended with a cocktail using DH Krahn gin, lemon juice, simple syrup, and a few pieces of fresh crushed basil. It was incredibly refreshing and steeled us for long journey back to Smith, at which point we were so overheated that only a Frozen Zombie at the Zombie Hut could revive us, but that’s another story for another time.
Here’s a cocktail recipe LeNell’s provided:
Gimlet (adapted from The Savoy Cocktail Book [1930])
· ½ gin
· ½ Rose’s Lime Juice (a brand of sweetened lime juice )
Stir, and serve in the same glass. Can be iced if desired.
The latest word on the street (according to this Village Voice article) is that LeNell’s is searching for a new space and plans to open a bar on the side. I personally would be willing, even eager, to actually pay for any of the drinks I sampled, so I hope they stick around our neighborhood. More information about the shop and a calendar of future boozy, yet educational, events can be found on their site.
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