I don't think I mentioned last time, but I receive no compensation for my reviews.
The gin
This month, we received a bottle of ELG No. 1 Danish gin. The tasting notes in the magazine are as follows:
Rich juniper flavour dominates this punchy, intense gin. Just three botanicals allow for incredible precision; on the nose, tangerine, black pepper, lemongrass and coriander scents blossom, carrying through to the palate. The finish is creamy, descending into herbaceous and earthy notes.
My notes: This is a strong gin. At 47.2% alcohol by volume, this is one of the stronger ones we've tried. It's got a... distinct flavor, but not in a bad way. I do get a slight hint of the citrus, as noted above, and it's also got a herby flavor. After the initial taste, it mellows nicely, and at the end I do pick up the earthy notes. All of the flavors are subtle and blend nicely together. I like this one, but it wouldn't be my everyday choice.
*Day 2 Update* The magazine we received with our box mentioned using lemon as a garnish instead of lime. So we tried it, and it enhances the flavor of the gin immensely. With lemon, this gin is near the top of the list now, but unfortunately it's not sold in the UK normally. We are sure to savor this bottle.
Franklin & Sons Natural Light Tonic Water
I'm beginning to develop more of a taste for tonic, but it's still a bit bitter to me. This tonic is not my style. It's dry and the bitterness coats my whole tongue. Matt didn't favor it either, and he's not normally picky in this department.
Newton's Appl Fizzics Just Apple
This is a sparkling juice drink, and as suggested by the magazine, I used it in a cocktail called the Newton's appl fizz. I mixed the gin with raspberry syrup and the apple drink, and garnished with an apple slice.
The gin and apple drink balanced the sweetness of the syrup, and the result was a nice, refreshing cocktail. Since I now have a whole bottle of raspberry syrup, I'll drink this again. The apple drink on its own is very tasty as well, and the carbonation isn't overwhelming.
Piper Crisp Co Jalapeno & Dill Crisps
I do love jalapeno chips, so I was eager to try a new one. These had a nice jalapeno flavor, but were short on heat. There was a pleasant sourness as well, which to me made up for the lack of spice. I would try them again, as well as other flavors by this brand.
Bonne Maman Sweet Orange Marmalade
I am not a fan of marmalade. I find it bitter, and if I want jam, I want it sweet. There were three different varieties of Bonne Maman marmalade sent out in the gin boxes, and we received the sweet one. Consider me converted. There was a recipe in the magazine that involves putting a dollop of this into a gin and tonic, and of course I had to try it. My drink was not completely incorporated, since we don't have a proper cocktail shaker, but it still tasted pretty good. I've enjoyed the marmalade even more on crumpets (which are sort of a dense, porous pancake/biscuit). If I see this in the store, I would pick it up again.
Divine Chocolate Deliciously Dark Smooth Hazelnut
I love a good dark chocolate (well, I love a good chocolate, period). This bar was mellow and very tasty, and, as the name suggests, it was smooth (no pieces of nut, just the flavor). Also the company supports the empowerment of women cocoa farmers. Between the taste and the business practices, I'll definitely try more from Divine.
After enjoying the first gin box so much, I was hoping that our second wouldn't be a dud. It wasn't, and I am eagerly awaiting our next installment!
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