Tangueray No. 10

Review: Tangueray No.10  Gin   91.5/100
a review by Chip Dykstra (Aka Arctic Wolf)
Posted April 8, 2010

Tanqueray Gin was originally produced by Charles Tanqueray in London England in 1830.  The distillery prospered through the nineteenth century, but after being in production for over one hundred years, the distillery was almost destroyed in the bombing raids of World War II by the German air force.  One still survived, and this still affectionately called “Old Tom” has been moved to the new facilities in Cameron Scotland.

Tanqueray Gin is considered a London Dry Gin.  This refers to the process of distillation and not the current origin of the gin.  London Dry Gin is made through a double distillation of a neutral grain spirit with botanicals added during the second distillation.

Tangueray No. 10,  is a quadruple distilled gin. It is named for the “Tiny Ten” still, which is from which all of the No. 10 Gin is distilled, and is considered the premium gin in the Tangueray line up.

In the Bottle 4.5/5

As you can see Tangueray No. 10 arrives in a tall green bottle, with a facsimile of a first place ribbon adorning the front giving the bottle a classic statuesque look.  The cap is a solid plastic variety which seals well and the overall presentation is solid.  I would like to see premium spirits corked with a high density synthetic cork, but the price of the gin makes me forgive this indiscretion.  Although the Tangueray No 10. is relatively expensive for a gin, it is relatively inexpensive compared to other premium spirits I review.

In the Glass  9/10

Although Gin is not traditionally a sipping beverage, it still can be appreciated in the glass prior to mixing a nice cocktail.  I do not swirl my gin normally, but when I swirled this gin in my clear rocks glass I noticed that it imparted a nice sheen on the sides.  I saw long slender legs forming.  I suspect this indicates a little oil, and this is why Tangueray No. 10 has the ability to impart a little finish to my cocktails.

The nose is light juniper and alpine forest. It reminds me of the smells of camping in the mountains.  There are sweet floral and citrus tones I cannot identify yet, other than to say I sense a quality of  an orange liqueur such as Triple Sec amidst an array of other botanicals.    Nosing the gin is very relaxing and enjoyable.

In the Mouth 55.5/60

Tangueray No. 10  gin is soft and remarkably approachable.  Juniper berries lead out in front with hints of pine and spruce behind. My mouth tingles wherever the gin stops to rest which is probably caused by the higher than normal alcohol proof (94.6).  I can taste a light orange sweetness akin to Triple Sec or Cointreau in the background.  Floral notes drift  in and out of the currents of my palate, as do other citrus flavours.

It is the soft sweet citrus and the mild floral character of the gin which I appreciate.  This combination makes Tangueray No. 10 one of my favourite gins for cocktails.  It adds more than pine and juniper, it adds a hint of springtime and a glimmer of citrus sweetness.

In the Throat 13.5/15

The beginning was all juniper berry and pine, but the finish adds sweet oranges and tangy grapefruit.  This  is surprisingly smooth, especially when one notes the 94.6 proof on the side of the bottle.  The finish has length which I believe  bodes well for mixology.

The Afterburn  9/10

I should repeat what I said earlier, and say that gin really isn’t made to sip straight.  Gin is primarily a cocktail spirit made for Martinis and bar drinks.  Tangueray No. 10 is a stellar mixer in all sorts of these cocktails but what really sets it apart from other gins I have tried is that it is also enjoyable sipped neat a room temperature or with a dash of ice.

You may read some of my other Gin Reviews (click the link) if you wish to have some comparative reviews.

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Suggested Cocktail

Where do I start?  Tangueray No. 10 Gin will be good for every variation of the gin Martini I can think of.  Collins drinks, Gin and Tonic… you name a traditional gin based drink and I heartily recommend Tangueray No. 10.

Perhaps I should  start with an under appreciated gin based cocktail, the Gimlet. The orange and grapefruit citrus elements I noticed on my palate will mix well with Lime.  Actually my recipe calls for key lime.  Here is my variation on the traditional gimlet which I make with Tangueray No. 10 Gin and key limes.

The No. 10 Key Lime Gimlet

2 oz Tangueray No. 10
3/8  oz fresh Key Lime Juice
1/4 to 1/2 oz Sugar Syrup
Half a glass  of  Cracked Ice

Mix the three ingredients over ice in a rocks glass. Garnish with fresh key lime slices added to the glass.

The sugar syrup is usually omitted in the traditional recipe (which uses lime cordial instead of lime Juice), but for me, real lime juice and sugar syrup make the gimlet much better.  I also love he look of the key lime slices trapped in the bottom by the ice, this gives the cocktail just a little ambiance when it is served.

A Variation on the Gimlet which I love to sip on a hot summer day is as follows

No. 10 Key Lime Slushy

2 oz Tangueray No. 10 Gin
3/8  oz fresh Key Lime Juice
1 to 2 teaspoons Grenadine
A Glass of  Cracked Ice

Put it all in a blender
Blend until smooth(ish)!
Garnish with a slice of key lime
Enjoy!

The Grenadine gives the slushy a nice color which always seems to impress my guests.

A final Cocktail I want to suggest is one which I have already added to my cocktail menu, The Pink Rocket.

The Pink Rocket

a cocktail by Chip Dykstra (Aka Arctic Wolf)

2 oz  White Rum (El Dorado 3 yr white is nice)
1 to 2 oz  Pink Grapefruit juice
1/2 to 1 oz  Pineapple juice
3/4 Ounce Tangueray # 10 Gin
1/2 ounce Grenadine

Shake with ice
Strain into a small rocks glass

In this final cocktail the Tangueray No. 10 acts to accent the already great flavours in the cocktail.   Enjoy!

And always remember the aim is not to drink more it is to drink better!

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My Final Score is out of 100 and you may (loosely) interpret that score as follows:

0-25     A spirit with a rating this low would actually kill you.
26-49   Depending upon your fortitude you might actually survive this.
50 -59  You are safe to drink this…but you shouldn’t.
60-69   Substandard swill which you may offer to people you do not want to see again.
70-74    Now we have a fair mixing spirit.  Accept this but make sure it is mixed into a cocktail.
75-79    You may begin to serve this to friends, again probably still cocktail territory.
80-84    We begin to enjoy this spirit neat or on the rocks. (I will still primarily mix cocktails)
85-89    Excellent for sipping or for mixing!
90-94    Definitely a primary sipping spirit, in fact you may want to hoard this for yourself.
95-97.5 The Cream of the Crop
98+       I haven’t met this bottle yet…but I want to.

Very loosely we may put my scores into terms that you may be familiar with on a Gold, Silver, and  Bronze medal  scale as follows:

70 – 79.5    Bronze Medal (Recommended only as a mixer)
80 – 89.5     Silver Medal (Recommended for sipping and or a high quality mixer)
90 – 95         Gold Medal (Highly recommended for sipping and for sublime cocktails.)
95.5+            Platinum Award (Highest Recommendation)