opinionated alchemist

Some vintage Old Tom Gins These days I have thought a lot about gin. There are a lot of gins coming on the market and some people are already calling it the “new vodka”. While I do understand this notion, it is (out of my humble perspective) not at all comparable. Yes - gin has been really exploited in marketing (like vodka) - but it is really like any mainstream trend. Vodka has been always a bit different: while a lot of gins have significant differences (especially due to their different botanicals) - quality  vodkas lack the big differences and their subtle differences are subdued within the different moods people are in - or what they have eaten for breakfast or lunch, or if they had one drink before or simply with the mixers, the vodka is consumed with. Anyway - one big topic I have contemplated about is Old Tom Gin. In my eyes, this style has been largely misrepresented and misunderstood. The otherwise informative article in Imbibe shows exactly the issue ...

Guys and gals - I know, I know - I haven't posted for a long time. My job is just taking for the moment a lot of attention - it is busy in the operations. But I haven't forgotten you - and I haven't forgotten about the opinionated-alchemist.com! First of all, the goody, an amazing video of the reserve channel of youtube: It amazes me, how good youtube videos in the last couple of month have become [even, if they are not uploaded tv shows]. You cannot really complain about anything said or done in this video [maybe except of the short shaking times and the use of egg white as flavor softener]. But it strikes me, that the overall idea of alcohol in history is deeply flawed. Why? Let me explain: In the video, there were two spirits discussed, which were quite in controversy in their times: gin and absinthe. But obviously there are many more instances, you could apply this theory on. The flaw is, that most bartenders and drink historians are perceiving the history...