Thursday, January 10, 2008

Christmas 2007


Yes, Christmas 2007 was a beezer one for a boozer like me. I drank some real quality and just wish I had more time to get more in. I will post up some of the notes I made, Krug, Dom Perignon 96, Barsac and d'Yquem. They have little relation to my drinking in Korea but this is as good a place as any to gloat.

Pictured above is something far more humble but a real revelation for me, Sloe Gin. This was home made using handpicked South Downs sloes and London Gin by my parents. Given my fathers autistic meticulousness and my mothers abilities as a cook then it was always going to be good. Oh, it was good.

Now this is a Christmas drink, a beautiful deep, almost opaque, red it fair clings to the glass. That will be the alcohol and the sugar. On the nose there is little clue you are essentially drinking neat Gin. The botanics are masked by the intense fruitiness of the plum aromas. There is also a hint of almond that due to the sweetness is reminiscent of marzipan. I'd drink that!
It manages to be very tart and also very sweet, the perfect combination of mouthwatering fruit with sugary smoothness. It is like essence of stewed plums with almonds and a nicely integrated alcoholic backbone. It really is a great Christmas drink and is a throw back to fruit puddings you may have eaten as a child.

I have never seen Sloe Gin here and am pretty sure you cannot get hold of the fruit either. I am going to do some research to see if sloes can be replaced with particularly tart plums but I suspect that this is an import only prospect. A shame really as it is the sort of experience you want others to share.

No comments: