Portobello Old Tom

Product of: United Kingdom

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This a homage to what the original Old Tom gins of the early 18oos probably tasted like as they were based on a pot-distilled rather than a column distilled grain spirit. The introduction of the column still brought us "clean" London dry style gins.

Review and Tasting

Sampled on 23/02/2021

Appearance:

Clear, pale golden.

Aroma:

Piney juniper with coriander and buttery anise with faint delicate lavender/ parma violet and liquorice.

Taste:

Sweet and floral with piney juniper and a spicy, delicately lightly malty, whack of alcohol. There's a soapy note (in an appealing way) with coriander and liquorice.

Aftertaste:

Liquorice is more pronounced on the long finish which also has a delicate hint of clove.

Overall:

Modern gin rules perversely preclude this Old Tom being sold as a gin but it is likely to be closer to the flavoursome liquorice-laced old tom gins of the 18th century than other modern-day renditions of this style of gin.