Endeavour Old Tom Gin

The Tom Cat

July 13, 2017 No Comments

A fruity, herbal mix to get your whiskers twitching

INGREDIENTS:
2 oz. Old Tom gin
½ oz. lemon juice
½ oz. Tuscan pear rooibos tea syrup
½ oz. Triple Sec
3 dashes of peach bitters
Rosemary sprig and lemon twist

METHOD:
Fill a Collins Glass with ice. Shake all ingredients in a Boston glass. Strain into Collins Glass. Garnish with rosemary sprig and lemon twist.

Features

There’s new life in the old tomcat

July 12, 2017 No Comments

Gin’s dark past comes to light as distillers go back to the drink’s barrel-aged roots

Early gin was stored and shipped in barrels, so it was naturally darker. Modern barrel-aging aims to add vanilla and spice complexity to gin’s botanicals. Dan Toulgoet photo

To the superstitious, a black cat is a bad omen. But to underground drinkers during Prohibition, spotting a sign depicting an old tomcat meant you’d hit the gin jackpot.

A precursor to the crisp and clear London dry gin, Old Tom gin was stored and shipped in wooden barrels, so it had a naturally darker hue. Sometimes it was sweeter or more resiny, thanks to the addition of sugar or, yes, turpentine. Swill or not, Old Tom was probably better than no Tom.

B.C. Distilleries

The Liberty Distillery

November 30, 2015 No Comments

With prime real estate on Granville Island, Liberty is open for tours, tastings and daily cocktails showcasing their vodka, different expressions of gin, and various white whiskies.

1494 Old Bridge St., Vancouver
604-558-1998
TheLibertyDistillery.com

PRODUCTS:

• Truth Vodka
• Truth Oat Vodka (Distiller’s Reserve)
• Endeavour Gin
• Endeavour Old Tom Gin
• Endeavour Gin Origins
• Endeavour Pink
• Railspur No. 1 – White
• Railspur No. 2 – Wildflower Honey
• Railspur No. 3 – Spike
• Trust Whiskey – Single Grain
• Trust Whiskey – Canadian Rye
• Trust Whiskey – Southern
• Trust Whiskey – Ancient Grains

TASTING NOTES:

Truth Vodka

FRAGRANCE: Fresh, bright.
FLAVOUR: Sweet, fruity.
FEEL: Velvety, even, pleasant.
FINISH: Soft. Front palate.
BEST ENJOYED: With less rather than more. Try it as a Martini with an olive or just neat.
THE BOTTOM LINE: Well made vodka. Worth the price of admission. —Josh Pape, July 2016

Endeavour Old Tom Gin

FRAGRANCE: The barrel is quite evident — hints of coriander, slight juniper, and violets.
FLAVOUR: Woodsy botanicals — cinnamon, cinchona, with small juniper presence.
FEEL: Silky from the barrel, with some tannin.
FINISH: Muted, with lingering sweetness and spice.
BEST ENJOYED: Screams for stirred classics such as a Martinez.
THE BOTTOM LINE: For whiskey lovers you want to convert to gin. —Shaun Layton, October 2016

Railspur No. 3 – Spike

FRAGRANCE: Spicy and nutty.
FLAVOUR: Vanilla and dried fruit.
FEEL: Smooth and mouth coating.
FINISH: Long-lasting.
BEST ENJOYED: In a Whisky Sour.
THE BOTTOM LINE: A young B.C. barley spirit with a rich spice complexity. —Robyn Gray, February 2017

Endeavour Pink Gin

FRAGRANCE: Slightly sweet and floral. A hint of pepper and citrus.
FLAVOUR: Bright rose petals with medium juniper.
FEEL: Fresh, mild with a little creaminess to the mouthfeel.
FINISH: Long, floral.
BEST ENJOYED: This gin is destined for endless twists on the French 75.
THE BOTTOM LINE: Fun to see a pink take on a navy-strength gin. Very charming bottle design and colour. —Trevor Kallies, July 2017

Endeavour Gin Origins

FRAGRANCE: Very light for a gin with 25 botanicals. Violet candies, lemon zest, potpourri.
FLAVOUR: Faint white pepper, nutmeg, mace, other baking spices.
FEEL: Very rich, pleasant, syrupy viscosity.
FINISH: Clean finish, high alcohol sticks around.
BEST ENJOYED: Would make a great dry Gibson Martini.
THE BOTTOM LINE: For entry-level gin drinkers. Similar to Bombay Sapphire. —Shaun Layton, October 2017