Greenhook Old Tom Gin

Greenhook Old TomOld TomAn 18th-century English style, lightly sweetened or rounder, halfway between genever and London Dry. It is back in favour for classic cocktails.GlossarySee Old Tom gins Gin starts with corn spirit distilled in a pot stillPot stillA traditional still, often copper, that distils in batches. It keeps more texture and character than a column.Glossary and is bottled at 50.05% ABV. Juniper anchors the recipe; the other botanicals draw inspiration from the historic spice trade. The gin spends two years in bourbon casks before a finish in Oloroso sherry casksSherry caskA cask that once held sherry, the fortified wine of Andalusia. Dry, oxidative oloroso brings nutty, dried-fruit notes; Pedro Ximénez brings raisin and molasses.Glossary. Grain, botanicals and oak therefore all shape this Old Tom, setting it apart from an unaged dry ginDry ginGin with no perceptible sweetness: in the European Union, the word "dry" allows at most 0.1 g of sugar per litre.GlossarySee Dry gin gins.

Woody · Spicy

The nose brings juniper together with warm notes from the wood. Bourbon casks lend a round impression of oak and caramel, while the Oloroso finish adds a deeper wine-cask character.

On the palate, the high strength gives the spices and juniper presence; the cask notes follow with a rounded impression rather than a sugary finish. A little water can open the aroma and soften the alcohol, while the concentrated style rewards a small, slow pour.

The distillery recommends a MartinezMartinezThe presumed ancestor of the Martini: gin (often Old Tom), sweet vermouth, maraschino and bitters, stirred over ice and served straight up.Glossary or an Old Fashioned. Vermouth and bitters meet the sherry-cask notes naturally in a Martinez; an Old Fashioned lets the wood and spice show without hiding juniper. The gin can also be served over a large cube, allowing gradual dilution. Orange suits the darker cask notes, and a cocktail cherry gives the drink a familiar Old Tom accent.

For the Perfect Serve, make the Martinez the distillery recommends: stir 5 cl of gin with 3 cl of sweet vermouth and 2 dashes of aromatic bitters over ice until cold, strain into a chilled coupe and garnish with an orange twist and a cocktail cherry. Sip it slowly as it opens. A gin and tonic is possible with a dry tonic and a restrained orange twist, but the Martinez shows the bottle best. Greenhook Old Tom is a concentrated, wood-influenced gin defined by its corn spirit, two years in bourbon casks and an Oloroso finish.