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Some people have claimed that gin is really just a vodka -- a clear, neutral spirit that doesn't need aging -- which merely gets a touch of exotic spices, including juniper. True, the two spirits often populate the same cocktails: gimlets, tonics, martinis. But then why do some drinkers have such visceral reactions to gin? To put it bluntly, some are indeed overly flavored, bitter, oily, viscous and anything-but-neutral. While that's a source of appeal for some (as in the cucumber flavor of Hendrick's), it's the seed of repulsion for others.
Right Gin, an optimistically named product created by a duo of gin haters, seems like a reaction to all the flavored bottles that have surfaced recently, chasing the flavored vodka market. The recipe starts with water from Lake Bolmen in Malmo, Sweden and adds a specific mix of botanicals: juniper, coriander leaf, cardamom, lemon, lime, bergamot, bitter orange and black pepper. The citrus smell rises up out of the glass first and foremost. But it doesn't send your head back reeling. The taste truly does veer widely from other gins: This is clean, light, dry and just a touch peppery in the finish. Is it a gin for vodka lovers, then? Well, yes. Maybe that's not such a bad thing.
-- James Oliver Cury
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