Hendricks Oasim Gin

OASIM Gin is made by Hendrick's at Girvan in Ayrshire, on the southwest coast of Scotland. The listing doesn't give a botanical bill or strength, so the flavor notes below describe what to expect from this producer and from contemporary-style gin, not a measured profile of this bottle. Hendrick's is best known for leaning away from a pure juniper profile toward cucumber and rose. Expect juniper to sit in the background as structure, with the more delicate, aromatic and garden-like botanicals carrying the flavor. If you usually buy London dry gins with a hard pine edge, this will likely taste softer and more floral. Check the label for the stated strength and any botanical list. That kind of profile works best in drinks that don't bury it. A Gin & Tonic is the obvious choice. Use a light, clean tonic, because a sweet or heavily spiced one will cover the delicate notes. Pour 50 ml of gin over plenty of large ice in a balloon glass or a tall highball, add about 120 to 150 ml of well-chilled tonic, and stir once, gently. A thin ribbon of cucumber or a strip of grapefruit or lemon peel suits a softer gin better than a heavy lime wedge. A Tom Collins is another good option. Shake the gin with lemon juice and a little sugar syrup, then top with soda over ice. The lemon brightens the gin without drowning it. For a Martini, keep the vermouth modest, around a 5:1 or 6:1 ratio, stir well with ice until very cold, and strain into a chilled coupe or V-shaped glass. Garnish with a lemon twist or a slice of cucumber. A Negroni will taste less sharp than one built on a juniper-heavy gin, because the Campari and sweet vermouth will dominate, but the gin still gives it a gentler, more floral center. Serve it over a large cube in a rocks glass with an orange peel. Whichever serve you choose, use more ice than you think you need. Dense, cold ice melts slowly and keeps the drink from going watery. Chill the glass first if you can. If you taste it neat before mixing, a splash over a single cube is enough to judge the aroma and body.