Finding a bottle of Bluecoat gin in Tokyo was not something I expected during my booze journey here. Bluecoat was the first gin I really fell for many years ago while we were still living in Philadelphia. We popped into a local wine dive bar and … since I don’t drink wine I had to find something else to drink. The barkeep offered me a sip of this and I was blown away. In the intervening years I have often thought of this gin but never been in a position to pickup a bottle for my bar. So when I did see it at a booze shop in Shinjuku, I instantly grabbed it.
So, is this a case of fond mis-remembering or is it actually a solid gin?
Bluecoat American Dry Gin
- Distillery: Philadelphia Distilling (USA)
- 47% abv / 94 proof
- Botanicals: Juniper, Angelica Root, Coriander, “American citrus blend”
- Style: Dry Gin
Neat
Clear pour with thick lacing on the glass. Aroma is lemon peel, juniper, light wood, coriander, and soft sweet orange. A simple and straight forward aroma but very pleasant. Full bodied. Flavor is citrus forward with a sweet backbone and plenty of juniper. Again, it’s a very simple gin yet a very tasty one. The finish is warm with lemon and orangesicle. Really lovely gin.
Gin & Tonic
With how nice the gin is by itself, I couldn’t wait to get it into a G&T- and I was very well rewarded once I did. The clean lines of the gin work in tandem with the tonic to create a refreshing, tart and snappy drink. The citrus from the gin really comes along with the tonic dries the whole drink out. This is a near perfect G&T but does skew a little on the flabby side due to the softness of the gin. However, if you’re alright with that, and in this instance I am, it’s a great drink.
Martini
Source: David Wondrich via Daily Beast
- 1.75 oz Navy Strength Gin (Bluecoat)
- 1.25 oz Noilly Prat vermouth
- 2 dashes Orange Bitters
Stir well with ice. Strain into chilled coupe.
I made it pretty far in life before my first martini. I made it all the way to this moment, actually. Yea, this is my first ever martini and I kinda like it. I really don’t have anything to balance this against but it’s a nice, boozy drink. Citrus comes from the gin and the bitters while the vermouth really softens this whole thing out. The original recipe calls for a Navy-strength gin and I think that would have worked better here- drying it out some because this does get borderline flabby but otherwise not issues on my end. If anything, this probably opened up a rabbit hole of new cocktails I have to try. Such is life.
The Last Sip
I don’t know about you, but I enjoy a good gin. I really enjoy a good gin that doesn’t try to be a million things to different people and just works. That is my assessment of Bluecoat- it is a straightforward, unapologetic gin that is well made, tasty and very versatile. I’m happy to have this bottle on my bar and if I find it again, I’ll snag it up.
Tuesday Pints 