Kirkland Signature London Dry Gin Martinis
This juniper-forward, bargain-priced gin tends to mix well, but can it star in a martini?
Editor’s Note: These posts will be quite short, which is kinda fun and works out well given this author and, I assume, most readers are about to be crazy busy for the next month. Happy Holidays!
Now that the ratio has been established, the vermouths reviewed, and the additions declared, it’s time to enter the fun phase of this project: making and drinking a bunch of martinis with many different gins to find the best one to have on tap at the house.
First up: Kirkland Signature London Dry.
The Gin
You get a handle of this stuff for about $25, which is pricing I could have gotten behind in college. The fact that we’re talking about it at all here is a victory for the KS brand, and I do think it earns its keep. It’s far from the best gin you can drink, but it matches the style well.
The juniper is strong here, and that’s the dominant flavor as it should be in the London Dry style. I think the tasting notes on Gin Raider are about right here, but I get a lot more floral notes on the palate and less sugar. I agree that there’s no lingering spice here like you sometimes find. Like a lot of KS products, it’s better than it has any right to be.
With Dolin
I like this martini. The juniper is very in-your-face, but the hardest edges of it get softened a bit and some more citrus comes through. There’s no real spice notes here at all, and the floral notes decrease as well. It’s very clean, all juniper and citrus zest.
With Carpano
Here I get sugar with the juniper, even though this is far from the sweetest of the vermouths. It’s very smooth up front as a result, which makes the rough, almost-woody finish a bit jarring and misplaced. It’s far from bad, but it’s strange.
With Martini & Rossi
The citrus is highlighted here as well, though it’s a bit less rounded and more pure lemon to me. The juniper is strong again, but somehow it drinks a bit thin. There’s just not enough depth with the lemon coming through so strongly, and there’s not enough in the gin to counter it. I think this combination might work better if it was made stronger, maybe 33% ABV?
With Drapo
Similar to the Martini & Rossi notes, but even thinner. If you want a martini that tastes truly watered down (without actually being watered down), this might be your cocktail. It’s just a step or two beyond subtle into boring.
The Winner: Kirkland Signature London Dry and Dolin Dry Vermouth
To me, by far the best-rounded of the four. The juniper is tamped down a bit, and the citrus isn’t pure lemon. There’s still no spice like I tend to look for, but it’s a very good martini and you can’t beat the cost.
Next Up: Aviation Gin