In my last post, 6 Gimlets went head-to-head in a cocktail competition for the ages. Is that too dramatic a continuation? Absolutely, but what else are we here for? Last week, I took Tanqueray Gin, a classic gin if there ever was one, and brought in a range of different juices and syrups to discover the superior way to mix a Gimlet from that spirit. At least, according to my palate. Go check that post out to discover the winner.

But our journey into this classic cocktail is only one third completed. This week, after a minor delay to allow for cold recovery on your intrepid tester’s part, we bring a craft gin into play. Craft distilleries have exploded in recent history, and gin has proven to be one of the most fun products to come out of this boom. With a dizzying array of botanicals to chose from, you can be sure that no two gins will be remotely the same. But you can be certain that each will be a tasting experience unparalleled in expression and passion.

The current craft gin I’ve had the pleasure to discover is the Chemist Gin, distilled only a short car ride away from me in Asheville, North Carolina. This is a fabulously delicate and layered gin, claiming to source traditional, local botanicals to create a truly American gin. The gin, sipped neat, offers a nose of juniper and summery florals with a mild whiff of citrus. On the palate this gin is wonderfully oily, with warm spice notes and a fabulous swath of citrus peel and a perfumed, airy, and crisp finish set against a charming, but not overpowering, spine of festive juniper. This is the perfect gin for sipping on its own, and of course for taking the starring role in any gin-centric cocktail. Say, for instance, a Gimlet.

Some might fret about using such a fabulous specimen of gin in such a cocktail. I say if you’ve a quality spirit, let’s make the most quality drink we can from it. Gimlets, with their tuned balance of citrus and sweetness, should at their best showcase their spirits, not mask them. Let’s see how we can display the beauty of this craft gin through the art of the cocktail.

The rules are the same as before. 5 points each for nose, taste, and overall impression. A 2oz gin to 2oz mixer ratio, stirred for 30 seconds. On the rocks and up. Rose’s Lime Juice, fresh lime juice, simple syrup, and Demerara syrup. The Gimlet Battle Royale continues!

Chemist Gin Gimlet (2oz), Rose’s Lime Juice (2oz), Stirred, Up: Yes, my horrified reader, I have just mixed up a batch of Gimlets combining the abovementioned fabulous specimen of gin with Rose’s. As before, the most interesting thing about this is that pale, only whispering of green color the Rose’s imparts to the Gimlet. The nose speaks strongly of juniper, with a harshness that wasn’t present in the gin sipped neat, and a hint of lime, 2/5. The palate, I am sorry to tell you, is actually quite lovely, although that’s probably a testament to the gin. It stands up well to the cloying nature of Rose’s, and marries enough with the citrus to be, dare I say, sippable, 4/5. My overall impression of this Gimlet is a surprise, although the color is still very strange, 3/5. Final Score: 9/15.

Chemist Gin Gimlet (2oz), Rose’s Lime Juice (2oz), Stirred, Rocks: This looks like how I would imagine La Croix lime tastes. It’s the idea of lime without there being any lime. As we learned from our experiments with the previous Gimlets, sometimes these drinks on the rocks have muted noses. This has no nose at all, 0/5. But the extra chill and dilution further downplay the Rose’s, allowing the gin to come into something of a balance 4/5. My overall impression on this would be that, if you want to put craft gin and Rose’s together, this is acceptable, and I’m happy the nose wasn’t as harsh as being served up, 4/5. However, the Final Score: 8/5.

Chemist Gin Gimlet (2oz), Fresh Lime juice (1oz), Simple Syrup (1oz), Stirred, Up: You may rest easy, we move on to fresh-squeezed juice, and the familiar cloudy beauty of a Gimlet. Aesthetics count for a great deal in cocktails, although I think the clear ice craze has gone a little far. The nose on this one is marvelously complex, more of the gin’s other botanicals emerge alongside the citrus and juniper. Honestly, this might be the best-smelling Gimlet of the lot so far, 5/5. Palate is another story. There’s a pleasing richness here, but the burst of fresh citrus is absent and some of the syrup dominates the gin this time, which is an unusual development. It makes for a cloying experience, and a hard one to keep sipping, 2/5. It looks the part and smells the part, but this Gimlet suffers from a lack of freshness, 3/5. Final Score: 10/15.

Chemist Gin Gimlet (2oz), Fresh Lime Juice (1oz), Simple Syrup (1oz), Stirred, Rocks: A darling opaque hue and a wondering, clanking cube of ice in the center. On the nose, this one reads predominantly lime with a faint hint of the gin’s complexity, 3/5. On the palate we find a Gimlet with far more freshness, and a lovely flavor of the gin and its botanicals throughout. This is the refreshing, complex profile you’d hope from a craft gin Gimlet, 5/5. Overall, a weak nose but beautiful appearance and palate, 4/5. Final Score: 12/15.

Chemist Gin Gimlet (2oz), Fresh Lime Juice (1oz), Demerara Syrup (1oz), Stirred, Up: We return to the off-gold brown color familiar to this syrup mixture from our last round. The nose here is actually fairly muted, there is a lovely hint of lime and the most meager hint of gin, 2/5. The palate is a lovely surprise. The Demerara hits to this gin’s depth, bolstering the richness and spice while the lime keeps it all above board, 5/5. My overall impression is, if you can handle the color, a decent enough sipping Gimlet, but nothing outstanding, 3/5. Final Score: 10/15.

Chemist Gin Gimlet (2oz), Fresh Lime Juice (1oz), Demerara Syrup (1oz), Stirred, Rocks: A lighter color than the one served up, more green-gold. The nose here is not as muted as the one served up, another unusual twist. It speaks true to the gin, and a wonderful aroma of fresh lime, 5/5. Palate is nigh flawless, all of the beauty of the gin and all the freshness of the lime with a brilliant, layered sip from start to finish. Sweet, tart, floral, and herbaceous, a solid 5/5. The color is still strange, but the flavor and aromatics of this Gimlet remain spot-on, 4/5. Final Score: 14/5.

One more my gin consumption is phenomenal. The results, fairly surprising.

A fabulous craft gin is a special drink, and Chemist gin has proven to me that it’s perfectly delectable on its own. Why mix it? Three reasons, the first two flippant and sarcastic. 1, because I can. 2, for science. 3, that’s the fun of the art and beauty of cocktails. Different base spirits, even spirits within the same category, lend themselves to nuanced and ever-changing interpretations on classic drinks whose flavors you only think you know. I’m not saying for you to go make a Johnnie Blue Whisky and Coke, mind you. But I do encourage you to find those cocktails driven by and centered on a spirit and see what experiments you can fiddle with to change the cocktail for your sake and for others.

Remember what I tell you: Drink what you like, but taste everything.

In the end, the refreshing combination of Chemist Gin, Demerara Syrup, and Fresh Lime Juice served on the rocks won the day with a 14/15. This is a charming, dangerously easy Gimlet that displays the beauty of its base spirit with the delicate balance of citrus and sweetness. Am I a professional photographer? No, but I posted a picture below. Another on the rocks interpretation, this time with plain simple syrup, won second, with a 12/15 score. So, take that those who’d tell me I’ve a bias for Gimlets served up, including myself who told me that until today. I showed me, didn’t I? In third is a tie between both of the simple-syrup, fresh lime juice Chemist Gin Gimlets served up. It’s a classic, but not quite enough to displace the two served on the rocks. I was nervous starting out, but we can say that fresh lime juice and simple syrup have bested Rose’s in both of these rounds.

What’s for next week? A deviation from my beloved gin to that fabulous invader of the American cocktail scene. Stay tuned for the Vodka Gimlet.