Product Review: Tanqueray No. TEN

In A Nutshell

An award-winning premium gin distilled four times for a unique taste, loved by serious gin drinkers, London’s top bartenders (and The Cocktail Lovers…)

TCL Rating:

What they say:

“Carefully handcrafted in small batches by a Master Distiller, Tanqueray No. TEN is one of the only gins to be distilled using citrus fruits and botanicals.”

What we say:

Ms S:

Cor. Tanq No. TEN has always been one of our favourites and breaking it down for a taste test confirms why. There’s an unctuous consistency that sets it apart from your bog-standard gin and the bright, fresh citrussy taste wakes up the palate nicely. The balance of juniper, chamomile, citrus and coriander is pleasingly complex, lingering in the mouth in a most agreeable fashion.  As well as trying it ambient, we sipped it in two popular gin-based drinks: long in a gin and tonic (Fevertree), and short in a martini (Noilly Prat vermouth). Each tasting left a refreshingly smooth finish with a nice hint of grapefruit and orange. Yes, it’s more expensive than most gins you’ll find on your supermarket shelves but if you appreciate quality, you’ll love this. Make it last a bit longer by saving for that essential TGI Friday martini or do like we do and indulge because you’re worth it.

Mr G:

Neat, it has bags of aroma, while taste-wise it’s very full in the mouth with an almost syrupy texture. There’s a surprising sweetness up front, followed with a little black pepper, before a pleasing, complex finish. In a G&T the Tanq Ten really takes charge of the tonic, delivering lots of flavour – perfect for a summer aperitif. As for the Dry Martini, there’s the sweetness and the black pepper, followed by a really beautiful long dry finish – a very big martini in the very best way. Same again please.

Fun Fact:

The final distillation process takes place in a small copper, swan-necked number ten still, affectionately know as ‘Tiny Ten.’

Tanqueray No. TEN recipes:

Grapefruit Collins

50ml Tanqueray No. TEN gin
50ml pink  grapefruit juice
10ml lemon juice
10ml gomme
75ml soda water
Quarter of fresh pink grapefruit

Method:
Build all ingredients in a cocktail glass and garnish with a grapefruit twist.

Perfect Tanqueray No. TEN Martini

50ml Tanqueray No. TEN gin
5ml rinse of Noilly Prat

Method:

Stirred, double strained and served in a frozen martini glass. Finish with a grapefruit peel garnish.

Taste
Packaging
Desirability
Value

The Details:

47.3% VOL

Available from Harrods, Selfridges, Waitrose and all good retailers, priced £29.99