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Signature Reserve Dry Gin
About Signature Reserve Dry Gin
As a result of the spirits industry exploding over the last decade, a variety of players have introduced new spirits into the market. I’m personally most fascinated by affordable products from grocery store brands. I’ve had mixed results with other grocery store spirits, like Trader Joe’s Small Batch Vodka and Rum of the Gods, but I was still looking forward to checking out Signature Reserve Dry Gin.
One thing these grocery store brands seem to all have in common is a lack of information. Signature Reserve is the brand used by grocery chains owned by Albertson’s. I wasn’t able to find many specific details about Signature Reserve Dry Gin, but the bottle states: Distilled five times by a distillery in San Francisco, Ca and uses 11 natural botanicals.
Bottle Specs
❖ Spirit: Dry Gin
❖ Distillery: Distilled in San Francisco, CA; bottled by Signature Reserve Spirits
❖ ABV: 46% (92 Proof)
❖ Low Price
Tasting Notes
❖ Nose: Juniper, Citrus, Licorice, Cream, bit of Heat and Ethanol
❖ Taste: Licorice, Cream, Floral
❖ Finish: Medium, Licorice, Earthy
Cocktail
Lavender Collins
1 1/2 oz Gin
1 oz Lemon Juice
3/4 oz Lavender Syrup
Club Soda*
❖ Add gin, lemon juice and lavender syrup to a shaker, add ice, and shake to chill
❖ Strain into a Collins glass filled with ice, top with club soda, and garnish with a lemon wheel and sprig of rosemary
Love the straw in this cocktail? we do, too! You can get yours here.
My house has recently been overrun with syrups after my partner got a shaved ice attachment for our KitchenAid mixer. Since Signature Reserve Dry Gin has some floral notes, I thought it would be fun to make a Lavender Collins, a simple Tom Collins variation that uses some Torani lavender syrup (paid Amazon link).
I was pretty pleased with the overall balance of this cocktail, and Signature Reserve Dry Gin pairs well with the lemon juice and lavender syrup. Even though I didn’t taste much juniper when I tried Signature Reserve on its own, the flavor was surprisingly strong. The rosemary also works well with the floral notes of the syrup.
*I made my own club soda with the Sodastream (paid Amazon link).
Bottom Line
RATING: 2/5
Although Signature Reserve Dry Gin was a perfectly adequate gin, I still found the overall experience uneven and underwhelming. Since it’s still functional as a mixing spirit, there’s still a potential place on your bar, but I would recommend checking out other bottles, unless price and convenience are your primary concerns.
The tasting experience was my biggest disappointment. I was initially hopeful because the nose had the notes I want from a dry gin, like juniper, citrus and earthy botanicals. But then, the flavors are either too faint or disappear completely, resulting in a taste that feels closer to a vodka, and left me wanting more.
As always, drink responsibly.
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