By J. Looney
This multi-part deep-dive into various alcohol options for vanilla extract making was authored and shared with permission of J. Looney. This remains their exclusive intellectual property, and we are very grateful for their patience, knowledge, and teaching!
As I begin Part 3 of this series, this one focused on gin, a gentle reminder—these are strictly my own opinions, and intended as a guide for newbies and perhaps a reference for experienced extractors. In the interest of simplicity and keeping the information useful for everyone, I do my best to streamline what I share here. There’s plenty more I could say and share, and so many rabbit-holes we could go down, but my intent with this series of posts was to provide a sort of primer.
Let’s talk about gin!
It’s not an ideal spirit for extraction.
Has it got potential? Sure! Can you produce some lovely and fascinating extracts with it? Absolutely! But it must be understood that an extract made with anything other than a neutral spirit will also have the bouquet of flavors that are native to the spirit you began with. In essence, if you choose to use a spirit with more complex and prominent flavors, you’re no longer making a vanilla extract, but rather a flavor extract that is vanilla-based. It’s important to the usefulness and applicability of your final product that you understand the difference, and have a clear idea of the result you’re aiming for.
Gin is a lovely spirit with a prominent juniper flavor. I enjoy it most with tonic and a squeeze of fresh lime juice because that’s what brings out all the complexities and subtleties of the aromatics and botanicals used in flavoring it—flavors that are infused into the spirit as part of the distilling process. The particular selection and blend of aromatics and botanicals used becomes the gin’s DNA, or what sets it apart and makes it different from every other gin in the world.
I’ve always got a spot in my liquor cabinet for the big players, like Bombay Sapphire, Tabqueray, and Beefeater, but if you’re going to use gin as the base for your extract, understand that it will likely have limited use once finished. Choose something unique or special as the base. Some gin’s that are lesser known could lend themselves to a wonderful vanilla-based flavor extract. Here are my recommendations if you choose to go down this particular rabbit hole and use gin in making an extract.
Recommend for extract: 2/10
By definition, gin is a spirit that tastes primarily of juniper. If you’ve never experienced juniper, it’s the berry from a particular kind of evergreen conifer, and it’s got a slightly bitter, woody, and piney taste with a hint of sweetness, similar to rosemary but with sweet citrus undertones. It’s a flavor that isn’t ideally suited to be paired with vanilla, to be quite frank. But that doesn’t mean it’s impossible! Other flavors that are common in gin are citrus, complex floral notes, and sometimes spice.
Time to extract: 12-18 months
Bottle Recommendations:
Madame Pattirini, 88 proof (44% ABV)
$26.99
This is my favorite gin, the one I reach for first and always. It’s produced at a local distillery here in Utah, and has one of the most lovely flavor profiles. Vanilla is a flavor that plays well with most of the bolder flavors in Madam Pattarini—cardamom, ginger, citrus, and to a lesser degree coriander. I imagine this would make a robust and complex flavor extract with heavy vanilla notes, if left to extract for 24 months.
Tasting notes: Juniper, bergamot, coriander, cardamom, ginger, and citrus.
Hendrick’s Flora Adora, 88 proof (44% ABV)
$45.99
This particular gin would work reasonably well with a Tahitian vanilla, as the floral notes in the vanilla will be complimented by the floral notes of the gin. I haven’t used this one for extract, but in my head, all of the floral flavors would dance together like an Argentine tango—deliberate and elegant, precise and elaborate.
Tasting notes: Jasmine, heady flowers like honeysuckles and tuberose, underlying honeyed vanilla, hint of juniper.
The Botanist, 92 proof (46% ABV)
$34.99
This is a truly unique gin, and if you’re going to be creating a unique vanilla-based flavor extract. It’s a Scottish gin, made using 22 different botanicals from the island of Islay where it’s distilled. With an extract as unique as this is sure to produce, this won’t be your daily driver vanilla for cookies and cakes and such, but will require a high degree of creativity in your culinary exploits to find a worthy application.
Tasting notes: mint, hawthorn, wood sage, sweet cicely, cinnamon, citrus, soft juniper.