It's easy to dismiss the current super-premium spirits craze as just a fad, and in fact it may be one. I've tried numerous liquors in pretty bottles with trendy names, and only some of them seem really unique and worth the price.
Citadelle gin is one of these few which will stand as fine spirits long after the craze is over.
Gin is a fairly old liquor, which used to come in several varieties. One of the formerly most popular types, "Old Tom" gin, isn't commonly available any longer. Another, "Malacca" Gin, is available from Tanqueray, and just about every other gin is classified as "London Dry" gin.
I think, however, that Citadelle is not precisely any of these types. It has an unusual flavor, and the manufacturers, Gabriel & Andreu claim it to be made from a French recipe of 1771, using 19 flavorings (which are listed on their web site at http://www.gafrance.com/gin/botanicals.html).
The predominant flavor I notice is a slight bitter orange, and the general character of the spirit is one of extreme smoothness. There is hardly any trace of harshness at all! In this respect, it resembles another fine French liquor: Grey Goose vodka.
I used to be a gin and tonic drinker, but became tired of the flavor of London Dry gins, and switched to vodka. Now that Citadelle has arrived, I will undoubtably be ordering more gin and tonics, so long as they are made with this particular gin.
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