We’re back again on our American gin fix. Last time it was Dorothy Parker in NY, now we head a bit south to Philly, and a bit back to revolutionary times. (Both gins are made by modern recipes and such, but whatever). For a slightly overproof and pretty bottle though is the bluecoats better than the redcoats?
Yes and no. There is a massive punch of flavor here, but only when neat. Even that punch is weirdly too much in some ways. It’ll likely be said again before this review is over, but it’s frustrating to have a gin that could be so much better, and isn’t.
What they Say: “Americans have long established their own standards of excellence and independence. Bluecoat soldiers were free-thinking revolutionaries who boldly fought for freedom. Embracing this spirit, Bluecoat® American Dry Gin honors those proud and courageous soldiers.
Utilizing a custom-built copper pot still, Bluecoat captures genuine innovation in batch distilled gin. Hand-crafted using a proprietary blend of organic botanicals, Bluecoat delivers an unparalleled smooth & invigorating taste, satisfying those who appreciate simple and elegant luxury.”
Taste: 7.0 – It is sweet and easy to drink. There’s a little bit too much botanical nonsense here, but overall it’s brilliant.
Aftertaste: 6.0 – That botanical medley carries on for quite a while, and is enjoyable. There’s a slightly weird slick feeling, but not too much.
Burn/Smooth: 7.5 – Its burn is rather minor. Overall while the flavor is too powerful to make this truly ‘smooth’ it’s well done.
Aroma: 6.0 – Pretty standard. THere’s a bit of off smell like floor polish, but the juniper carries it through. Overall just above par.
Honesty: 6.5 – It’s a bit weird that the term Bluecoat isn’t really known. They have some wank on the back, but overall their look, that subtle blue bottle etching, and a lack of major faults mean the points they earn here are kept.
Mixability: 5.0
Gin and Tonic: 4.5– You lose so much of the wild flavor that it’s kind of sad actually. It leaves you with just a lacking G&T
Martini: 5.5 – It makes an – interesting martini. In short, this is a bit confusing as there is certainly a cocktail that this is very much suited for, but here it seems almost like it’s disappeared.
Value: 4.0 – Sipping this is so interesting that it’s worthy of being a bit pricer as far as gins go. The problem is that in a standard fare of cocktails this pitters instead of wows, and that makes it a hard to justify buy.
Google Shop Average: $30
Website: https://bluecoatgin.com/
Reviewer Scores:
BuffaloJern: 6.0
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Metric Score: 42/70 |+| Metric Average: 6.0 |+| Reviewer Average: 6.0
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Final Thoughts: It’s rare to have the opinion match the objective so – exactly, but this gin is simply a near miss. It’s not bad, but by not being a cocktail wizard what could have been greatness is just slightly over par. It’s nice to have an American gin that’s flavorful and not swill.
