One does not typically think of France when one thinks of Gin, but then if you had been given this in a blind solo cup test – it’s not like you’d be able to determine it comes just a bit south of the good ol’ english. Sure looking at it – the design certainly can invoke that imagery, but what you get with the taste is something good, but not too good. Really though the end result of this whole endeavor is something that actually works well in a G&T and surprisingly isn’t overpriced to match it’s look.
The best part of their tagline (just below) is the usage of the word ‘unforgettable’ because we can guarantee in a month or two’s time (once bottle has been finished and recycled) we likely won’t be able to pick this out of a crowd. Oh sure it may come up looking directly at it – but it’s not really done enough to make an imprint on us.
What they Say: “Esme Gin with Botanical Notes
Esme if a collection of luxurious petit bijoux (little gems) known for their velvety texture and enviable quality. Esme Gin is a modern botanical blend of juniper, cucumber, hibiscus and rose petals. Give the classic gin & tonic a French twist with Esme Gin.
Esme. Refined. Chic. Unforgettable.”
Taste: 7.0 – That is heavy on the juniper at first. It’s very sharp and refreshing but also a bit loud with it’s flavor.
Aftertaste: 6.5 – Here you get more of the botanical, but there’s another sleeper low ‘bass’ like hit of juniper as well. The botanicals here balance that so as to not be overwhelming, but you wish it did more to add to complexity.
Burn/Smooth: 5.5 – There certainly is a burn, but more than that it contributes to making the gin not go down or sip smoothly, which is a shame.
Aroma: 8.5 – You certainly get the juniper and cucumber in the aroma. There’s no harshness to it, and while it feels almost a bit simple – it smells delicious.
Honesty: 7.5 – It’s really that last tagline bit that annoys us. The overall text though is fine, and given the G&T is actually worth it for being so nice and flavorful – we’ll let them have it. Add a unique design (although suspiciously shaped bottle) and it all works.
Mixability: 7.0
W/ Rocks: 6.5 – Okay. Well that is an entirely different gin. There’s nary a hint of juniper and it’s basically all some mic of botanicals. The burn is also gone, but by god it’s literally like comparing apples to pineapples.
Gin and Tonic: 8.0 – You have some of that raw on the rocks flavor power, but the tonic is nice to mute it a bit. Overall it’s a nice G&T.
Martini: 6.0 – It unfortunately doesn’t go out of it’s way to make a nice or killer martini. Oh sure it being more botanical on ice makes it slightly unique, but it’s only a bit above average.
Value: 6.0 – If this was 33 we wouldn’t even be talking here, but at $23 it actually hits a pretty good price range. Sure it’s not exactly a sipping gin, and no this isn’t gonna make a really good martini. However it does well in tonic, and there’s nothing about it to make it awful so at that price it’s pretty good.
Google Shop Average: $23
Website: https://www.esmespirits.com/
Reviewer Scores:
BuffaloJern: 6.5
Want to compare this spirit against our archives? Visit our statistics page.
Metric Score: 48/70 |+| Metric Average: 6.86 |+| Reviewer Average: 6.5
New to Honest Booze Reviews, or just wondering how we score? See our FAQ/Review Policy.
Final Thoughts: Looking it over score wise this actually does quite well, and we have no qualms about giving it a decent score (anything that makes a good cocktail and costs less than you’d expect is not a tall order, but it’s often unfulfilled). It really does come down to that forgettable line because this is good, we can recommend it, but it likely won’t be as memorable as say Generous, or Monkey 47 – even if they have a higher price point, it’s hard to forget them once you’ve had a try.
