3 gins tasted at Gin Club last night:- Gin Mare - I was expecting the smell of the maquis. What I got was dirty olives. This one is a love it or hate it gin. On it's own or in a Martini, it's too much like a Dirty Martini for me. With tonic it's merely unusual. The best I can say is that you could make a Dirty Martini with it, without adding the dirty olive brine at all. William Chase Apple Gin - Clean, Fruity. Makes a great G&T with a strong tonic like Fenteman's or Fevertree. The taste of late summer. I'm mildly puzzled though. If it's made from apple vodka can it really be called a gin even if you use gin style botanicals? Foxdenton - London Dry Gin 48% - A classic with the added kick of 48%. This one's a very well made, old school London Gin. I can't really fault it. If you like Tanqueray or Beefeater 24, you'll like this. At high strength it has a certain soapiness so needs to be diluted, but it retains it's character after the dilution. I nearly bought a bottle of Foxdenton but actually came away with a bottle of Geranium. It came highly recommended so I hope I'm going to like it! Others tasted recently:- SW4. Good, honest, London Gin and not stupidly over-priced. Beefeater 24. Robust. Not bad but not especially memorable. Works well with Vya dry vermouth for a relatively strong flavoured Martini. Blackwood's. Elegant, clean. Can't go wrong with this. People tell me Blackwood's 60% is exceptional. Blackwood's and Fevertree makes for an absolutely classic G&T. Miller's and Miller's Westbourne - Still my favourite. The best Martini I've ever made was Miller's Westbourne+Noilly Prat, 5:1, stirred vigorously for 40 seconds. This turned out beautifully smooth and deeply complex with new flavours that kept on appearing on the tongue with each sip.