A Duo of Gin & Tonics

Welcome to Day 2 of #RTDWeek, where we switch back to summer daytime imbibing with this pair of packaged gin and tonics. As with all the reviews this week, in addition to the regular scoring system I will be offering my opinion on three separate elements of the drink: Sweetness, from very dry to liquid sugar; Booziness, from “does this have any alcohol” to fresh off the still; and Balance, the relationship of the former to the latter. 

One of the criticisms I have of many RTDs is that they are merely packaged forms of something that is stunningly easy to make. Vodka and soda? Can do! Whisky and cola? Ditto. Gin and tonic? Well, yes, but…

If you are a gin and tonic drinker, as am I, you will be acutely aware of the variables at play when mixing one. Which gin you choose makes a big difference, of course, but also which tonic and what sort of citrus or other flavourings you might add, not to mention the ratio of mixer to gin, which can range from Fever Tree’s advertising recommended 3 to 1 to my own preference of 1.5 to 1 or, depending upon the gin, even equal parts spirit and tonic.  

So in contrast to, say, a vodka and soda, in which the choice of mixer is going to have a very subtle impact, if any at all, the G&T can go very right or very wrong, depending upon the choices made. Which is why for Day 3 of #RTDWeek I have decided to compare and contrast two all-Canadian canned gin and tonics.

The Seventh Heaven gin is one I have in the past quite favourably reviewed, here mixed with carbonated water, cane sugar, citric acid, natural flavour, sodium citrate, concentrated lime juice, and a few stabilizers like sodium benzoate. The Reid’s version features Reid’s Gin, naturally enough, mixed with 1642 Tonic Water from  Montérégie, Québec. It is not mentioned among the ingredients listed on the can, but a quick check of the 1642 website reveals that it, too, is sweetened with cane sugar.

The lime concentrate is immediately evident in the aroma of the Seventh Heaven G&T, with sweet floral notes in support. On the palate, it is sweetish and lively, with fruity notes, more of the sweet florals noted in the aroma, a steadily growing juniper character, and a zesty lime finish. I find the sweetness a bit more than I’d prefer, but served cold enough it is not that much of a factor.

The Reid’s G&T is much more in line with the way I mix my drinks, with its just off-dry aroma exuding juniper and spruce notes. (Again, checking the 1642 website after my tasting, I find that it includes natural spruce flavouring among its ingredients.) There is a whiff of lime in the background, but this nose is principally about the spicy juniper and foresty spruce.

The less sweet approach continues in the flavour of this drink, which balances peppery juniper and earthy spruce with a slightly bitter note of lime zest. The combination creates a whole that is perhaps not the most complex flavour in the world, but fits my notion of a London dry gin and tonic to a tee. It is sufficiently impressive, in fact, that you might find yourself wanting to go out and buy both gin and tonic, as I found and did.

Overall, for those who might prefer a sweeter tonic experience, a Canada Dry or Schweppes in place of a 1642, Artisan, or Fever Tree, for example, the Seventh Heaven will serve you well. If, however, you are more like me and prefer a drier drink, then I strongly recommend seeking out the Reid’s Gin & Tonic.

Seventh Heaven (7%)

Sweetness (out of 10): 5

Booziness (out of 10): 5

Balance (out of 10): 8

Overall (out of 100): 81 ($3.45 - $3.50/355 ml)

Reid’s (6.5%)

Sweetness (out of 10): 3

Booziness (out of 10): 5

Balance (out of 10): 10

Overall (out of 100): 93 ($3.30/355 ml)