Quaffed the Raven

I first spotted this gin on the shelves of Aldi where, after a quick check online to make sure I wasn’t buying something of truly questionable quality, and being pleased to read quite the opposite, I walked out with a bottle! I was intrigued by the addition of curry leaf to the mix, and as you know by now, I enjoy my spices!

Design

The bottle is a little taller and more square than average, but it’s otherwise unremarkable. The labelling, however, is lovely! At first glance it’s lots of green with a copper emblem in the middle, but take a closer look and the intricacy of the design is really quite something. It’s understated with the deep green and almost white, but it’s classy as heck.

Nose

Juniper rolls from the glass like a teenager getting out of bed, reluctant to stir but full of potential. There are hints of spice, mostly sweet, and a burn waiting for anyone who breathes too deeply. It has a clean and smooth aroma, but not a great deal of strength.

Taste

Neat, the gin is full of lively pine notes with sweet, earthy spices. The angelica and coriander come through quite strongly and, right at the back needing a little temptation, comes the curry leaf. There’s a reasonable amount of burn, but a lot of nice flavour too.

Water brings out the curried flavour, along with the cinnamon and ginger. The lack of citrus is very noticeable here, but it’s still a classic gin flavour. I think the liquorice does a lot to hold the herbs and spices back from becoming overly pungent and bitter, giving everything room to expand and really come alive. I’ve definitely had gins I’ve thought were sweeter, but tasted much less so than this when I’ve added water. I’m impressed with the co-ordination of flavours.

Finally, a G&T (1:2) with a super slim slice of lime (of what I have I thought that would go the best, though the recommendation is for a curry leaf) and I can say that this is a very easy drinker! Is it packed with bold flavours? No. Is it different to anything I’ve had before? Also no. But what it is, is quite simply delicious. Simple being the key word here. This gin goes with tonic like a a bowl of ice cream goes with my face: perfectly. I am genuinely amazed.

Overall

For a ‘cheap’ gin from a cheap supermarket, Colombo blows away any expectations you might have. It’s not got anything about it that really stands out, and that might be why it’s sold where it’s sold, but make no mistake this gin covers the bases, and with strong foundations. If you’re looking for a good, cheap gin to serve with tonic then you’ve come to the right place. For the price, it’s definitely worth checking out.

Awarded an extra half feather for the price, and how good the G&T was!

Colombo is available in Aldi (and online, but at a significantly higher price!)

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All reviews are of the author’s personal collection, bought and paid for by the author, unless otherwise stated.