Really, this post should be titled “Calling All Cocktail Lovers,” because even those who think they don’t love gin (maybe they just like it, or are okay with it--but really, everyone should love gin, because it’s so cuddly and loveable) will want to pick up Gaz Regan’s new book, the bartender’s GIN compendium. It not only goes through the interesting and intriguing history of gin, but also provides detailed tasting notes on most gins on the market today, as well as the newer Old Tom gins now available (finally, a proper Tom Collins can be made again), making it easy to find a gin that suits your tastes. As if that wasn’t enough, there are a host of handy and sip-able recipes (over 250!) like the Leo Di Janeiro, which mixes Tanqueray gin, pineapple juice, and Angostura bitters, topped with a lemon twist. If someone could bring me one of these right now, I’d be awfully happy.

 A book loaded up with gin history, recipes, and helpful notes about current types and brands of gin would be pretty darn great all on its own. But what really makes this book a must for anyone who likes a drink here and there with friends at the bar is the wonderfully enjoyable writing by author Gaz Regan (who’s also known here and there as Gary Regan). Gaz has written a bunch of worthy booze books, and is not only one of the world’s top experts on the subject, but also a charming, witty, raconteur, the type of drinking companion you want to joke with, learn from, and talk to all the way until closing time. Gaz’ great personality, which comes through on every page, is why the GIN compendium will be a bar book you actually enjoy reading (maybe not quite as much as you’ll enjoy testing the recipes, but it’ll be pretty close). So pick it up, pick up some gin, and start shaking and turning those pages.

Drinking Writer Alert: Gary Regan and an Unknown Drink

October 16th, 2009 Okay, maybe I should have gone with the “Shaking and/or Stirring Writer Alert,” as in the below pic Mr. Regan is making a drink, and not actually drinking a drink. But, I promise you he did, indeed, drink one of the drinks he made. I promise. And, to be honest, I just wanted to have more than one “Drinking Writer Alert” (the first being the happy-go-luckiest poet, Ed Skoog, in this post) and hadn’t yet been sent any other pictures of drinking writers. So there.

And, Gary (or Gaz, as he’s now known from Tempe to Timbuktu) definitely fits the “Drinking Writer” name, as you probably know. But on the off chance you don’t, he’s one of the foremost drink writers in the world (the universe, even. The multi-verse, even , for you who’ve read a lot of What If? comics). The below picture was actually snapped at an evening celebrating his newest book, the bartender’s GIN compendium. I detail the book in more in-depth fashion on this Al Dente blog post, but in case your finger’s broken and you don’t feel like clicking, let me give you, as they say, the skinny. The bartender’s GIN compendium is a sweet book all about gin: history of gin, 250 recipes (or more) utilizing gin, and tasting notes and information on many, many specific kinds of gin and gin cousins and gin uncles and aunts, and gin pets, even. It’s a book for gin lovers, natch, but also a book for cocktail lovers, history lovers, and genial drunks who know how to read.

Mr. Gary/Gaz Regan not only knows his gin (and drinks), but also is a darn witty fellow, and almost as fun to read as it was to meet him in person (but not quite: ain’t nothing like the real thing, as the song reminds us).

Which, to reiterate, I did, recently, at a lovely evening sponsored by the fine folks at Plymouth Gin. Beyond just talking gin, we hit the underground tour in Seattle (prostitute talk a’poppin, as it seems Seattle was once all prostitutes and mud), and then wound up at the Rob Roy. Which is where Gaz made himself and me (and Mr. Robert Hess, too) the drink he’s making below. The only down side? I don’t know exactly what drink it is–and it was darn good. It had gin, for sure. Vermouth? You bet. Bitters? Uh-huh. But what proportions? And did he pour in anything else? It was tasty, but darn it, I didn’t watch closely enough. Now, I’m going to have to track him down and have him make me another. Wait, that doesn’t sound bad at all.

“Having recently taken over at Plymouth, whilst trying to steer myself in the right direction, [I] have been absorbed and indoctrinated into everything that is good, bad and ugly regarding Gin. Several books and countless Martinis/Pink Gins later, I am getting there . . . All the information I have researched is actually in one place, it's called the the bartender's GIN compendium . . . I shall take it everywhere.” 

Maximillian Warner, International Brand Ambassador, Plymouth Gin.

Gaz's Gin Genius

I wanted to leave a review (on amazon) but it would appear that i can't review anything on Amazon unless i buy something (which seems fair enough) - but i said i would so here it is anyway.

An important, inspiring and necessarily fun collection of information, fact, opinion and review that is a must-have for any self respecting Bartender or general gin hound.  Gaz has gone to (although i think he'll deny it) some quite considerable effort with this book to tie information, drinks, brand reviews industry knowledge and cocktail recipes to provide the definitive Gin handbook. 

If you were having trouble deciding what to pour in your aviations, or struggling on the internet to discover some clarity to the great John/Tom collins debate, or were wondering what legally makes a gin a 'Gin'. All is brought together here along with a thorough and exciting mix of cocktails both old and new, a page to view review of almost every quality gin out there and a fantastically concise trek through the history of all things Gin. 

Tie in some superb quotes and some frankly hilarious stories from Gaz's time in the booze business - and you've got one hell of a read.  I was gripped and did it in one afternoon but this book will grace the shelf of any bar i tend at and will surely end up perfumed with Gin and covered in lots of little bitters splashes and crazed annotation.

John Clay, Bartender, U.K.