Review: KISS Cold Gin Navy Strength
TINA:
I love gin. In fact I love it so much I once wrote an essay on it. Ah I know what you’re thinking, and you are wrong. It was the history of gin in Britain, or as it was known in the 18th Century – Madam Geneva’. Let me introduce you to a splendid book on the history of gin in Britain, and how it was used to subdue the common man: Gin: The Much-Lamented Death of Madam Geneva by Patrick Dillon (goodreads.com).
I never thought I’d see the day I would have to … taste, and yes let’s admit it, pleasure my tongue, with gin.
So let us begin – firstly, the bottle itself is a thing of rock beauty. Bold KISS logos surrounded by a haze inducing psychedelic iridescent shimmer, there is no doubt this is all about the band KISS (all praise Gene Simmons) and in a classy way, this looks EXPENSIVE, the bottle is heavy (much like the band) and the stopper is like nothing I’ve seen before – not cork but some sort of sponge-like ‘wedge’. Sweet.
Now I’m not an alcohol connoisseur, I just know what I like (much like yourself) and my taste in gin is flowery, and/or sweet. KISS Cold Gin is NOT sweet, but you can definitely smell the strong juniper from it and from its aroma, it smells somewhat flowery like Bombay Sapphire. It also smells STRONG, like … woahhhhhh, this is strong gin. And again dear reader, you would be right, because this edition of Cold Gin is Navy strength 57% which is… pretty belting for a gin.
The taste? well I made the mistake of having a little sip without tonic (the tonic I used was plain Indian tonic water from Aldi) and I very quickly washed the strength away (NOT the actual taste) rather quickly with a gulp of tonic. Ha, I thought, evil Gene is trying to teach me NOT to stick my tongue into his … ‘cup’? I digress.
On adding tonic to a large gin, and having another sniff, its juniper tones were very strong, but I couldn’t catch any citrus notes. It’s quite surprising that on tasting cold gin, you don’t get that ‘strong’ alcohol taste that supresses every other ingredient, but a subtle flowery scent that doesn’t overpower, again I didn’t get any citrus tones but did get a really pleasant peppery aftertaste.
Maybe a lot of KISS fans will buy this and never open the bottle, what a waste you KISS fans! Get that bottle open and have a gulp! Ace needs to switch his heater on! (Nice song reference there – Dave).
I found this a really nice drink, but due to its strength I know that 2 and I’d be singing ‘Rum, sodomy and the lash’. Not a KISS song but more apt due to the 57% proof.
DAVE:
As a KISS fan since 1979 and often talking about them on our podcasts, regular listeners can well imagine my excitement when a bottle of KISS Cold Gin Navy Strength appeared here at 60MW Towers thanks to the good folks at Brands For Fans.
Tina has encapsulated everything perfectly above, from the beautiful design of the labelling on the bottle, which certainly gives it a premium look. Right through to the subtle flavours, which give it that premium taste.
Unlike Tina I did pick up on the citrus taste, which was very pleasant indeed, and while being 57% it didn’t taste harsh which some strong spirits can do. In fact I found it to be quite an easy drink, though it was mixed with the same Aldi tonic as Tina used. I did try a little bit of it neat to begin and THAT”S when you may well feel your socks being blown off if you drink too much too fast without a mixer.
I didn’t’ get the peppery aftertaste that Tina did, with me it was the citrus (specifically lemon) that lingered in the mouth after every sip….yes, this is definitely something to sip and not gulp!
After one glass you certainly know that you’ve had a drink of alcohol, and it wouldn’t take too many more for your head to be spinning like an acorn…an obscure Ace Frehley song reference there for all you hardcore KISS fans!
This is a drink that will of course appeal to KISS fans, but it should not be disregarded by gin aficionados who may think that it is just a gimmick by a band. Brands For Fans take their products very seriously (we’ve also tried their Ozzy Osbourne Ultimate Gin and it’s very good too) and this is a gin that should be tried and enjoyed by anyone who enjoys a tipple now and again.
Ace may have wanted the cheapest stuff in the song, but this is well worth paying that little bit more for.
Available from Brands For Fans.
Review by Tina and Dave from a bottle kindly supplied by Brands For Fans via Digital Rebel PR.
