Cadenhead's Red Old Raj Gin

Old Raj Red Label is the approachable sibling of Cadenhead's famous 110-proof Blue Label — the same saffron-tinted, colonial-era recipe at 46% ABV (92 proof), where there's little burn and you can hold it on the tongue. William Cadenhead Ltd., Scotland's oldest independent bottler, founded in Aberdeen in 1842 and now based in Campbeltown, has had Old Raj produced to its specification since 1972. The botanicals are classic: juniper, coriander, Seville orange and lemon peel, angelica, orris, licorice, cinnamon, cassia, nutmeg, and almond, distilled with the base spirit; then saffron — the most expensive spice in the world, too delicate to survive the still — is added afterward by hand, giving the gin its faint yellow tinge and a whisper of floral, honeyed spice. Wine Enthusiast's blind panel found an intriguing, old-style gin with light, earthy flavors winding into a complex, spicy finish of black pepper, anise, and cassia bark, best served very cold. The Temp Track called it a great gin for drinking straight — not a lot of burn, a smooth, recognizable palate — and declared Old Raj and tonic crazy delicious, the difference coming squarely down to the saffron. Cadenhead's own serve is neat, or with Indian tonic "after the hunt." Honest note: the saffron is a subtle accent rather than a headline. For the drinker who wants Old Raj's character without the Blue Label's 110-proof wallop, this is the bottle.

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