Crystal Palace

I have no idea why I purchased this years ago. I suspect it was one of my initial gin acquisitions when I had just finished college and clearly did not appreciate gin as I do now. I discovered it after likely many years stored away in a box. It still had over half its contents. The fact that it comes in a large plastic bottle should have been sufficient warning, yet I decided to try it again anyway. The aroma is solely ethanol. I could not detect anything else. The taste is all heat and stings the tongue to the extent that it's difficult to discern anything else. There are the faintest hints of lemon peel, but honestly, it was a struggle to even finish it. Regarding the finish, it was short, peppery, and simply an excessive amount of heat. I should have left the bottle untouched, or better yet, poured it all down the drain without sampling. It's truly awful stuff, and even at under $10 for a liter, it's not worth it. Could it be used in a mixed drink without spoiling it? I don't think so, but given its incredibly low cost, I'm assigning it a rating of 1.

Sampled blind with family, this over 30-year-old bottle, found during a move, might not represent the current brand. Served at room temperature, straight from the bottle, it presented a distilled spirit with botanicals tasting zesty upfront and like pine on the finish, akin to a subtly flavored child of lemon vodka and juniper schnapps. Earned one star for flavor and smoothness, with an additional half star for the price. [1.30.21]

Quite rough. Tastes more like moonshine than gin.