Review: Tanqueray Rangpur Gin   81.5/100
a review by Chip Dykstra (AKA Arctic Wolf)
Posted June 07, 2015

Tanqueray Gin was originally produced by Charles Tanqueray in London, England in 1830 at the Bloomsbury Distillery. The distillery prospered through the nineteenth century; but after being in production for over one hundred years, it was badly damaged in the bombing raids of World War II by the German air force. One still survived, and this still affectionately called “Old Tom” was moved to the new facilities in Cameron, Scotland where Tanqueray gin is currently produced.

Tangueray Rangpur is a new style of gin from Tangueray. Whereas their flagship gin simply called Tanqueray is a traditional London Dry Gin which features , juniper, coriander, angelica root and licorice as the four major botanicals used in its construction. The Rangpur on the other hand is not labeled as a London Dry Gin, (it is simple labeled Gin) and according to the Tanqueray website features the Rangpur Lime as one of its major botanicals along with Juniper, Coriander, Bay leaves and Ginger.

Tanqueray Rangpur is bottled at different proofs for different regional markets. In Canada, the bottling proof  of the spirit is 41.3% alcohol by volume.

In the Bottle 4/5

My sample of Tanqueray Rangpur Gin arrived in a 750 ml bottle as shown to the left. It shares the same iconic design as the flagship of the brand the Tanqueray Gin.

According to the Tanqueray website:

“Tanqueray’s iconic bottle design is a contemporary update of the original 1948 design, which in turn, was inspired by the shape of a classic cocktail shaker. The famous Tanqueray family crest embossed on the glass of each bottle features a pineapple, a historic symbol of hospitality and warm welcome.”

I like that the bottle is widened just above the label as this makes the bottle easier to grip when I grab it out of my fridge. Of course, I am not enthusiastic about the metallic screw top, which is my opinion should be replaced by a plastic cap.

In the Glass 8/10

When I poured out a small sample of the Rangpur Gin into my glencairn glass, I also poured our a small sample of Tanqueray Gin such that I could compare the two. As indicated above, Tanqueray is a very traditional gin and it displays strong assertive aromas of juniper with lemon trailing behind. The Rangpur on the other hand brings us a reversal of sorts. The aroma from the glass is more citrus forward with scents of both lime and lemon dominating the breezes and the juniper trailing along behind. The Rangpur also seems to have a stronger herbal component with hints of menthol and grassy lemonbalm. The spiciness of the coriander and ginger is very restrained.

I like the aroma, although there is a certain ‘lemondrop candy’ impression which grows in the glass. I am concerned as to how this will manifest itself both in the flavour of the gin neat, and in cocktails.

In the Mouth 49/60

When I take my first sip of the gin, I have to admit I am confused as to why Tangueray went in this direction. The spirit possesses more than just a passing resemblance to the new “American Style” of gin making. In the American Style, juniper is held in check and other botanicals are allowed to have a greater expression in the final spirit. It’s not a direction I prefer, I like my gin to have a firm juniper presence reveling if you will in the berry which gives the spirit its name.

Rather than reveling in the juniper, Tanqueray Rangpur revels in citrus flavours as lemon drop candies and lime zest lead out across the palate with juniper softening their bite somewhat. Coriander and ginger provide a light spicy backdrop for the main flavours. There ia also (unfortunately) a bit of rough alcohol which makes sipping uneasy unless an ice cube is added.

When I mixed a few cocktails I immediately realized that the Rangpur is not a gin that plays well with Tonic. If you want a Gin and Tonic cocktail, stick with Tanqueray or Tanqueray No. 10. Both of these gins have a strong enough juniper push to mix with quinine. The Tanqueray Rangpur does not. However the Rangpur does mix well with both lemons and limes making it an ideal spirit for gimlets and Collins style bar drinks.

In the Throat 12.5/15

The finish is a little harsh as we have some unwanted alcohol astringency which causes a light burn in the back of the throat. The palate is left with a lingering sensation of lemon drops and an ebbing spiciness of ginger and cardamom. Of course the astringency disappears in my cocktail, although the lemon push is still very firm.

The Afterburn  8/10

The Tangueray Rangpur was a bit of a disappointment for me. I thought the citrus push was perhaps a little too strong and the mild burn the spirit possesses is apparent in both the delivery and in the finish. Having said that, a simple ice cube alleviates the burn, and the citrus elements of the gin express themselves very well in cocktails and bar drinks (see recipe below).

You may read some of my other Gin Reviews (click the link) if you wish to have some comparative reviews.

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Suggested Recipe

Lady of the Empire

Lady of the Empire

2 oz Tanqueray Rangpur Gin
1 oz Triple Sec
1 oz Lemon Juice
1/2 oz sugar syrup (1:1)
Ice

Place the first four ingredients in a metal cocktail shaker
Shake vigorously with ice until the outside of the metal is frosted
Strain into a chilled wine or cocktail glass
Garnish with a slice of Lemon or Lime (optional)

Enjoy Responsibly!

Note: If  you are interested in more of my original cocktail recipes, please click this link (Cocktails and Recipes) for more of my mixed drink recipes!

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My Final Score is out of 100 and you may (loosely) interpret that score as follows:

0-25     A spirit with a rating this low would actually kill you.
26-49   Depending upon your fortitude you might actually survive this.
50 -59  You are safe to drink this…but you shouldn’t.
60-69   Substandard swill which you may offer to people you do not want to see again.
70-74    Now we have a fair mixing spirit.  Accept this but make sure it is mixed into a cocktail.
75-79    You may begin to serve this to friends, again probably still cocktail territory.
80-84    We begin to enjoy this spirit neat or on the rocks. (I will still primarily mix cocktails)
85-89    Excellent for sipping or for mixing!
90-94    Definitely a primary sipping spirit, in fact you may want to hoard this for yourself.
95-97.5 The Cream of the Crop
98+       I haven’t met this bottle yet…but I want to.

Very loosely we may put my scores into terms that you may be familiar with on a Gold, Silver, and  Bronze medal  scale as follows:

70 – 79.5    Bronze Medal (Recommended only as a mixer)
80 – 89.5     Silver Medal (Recommended for sipping and or a high quality mixer)
90 – 95         Gold Medal (Highly recommended for sipping and for sublime cocktails.)
95.5+            Platinum Award (Highest Recommendation)