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Liquor Review: Tanqueray No. 10

Published on November 23rd, 2007 in Gin by Kevin

Tanqueray No. 10 No. 10 is Tanqueray’s foray into the super-premium gin market. Launched in 2000, its target market is directly into your martini glass. The majority of Tanqueray is actually produced in Cameronbridge, Scotland, despite its London Dry Gin label. The phrase “London Dry Gin” actually refers to the distillation process. Now, all of the No. 10 product is produced in Great Britain by the “Tiny Ten” still, which is from where No. 10’s name is derived. Honestly, I figured the name was a result of the master distiller’s first taste when he may have exclaimed “I’d give it a 10.” As far as gins go, this one is as close to a 10 as I have experienced.

Way back in 1941, the Nazis nearly ruined Tanqueray No. 10 before it even existed. During their attempt to conquer England, they managed to bomb the Tanqueray distillery. Only one still survived intact, No. 4, also known as “Old Tom.” So what exactly does that little bit of history have to do with your life and your gin? Well, while this gin starts its production life in still No. 10, it is finished with another round in the larger No. 4. So with without Old Tom, we may have had to endure a world without this fine gin. Damn Nazis.

It takes more that just stills with catchy names to make No. 10 taste fantastic. It is currently the only gin in the world to be distilled with hand-picked, fresh fruit botanicals. They start with Florida oranges, then use Mexican limes and grapefruits for the first distillation. Later, the traditional botanicals such as juniper and coriander are added to give it that piney taste. The taste, oh the taste! On the rocks, the piney flavor hits your tongue first, but it is not as overpowering as other more traditionally-flavored gins. As you swallow, the juniper fades into the citrus and the grapefruit is very apparent in the lingering finish. This is definitely not a dry gin as it is considerably sweeter than Tanqueray’s classic offering. However, as good as No. 10 is when consumed on the rocks, I personally do not think it is as smooth as the Rangpur we have previously tasted. I am sure this is in no small part due to the 94.6-proof stamped on the bottle. When you mix No. 10 with tonic, the sweetness caries through, and the botanicals stubbornly refuse to be diluted. The result is a cocktail that is just simply delicious. This gin is targeted at martini drinkers, but no one on the BoozeBasher staff is nearly refined enough to actually enjoy drinking gin martinis often. So we will leave it up to our readers to let us know how it does in that regard.

After consuming a number of 10 and tonics I had a light buzz, but not nearly what I was expecting from a liquor with a 90+ proof. The good news is that I felt great the next morning, not even having a hint of a hangover. To get your hands on a bottle of this low-production gin it will cost you about $35. It is definitely a good choice for gin drinkers who enjoy a little more than just a piney flavor in their gin drinks. Traditional gin drinkers might turn their nose at No. 10 because of the added citrus botanicals, but I feel that Tanqueray has done a great job adding subtle flavors that really compliment the juniper. Also check out our review of Tanqueray Rangpur.

Sipability – 7.5

Mixability – 7.0

Drunkability – 7.0

Hangover-ability – 9.0

Bang for the Buck – 7.0

Overall - 7.5