Review

Ginebra San Miguel
(GSM Red) Gin

Ginebra San Miguel Inc. or GSMI (San Miguel Corporation), Manila, Philippines (with distilleries in the Philippines and Thailand).

Ginebra San Miguel and San Miguel Corporation.

Founded in 1902 by Carlos Palanca Senior, it was originally based in Tondo, Manilla and traded as La Tondeña, Inc. (LTI). In 1924 LTI bought Distilerias de Ayala, Inc. (established in 1834) and its products, including Ginebra San Miguel.

In 1928 they built a new plant making them the largest distillery in the country. In 1987 LTI merged with San Miguel (of the beer fame) and changed it’s trading name to GSMI in 2003. Today, they are the world’s largest producer of Gin by volume, selling around 27 million cases per annum (approximately 45% of the world’s Gin). GSM Red is popular with the Philippine and Thailand people because it is the same price as beer.

GSMI also owns a Philippine pro basketball team called The Barangay Ginebra San Miguel.

The Gin’s spirit base is made from sugar cane. This is produced in a solid rectangular bottle, plus smaller round bottles and a “handy carry” plastic/foil sachet (yes, you read that correctly!).

Tropical Gin.

40% (80 Proof).

$. Only made for domestic supply but they are looking to build their export market, currently around 100,000 cases per year.

Unknown.

It is commonly abbreviated to GSM, or GSM Red - after the color of the label. It also has several local names: Gin Bulag (Gin Blind) and Markang Bungo (Mark of the Skull), both of which insinuate what affect over consumption of this spirit might have on you!

On the nose is an overwhelming essence of alcohol (think alcohol based solvents and this is it!). On the palate the rough alcohol abounds, with faint juniper and - if ones hunts hard enough - citrus. This is just like bathtub moonshine and is a Gin best used to mix in long drinks and punches, adding lots of fruit juice.

“Ginpo” is a popular cocktail in the Philippines, where the Gin is mixed with fruit juice, the most popular being pineapple or pomelo (a green/yellow colored citrus fruit the size of an orange).

Unknown.