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Browsing Tag: gin
Last week was a rare appearance of gin on the Friday cocktail post, so I decided to add another this week after I received so much fanfare for the Gin & It. Now, this cocktail is quite the conundrum because it has been published in a variety of possible concoctions. If you do not believe me, read this absolutely wonderful brief cocktail history for yourself, compliments of Jamie Boudreau’s post on Spirits and Cocktails! My thanks to Jamie for his thorough research and witty writing! This Trilby variant is the kissing cousin to last week’s Gin & It. Instead of using Italian vermouth to add the sweetness to the dry gin, this tipple relies on dry vermouth in a 1 to 1 ratio to…
Happy New Year everyone! For this first Friday of 2018, let’s indulge in a gin cocktail. No, not your typical martini per se, but a sibling to that vaunted and oh-so difficult to peg down bar staple. This simple twist on that martini features bold botanicals that sooth while warming the soul. Made with London dry gin and Italian vermouth, this ‘Gin & It’ has as clouded a back story as any cocktail. My research came up with many various ways it came into being, but the one that resonates with me is the story about this drink originally being called a ‘Gin & Cin’ – gin mixed with Cinzano sweet vermouth. If made with any other Italian vermouth, I can…
Let’s celebrate the first day of autumn with a bright cocktail reminiscent of summer but warming for the coolness of fall. This cocktail is a kind of a variant to a Moscow Mule just based on Old Tom gin, lime and ginger beer. The ginger forward aspect of this cocktail brings the warmth while the lime reminds me of summer citrus drinks. I have read that you can use London Dry gin since the ginger takes the stage flavor-wise, but my tasting tests were not so promising. And since I picked up some Old Tom gin for the recent Ampersand cocktail, this is a perfect second cocktail based on this beautifully unique spirit. So let’s enjoy these waning days of warm weather and…
There are several recipes for this cocktail floating around the web, basically divided into two styles – include orange liqueur or not. The real keys to this negroni-like cocktail are in the style of gin used. This cocktail calls for Old Tom gin – a slightly sweeter variation. I find the difference between Old Tom and Dry gin as being more floral and subtly herbaceous compared to the juniper forward dry gins that have staunch herbal notes to hold up to the ‘pine’ flavor of juniper. Based on that description of Old Tom gin, I tested this cocktail first with Citadelle gin and I really liked it. So I sought out a true Old Tom gin and tested it again. The results: wonderful, simply wonderful…
It’s Negroni week so there was only choice for this week’s cocktail. Known as an apéritif, the Negroni has a convoluted history. Some say it was created in the early 1900’s in Florence when Count Camillo Negroni asked for gin to be substituted for the club soda in his Americano. Another story claims another Count de Negroni, General Pascal Olivier de Negroni, created the drink in Senegal in 1857. Call me a cynic, but I am more inclined to believe it was created by a bartender/mixologist via experimentation; maybe for a customer named Negroni. Regardless of how it was created, it is a simple yet elegant drink. And the Negroni’s popularity is evident – how many other cocktails…
Here is a throwback to the old days. This cocktail is one of the first I ever ordered at a bar once I turned 21 and could legally order a drink. Basically it is a fizzy gin lemonade. What’s not to like about that? Perfect for a warm late Spring or Summer evening, the Tom Collins (gin based) can be made with vodka (a Vodka Collins), tequila (a Juan Collins), or whiskey (a John Collins) to suit your tastes. There is a lot of interesting information about the convoluted history of this cocktail, but I won’t delve into the foray of where, who, or how this cocktail originated. Let’s suffice it to say we will have to wait for time travel to…
Let’s kick off the Memorial Day weekend with what I consider to be an interesting martini variant – the Citadelle Germain. This cocktail features the flowery fragrance and herbaceous flavors of Citadelle Gin and St. Germain. The Lillet Blanc is a wonderful supporting player to balance out all the herbaceous sweetness from the other two ingredients. With summer coming on strong (finally!) here in the Pacific Northwest, this cocktail is a perfect pre-dinner sipper; a delicious tipple to enjoy while the sun crests into the West. If you like martini variants, I strongly suggest you give this cocktail a try. You won’t be disappointed. Save Print Citadelle Germain Prep time: 5 mins Total time: 5 mins Serves: 1 Ingredients…
Tonight’s cocktail is the James Bond inspired Vesper. This cocktail was first described in the book Casino Royale as 3 parts Gordon’s Gin, 1 part vodka, 1/2 part Kina Lillet – shaken until it is very cold before serving in a deep champagne goblet (i.e. a coupe glass) with a large lemon peel added. I am going to make this cocktail close to the above recipe – but as you now know how I am – I just have to play with it. I have 3 gins here: Tanqueray No. 10, Bombay Sapphire, and Citadelle to play with. The flavor profiles for these 3 gins are very distinct and will produce very different drinks. I also plan to make a slight change…
Tonight’s cocktail is a very interesting one – and not one I would have ever really considered – but wow, is it tasty! A strange mix of ingredients (well, what I believe to be strange) really makes this cocktail shine in flavor and looks. Let’s get to enjoying this Friday evening with a wonderfully crafted tipple – the honey hued Alfonso Special! Save Print Alfonso Special Prep time: 5 mins Total time: 5 mins Serves: 1 Ingredients 1½ oz Gran Imperial (or Grand Marnier) ¾ oz dry gin ¾ oz dry vermouth 2 tsp sweet vermouth dash or two of angostura bitters Instructions Combine the ingredients with ice and swirl to chill the cocktail well. Strain into a cocktail…
Just in time for New Year’s Eve comes a fantastic cocktail that incorporates bubbly, gin, lemon and a hint of sweetness. Tonight I bring you the French 75 – a classic cocktail that is often overlooked or forgotten, but shouldn’t be. In researching this cocktail, I read a story that said it was named after the 75mm artillery piece. This artillery piece devastated German attacks in World War 1, so I suspect the French 75 probably wreaked havoc on soldiers who drank too many of them. But don’t let this cocktail’s reputation scare you. I bet after you try this simple recipe, you will happily enjoy and not overlook or forget the French 75 in 2017 and beyond. Save Print…