Gin is a go-to answer to the question, ‘What’s your favourite spirit?’ But we wonder how often that’s on the basis of gin and tonics alone.
To mark World Gin Day (June 12th) here’s a few gin-based beverages you may not have realised contain gin, plus a couple you may not have heard of at all…
1. French 75
An elegant concoction for almost any occasion, the French 75 is one of those classic cocktails, but may have no idea what it contains. Equal parts dry gin and Champagne, with syrup and lemon juice to wash it down, this sweet and simple offering is a garden party staple, perfect for making at home and consuming on a sunny summer day.
2. Avocado Gimlet
Avocados and cocktails don’t spend time together very often, and this off-the-wall offering is a surefire conversation starter. You’ll have to work for it though, as your first step is to infuse your gin with rosemary and green olives for at least 24 hours. Colourful and fruity – though not in a pina colada kind of way – the finished drink looks deceptively like a smoothie.
3. White Negroni
A classic of the gin genre, the white negroni takes the traditional negroni and makes it brighter and breezier by replacing the Campari and vermouth with Suze liqueur and Lillet Blanc. A relatively recent addition to most cocktail menus, the drink was allegedly first mixed in 2001 by London bartender Wayne Collins, and soon found its way around the world.
4. The Bee’s Knees
A prohibition-era cocktail (funny how so many drinks emerged from that time), the name ‘Bee’s Knees’ serves two purposes – one, it’s made with honey, two, it’s extremely tasty. An extension of a gin sour, with honey instead of sugar, this gin-and-lemon-juice drink is refreshing and easy to make, meaning it’s a good option for parties, or any situation where you’re serving a crowd.
5. Vesper Martini
The sort of drink normally sipped in expensive hotel bars while wearing fancy clothes, the vesper martini is a tad more summery than the classic martini, as it’s just a tinge lighter in colour. The drink was made famous by the film Casino Royale, in which James Bond orders, and we quote: “Three measures of Gordon’s, one of vodka, half a measure of Kina Lillet. Shake it very well, then add a large thin slice of lemon peel.” You heard the man.
