Five top gin cocktails
As gin continues its mass colonisation of our liquor cabinets, we are becoming increasingly fussy over what goes into our gin-based cocktails, how they are made and our preferred botanicals.
"People know how they like their gins, they are doing masterclasses and they are quite specific about how their cocktails should taste," says Kevin Griffin of hip Melbourne cocktail bar 1806.
"Normally these kinds of fads give way to something else after a while, but this interest in gin keeps growing."
We asked Griffin for his guide to crafting five top gin cocktails— from boutique, lesser-known tipples to the classics that just about everyone seems to be ordering this summer.
FIVE TOP GIN COCKTAILS
White Lady
This old-school classic is making a comeback among cocktail lovers, which Griffin wholeheartedly endorses. He calls it the perfect aperitif drink: it's refreshing and zesty, and the Cointreau adds an orange tang. He recommends selecting a London dry gin such as Tanqueray or Beefeater, as they are perfect for mixing with other flavours.
"Generally, you would not mix your premium gins with cocktails but the London dry gins have been specially developed to work well with the mixes," Griffin says.
Ingredients:
40ml gin (London dry gin)
20ml triple sec (Cointreau)
20ml fresh lemon juice
1 fresh egg white (optional)
Directions: Shake well over ice in a cocktail shaker and serve straight up in a cold glass with a lemon garnish. No ice.
Common mistake: Not using fresh lemon juice.
French 75
Griffin thinks the French 75 is a great introduction to gin-based cocktails as it is nicely leavened with a generous splash of champagne and served tall. "It's fresh, it's clean and it is very drinkable," Griffin says. "The champagne adds a bit of effervescence so it has a spritz feel to it."
Choose a quality champagne, but if money is tight — or you are planning to make a few of these cocktails for friends — you could select a dry prosecco. "Just make sure it is dry," Griffin cautions. "You don't want it sweet."
Ingredients:
50ml gin (London dry gin)
20ml fresh lemon juice
10 ml sugar syrup (two parts sugar to one part water, heated and then cooled)
Top with champagne (70-80ml)
Directions: Shake the first three ingredients, but not the champagne, in a cocktail shaker and then pour into a tall glass that has been chilled. Top with the champers, and garnish with lemon twist or cherry. No ice.
Common mistake: Too much champagne. You don't want it to overwhelm the gin.
The Last Word
There is some debate in the cocktail scene as to how The Last Word should be made: shaken or stirred? Griffin is a fan of the latter. "We feel that stirring offers a more delicate mouth feel," he says.
He also recommends a gin with a more floral base, such as Hendrick's, as heavily junipered gins do not work well with the other ingredients.
Ingredients:
25ml Hendrick's gin
25ml Green Chartreuse
25ml Maraschino
25ml fresh lime juice
Directions: Put the ingredients in a mixing glass with ice, then stir. Taste after 20-30 seconds of stirring and if the right dilution has been acquired then pour into a chilled cocktail glass. Serve without ice.
Common mistake: Not ordering it enough, according to Griffin. "More people need to try this one," he says.
Negroni
Ah, the Negroni. Many gin lovers are devotees of this drink and with good reason, too. "It suits all occasions," Griffin says. "It has such a wonderful balance of sweet and sour when done perfectly." It is also the only cocktail here served with ice — usually one large, hand-cut cube.
"Try and make sure that the ice is good quality," Griffin says. "Don't store the ice in the freezer next to old food as it can impart that flavour into the drink."
Ingredients:
30ml dry London gin
30ml Campari
30ml sweet vermouth (Martini Rosso)
Two or three dashes of orange bitters
Directions: Put the ingredients in your mixing glass with ice then stir for 20-30 seconds. Then pour into your glass with one large ice cube. Serve with an orange twist.
Common mistake: Getting the sweet-sour balance wrong.
Classic Dry Martini
There are just two ingredients in the Classic Dry Martini, but boy does it pack a punch. This is the time, according to Griffin, to pull out the top-shelf gin, such as Tanqueray 10 or Bombay Star. "People who are big gin fans really go for the classic dry martini," he said. "It lets the gin stand out."
Ingredients:
60ml of gin (Tanqueray 10 or Bombay Star)
5-10ml of Vermouth (depending on how dry you want it)
Directions: Put the ingredients in your mixing glass with ice then stir in. Optimal water dilution is 6-10ml of 20 to 30 seconds of stirring time. Pour straight into a chilled cocktail glass, preferably one in the freezer. Finish with a bit of lemon zest on the surface and some fresh Sicilian green olives on a skewer.
Common mistake: Not cold enough. "In fact, put all of your cocktail spirits in the freezer as they need to be served cold," Griffin said.