WOW16 – Wild Turkey American Honey – A Whisky Liqueur

This review comes at a time when American whiskey is on the rise, internationally speaking (we have an on-going American rye whiskey shortage in Europe at the moment), and, along with this, comes the rise of the whiskey liqueur; Heaven Hill make the Evan Williams, Jim Beam make Red Stag, and Jack Daniels have recently entered the fray with their Jack Daniels Tennessee Honey Liqueur*. But today’s focus is the Wild Turkey American Honey Liqueur.

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The nose of American Honey is interesting, but slightly subdued when compared to some other honey liqueurs. The main two elements – unsurprisingly – are a sweet honey note and a heaver one of bourbon. DBS, an old-time fan of Wild Turkey bourbon, was very pleasantly surprised by the nose.

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Interestingly, where I found “Cats’ Eyes” liquorice allsorts in the Evan Williams liqueur, in American Honey, I found the “sandwich” ones. There was definitely a sweet, liquorice scent in there.

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To taste, the liqueur was quite syrupy and rich, with a heavy sweetness right at the beginning that quickly made way for more weighty flavours of bourbon, all smoothly rounded off with a honey finish. There was some warmth, which left my mouth and throat tingling slightly (although there definitely wasn’t any burn).

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I think that it’s worth noting DBS’s opinion here, as he’s a long-time fan of Wild Turkey bourbon (whereas I’ve only tried it a few times). He seemed to be fond of American Honey pretty much instantly, with its very definite bourbon base, although he noted that it was quite sweet. Despite this, we both agreed that it wasn’t as sweet as the other honey liqueurs and, therefore, may be a worth a try if you’re a bourbon fan – regardless of whether or not you usually like liqueurs – and fancy trying something a little different. It might also be something to experiment with in sweet, bourbon-based cocktails, omitting any additional sugar or syrup? I will be sure to write up any future experiments and their results.

– Mrs. B.

* Something I’m very keen to try, if you know where I can get some.

The Pink Gin Cocktail & Lebensstern Bottled Pink Gin

The Pink Gin Cocktail is an old navy drink, a mix of gin and Angostura Bitters. Gin was the Naval Officer’s drink of choice and the bitters were thought to have medicinal properties. Traditionally, the drink is associated with Plymouth Gin, a spirit from a city with strong naval connections.

But recently I tried Lebensstern Pink Gin, which was kindly sent to me along with a bottle of Adler Berlin Gin (see the review here).

Not to be confused with the likes of Edgerton Pink or Pink 47*, Lebensstern Pink is actually Lebensstern Gin with added Bitter Truth aromatic bitters.
The gin was originally made specifically for the Lebensstern Bar, which is situated on the 1st floor of Cafe Einstein, a Coffee House in Berlin.

Also in the brand portfolio of Lebensstern is a London Dry Gin (43%) and a Caribbean Rum.

Annual production of Lebensstern is limited to 1,000 bottles and is bottled at 40%ABV.

Lebensstern Pink Gin vs. A freshly made version with Plymouth Gin

As I mentioned before, the Pink Gin Cocktail is synonymous with Plymouth Gin and so I wondered, how does a freshly mixed drink fare against the bottled Lebensstern Pink Gin? The tasting was done blind; here are the results:

I Plymouth Gin
Quite herbal, with nice juniper and citrus notes, but perhaps a touch watery and a bit flat at the end.

II Lebensstern Pink
A richer, herbal taste, with a hint of sweetness. Complex and intense. Clear winner.

Frankly, I was surprised at the result as I am a big fan of Plymouth**, but the Lebensstern pipped to the post in my Pink Gin tasting. I expected the freshly mixed one to be superior, but the Lebensstern was more complex and had a more defined and lasting flavour.

I also tried Lebensstern Pink in some other drinks:

Own:
Room Temperature: Juniper, cinnamon and other spices & roots. Quite soft and very similar in character to a Pink Gin. Some warmth and a finish of juniper, cinnamon and anise.
Frozen: Surprisinglyly non-syrupy texture; very cold, but very flavourful. From the freezer, the gin is more herbal and more bitter. It’s tasty, but, for me, not as good as drinking it at room temperature.

Gin & Tonic
Quite refreshing; a pleasant way to lengthen the gin with hints of cinnamon and sweet spice coming through. A dash of lemon juice or a wedge improves the balance, I think.

Martini
Seems quite strong***, crisp and the sweet spice comes through again. For my money, though, I’d rather have the gin on its own.

Old Fashioned
Excellent: easily the best cocktail I have tried with Lebensstern. Smooth and soft, it is complex, bitter-sweet and rather lovely. A great drink to have whilst you contemplate and mull-over the day.

In Conclusion

I was definitely impressed with Lebensstern Pink and the idea of making a cocktail within a cocktail definitely intrigued me. My tasting of this comes at a time when I’ve recently tried some other good-quality bottled/premixed cocktails (see my Hand-made Cocktail Company Review) and the Lebensstern certainly fits that label, too. My favourite ways of drinking it were on its own at room temperature, with ice, and in an Old Fashioned.

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* By this, I mean that neither Pink 47 or Edgerton Pink (to my mind) follow the flavour profile of the Pink Gin Cocktail. Pink 47 has a very faint pink tinge and Edgerton, although being very pink, is flavoured with pomegranate, not bitters.

** I’d like to see a true re-match sometime, with a professionally-made Pink Gin vs. the Lebensstern; maybe a task for the next time I’m down at the Plymouth Distillery?

***(i.e. alcoholic strength)

Cocktails with… Iceberg Gin (from Canada!)

I first tried Iceberg Gin three years ago at the Distill Drinks Show in London. I also tried the vodka and the rum made by the same company, but it was the gin that interested me: it was so smooth. Sadly, I didn’t hear much about this intriguing gin for a long time, until now. Iceberg Gin has been available at a limited number of specialist off-licences for a few months, but in September it will be launched in the UK at the London Boutique Bar Show.

I recently had a trans-Atlantic conversation with David Hood of Iceberg and he filled me in on some details on their gin. It’s safe to say that Iceberg Gin is all about the water, or the purity of the water. The water source for the gin comes from icebergs in the North Atlantic, off of Newfoundland. David told me that the water in the ice was up to 15,000 times purer than usual spirit water sources, with fewer pollutants and contaminates, leading to a better blend of flavours and a smoother taste.

The new look Iceberg Gin Bottle

Before you start thinking that someone is smashing up icebergs for ice, I’d like to reassure you that the ice actually comes from small pieces that have broken off from the main bergs. These pieces soon melt into the sea and are in what are called “death throws”.

The gin spirit base is 100% corn (meaning it is gluten-free) and I am told that a single 25ml serving of the gin contains only 67 calories.

What about the botanicals?

Juniper Berry (Canada)
Coriander (Eurasia)*
Angelica Root (Northern Europe)
Orris Root from Central USA
Sweet Orange

During my conversation with David Hood, I asked him how he likes his Gin & Tonics and, given the emphasis of the water supply for the gin, what ice cubes did he use? He then told me about a recipe that his wife uses, where she keeps the gin and the glass in the freezer and the tonic and lemon well chilled, thus negating the need for ice.* This inspired me to try a range of drinks, all well-chilled without ice.

Own
Light and dry on the nose, with notes of juniper, citrus and a little earthiness. Very soft and smooth, with juniper, a touch of floral, earthy flavours and hints of angelica and orris.
From the freezer, the neat gin is even smoother than at room temperature and became slightly viscous. There were some hints of the botanicals and a little residual warmth; in this form, it starts to bridge the gap between gin and vodka.

Frozen G&T
Delicious and ice-cold (even with no ice). Pure, clean & fresh. Some juniper and citrus, and a touch of bitterness. This is one of the best Gin & Tonics that I’ve had and is easily the best since I tried Xoriguer with tonic. The flavours of the gin came through well, with some floral and herbal notes. It was very easy to drink.
Quickly finished, this was rather brilliant, and it’s not often that I get a surprise from a G&T.

Frozen Martini
For this Martini, I used a rinse of Dolin Dry Vermouth. The resultant cocktail was very smooth, clean, crisp and clear. There was a little juniper, but not too much. It was enjoyable and quite a lot like the vodka-based version; it sits neatly between vodka and gin martinis.

Frozen Negroni
Delicious, penetratingly cold, with a well-mixed flavour. There was a light, creamy sweetness followed by bitter herbal flavours. This was an absolutely top notch Negroni and very easy to drink.

The following drinks were served with ice.

Gimlet
Quite soft & fresh, but the gin is a little overpowered by the lime cordial. This isn’t a bad drink, but isn’t a good example of a Gimlet and definitely not the best way to enjoy the gin.

Fruit Cup
Lots of flavour but not too sweet. A very refreshing drink but the gin is a little hidden beneath the other flavours. Still, a tasty drink.

Postmaster (gin & ginger ale)
Really nice citrus and juniper from the gin and sweet ginger from the ginger ale. Very refreshing and surprisingly lemony.

In Conclusion

I think Iceberg is a very fine, smooth gin and whilst it may not be as botanically intense as some of it’s contemporaries it is still and excellent gin. For me it really came into it’s own for the super-chilled or “frozen” drinks I tried.
Without a shadow of a doubt the best drink was the Gin & Tonic. If there was a second place it would be awarded to the Negroni.

Iceberg Gin will be launched in the UK at September’s Boutique Bar Show.
However, it is currently available at the Whisky Exchange for around £24 for 70cl.

Special thanks to David, Goran & Darren of Iceberg for their help

* My guess (and that’s all this is) is that the coriander comes from Russia. Plymouth source their coriander from here; it is smaller than the seeds typically used in cooking and has a more citrus, rather than spicy, taste.
** David did tell me that he once used chips from the iceberg he harvests for his water supply in a Gin & Tonic; he thought this produced a superb drink. As the ice melts, carbon dioxide and oxygen are released, which help to keep the drink cool and softens the gin even further.

Cocktails with…. Crodino Non-Alcoholic Aperitif

I got a lead on Crodino from Billy of Billy’s Booze Blog, so first off, my thanks to him.

Crodino is a non-alcoholic aperitif made by the Campari Group. It gets its name from Crodo, the area in north-west Predmont where the product has been bottled since 1964. According to their website, Crodino is the most consumed and most famous non-alcoholic aperitif in Italy.

Under the brand “Crodo”, Campiri make Chuotto (a citrus and cinchona mix), Lemonsoda, Oransoda, Pelinosoda, Tonicsoda and Mojitosoda. All of these are non-alcoholic.

Campari also make Campari & Soda (this was very popular in Italy and available in small flasks), as well as Aperol & Soda and a premixed Cinzano.

I was interested in Crodino as a drink, but in addition, given the nature of this site, it’s mixer potential appealed immensely.

Own
Crodino is a bright shade of rust-orange, similar to the Scottish soft drink Irn-Bru. There is certainly a bitter-sweet character to it. Very sweet and syrupy at the beginning, with hints of vanilla and a touch of orange. After this comes the herbal bitter notes which are good way to round off the drink. For me, this was best served with lots of ice and a squirt of citrus fruit.

Sixteen Rum Cocktail

After some investigation, it appears that the signature cocktail for Crodino is the Sixteen Rum.
The name apparently comes from a Count in Piedmont who served this drink to attract young and fashionable guests to his home. The cocktail then became popular with the elite and the more sophisticated circles of Italy, especially at receptions and parties. It is said that the drink is offered as a token of esteem and as a wish of success to guests (mainly in the field of love).

25ml Martini Rosso
100ml Crodino
25ml Rum
Lemon Wedge, squeezed

This was delicious: the balance of the vermouth and Crodino, with some freshness added by the lemon and fortification, is just right. It’s worth experimenting, but I’d recommended a light rum for this drink. The perfect drink to welcome guests and completely refreshing.

A variation, known as Old Sixteen Rum, uses 5 yr old Martini Rosso and Bacardi Lemon-flavoured Rum. This is popular at reunions of old friends and is thought to bring back memories of good times past. Apparently it goes very well with a cigar.

Gin & Crodino
50ml Dry Gin, 100ml Crodino
I used Taurus Gin, a good staple of the London Dry category, and mixed the drink as I would a Gin & Tonic. Sadly, the Crodino was too sweet for even a dry gin and the resulting mix was rather sickly.

Crodino & It
Equal parts Red Vermouth & Crodino
A simple drink, which was refreshing with a slice of orange or lemon and created a very enjoyable and refreshing aperitif. The vermouth takes the sweet edge of the Crodino, but does not cover up its other flavours and complements the mixer’s taste with some more bitter herbal notes.

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Crodoni
25ml Gin, 25ml Campari & 100ml Crodino

.Inspired by the fact that the sweetness in the Crodino needs a little taming, I added Campari to the mix. This produced a superior drink, with the the bitter-sweet element of a drink like a Campari & Soda. Fruity and herbal, the drink improves further with the squeeze of a lemon wedge.

Dry & Wry

25ml Grappa, Juice of half a lemon, 100ml Crodino

This was originally meant to be a Collins-type drink. I thought that the addition of sugar syrup would be unnecessary and wanted to make it more Italian, so I subbed the gin for Grappa.

Dryness comes form the Grappa, tartness from the lemon and a bitter-sweetness from the Crodino. It is complex and fruity with hints of fruit, fruit stone and almond.

This is definitely a different sort of drink and, in its own way, very refreshing; it won’t be everyone’s cup of tea, but maybe for a more seasoned palette it will be a delight. It has a pleasant aftertaste, but it’s a clean one and so doesn’t impact the flavour of what you might be supping next.

Mrs. B described it (in what I’m told is a good way?) as a “taste onslaught”.

In Conclusion

I think Crodino is a great product and is great fun to experiment with. I’m not sold on how much I like it as a soft drink (it just seems to sweet), although, with a bit of lemon juice and ice, it become quite palatable (and remains non-alcoholic).

In cocktails, it works well with those that can add some extra bitterness (Campari, Vermouth, Aperol) or tartness (citrus juice). Without question, my favourite drink was the Sixteen Rum and the Dry & Wry.

Thanks to Billy, Alex, Duncan and all the folks at the Whisky Exchange for you enthusiasm, inspiration and encouragement in writing this article.

Crodino is available in an eight pack of 10cl Bottles for £5.95 at the Whisky Exchange

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Cocktails with… Q (Quintessential) Gin

Modern Quintessential Gin

Original Quintessential Gin

Q Gin, previously known as Quintessential, is distilled in England (maybe Greenall’s) and imported to the United States by White Rock Distilleries. It is distilled five times from grain. The bottle makes a good deal over the purity of the spirit.
Originally called Denbury’s Quintessential Gin, named after the Lord Daresbury, a chairman of Greenalls Group. In the last few years the packaging has had a revamp and the gin relaunched.
Q is distilled five times, as an essence with each of the four botanicals (this includes lotus flower & lavender) and then a fifth time with extra juniper and lime.*

Although only available in the US it certainly has it’s fan amongst spirit experts.

Gin author Geraldine Coates has described this as:

“exceptionally clean and dry in flavour” and an “instant classic”

F. Paul Pacult describes it as:

“the right choice for drinkers”

Own: Juniper and a hint of coconut come through; it’s sweet, soft and very smooth. Pleasant to drink and one of the nicest gins I have tried to drink neat.

Martini: Once more, juniper and a little spice are immediately evident. The coconut element is still present, but more subtle in this drink. Delightfully smooth; really, really nice.

Gin & Tonic: This is a very juniper-led G&T; quite light and soft, though. There is a bit of spice, but coconut, less so. It’s a bit juicy and a good thirst-quencher.

Pink Gin: Quite sweet and floral, with hint of violet sugar and refreshers sweets the finish is the juicy flashiness of edible flowers.Not very bitter at all.

~~ UPDATE 2014 ~~

I recently got a chance to try the originally Quintessential at Canon in Seattle with the following notes:

Nose: Strong juniper with some floral notes and a touch of soapy coriander.

Taste: Lots of floral notes, slight citrus, and coriander upfront, then some waxy, resinous juniper, followed by dry lime, more citrus and hints of dried flower petals. Overall, this is a classic and clean gin that is rather dry throughout.

Cocktails with… Hammer Gin from Norway

I’ve been aware of Hammer Gin from Norway for a little while, so I was excited to recently try it. Launched within the Norwegian Market in 2003, Hammer Gin is made near Oslo, Norway by Arcus, who currently operate the only distillery in the country. The Gin’s recipe is originally from England and dates back to 1776.

Hammer uses water from springs in Hadeland near Oslo. This water is said to be filtered and purified by the sedimentary rock minerals in the air. These rock formations are estimated to be over 300 million years old. Hammer uses a double distillation process, as well as a special filtration system, to achieve the best flavours from its botanicals.

The Taste

#1) Own
Nose: A classic London Dry; there are notes of juniper and coriander, with a little violet.
Taste: Pleasantly smooth, the prominent flavour is classic, with juniper, coriander and a little angelica at the forefront.  Long dry finish from the juniper.

#2) Gin & Tonic
This is a great example of a Gin & Tonic: there were some bitter-fresh notes from the juniper and citrus, with a little pine in the mix, too. Extremely refreshing and a great way to enjoy the gin.

#3) Martini
Very, very smooth. I used a 4:1 ratio of gin to vermouth, which achieves a nice balance. The flavour is a subtle mix of juniper, coriander and a very light hint of cinnamon on the finish. Full of flavour and easy to drink.

#4) Tom Collins
Quite tasty; it is not uncommon for a gin to be lost in a Collins, but Hammer Gin holds its own and can be easily tasted. Full of flavour, the gin works well with the citrus from the lemon juice.

#5) Gin Buck
A simple, but effective way to cool down on a hot late afternoon and a delicious way to quench your thirst. There’s a pleasant interaction between citrus juice, gin and the sweet warmth of the ginger ale. I like this an alternative to a Gin & Tonic.

#6) Basil Smash
Fresh notes of green salad from the basil went very well with the citrus and herbal notes of the gin. The lemon juice and sugar syrup add some depth to drink, but it maintains its balance nonetheless. A very approachable way to enjoy the gin.

#7) Gin Sour
This is, essentially, a compact Collins and with Hammer Gin it was tart, but it also rather rousing and would make a good pre-dinner cocktail. Exceptionally refreshing, with a finish reminiscent of fruit salad.

Jungle Juice

#8) Jungle Juice
A variation on the Moscow Mule it comes from T.E Carlings 1951 “Complete Book of Drink” his recipe calls for:

“a nip of gin, a nip of lime juice, add ice top up with ginger beer”

Delicious, fizz warmth, spice and sweetness from the Hartirdges Ginger Beer balanced out by the lime and the juniper of the gin. This really cools you down and is a pleasure to drink. For this drink my “nip equated to 25ml.

In Conclusion

I was really pleased to be able to try Hammer Gin and it’s great to experience a superb example of the London Dry style of Gin that was made outside of the UK. Albeit still to a British recipe. This gin will do well in any of the classic dry gin drinks – Gimlets, G&T and Martinis and these were some of my favourites. I also have a new found fondness for the Jungle Juice.

WOW15 – FECKiN Spiced Irish Whiskey

I tried this for the first time yesterday, whilst DBS & I were waiting for the train congestion at Waterloo station to disperse and, I have to admit, what with the crazed crowds of confused and agitated commuters around, I misheard DBS when he said the name of this spiced Irish whiskey, so my notes that form the basis of this review were written without any idea of the name or packaging. When I looked it up once we were home (a good few hours later), I was amused by the packaging, which I thought suggested that it didn’t take itself too seriously and made it stand out. Despite this, there was absolutely nothing about the taste of FECKiN Spiced that made me consider it a novelty, as my notes made clear.

I thought that the nose of FECKiN Spiced was near-on perfect – I loved it. It was light and almost delicate, but not boring, with wonderful sweet, spicy notes at the forefront, followed by fainter hints of marzipan, vanilla, and a lovely toffee note that also reminded DBS & I of caramel, butterscotch, toffee apples and popcorn; the popcorn is probably a light maltiness, now that I come to think about it. There was no harsh alcohol to be found anywhere in this nose, no matter how many times I went back to take in all of the other notes. A great example of a nose that shows that it doesn’t have to be in-your-face to be good or interesting.

This smoothness continued onto my tongue, with a light, silky texture. The first flavour that hit me was lightly spiced toffee with a short burst of a golden syrup-type sweetness (but nothing overpowering), before I was caught slightly off-guard by a slowly forming warmth at the back of my throat that followed the whiskey down into my stomach. The beginning had been so smooth, that I hadn’t thought there would be much warmth at all, but I was very happy to be proved wrong.

After the toffee and warmth, there was a slight woodiness and a hint of vanilla that neatly rounded off the finish with a subtle sweetness. All of the flavours gradually dispersed, leaving just the comforting warmth in my stomach.

I would have thought that it’s pretty obvious that I thoroughly enjoyed FECKiN Spiced. I have to admit that I’ve never had an Irish whiskey that’s impressed me, but now I’m eager to try the original FECKiN. The Spiced version is a wonderful tipple that almost tricks you into thinking that it’s a delicate flower, before drawing you in with real weight and substance, and mine disappeared all too quickly. I would definitely highly recommend it, especially to fans of whisky liqueurs who might want to try something a little less sweet. Delicious.

– Mrs. B.

Recreating the Long Lost Pimm’s Cups – Scotch, Rum, Rye & Tequila.

To mark our Second birthday on Wednesday July 4th 2012 I shall be revealing details of Cups No: 8, 9, 10 and 11.

With a name like Summer Fruit Cup, it seems fitting that, on the site’s first birthday, we should be writing about this summer cooler. We have previously looked at garnishes, the different varieties available and even making your own, but, for many, Fruit Cup is synonymous with Pimm’s Cup.

The variety that is most popular today is the No.1 Cup, which is gin-based, but between 1851 and 1970 five additional varieties of Pimm’s were available, each with a different base alcohol.

No.1 – Gin
No.2 – Scotch Whisky
No.3 – Brandy
No.4 – Rum
No.5 – Rye Whiskey
No.6 – Vodka

L:R Gin, Scotch, Brandy, Rum, Rye Whisky, Vodka, Tequila

But with exception of No.6 (and a reformulated brandy version), these cups haven’t been available since 1970; some vintage bottles sell for upwards of £100. After some encouraging feedback on my Lemon & Orange Gin recreations from Erik & Brad, I decided to try my hand at making some recreations of these long lost cups, as a tribute to Pimm’s and the varieties that were once made.

I’ve had some experience making home-made fruit cup and so, armed with some vintage samples and following conversations with the Master Distiller of Plymouth Gin, I set to work.
My research had shown that Pimm’s (pre-1970) was 60 proof (31.53% ABV) this reduced to 55 proof (28.90% ABV) and, today, is only 25% ABV. I aimed to make my cups at 60 proof.

Once the cups had been created, using various herbs, spices and citrus fruits, they were ready to taste. I decided to try each fruit cup with standard lemonade (lemon-soda – R White’s is our favourite) and ginger ale. It is worth noting that, as the No.1 and No.6 cups are in their original formula, these were excluded from the tasting notes.*

No.2 – Scotch

This cup was unusual in the sense that I have actually tried the Original No.2 Pimm’s Cup and so could perform a comparative tasting and tweak the recipe accordingly. I used a blended scotch, White and Mackay, as my base; I thought that this was a pretty standard scotch (and I happened to have a bottle). If you used an Islay that was very peaty, for example, the result would be very different and the recipe would need to tweaked for sure.

Lemonade
Of all the fruit cups that we tried, this was the most similar to the No.1 Gin Cup; it had a very similar consistency and mouthfeel. The whisky certainly came through: woody and oaky, with a touch of smoke. There were some fruit and ginger notes and quite a long finish. It had a slight, sweet viscosity, but this didn’t upset the drink balance.

When fruit was added, it opened up the flavour a bit and made it more refreshing. Overall, this was a little warmer than the No.1 and may work well served hot.

Ginger Ale
Sweeter than the lemonade version, and the flavours of scotch are more subtle. With ice and fruit it was very refreshing but, for us, just a bit too sweet.

No.3 – Brandy

The jury is till out on whether or not Pimm’s Winter is the same as, or just similar to, the original Pimms No.3 Brandy Cup. The modern bottle does state that it now has added orange zest and spice, but, as almost all fruit cups are blended with spices and citrus, I’m not sure that means much. If I find out, I will let you know.

Lemonade
When mixed with lemonade, the brandy cup had flavours of dark sugar, brandy and sugar/brandy snaps, along with warmth from the brandy. The flavour of the spirit come through more than the others, and was somewhat reminiscent of fruit cake. The flavours seemed quite rounded and there was a long finish. It improved when the garnish was added.

Ginger Ale
Notes of brandy at the beginning were followed by some vanilla and ginger, making this combination rather wintery. This is less complex than the same cup mixed with lemonade and so is a little bit easier to drink.

No:4 – Rum

I also have a sample of the original Pimm’s No.4 Rum cup and it is evident that it is made using dark rum. Given my fondness for the “English-style” of rums – Lamb’s, Skipper and Goslings – that is the style of rum that I used. Like scotch, the type of rum you use would make a lot of difference to your resultant fruit cup.

Lemonade
Packed with flavour, the rum came through well. There was also a little sherbet, molasses, spice and citrus; it was rich and complex, and had a very long finish. We thought that this worked well with lots of ice, but maybe an alternative garnish needs to be found, as we prefered this version without one.

Ginger Ale
Dark sugar comes through again, along with a more bitter-herbal twang. Intense, complex and rather delicious, this had a flavour of a similar intensity to the lemonade, but the finish was much shorter.

All in all, we both preferred the rum cup with lemonade (just).

No.5 – Rye

Before being introduced in the UK, this was sold in Canada and, for that reason, it seemed logical to use Canadian Rye in the recreation.

Lemonade
Mrs B. found this fruity, refreshing and easy to drink. There was a sweetness of some sort of old-fashioned boiled sweet (but she couldn’t quite put her finger on which) and it had a long, growing flavour, like Pimm’s No.1.
Although I liked it and agreed that it was light and refreshing, moving towards the style of the old Stone’s Fruit Cup, after the full flavours of the others, this one, for me, was a little disappointing.

Ginger Ale
A bit syrupy with sweet ginger notes, but still quite nice. I preferred this to the lemonade, as it seemed to have more flavour, but it was still quite light, in a similar way to the No.6 Vodka Cup.

No.6 – Vodka

As this variety still exists, there was no recreation.

No.7 – Tequila

As with most of the fruit cups, a decision had to made about the base spirit for tequila: Blanco vs. Gold? I opted for Blanco, as I thought it would make a lighter product.

Lemonade
This had a strong nose of tequila, with lime and a little vanilla. We both found this somewhat of a departure from the usual Pimm’s flavours, but, regardless of this, a common thread still seemed to run between them all; this was certainly still a fruit cup.
The tequila flavour is prevalent, but not over-powering and this is very refreshing drink, with both sweet and savoury notes. We found that it improved with a fruit garnish, which took off any harsh edge that the alcohol had had. Unusual, but lovely.

Ginger Ale
Sweet ginger notes, akin to gingerbread. Tequila still prominent along with some citrus fruits. Full of flavour and a close contender to the lemonade version but it is the lemonade that just has the edge.

Unlike with lemonade, with ginger ale, we found that the fruit garnish (cucumber, at least) detracted from the drink a bit. Still, a pretty nice cooler.

In Conclusion

We were delighted at how well the different spirits worked and it’s certainly a shame that they were discontinued, but, with the resurgence of Fruit Cups (I know of two well-known gin distillers that have just created Fruit Cups; one for general sale and the other as an exclusive to a bar chain), maybe we’ll see some more experimentation.

My favourites were the Rum & the Tequila Cups.
Mrs B’s were the Rye & the Scotch.

The Future

I have some plans to look at other fruit cups in the future and I have already made a sample of a “No.8” cup; watch this space…

*For more details on these click here and here respectively.

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Quinine-free Tonic Water Recipe

On a few occasions, including our recent Beefeater London Market masterclass with Dre Masso, I have heard that, in Japan, quinine is banned and so the tonic water is rather different there and making a good gin & tonic is difficult. I believe this fact was inspiration for Beefeater 24.

So setting aside whether you can technically have a quinine-free “tonic water” I set about making a tonic water substitute without quinine. Could you use a  different bittering agent? I had a discussion with a chap in the industry and he suggested gentian root. This is an ingredient in Angostura Bitters, Bundaburg Brewed Bitters, Aperol and the extra-bitter liqueur, Suze; so it’s flavour is not unknown to the drinks world.

Whilst attempting to source some gentian root, I found that, whilst you can easily buy wormwood, angelica root and marshmallow root in my local town, gentian is nowhere to be found! Still, I managed to find some online and so, earlier on today, I set about experimenting to produce a non-quinine-based tonic water.

I’ve never used gentian root before, so my first step was to make some tea up using a few specks of the root. With just three small pieces, it had quite a busy, bitter flavour – a good start.

The recipe given below is the second that I tried (our favourite) and is based on a tonic syrup recipe.

Zest of half a lime and half a lemon

1.5 tsp Citric Acid

1 tsp Genitian Root

8 Juniper Berries (crushed)

Pinch of spice

180 ml Water

Add ingredients to a small saucepan, bring to the boil and simmer for 20 minutes.

Strain the mixture and stir in 5 tsp of sugar, ensuring that it dissolves.

Allow to cool and then bottle and keep refrigerated.

To drink, mix 3:1 or 4:1 with soda or sparkling water.

The Taste

1) Own

I mixed this with soda water 3:1. Both Mrs. B and I were surprised at the similarity to tonic water, if you are familiar with gentian flavour, you’ll pick it out but with a broader brush it’s pretty close.

2) Gin & Tonic

I also made a Gin & Tonic with Plymouth Gin in a 2:1 ratio with the diluted tonic water. This was good drink, full of flavour and perhaps with a little more bitter bite than the commercial options. The Plymouth still had room to breath and could be tasted.

3) GT Turbo

(Gin, Tonic Syrup, Lime Juice and Orange Bitters)

Another favourite cocktail of mine is Purl’s GT Turbo. This was really packed with flavour and would make a good pre-dinner cocktail, raising the appetite well. A greta combination of juniper and herbal bitterness and the tartness of citrus. Shake well to ensure it is ice cold. Lovely.

In Conclusion

Frankly I’m surprised at how well this turned out, it was a bit of a long-shot but has turned out rather well. I’ve tried about ten different recipes for tonic water syrup (using quinine) and this was easily my favourite. If you try it yourself I’d be keen to know what you think.

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Cocktails with… Gin Mare

If you’ve read our post on our Vodka Tonic Tasting, you’ll be familiar with Fevertree Mediterranean Tonic, a tonic water flavoured with Mediterranean botanicals; well, now there is a Mediterranean Gin: Gin Mare (pronounced “Mar-ray”).

Gin Mare is bottled at 42.7% ABV and contains 10 botanicals:

Juniper
Coriander
Cardamom
Lemon
Orange
Mandarin

Rosemary
Basil
Thyme
Arbequina Olive

The gin is made in the Costa Dorada, south of Barcelona. Each of the botanicals are distilled separately* and the distillates are then blended together. Before distillation, each botanical is steeped for 36 hours.

Gin Mare also make a Mediterranean Tonic Water called 1724, named after the fact that the real quinine for the mixer is collected at 1,724 meters above sea level. This is a similar concept to 6 O’clock, who also make both a gin and a tonic water, but differs in that, although the tonic water had to go well with Gin Mare, it was designed with wider market appeal, for use with other gins.

Own
Nose: There are savoury notes: pepper, rosemary and thyme, as well as a little saltiness and a hint of green tomatoes.
Taste: This is an intense and herbal gin, with hints of rosemary and thyme. Juniper is a secondary flavour, but is still there. It reminds me a little of mint and herbal crisps. Unusual, but tasty.

Gin & Tonic
As I mentioned, the people that make Gin Mare also make a Mediterranean Tonic Water called 1724, so for the tasting I decided to try two G&Ts: one with 1724 and one with Fevertree tonic water.

i) 1724
Thyme and rosemary really come through; this was a herbally intense drink. That said, it still has the juniper crispness and a touch of dryness, so it is like a classic Gin & Tonic, but with more flavour than usual; in particular, some anise on the finish.

ii) Fevertree Mediterranean Tonic
Herbal and light; sweeter and less bitter than the same drink made with 1724. A good drink, but notably less flavoursome and intense than the 1724 G&T.

In this tasting, I preferred the 1724 tonic water in a Gin Mare Gin & Tonic.

Martini
A good way to enjoy Gin Mare and fully appreciate its characteristics. It was very herbal and the predominant flavour was a combination of thyme, fennel and anise. Some savoury aspects and would be nice garnished with an olive.

Alexander
I wanted to try this drink, because I thought it would make an unusual version. It was very nice, with some herbal on the finish, but it was less intense than I had hoped for.

Gimlet
I suspected that lime cordial would match up well with the herbal notes of the Mare, and it did. It is less bitter and sharp than a usual Gimlet due to a more subdued juniper flavour, but it still has some crispness and is rather good.

Negroni
Three rather herbal ingredients (Gin Mare, Vermouth & Campari) come together in the Negroni, so this drink was a bit over the top and unbalanced. It is also very bitter; for me, too bitter.

Gin Buck
I found the sweet elements of the gin’s herbs, when combined with that of ginger ale, meant that this drink was rather sickly.

Fruit Cup
A good cocktail to use Gin Mare in; distinctively herbal. There are notes of thyme, rosemary and a touch of anise. This is a very good way to make a pleasant and intense, but refreshing Fruit Cup.

1724 and Sloe Gin
As I’m also looking at 1724 Tonic Water, it seemed like a good idea to try it in another drink, so I mixed with Sloe Gin. I used Marks & Spencer Sloe Gin (made by Boudier), one of the best-selling Sloe Gins in the UK. This drink was fresh, fruity and jammy with herbal notes; very tasty indeed.

In Conclusion
Gin Mare is not a usual or classic London-Dry-style Gin, but it is still evidently a gin. I enjoyed the Mediterranean style flavours and herbal notes as they added a unique characteristic to drinks, although it didn’t work with everything. Of all of the gins released in the last year, this is the one that I have heard people talk about the most (in a positive way, anyway), so they are certainly making an impact in London.

Cocktail highlights: Martini, Fruit Cup and Gin & Tonic

As for 1724 Tonic Water, this is one of the best tonic waters that I’ve tried (at last count this number over 40); I was a little surprised! It is certainly in my Top Five.

* This is a similar gin-production method to that of Sacred, Sloane’s & Moore’s.

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