It might World Gin Day on 10 June, but we like to get our juniper on with these awesome cocktails all year round. Time to get that weekend going, honey!
Watercress Gin Fizz
This ledge was created by the team at Winchester Distillery's Twisted Nose Gin. The spirit features watercress as a botanical for a peppery kick - perfect for when you want a drink that bites back.
Imagery by Julie Skelton for Twisted Nose Gin
You will need...
- 50ml Twisted Nose Watercress Gin
- 50ml freshly squeezed lemon juice
- 15ml freshly squeezed pink grapefruit juice
- 10ml honey
- 1 egg white (or a vegan alternative)
- 30ml soda water
Method: Add all ingredients (except soda, unless you wanna make a mess) in a shaker and shake hard without ice. Then add ice and shake again. Strain the shaken cocktail carefully over the soda in a highball before garnishing with watercress sprig. Serve immediately. Get ready to rock a tasty white 'stashe.
Tropical Martini
This Martini is a holiday in a glass. The Porter's Gin crew have cold-distilled botanicals of passion fruit, guava and white tea and added them to a classic, juniper-forward Old Tom-style gin to make a fruity, juicy, tropical spirit that we LOVE. Pairs well with a Hawaiian shirt.
You will need...
- 70ml Porter's Tropical Old Tom Gin
- 10ml dry vermouth
Method: Stir with ice, strain into a chilled Martini glass (pop it in your freezer for about 10 minutes) and garnish with a discarded lemon coin. Simply perfect.
Betty's Summer Cup
It ain't summer without a few torrential downpours and several glasses of Pimm's, right? This drink from The Botanist Gin takes the classic British summertime tipple and does away with the faff of chopped strawberries and sliced cucumber. Instead, it's pimped out with their beautifully botanical Islay gin...
You will need...
- 40ml The Botanist Gin
- 30ml Pimm's
- 30ml lime juice
- 15ml sugar syrup
- 4-5 mint leaves, plus an extra for garnish
Method: Add all ingredients to a shaker and shake well. Fine strain into a cocktail glass then garnish with a mint leaf. Cheers!
Pink Marmalade G&T
Yeah yeah, you've had a G&T before. You've had hundreds of G&Ts before. But have you ever had a G&T that changes colour as you build it? Nah, didn't think so. This Pink Marmalade Gin majestically turns from a cool blue to a subtle rose pink as you add tonic. If you tell us your mouth doesn't drop when you see it, we'll call you a liar.
You will need...
- 50ml Pink Marmalade Gin
- 150ml Fever-Tree Tonic
- Pink grapefruit slice and rosemary sprig, for garnish
Method: Fill a balloon glass with plenty of ice and pour in your gin. Get your camera ready. Pour over the tonic and watch the magic happen. Add your garnishes, take more photos, drink.
Kitchen Cupboard Gin Smash
Sometimes making a cocktail is all about improv, baby! You just need a banging idea - or a little help from the pros. For the latter, look to the chaps behind Mother Mercy Bar in Newcastle, who dreamed up this off-the-cuff classic that'll work with whatever you've got to hand.
You will need...
- 50ml gin (dealer's choice)
- 20ml lemon juice
- 20ml sugar syrup
- A bunch of fresh herbs you might find in your garden (basil, rosemary, mint)
- Some seasonal fruit, like strawberries, blackberries, raspberries or grapes (whatever you've got in your fridge - but if you're really stuck, tinned peaches will do)
Method: Build all the ingredients in a cocktail shaker. Shake and strain into a rocks glass filled with ice. DONE and DONE. Smashing.