by Andrew Chalk
Should gin be botanical, peppered, or restorative? It is a perplexing question. Luckily Uncle Val’s Gin (SRP $39) has one in each style, averting disaster. These are crafted as complex “food gins,” using combinations of juniper, cucumber, lemon, lavender, coriander, rose petals, red bell pepper, black pepper and pimento. Sure they are great with tonic, but they also excel in cocktails with, for example, La Pivón Spanish Vermouth (SRP $29). Here are some recipes to get you started, more on the web site.
1 oz. Uncle Val’s Botanical Gin
.75 oz. La Pivón Rojo Vermouth
.75 oz. Luxardo Bitter Bianco infused with Blood Orange
and Vanilla Beans
Build gin, vermouth, bitter liqueur and vermouth in a cocktail mixing glass, stir about 20 revolutions with a mixing spoon. Strain with a Hawthorne strainer over a large ice cube in a double old-fashioned glass. Garnish with a slick of an orange peel and a piece of dried vanilla bean.
1.5 oz. Uncle Val’s Botanical Gin
.5 oz. Fresh Lemon Juice
.5 oz. Rosemary-Thyme Simple Syrup
Sparkling Wine
Build gin, lemon juice and rosemary-thyme simple syrup in shaker tin with ice, shake for 7-8 seconds. Strain with a Hawthorne strainer into a champagne flute and fill with sparkling wine. Garnish with a long lemon twist using a channel knife.
2 oz. Uncle Val’s Botanical Gin
.75 oz. Fresh Lemon Juice
.5 oz. Honey Syrup
2 pinches of Fennel Pollen
3 Dashes Bitter Queens Norcal Nancy Eucalyptus Bitters
Build gin, lemon, honey syrup and bitters in shaker tin with ice, shake for 7-8 seconds. Strain with Hawthorne strainer through double strainer into a small chilled coupe glass.
Sample.
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