Ah, gin — seemingly always the bridesmaid and never the bride for bar patrons. Year in and year out, though, gin wins the hearts of most bartenders, who are quick to promote it to curious guests. But there’s more beyond the Martini or Gin & Tonic, as any creative cocktailian understands. Here is just a sampling of the libations involving the juniper spirit that are crowding beverage menus in an attempt to free gin of its bachelorette status.
Smitten
On the menu at Anvil in Houston, Texas.
1 ounce gin
1 ounce Campari
1 ounce lemon juice
½ ounce simple syrup
8-10 mint leaves
Gently muddle the mint in the base of a pint glass with the simple syrup. Add other ingredients and shake with ice. Fine strain into a cocktail glass; garnish with a floating mint sprig.
Masked Devil of Bombay
Courtesy of Bombay Sapphire.
1 ounce Bombay Sapphire Gin
1 ounce melon liqueur
1 lemongrass stalk
2 chilies
Muddle the lemongrass stalk, melon segments and chili in a Boston Shaker. Add 1 ounce of Bombay Sapphire, 1 ounce of melon liqueur and ice. Shake the ingredients together vigorously and pour into a chilled Martini glass. Garnish with two “split” chili horns on the rim.
Steinbeck
Developed by Marcine Franckowiak, bartender at Madam Geneva, New York.
1 ½ parts Oxley Gin
1 ½ parts maraschino liqueur
¾ parts fresh lime juice
2 dashes of Fee Brothers Grapefruit Bitters
Grapefruit peel
Pour contents into a mixing glass. Shake and strain over ice into an Old Fashioned glass. Garnish with a grapefruit peel.
North by Northwest
Courtesy of Brian Miller, Death and Company, New York City.
1 ½ ounces Aviation Gin
¾ ounce lemon juice
¾ ounce simple syrup
¼ ounce Vieux Pontarlier Absinthe
Add ice and all ingredients to a cocktail shaker. Shake well, and strain into a Champagne flute.
Modern Fresh Lime Gimlet
Courtesy of Ryan Magarian, Aviation Gin.
2 ounces Aviation Gin
1 ounce lime juice
¾ ounce simple syrup
Add ice and all ingredients to a cocktail shaker filled with ice. Shake well, and strain into a cocktail glass. Garnish with a lime wedge.
Londoner Cocktail
Courtesy of Hood River Distillers.
2 ounces Broker’s Gin
1 ounce pink grapefruit juice
½ ounce crème de mure
2 lime wedges
Squeeze the lime wedges into a shaker and add the other ingredients. Fill the shaker with ice cubes and shake vigorously until the shaker is freezing. Strain into a chilled Martini glass and serve.
C’est la Vie
Courtesy of Patricia Richards, property mixologist at Wynn/Encore, Las Vegas.
1 ½ parts Oxley Gin
½ part St-Germain
½ part simple syrup
1 part fresh lemon sour
1 part freshly squeezed grapefruit juice
1 sprig fresh rosemary
Shake all ingredients over ice; strain into a chilled cocktail glass. Garnish with another sprig of rosemary.