The Correct Way to Drink a GinPosted by Kirkpatrick Willoughby on January 15th, 2021 The Correct Way to Drink a Gin If you live in the UK and have the gin subscription but don’t know the right way to drink a gin, You have come to the right place! Gin is made for cocktails—it carries, marries, and elevates a cocktail with nuance and range. It has become a trendy drink in recent years – it’s no longer the exclusive preserve of the younger generation of a certain age! Gin is underrated. Its bold, botanical flavors like citrus and juniper give it a herbal taste that works well both alone and in a cocktail. Due to the change in the taste of cocktails over recent years, away from very sweet, fruity flavors and towards a more dry, subtle approach, gin has become a favorite drink among both drinkers and bartenders. But what’s the right way to drink it? If you’re new to drinking gin, you might not be sure how to start. Below are five helpful rules to teach you all of the basics: how to enjoy gin on its own, what flavor pairs well with it, and how to mix with a martini or a neutral drink, as well as other gin cocktails. 1. Gin & Tonic Tonic water is similar to carbonated water, except that it also has sugar, quinine, and a few other ingredients that give it a distinctive and slightly bitter taste. After blending the tonic and gin with ice, most drinkers then immediately start to indulge in the refreshing cocktail - a common mistake. To get a better taste, drinkers should wait a moment before drinking so the ice can melt. While this may sound odd to let the ice melt and dilute the flavors, it is an excellent way of blending the subtle flavors of gin with the tonic - resulting in an all-around the best drink. 2. Gin & Cucumber Cucumber and gin are some of the best classic cocktails combinations. But why does it create an incredible flavor? The blend of a botanical spirit to a watery vegetable might seem strange, but it makes for a deadly combination. You can also use lemon and pepper to add a delicious freshness that compliments the gin so well. So naturally, you can also spice up your drink by garnishing it with a slice of two of lemon and cucumber. 3. A Fruit Cup A fruit cup is an absolute UK classic; typically, a gin-based tropical fruit concoction is designed to be made into a long cocktail by adding a mixer like ginger ale or lemonade. The most popular fruit cup is Pimms; you can’t get more notorious than lemonade and Pimms. Made from fruit and gin, Pimms is made with cucumber, chopped oranges, mint, borage flowers, and for a light, refreshing summer cocktail. 4. Gin Martini The martini is a drink prepared with gin and vermouth and garnished with a lemon twist or an olive. Over the years, this drink has become one of the most popular classic alcoholic beverages. There are variations on the form – a traditional dry martini is prepared with dry white vermouth for less sweetness, while for those who like more sweetness, a perfect martini uses equal amounts of gin, dry vermouth, and sweet. A dirty martini contains traces of olive juice or olive brine and is typically garnished with an olive. 5. Drinking Gin Neat Drinking a neat gin means you drink it without adding anything. It means no ice, no chilling, and no mix. To enjoy drinking this way, pour a standard amount, that is 1½ ounces (44 ml), of gin into a glass. Drink the gin slowly so you can appreciate the flavors.Like it? Share it! More by this author |