COCKTAILS — Explorer's Gin

The Martini is the undoubtedly the king within the cocktail world. It has a rich history and is likely to have evolved from the Martinez cocktail 1887, with the Dirty Martini originating in 1901, when New York bartender John O'Connor found inspiration in the classic's famous olive garnish. In the 1950s vodka superseded gin as its popularity grew, with the resurgence of gin this has changed.

The core ingredients within the Martini are Vermouth and Gin. Vermouth is an aromatised wine full of flavour, it can be sweet, sour, salty or bitter depending on the brand. It brings colour and complexity making a versatile partner to any cocktail.

If you wish to experience the best Martini in London head to the Duke’s Bar at Duke’s Hotel in Mayfair. You will be served by Alessandro Palazzi and his team. It is a magical experience and they will only serve you two martinis’ due to the punch they pack.

Ease of Making: Easy 

Glass Type: Martini Glass

Taste: Umami. The brine from the olives provide saltiness and savouriness.

Recipe:

• 50ml Explorer's Gin
• 20ml Olive Brine
• 15ml Cocchi Savoy Dry Vermouth
• Add Olives to garnish

In Advance:

• Chill your Martini glass in the freezer or by swirling ice within the glass.

Method:

• Add the Gin, Vermouth and Olive Brine into a mixing glass.
• Add ice into the mixing glass and stir until the mixing glass begins to sweat.
• Stir slowly for 20 seconds.
• Using a cocktail strainer, pour your Martini into your chilled glass.
• To garnish add Olives.

This is a cocktail that was made in 2007 to celebrate the Oscar won by the 'The Queen.' It uses both gin and tea, two items that we drink in large amounts according to national statistics. The wonderful Orient spices and herbs found within many types of tea are already being used by several distilleries within their botanical line up, as they create more complex and flavoursome spirits.

It is also the perfect way to combine tea and happy hour!

Glass Type: Tea Cup / Coupe Glass

Taste: Refreshing, sweet and sour

Recipe: 

• 40 ml Explorer’s Gin
• 40 ml Lady Grey Tea (Orange notes) or Earl Grey Tea (Bergamot notes)
• 10ml Lemon sugar syrup or team spoon of sugar

Make in Advance:

• Simple lemon sugar syrup – equal measure caster sugar & water, with half lemon squeezed into the liquid. Warm until sugar is dissolved. Take off heat and allow to cool. You can add lemon rind to provide extra zestiness.

 Method: 

• Make a cup of tea using either Lady or Earl Grey tea. Stir and remove tea tea bag once you have your desired strength. Allow to cool.
• Add gin, tea, simple sugar syrup and ice to cocktail shaker.
• Shake hard.
• Strain cocktail into your glass or tea cup.
• Garnish with either lemon or orange.

If you love the Rum Mojito but are also a lover of gin, this will quickly become your favourite cocktail! On a hot evening this would be my choice of cocktail whilst watching the sun go down, it is another vibrant refreshing summery number that will lift your spirits. 

This is a refreshing summery number that dances on your palate. Its vibrancy reminds me of the wheat grass shots that are often promoted as boosting one’s wellness, but here the freshness of basil provides the same kick.

The great thing about this cocktail is that basil can be replaced by Coriander, tarragon, thyme, kaffir lime leaves or any red berries (Strawberry smash).

We recommend using fresh basil from the garden and a fresh lemon, as this have more flavour and zest.

Ease of Making: Easy 

Glass Type: Rocks Glass or Old Fashioned

Taste: Refreshing with both citrus and herbal tones.

Recipe:

• 50 ml Explorer’s Gin
• 30 ml Lemon Juice
• 15ml Sugar Syrup or teaspoon of Caster Sugar
• Lots of basil (more provides stronger flavours).

 Method:

• Muddle basil leaves, lemon juice and simple sugar syrup in cocktail shaker.
• If you do not have a muddler – add everything into the shaker
• Add gin and lots of ice to the cocktail shaker and shake hard (smash it)
• Fill your glass with ice
• Strain cocktail into your glass

If you love citrus based cocktails or the sweetness of a Mojito, then this is the cocktail for you. This is a classic cocktail that is easy to make and it was highly enjoyed in the late 1800s. The egg white provides a heavenly creamy foam on the top that provides opulence to a zesty drink.

We recommend using fresh lemons, as this have more flavour and zest.

It is fresh, exciting and delicious. 

Ease of Making: Easy 

Glass Type: Rocks Glass or Old Fashioned

Taste: Smooth with sweet heat.

Recipe:

• 50 ml Explorer’s Gin
• 30 ml Pink Grapefruit Juice
• 15ml Sugar Syrup or teaspoon of Caster Sugar
• 1 Egg White
• 4 drops of Angostura Bitters

Method:

• Add all the ingredients into a cocktail shaker.
• Dry shake (without ice) to break up the egg white and mix the ingredients.
• Add lots of ice to the cocktail shaker and shake hard
• Fill your glass with ice
• Strain cocktail into your glass

The Negroni is a firm favourite or ours however for many the bitterness can be off putting and this is what makes it like marmite.

Different styles of Negroni are now appearing on many bar menus as mixologists create new versions and styles for their bars and customers. We decided to create our own Negroni that would match our citrus notes found within Explorer’s.

The new ingredient is Briottet Liqueur de Pamplemousse Rose which is made in France. This ruby grapefruit liqueur replaces Campari and provides a new layer to the drink. It can be found through most online drink’s websites including Amazon.

The dry vermouth adds a little sweetness to the drink.

Ease of Making: Easy.

Glass Type: Old Fashioned

Taste: Sharp, citrus, and refreshing on a hot day.

Recipe for Rhubarb 75:

• 50 ml Briottet Liqueur de Pamplemousse Rose.
• 50 ml White Belshazar Dry Vermouth.
• 50 ml Explorer’s Gin.

Method:

• Add all ingredients into a cocktail shaker filled with ice.
• Give a hard shake.
• Add ice to your glass and strain the negroni into the glass.
• Garnish with pink grapefruit.

Olivier Ward of Gin Foundry showcased Explorer's Gin on Channel 4 Sunday Brunch with a modern twist to a classic Mexican cocktail, the Paloma.

The Paloma is known for being a refreshing and thirst quenching cocktail in Mexico, an is usually made with tequila. In Spanish the word means ‘Dove’.

A light and fruity drink with a great fizz and one of the smoothest drinks you can mix, it is incredibly moorish and will make you go back for more. The fresh citrus really contrasts the western red cedar notes of Explorer’s Gin.

Ease of Making: Easy 

Glass Type: High Ball Glass

Taste: Bright, fresh with fizz

Recipe: 

• 30ml Explorer’s Gin
• 15ml freshly squeezed pink grapefruit
• 5ml freshly squeezed lime
• 5ml sugar syrup
• Soda
• A twist of lemon

Method:

• Add ice to a cocktail shaker
• Add the gin, grapefruit, lime and syrup
• Shake hard until well mixed, then strain into a glass
• Top up with soda and garnish with a twist of lemon peel

We hope you enjoy it as much as the Sunday Brunch team did!

This cocktail celebrates the original pink gin (and not the new pink gins). The colour of this cocktail comes from Angostura bitters and is also known as gin and bitters. Pink gin involves two ingredients gin and Angostura bitters - simple but delicious.

Angostura bitters was created by a German doctor called Johann Siegert who lived a Venezuelan town called Angostura. In 1820 he created a herbal medicine which was marketed as a cure to sea sickness. A British ship surgeon bought several bottles and mixed it with gin. This pink aromatic drink became famous and by 1850 it was being made in bars. It is a fabulous aperitif and a great way to show off your favourite gin. 

Ease of Making: Easy 

Glass Type: Martini Glass

Taste: Refreshing

Original Recipe:

• 50ml Explorer's Gin
• 3 dashes of Angostura bitters.
• Pour both into a cocktail shaker with ice
• Shake vigorously 

Method:

• Place ice into a mixing glass
• Add the Angostura bitters to the glass and stir for 15 seconds
• Drain off any excess water in the glass then add your gin
• Strain into a chilled martini glass
• Garnish with grapefruit peel twist

We are often asked what type of drink is 'Explorer's' good at making? 

It's wonderful in making a Negroni, Martini and French 75, but there is another unsung hero who is often overlooked: the Gimlet. The recipe is simple - lime juice and gin.

Within the bar world there are differing views as to what type of lime juice should be used, as the original recipe used 'Rose's Lime Cordial'. This was a brand that was established 1867 after Lauchlan Rose established a way to preserve lime juice with sugar instead of alcohol, as citrus was used on Navy and Merchant ships to combat scurvy. It's also the reason why sailors became known as 'Limeys.'

However, these days the debate is fresh lime vs. cordial vs. mixture. At the end of the day it's traditionally a two ingredient drink. I would suggest you explore and trial the different ways of making it. Switching types of cordial is an obvious method that will provide a new edge.

Ease of Making: Easy 

Glass Type: Coupette

Taste: Sharp and fresh, bright on the nose. Disappears too quickly! 

Original Recipe:

• 50ml Explorer's Gin
• 50ml Rose's Lime Cordial
• Pour both into a cocktail shaker with ice
• Shake vigorously 

Modern Twist:

• 40ml Explorer's Gin
• 40ml Rose's Lime Cordial
• 2.5ml Fresh lime juice
• Pour both into a cocktail shaker with ice
• Shake vigorously 

Last weekend we attended the most beautiful wedding in Italy, at a gorgeous vineyard just outside Modena. The wedding itself was a fairy tale but the heat made it a battle in trying to remain cool. After the vows were exchanged, people made their way into the scenic courtyard where they were greeted with either Champagne, Aperol Spritz or a Hugo Spritz. 

Whilst everyone knows the bright orange Aperol Spritz, which is highly fashionable in all bars, the Hugo is much lesser known. With condensation drops rolling down the glass, the tinkling of ice and the promise of cooling and refreshing mint, it had my name written all over it. 

One sip and that was it! What was this? Where did this drink come from and why on earth had I never heard of it!?

The Hugo Spritz originated from the Dolomites in Italy and has taken the Alpine bars by storm. Created in 2005 by barista Roland Gruber, it’s refreshing, light and incredibly moreish, almost like Maltesers. Once you pop you can’t stop! 

Back at home I tweaked the recipe slightly by replacing the Elderflower liquor with Elderflower cordial and then adding in 'Explorer's Gin.'

A summer cocktail for Adventurers – delicious!

Ease of Making: Easy 

Glass Type: Stemmed wine glass

Taste: Bright, floral and fresh

Recipe: 

• Mint leaves
• Lime slice
• 15ml Elderflower Cordial
• 25ml Explorer’s Gin
• 50ml Prosecco
• Splash of soda water

Method:

• Begin by adding ice to your wine glass
• Then tear some mint leaves and place them in the glass
• Add the elderflower cordial
• Add Explorer’s Gin
• Measure about 2 oz of sparkling water or seltzer and add to the glass
• Fill to the top with prosecco
• Give the drink a gentle stir and serve immediately
• Add lime

 You will not be disappointed! It’s easy to make and better than the Aperol Spritz!

How many of you know that this week (24th - 30th June) is Negroni Week?

For those that do not know the Negroni, it is to this decade what the Cosmopolitan was to the '90s - a zeitgeist (spirit of the times) defining cocktail that’s as beloved as it is hated. A little like marmite. How did this bitter concoction-made of equal parts Campari, vermouth and gin-go from relative obscurity to headlining every cocktail list worldwide?

The drink originated from Caffe Casoni in Florence, Italy in 1919. Legend tells that Count Camillo Negroni asked his friend, bartender Forsco Scarselli, to strengthen his favourite cocktail, the Americano, by replacing the soda water with gin. Scarselli added an orange garnish, rather than the lemon you’d usually get with an Americano, and the drink took off. Before long, everyone was coming into the bar for a ‘Negroni.’

In the last decade the Negroni has morphed into a mainstay of any self-respecting cocktail menu. This ubiquity is due, in large part, to sheer coincidence. The aughts saw a resurgence in two cocktail staples, gin and bitters which were pushed beyond Angostura by adventurous barkeeps.

The Negroni's popularity shows no sign of slowing. In 2013 the cocktail-industry bible Imbibe launched an event in its honour, and the first Negroni Week included 100 U.S. bars mixing up their best versions of the drink. Just two years later, in 2015, Negroni Week had expanded to 3,500 venues in 42 countries.

Ease of Making: Easy 

Glass Type: Rocks Glass

Taste: Bitter and refreshing (can they be the same?)

Original Recipe:

• 20ml Explorer’s Gin – the ideal contemporary London Dry
• 20ml Campari – this is what makes it bitter
• 20ml Rosso Martini – gives a balanced rich warm sweetness with citrus overtones

Method:

• Place ice into a cocktail shaker
• Add the gin, campari and rosso martini
• Shake vigorously
• Zest the rims of the rock glasses with orange peel
• Strain into rock glasses
• Garnish with orange peel