I just have to tell you about my new book, Whiskey Cocktails. But first allow me to share with you a most fantastic gin from Spain. Spain you say? Do they even make gin in Spain? Yes my friend they do. And a marvelous gin it is. I'm sure that there are more than one type of Spanish gin, but the one that I tasted yesterday is so exemplary that I actually dreamt about it last night.
The name of the gin is Mahon. It is a most British gin in style because of the fact that the island from whence it came was a British Protectorate for over two hundred years. And if there is something that I know about Brits, it's that they love gin.
So, enterprising locals took imported juniper berries and combined them with the distillate from wine making and a rough-and- ready gin was born.
Mahon is traditionally served with lemonade- sweetened against the assertive flavor of the Terroir. This may say London Dry, but it is anything but. It's serious stuff and worthy of your hard earned $.
When I drank mine yesterday, I made my drink in the basic equation of 1:1:1. 1 ounce of Campari to 1 ounce of Carpano Antica Bianco (yes the brilliant, new white -sweet- vermouth from Carpano Antica) and 1 ounce of Lemonade if you desire, I recommend it!
Tasting notes:
This gin smacks of salt slicked ocean rocks, dripping in citrus juices and freshly cut desert herbs such as rosemary and oregano. There is plenty of heat from the alcohol so it won't get lost in a cocktail. I recommend citrus juices in this regard. Just do it!
That's exactly what I'm going to do!
Andalusia Windstorm (Cabo de Gata)
1 oz. Mahon Gin
1 oz. Lemonade (sweetened to taste)
1 oz. Campari
1 oz. Carpano Antica Bianco
Prep:
To a Cocktail Mixing Glass, fill 3/4 with ice
Add the ingredients and stir, stir, stir... this is not a race, you want a cold drink, not a watery one!
Add 1 cube of 2x2 ice to a rocks glass
Pour through a Hawthorne Strainer and serve with an orange (Seville if possible) zest!
