Gin Made Me Do It!

Gin, the ultimate infuser in the spirit world has led the spirit on a path many don’t know the full history of.

From delicate floral notes to crisp citrus bites, gin remains a perennial favourite of cocktail-sippers everywhere. Whilst Jassy Davis' book Gin Made Me Do It goes into great depth on the subject of gin here are a few favourites from the 80 cocktails that make up the amazing mixology book.

First and foremost you can’t talk about gin without thinking of the classic cocktail embedded in the history of mixology, the classic gin martini. If you think dry, wet or dirty is as deep as it goes when deciding on a martini then you're as much a novice as I once was.

Whilst they determine a great deal of what will make up your martini there are a multitude of other aspects that determine the perfect combination and what’s right for you.

Garnish when it comes to gin is as important as the spirit itself, in martini language with a twist means garnished with a twist of lemon. This is a classic gin martini garnish and is both an aromatic and flavourful addition to your drink. ‘With an olive’ is the savoury alternative to a twist and generally goes with a dirty martini, but please remember stuffed olives are for eating on the side, not in your drink.

There is also the lesser known martini that is ‘The Gibson’, a martini garnished with cocktail onions that give a slightly savoury nuance that evokes an umami experience.

Speaking of Umami, one of my favourites from Gin Made me do it is the ‘Breakfast Martini’. Using a Citrus based Gin like Beefeater Blood Orange or Malfy’s Arancia, fresh lemon and a tsp of orange marmalade and you’re in for a sensory overload that’s sure to perk you up in the AM. Watch out mimosa's Sunday brunch just got a lot more exciting.

However if you’re in the mood for something a little sweeter and celebratory the French 75 in Gin Made me do it is an irresistibly bubbly, crisp and refreshing gin based cocktail. All you need is some fresh lemon, caster sugar, London dry gin plus a brut champagne and you’re ready to go.

Legend has it the name came about when French troops were sitting in their trenches in WWII with all the ingredients to mix the cocktail but no glasses, so they served them in empty 75mm shells instead, ingenuity at its finest.

Another cocktail that I was quite fond of was the Sloe Gin Fizz. This great summer cocktail swaps out dry gin for sweet, hedgerow-scented sloe gin. This pale purple scented Gin Fizz is super easy to make.

All you need is fresh lemon, simple syrup, soda water and sloe gin. Shake everything but the soda then top off with the bubbles, garnish with mint and you’re ready. Refreshing and perfect to enjoy under the sun, preferably with a breeze.

Wether it’s sweet or dry, tart or citrusy gin is the butterfly of the spirit world able to metamorphosis into whatever flavour profile one's heart desires.

There’s no wonder why it has embedded itself as the true favourite to pair with cocktails and Gin Made Me Do It has showcased this perfectly with an extensively diverse and equally enjoyable to read gin cocktail recipe book.