Longer days and warmer temperatures can only mean one thing -- patio season! With the winter days long behind us, there’s nothing like celebrating the start of summer with gin cocktails. If you’re looking for a little ginspiriation, we got you covered! We’ve taken some of your favourite cocktails and incorporated a unique twist you won’t help but love. The secret? Our Spirit of York Gin. We made this with your taste buds in mind -- whether you’re drinking it solo on the rocks or mixing it into your favourite cocktails, your local gin is meant to be savoured, just like these warm summer months. Combining flavours such as juniper, cinnamon, coriander, angelica root and fennel seed, Spirit of York Gin is sharp, crisp and will surely awaken the flavours of your cocktail of choice.
Pom Sunday
To kick us off, is the Pom Sunday. Much like the name, this gin cocktail infuses fruity pomegranate for fresh sweetness. Enjoy it on Sunday, and any other day of the week for that matter.
Ingredients:
- 1.5 oz Spirit of York gin
- 0.5 oz simple syrup
- 1 oz fresh pomegranate juice
- Soda water
- Sparkling wine
- Ice
Instructions:
Mix your Spirit of York Gin, simple syrup and pomegranate juice and serve it with equal parts soda water and sparkling wine over ice. Finish it off with fresh pomegranate seeds and serve!
Vesper Martini
Undoubtedly one of the most historically cool cocktails in pop culture, the Vesper Martini was first created by Ian Fleming in the 1953 James Bond novel Casino Royale. Because of that, this classic drink is also referred to as the “Bond Martini” by cocktail connoisseurs.
For those that follow the iconic character, James Bond was a huge fan of strong cocktails. The Vesper is no different, which uniquely combines gin and vodka together. To soften the hit and nicely balance the flavours, Lillet Blanc is added to even out the flavours so it can go down nice and smooth.
Ingredients:
-
60 ml Spirit of York Gin
-
20 ml Spirit of York Vodka
-
10 ml Lillet Blanc
-
Garnish with a lemon zest
Instructions:
Stir the ingredients together and serve in a martini glass. If you want to keep it truly authentic, do it the Bond way and shake the ingredients together and pour it into a glass. Once you’re done, top it off with some lemon zest and drink up.
The Last Word
Always have your say with The Last Word. It’s an old school cocktail with a modern twist. All ingredients are served in equal parts for a truly balanced cocktail. Don’t be afraid to double it up if you’re making it for more than just yourself. Like they say, sharing is caring!
This prohibition-era cocktail is a sweet and sour dream thanks to the herbal and citrus flavours. Believe it or not, this cocktail was bartenders’ best kept secret until about 15 years ago when Seattle bartender Murray Stenson came across the recipe in an old cocktail book and decided to whip up a version of his own. The rest, they say, is history as the Last Word has had a full resurgence into the cocktail scene ever since. Now that the secret’s out of the bag, we like to give this cocktail new life with our Spirit of York Gin.
Ingredients:
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20 ml Spirit of York Gin
-
20 ml fresh lime juice
-
20 ml Green Chartreuse
-
20 ml Maraschino liqueur
Instructions:
Shake things up and serve in a cocktail glass.
Negroni
Bring a little taste of Italy straight to your glass with a classic Negroni. Made with equal parts gin, vermouth and Campari, this refresher proves that the best cocktails combine dry, bitter sweetness in the best way possible.
Ingredients:
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30 ml Spirit of York Gin
-
30 ml Campari
-
30 ml sweet vermouth
-
Garnish with an orange zest
Instructions:
Stir all the ingredients together and serve in an Old-fashioned glass over ice.
Classic Gin and Tonic
We can’t talk about gin cocktails or summer for that matter, without bringing up the classic gin and tonic. It’s easy to make, relatively light and suitable for just about any occasion -- from happy hour to dinner, and straight to the after party. There’s never a bad time for a G&T.
Ingredients:
-
2 oz Spirit of York Gin
-
4-5 oz Tonic Water
-
Garnish with lime wedge
Instructions:
Stir all the ingredients together and serve in a highball glass over ice. Finish it off with a lime wedge, then sip and savour!
Now try these cocktails at home and tell us what you think! Or better yet, visit us at Spirit Of York in the Distillery District and we’ll make one for you. Join us everyday from 12-9 p.m. for a self guided tour of our facilities, a spirits tasting and find out how we brought your local gin to life. Summer is meant to be relished, just like our spirits. Come savour it with us!