The 4 best ways to serve gin these holidays

Aside from spending precious time with loved ones, there are two things Aussies love about the festive season: the food and the drinks. But instead of pulling out the usual beers and wine from the fridge this year, why not indulge in something a little fancier to really send 2020 out with a bang? And let’s face it, after the year we’ve had, we all deserve a treat!

Of all the spirits on the market, gin is really having its moment in the sun right now. Its versatile and complex flavours make it an idea base for cocktails on special occasions, or enjoyed simply mixed with tonic water, ice and a spritz of lime. Best of all, by cracking open a bottle of Kangaroo Island Spirits gin this year, you can help to support a South Australian company that was heavily impacted by the bushfires that raged around the country earlier this year.

Kangaroo Island Spirits has a range of distinctly different gins on offer that were created using ingredients found on the small island and other areas around the country. You can click here to view the range on the Sassy Marketplace and read on to discover the best ways to serve them.

Gin & tonic

The gin and tonic (or G & T for short) is a classic. It generally consists of a shot of gin, tonic water and a slice of lime over ice. However, the cocktail is often altered depending on taste, to include a lemon or other fruit as a garnish for a slightly different flavour. The drink has become so popular that is comes pre-mixed in a can at most bottle shops these days.

But, if you prefer to whip up a G & T yourself, Kangaroo Island Spirits recommends adding loads of ice to a glass, topped with three or four parts tonic to gin and a garnish of either green apple and star anise; fresh or dried strawberries and lemon thyme or a pinch of ground pepper; or fresh peach and basil. The company’s owners say this tastes superb with their O’Gin, which has flavours of juniper, coriander and angelica root, along with coastal daisy bush to create sweet piney notes, and fresh South Australian oranges.

Gimlet

A gimlet offers similar flavours to a regular G & T, without the inclusion of the tonic water. It’s simply the gin mixed with lime juice. How much of each you include depends solely on your taste preferences, however, the gimlet originally contained mostly gin and just a spot of lime. There have been others over the years who have claimed a real gimlet includes half gin and half lime juice. But, we’ll leave it up to you to decide.

You can always try Kangaroo Island Spirits recommendation, which is 15ml of brown lime cordial mixed with 15ml of lime juice and 30ml of gin and then poured over ice. This is a great option to try with the Wild Gin, which includes notes of fresh local limes, mint and pink peppercorns.

Negroni

If you’re after something a little fancier, the negroni is a must-try. It’s said to have been created  in 1919 when Count Camillo Negroni entered a cafe in Florence and asked for something stronger than an Americano – which is a mix of Campari, vermouth and soda. From there the drink was apparently born and in most cases you’ll find it’s made with gin, vermouth, Campari and orange peel as garnish.

If you’re wanting to try a Negroni with speciality gins from Australia, Kangaroo Island Spirits recommends using one part Campari, one part gin, half a part Nocino and half a part Noilly Pratt. Then garnish with blood orange sorbet – yum! Try this recipe with the O’Gin.

Gin & soda

For something a little simpler – and if you really want to taste the complex flavours of your gin – try mixing it with soda over ice and a sprig of fresh thyme. This version of drink is said to work well with the Kangaroo Island Sprits Wally Wild gin, which brings together the Islander Estate Vineyard’s Wally White semillon and the Wild Gin, which has been aged in a barrel for 12 months to create warming notes of honey and musk, along with crisp, spicy notes of gingerbread – how festive!

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