Simply posting the French 75 as a gin cocktail will be controversial. Many claim that the classic French 75 features congac rather than gin, but I’m going to take my lead from The Savoy Cocktail Book of 1930, the first known recipe, which definitely uses gin. There does seem to be a general consensus that the French 75 … Read more
You’ve almost certainly heard of a Manhattan, it’s one of the most popular and famous cocktails in the world. But did you know there is a cocktail for each of the five boroughs of New York? And two of them are gin based? Today we’re taking a close up look the Bronx. Like most cocktails, there … Read more
In the summer of 1874, spirited young men would race to a friend and say this lout Tom Collins is saying terrible things about you at the local bar, and when you got there the bouncer or bar man would tell you that he had headed off to the nearest bar. So you chase all … Read more
It’s finally here! It’s World Gin Day and the last of our Six Classic Gin Cocktail count down. I’ve saved a special one for today. As a feminist and gin writer and cocktail enthusiast, Ada Coleman is one of my great heroes. Ada, or Coley as she was better known, was head bartender at the … Read more
Are you concerned about nutrition? Cos this cocktail was designed as a health supplement. Yes really! Back in day when navy sailors were at sea for endless months with no fresh food, they had a serious problem with scurvy, a vitamin C deficiency. To combat scurvy they were given limes. These ships were also carrying … Read more
This week is Negroni Week all over the world. And I am so pleased because I adore a Negroni! I am so pleased they have come roaring back into fashion of late and they are being really well made. The Negroni is one of the few cocktails to have a relatively undisputed heritage. It was … Read more
It’s wintery and rainy here in Sydney, so I’m starting with a warming, citrus and honey infused delight. The Bee’s Knees is a prohibition era cocktail. As with many cocktails from this era and earlier, they are designed to mask the flavour of poor quality gin, but that’s no excuse not to use good gin … Read more
The White Lady was invented invented by Harry MacElhone of French 75 and Harry’s New York Bar fame. It took him some time to perfect the recipe. He first started making an early version of the White Lady at Ciro’s Club in London in 1919. It was made with two shots of Cointreau, one shot of white creme de menthe and … Read more