Strawberry Gin Sour Recipe

Created by Aidy Smith

It’s no secret that I adore gin, I also absolutely love strawberry - that’s why when you combine the two together they create a truly beautiful cocktail, you guessed it - The Strawberry Gin Sour!

Super simple to put together, amazingly tasty and quite frankly REALLY impressive when you’ve got company over. You’re welcome.

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What You Need

60ml gin
30ml lemon juice
15ml strawberry syrup (I like Monin)
1 egg white

Time To Make One

1. Shove all the ingredients in a shaker with ice

2. Shake vigorously with your best shake face

3. Strain out the ice

4. Shake again with an even better shake face

5. Fine-strain into a cocktail glass.

6. Garnish with cut strawberries (optional)

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Our Top Drink Discoveries: April

We’re fortunate to try a lot of beautiful drinks from around the world, in fact, sometimes our homes end up a bit like warehouses… but it’s all in the name of research. Research which leads us to writing pieces like this to share the very best discoveries we make with our amazing community… you!

Whether, wine, spirits or no-lo are your thing, check out our April ‘Best of’ picks and add something new to your discovery shelf today. You may just find a new favourite…

Gusbourne Rosé Brut 

I just wrote a massive article about English Sparkling Wines so it would be a little silly if I didn’t highlight one. This gem has been one of my favourites for quite some time – so much so that whenever I travel internationally, I make sure I’ve at least one bottle to share with those I know have a fond appreciation for sparkles. Fact is, we’re creating some dazzling sparkles and it’s the texture and mouthfeel on Gusbournes wines that really impress me. The nose gives you ripe red meadow berries with hints of flowers and apricots. As you take a sip your taste buds are overwhelmed with an assortment of strawberries, cherries and redcurrants which seem to intertwine into a raspberry cream and slight lemon curd. As I mentioned before, the texture is everything and the bubbles gently wrap themselves around the tongue as they glide into a long harmonious finish. This is English sparkling wine at its best. 

Buy now for £45

Gran Moraine Chardonnay 2017

I love a good Chardonnay to wind down in the evening and right now I’m loving this beauty from Oregon. Deriving from the Yamhill-Carlton AVA, this rich, fruity and balanced Chard is teaming with flavour and the most important thing for me in a wine like this – texture. Some people love oak, others don’t, but for me this has the perfect in-between balance and just a enough to make it a really well rounded and quality driven Chardonnay. Rich, but now overpowering you can expect to taste apricot, buttery lemon, kiwis and clementine’s. For those who love Chardonnay, this is for you. For those who don’t, I’d dare say it will convert you. 

Buy for £56 (£336 per case)

McGuigan Philosophy 2014

McGuigan is known for being a quality-driven everyday wine at an affordable price – but they’re not just about great supermarket finds. Take for example The Philosophy, a top shelf Cabernet Shiraz blend which was produced in 2014 from some of the wineries top vineyards in Langhorne Creek, Wrattonbully and Clare Valley. This elegant yet dark ink bomb is packed full of blackcurrant and plum offering a combination of terroir driven notes while keeping true to the Cabernet Sauvignon and Shiraz. A generous 24 months in French oak barrels paves way to chocolate, black meadow fruits and cedar oak with a velvety texture and soft tannins.  

Buy now for £71

Orin Swift Machete 2016 

This wine is simply divine. It’s a testament to the insanely good Petit Syrah coming out of California, held up in this case with a structured blend of syrah and grenache to complete the story. David Phinney (the winemaker) is a true genius and anything he seems to touch these days turns to gold. This red blend packs a bunch of flavour, with deep dark plum, cassis and cedar oak brought together with vanilla, chalky tannins and a smooth raspberry chocolate finish. If it’s cold outside, this is a sure-fire way to warm up. 

£66 from Great Western Wine

Mirabeau Provence Rosé Gin

When it comes to rosé my top choice for quality and value is always Mirabeau, which made me pretty god damn excited when they announced they were making a gin. While the base botanicals consist of juniper, citrus, orris root, angelica root and coriander it’s the Provençal twist containing a variety of herbs such as bay, thyme and rosemary alongside the neutral grape spirit and base distillate of Mirabeau Classic Rosé that really makes this gin stand out from the crowd. The result is a fruity and textured gin with lemon, coriander and citrus bursting with floral notes, rose petals and lavender. The story ends on a final note as those herbs add an extra kick of character to the blend.  

£35 from Waitrose

Gran Patrón Platinum Tequila

I love a good tequila it seems to be one of the spirits I’ve really found an appreciation for over the last few years. If I was to name one house that consistently delivers quality across it’s whole portfolio, my mind takes me straight to Patrón. It seems there’s a little something for everyone and while I’ll happily get my hands on a Reposado for my margarita needs (quick tip, avoid the salt rim, it ruins the drink), I love nothing more than to sip on something of premium quality. That brings me to Gran Patrón Platinum, arguably the world’s first ulta-premium tequila. With each bottle taking around 30 people to create, quality is of the utmost level. Agave is individually sourced for its rich sugar content before being harvested, triple distilled  and left for 30 days in oak tanks to create pure elegance. The result is a smooth and seductive nectar of agave, orange, vanilla. Lime and white peppercorns. Pure bliss if you ask me and don’t even get me started on a Mexican Martini (google it, you won’t be disappointed). 

Buy now for £180

Æcorn Aromatic

In this day and age we are all about balance and I applaud those beginning to discover non-alcoholic spirits. The truth is, we don’t always want to drink booze, but what I do always insist on is creativity when it comes to what’s in my glass. This brings me to Æcorn, my new favourite non-alcohol tipple. My attention has taken me to the ‘Aromatic’ option which is rich and smoky in flavour. The difficulty up until now is that non-alcoholic spirits lack flavour, texture and any form of excitement, but this is where Æcorn has changed the game. I find myself frequently pouring a measure over ice with tonic water or simply just in a chilled ice with a couple of cubes and neat. When it comes to the flavour there’s a lot going on, with vanilla, cherrywood a smokiness and even a little cola combined with a silky-smooth mouthfeel and warming clove and oak on the finish. It may be a little daunting getting into this world, but once you’ve tried it you’ll be just as hooked as I am. Give it a go, you won’t regret it and you’ll likely feel better for it! 

£20 from Waitrose 

Don Papa 10 Year 

I first discovered Don Papa when I took a trip to the Philippines and I had no idea the country was even producing rum. Turns out it became one of the best discoveries I made, as I’m totally hooked on the stuff now. The 10-year old is their super premium version, distilled from some of the finest sugar canes in the world from the Negros Occidental region. Aged for 10 years in re-charred oak barrels it is then blended, leading to dried fruit flavours, pure cocoa, coconut, caramel and a kiss of cedar oak. Few people know that due to the humidity in the Philippines, the barrels are prone to some of the highest angel share yields in the world (that’s where spirit evaporates from the barrel). The thing is, Don Papa never re-fill them with recent vintage stock, meaning what you get in the bottle is not only pure but incrediblt concentrated. Rum is a beautiful drink that more people should be exploring, start here, like I did and you wont be disappointed. 

Buy now for £52

This content was originally published in Oracle Time Magazine under Aidy’s Drinks Column. You can subscribe to the online magazine here to view online or order the magazine in print format.

Whisky Infused with a Severed Human Toe, Anyone?

Photo courtesy of cultofweird.com

Words by Helena Nicklin

"You can drink it fast, you can drink it slow. But your lips must touch that gnarly toe."

Believe it or not, in Canada, this is apparently a ‘thing’. It started sometime in the 1920s during prohibition, when a pair of brothers named Louis and Otto got caught in a blizzard while out doing a touch of ‘rum running’ (basically, smuggling illegal booze). Louis’ toe was frozen solid after they returned home, having been caught in water and running through snow. To prevent gangrene setting in, his lovely brother Otto did him the ‘kindest’ favour by chopping off his dead toe cleanly with an axe. Thanks, bro. For some reason, that surely only they will understand, they decided to preserve the toe in a bottle of whiskey to commemorate such a momentous occasion. 

So, why drink a severed toe?

Why indeed? The bottle of whisky was eventually found in a remote cabin used by the brothers when smuggling rum, by Captain Dick Stevenson in 1973. Being a bloke who obviously had spent time in a rugby team, Captain Dick thought the grisly discovery would make a great token for an exclusive cocktail club - one where to join, you would have to drink from the bottle and have your lips touch the toe. *shudders*.

Where can you drink a Sourtoe cocktail?

In Yukon Bar, Dawson City, Canada, the toe still exists and wannabe members of the ‘club’ must still taste a sourtoe cocktail as described above. There is even a ‘toe master’, called Terry Lee, who looks after the toe, tops up the salt that keeps it in condition and lets people pay five dollars to taste a sourtoe cocktail. It’s a huge thing in Dawson City. It’s part of their history. There’s a real emotional connection to the toe. Can you imagine how sad these people were then, when in 2003, a crazy American tourist called Josh came with the express intention to swallow the toe - and then did so? Terry has still not forgiven him for this act of ‘selfishness and destruction’. The only thing that would right the wrong, he said, was for this guy to donate his big toe to the cause. Eeee. 

Terry ‘Toe Master’ Lee at the Yukon Bar in Dawson City.

What happened next?

Josh had not realised exactly what swallowing the toe would do to the community. He felt so terrible that he changed his will to make sure that Dawson City could take his right, big toe upon his death.

But Terry will still not forgive him. Daaaang.

Make your own Sourtoe cocktail

Ingredients:

50cl American Whiskey
1 x toe

Method: 

Pour whisky into a tumbler glass. Add toe. Drink whiskey. Do not swallow toe. Simples. 

Like this? Try Would you invest in Vagina Beer or Could you drink dead people?

One Drink, Three Ways: London Dry Gin (Tanqueray)

One Drink, Three Ways is the signature feature by The Three Drinkers. Join The Three Drinkers’ Helena, Aidy and Colin as they take one bottle and create a trio of phenomenal serves which you can enjoy anytime, anywhere. From rums and whiskies to gins and wine styles, the three help you get the most out of your glass. It’s time to get liquid on lips.

April 9th is Gin & Tonic Day for some parts of the world, the US especially, but to us in the UK, it’s another great excuse to bust out some of our favourite gins! With lockdown due to the coronavirus, the drinks cabinet may be either running low or feeling a little samey, so we thought we’d share another One Drink, Three Ways to help you spice up your sipping. In this version, we’re going for a London Dry style of gin and there is no better, classic choice than Tanqueray.

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Helena’s Choice: The Negroni

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The Negroni

Ingredients

Rocks Glass or Tumbler

35ml (.75 oz) London Dry Gin (Tanqueray)

35ml (.75 oz) Red Vermouth

35ml (.75 oz) Campari

Ice

Orange wheel or twist garnish

A cheeky Negroni, though so simple to make, feels deliciously indulgent as the sun goes down and the kids pop off to bed. A classic recipe is to use the rule of thirds and take one part gin to one part vermouth and Campari. Simply pour over ice, stir and garnish with your orange wheel or orange twist to taste. Turns the lights low and the music up. Who needs to go out anyway?

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Aidy’s Choice: The Strawberry Sour

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The Strawberry Sour

Ingredients

50ml (1.75ml oz) London Dry Gin (Tanqueray)

25ml (0.9 oz) Lemon Juice

15ml (0.5 oz) Strawberry Syrup (we like Monin)

1 Egg white

One of my all time favourite cocktails is a Strawberry Gin Sour. The perfect amount of sweetness and acidity intertwine with this great quality gin and the smoothness from the egg white brings everything together. The best part is, they’re super easy to create but make you look like a total pro (it’s that egg white foam!). I’ll never get bored of these beauties. Whether rain, sun or snow, you can drink one whenever the hell you want! Add everything to shaker with ice, mix vigorously with your shake face, strain out the ice and shake one more time to emulsify. Fine strain into a cocktail glass.

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Colin’s Choice: Raspberry Lemon G&T

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Raspberry Lemon G&T

Ingredients

Copa glass

35ml (1.25 oz) London Dry Gin (Tanqueray)

85ml (3 oz) Mediterranean tonic

Ice

2 Lemon wedges

6 Fresh Raspberries

The whiff of spring we saw recently had many of us reaching for a Gin and Tonic. It’s the ultimate springtime sip and there are so many ways to change it up, often just by adding different garnishes. My current go-to version has a hefty chunk of lemon and a small handful of raspberries. Served in a large copa glass, you can keep the berries on the top, giving the drink an irresistible springtime aroma.

4 Things you need to know about Cognac

In this video, Helena gives us 4 things we need to know about the wonderful spirit that is cognac!

One Drink, Three Ways: Remy Martin VSOP Cognac

One Drink, Three Ways is the signature feature by The Three Drinkers. Join The Three Drinkers’ Helena, Aidy and Colin as they take one bottle and create a trio of phenomenal serves which you can enjoy anytime, anywhere. From rums and whiskies to gins and wine styles, the three help you get the most out of your glass. It’s time to get liquid on lips.

Many people may still be of the impression that cognac is just for old men playing Boules in the south of France, but they would be wrong. Cognac is having a comeback. This grape spirit made by twice-distilling wine is finding favour with a younger audience thanks to its soft, citrus and fudge notes and its incredible versatility. You can use any cognac for these recipes especially if it's a VSOP, but for these drinks, I’ve chosen Remy Martin as I find it particularly soft and fruity, with a delightful, orange citrus kick, making it perfect for cocktails or sipping alone. Here are three ways to drink it:

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Helena’s Choice: The Highball

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The Highball

Ingredients

Highball glass
25ml (.75 oz) Remy Martin VSOP cognac
50ml (2 oz) Ginger ale
Ice
Orange wheel or twist garnish (optional)

I discovered cognac and ginger as a simple, refreshing sip while on a recent trip out to the region. It’s ideal for when you want something more substantial than a Gin & Tonic with a richer, spicier flavour. My tip would be to use ginger ale rather than ginger beer or else it can be too sweet. Simply pour one part cognac and two parts mixer over ice and stir. Garnish with an orange wheel or twist to pep it up a bit.

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Aidy’s Choice: The SideCar

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The Sidecar

Ingredients

Coup or Nick & Nora glass
50ml (2 oz) Remy Martin VSOP cognac
25ml (.75 oz) Lemon juice
25ml (.75 oz) ) Orange liqueur (triple sec)

For me, there’s nothing quite like a SideCar to brighten up the day. It’s one of those cocktails that you can sip anytime of the year and never fails to bring excitement to my tastebuds! A great quality cognac can make or break this drink, so it’s important to choose wisely, in this case Remy’s VSOP. The orange liqueur (Triple Sec) is equally as important as it becomes the backing vocals of the song, so make sure to choose something with vibrant flavour. Play around with few different liqueurs as each brings something totally different to the party! Finally, I love nothing more than to serve these beauties to people who claim not to like cognac; you’d be surprised how many people I’ve converted! Add all items into a Boston glass or cocktail shaker with ice and shake well before straining into your cocktail glass.

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Colin’s Choice: French 75

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French 75

Ingredients

Champagne flute or coup
25ml (1.25 oz) Remy Martin VSOP cognac
10ml (.25 oz) Fresh lemon or orange juice
10ml (.25 oz) Simple syrup
Brut (dry) Champagne to taste
Shaker & ice
Lemon peel twist to garnish

This classic, aperitif recipe has an elegant, Parisian feel thanks to the bubbles. Be careful though; the combination of sugar and champagne will start your evening with a bang! If the lemon is a bit acidic  for you, you could try freshly squeezed orange juice, which works just as well. Combine all the ingredients bar the champagne into a shaker with ice. Shake and strain into a champagne flute or coup, then top up with the bubbles. Garnish with a twist of your lemon or orange peel. 

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This article was created in partnership with Remy Martin.

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The Gibson

There’s something to be said for small bars that draw in a regular crowd and are able to captivate newcomers. The types with a vibe so memorable, you’re welcomed by your first name and asked if you’d like your regular drink of the evening or would like to try a new creation. The Gibson staffs a small but mighty team along the buzzing Old Street heading towards Clerkenwell and Farringdon in London. Swing open the doors to uncover an Edwardian themed bar with nods to the vintage glamor style of the ‘20s and ‘30s—the era from which their signature cocktail was born.

Cocktails are the main attraction here. The extensive list features some really unique and palate challenging options. Upon first glance, the bartenders might seem to be popping out works of fine art rather than something made to be sipped. No detail is left out; from extravagant garnishes to carefully paired flavour profiles to unusual glassware. Their menu is sorted by season with the signature The Gibson Martini (featuring a pickled onion rather than an olive) and its variations listed first. To use the menu, simply choose the season that invites you then choose a month within that season, from there you’ll find a list of cocktails meant to transport you to a destination of your mind’s choosing. Maybe you select your birthday month or the time you met your significant other, either way The Gibson ensures an interactive experience for all.

Oak moss. Balsamic seaweed. Lobster broth. Japanese rose sweet brine. Peking duck fat wash. You may raise an eyebrow at some of the ingredients listed on the menu. The Gibson team ensures you won’t be disappointed; rather you’ll be enlightened to the wondrous world of flavours available out there. Not many may dare to mix, create, and offer such elaborate concoctions but at The Gibson they find normality in the weird. The final results speak for themselves, The Gibson constantly sees itself raved about by all its patrons and reviewers.

Of course, The Gibson stocks many other alcoholic and non-alcoholic beverages as well. Discuss your own cocktail vision with your bartender or opt for wine, champagne, or beer instead. They won’t be offended if you stick with your tried and true.

As you can imagine, with a roster of 50+ drinks such as these, the tiny space is quickly filled. Yet, at The Gibson people don’t seem to mind the lack of personal space. While the bar fits about 40 comfortably, you’ll see more willingly trying to shimmy their way into this magical time capsule. The thrill of the experience is all, in part, thanks to The Gibson’s eagerness and enthusiasm to step outside the comfort zone of the everyday view of cocktails. They may as well be serving entrancing potions because you sure will be hooked and back for more. After all, it’s impossible to try everything on the menu in one evening.

Address: 44 Old Street, London EC1V 9AQ
Phone: +44 20 7608 2774

Burns Night at Duke's Hotel

“Fair fa' your honest, sonsie face,
Great chieftain o the puddin'-race!”

In case your Gaelic isn’t as fluent as mine, a translate of the rousing opening lines of Burns’ “Address to a Haggis” is: 

“Good luck to you and your honest, plump face,
Great chieftain of the sausage race!”

Duke’s hotel, one of my favourite Mayfair hotels, has some lovely treats with which to banish the January Blues, and celebrate the birthday of the Bard of Ayrshire, Robert Burns. Duke’s has teamed up with The Exceptional Scotch Whisky and cigar makers Hunters and Frankau to put together some great fun for Burns Night 2020. Hunters and Frankau are the exclusive UK distributor for all Havana cigars in the UK.

On 25th January, birthday of the Bard, they are hosting a Burns Night supper in GBR (Great British Restaurant) – the restaurant at Duke’s. Their famous Head Bartender, Alessandro Palazzi, has created a new take on an Old Fashioned. The inspiration was from a memory of homemade boozy cherries in his grandmother’s larder, he told me. The central spirit is The Exceptional Blended Malt, one of the featured whiskies of the night. Alessandro muddles orange peel at the same time as the brown sugar before adding the sugar syrup and the bitters that he makes himself, the whisky and then finally a garnish of two glossy cherries in Kirsch.

Once you’ve supped on your Old Fashioned to the sounds of a live Bagpiper, supper awaits. Executive Head Chef, Nigel Mendham, has created a four course menu to enjoy paired with counterpart whiskies. It gives a contemporary twist on Scottish dishes to make them light and delicious, without losing the traditional taste elements that make up a proper Burns’ Night supper. Alongside the haggis, of which I am very fond, the salmon from loch Duart is amazing and the cranachan is divine.

For cigar and whisky fans, there are two whisky and cigar pairing evenings on Wednesday 23 and Thursday 24 January in the Drawing Room at Duke’s. Starting at 6pm with Alessandro’s fabulous Old Fashioned, there follow three expressions of The Exceptional whiskies and canapés – the Grain, the Malt and the Blend. Each is excellent and beautifully balanced, the Grain having marmalade and crème brulee flavours, the Malt being a fuller bodied whisky with lots of dried fruit flavours and the Blend a perfect balance of young and old whiskies with complex fruit and oaky flavours. However cold it might be, Duke’s cosy walled cigar terrace is always kept toasty with heaters and snuggly blankets so you can enjoy a Monte Cristo Number 2 in comfort. The whisky does its bit too, warming you from the inside out.

I think these are great value for an evening of fun at Duke’s. The Burns supper is £65 per person and the whisky, canape and cigar nights are £55. Worth every penny.

Address: Duke’s London, 35 St. James’s Place, London SW1A 1NY
Telephone: +44 (0)207 491 4840

By Caroline Hampden-White