5 Gin Cocktails For Discerning Gentlemen (And How To Make Them At Home)

If you haven’t noticed, we’ve all fallen in love with gin again. After some time out in the cold, the country’s love of the juniper-based spirit has exploded, with craft distilleries popping up nationwide at a frantic rate. In every corner of the country and beyond, gin-makers are capitalising on the triumphant return of tonic’s best friend.

Few gin-makers are more committed to the craft than Eight Lands. Set at the foot of the Ben Rinnes mountain in Scotland, the Glenrinnes Distillery which produces Eight Lands Organic Speyside Gin is a family-owned and run business producing a premium gin named after the eight counties visible from the top of Ben Rinnes on a clear day. A juniper-forward dry London gin, Eight Lands prides itself on its use of only the finest Speyside spring water and 100% organic ingredients.

The result is a true delight. Pure and crisp, Eight Lands Organic Speyside Gin makes the most of bountiful nearby ingredients, including locally-foraged cowberries and sorrel, resulting in big juniper notes on the nose (backed up by fresh pine and citrus) and further juniper notes on the palette balanced with tart red berries and citrus. Already winning medals in three categories at The Spirits Business Gin Masters 2019, further awards are sure to follow. Perfect for a variety of cocktails, here’s how to mix it.

Negroni

A lot of people point to the Martini (whether gin or vodka) as the world’s most stylish cocktail – partly due to its association with Bond – but here at Ape, the Negroni is king. It evokes warm wooden surroundings, the art of sprezzatura and those classic Italian riverside views. Short and robust, the Negroni is as perfect for autumn evenings as it is for electric summer nights. It’s also joyfully simple to create.

To Make: Take equal parts Eight Lands Organic Speyside Gin, Campari and vermouth and combine the ingredients in a cocktail shaker, give them a strong shake with cracked ice. Strain over a low glass with either a large cube or sphere of ice with a garnish of orange peel.

Gin Martini

A stone cold classic. Sophisticated yet simple, a variety of incrementally different renditions line cocktail menus worldwide but it’s difficult to beat the one set out below. Add Eight Lands Organic Speyside Gin to the equation and you’ve got yourself what we feel is the ultimate gin martini.

To Make: Add 50ml Eight Lands Organic Speyside Gin, 15ml dry vermouth and plenty of ice into a cocktail shaker and shake vigorously. Stir well and strain into a chilled martini glass. Garnish with a twist of lemon zest.

Eight Leaf Clover

A twist on the Clover Club cocktail drags this pre-Prohibition classic into the modern era with Eight Lands’ approach to mindful production. Using Discarded vermouth adds a subtle coffee note to this velvety raspberry sour serve. A libation of true beauty and worth investing in a coupette glass for.

To Make: Add 50ml Eight Lands Organic Speyside Gin, 20ml Discarded vermouth, 10ml sugar syrup, 15ml fresh lemon juice, 4-5 fresh raspberries and 20ml egg white to a cocktail shaker with ice. Shake thoroughly and double strain into a chilled coupette glass. Garnish with three drops of Angostora bitters and a speared raspberry.

Tom Collins

The Tom Collins goes way back. Supposedly named after a hoax doing the rounds in 1870s New York, the cocktail is a timeless and simple gin cocktail from the father of cocktail making, Jerry Thomas. Refreshing and sweet, it’s a drink that’s rooted in the frenetic world of underground New York.

To Make: Combine 60ml Eight Lands Organic Speyside Gin, 30ml fresh lemon juice and 20ml sugar syrup in a Collins glass with ice and then stir before topping with soda. Garnish with an orange slice.

Raspberry Highball

A vibrant cocktail that makes for refreshing sipping, this pleasant twist on the classic G&T is sure to light up dinner parties and cocktail nights. The tartness of the raspberry alongside the juniper notes of the gin makes for a revelatory experience.

To Make: Add 50ml Eight Lands Organic Speyside Gin and 10ml raspberry liquer to a stirring glass and stir thoroughly before pouring over ice and topping with tonic water. Garnish with a lemon wheel and raspberry.

Where To Find Eight Lands Organic Speyside Gin

London Bars & Restaurants

Eight Lands can be found at Milroy’s Of Soho and the new Spitalfields outlet, where Eight Lands Organic Speyside Vodka features on the bar’s creative cocktail menu. In addition, Eight Lands can now also be found at the following London outlets, with more to be confirmed in the next few months: Novikov Restaurant and Bar, Jones & Sons, and Natural Kitchen at Trinity Court and Angel Square.

Online Availability

Eight Lands Organic Speyside Gin and Vodka is also available from the award winning online retailer, Master of Malt: www.masterofmalt.com

@eight_lands
www.eight-lands.com

A paid partnership with Eight Lands – words and opinion are Ape’s own