The Old Man

It’s been a while since I posted and I thought it was high time I did.  As this weekend is World Gin Day and, is a week before, Father’s Day; it seemed right to create a cocktail using gin and call it The Old Man.  So I did.

I might also subtitle this one A Tale of Two Gins because it requires two very different gins to get the effect.  [Writing that reminds me that earlier in the year, around the time the latest 007 movie was released, there was an excellent article entitled How to Make The Perfect Martini published in the Guardian.  I enjoyed the article, but, as a frequent martini drinker and all round gin-fan, I was stunned by the Dog that Didn’t Bark* in this particular article: at no point does the author discuss which gin - and as gin is by far the majority ingredient in any proper martini that seemed like quite an omission to me.]

Anyway, back to The Old Man:

• 50ml Audemus Pink Pepper Gin
• 50ml Pinksters Gin
• 2ml Chase Elderflower Liqueur 
• A sprig of fresh elderflowers to garnish

Shake over ice, pour into a frozen cocktail glass and garnish with the fresh elderflower - pink in this case to go with the theme - it comes from the purple leaved cultivar but the ordinary kind will give you the same lovely musky aroma over the drink.

Drink, enjoy and remember your Dad.

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* A reference to the scene in the Sherlock Holmes story Silver Blase by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle in which this exchange takes place:

Gregory (Scotland Yard detective): "Is there any other point to which you would wish to draw my attention?"

Holmes: "To the curious incident of the dog in the night-time."

Gregory: "The dog did nothing in the night-time."

Holmes: "That was the curious incident."

In this context, used to indicate something important for its absence.

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Hereford Martini

In honour of World Gin Day 2012 I’ve decided to publish the recipe (formula if you are a perfume person) for a rather wonderful variation of the classic Martini.  Here for your delectation is The Hereford

The Hereford Martini

To make The Hereford you will need:

• One quarter of a Lime
• Four Measures of Williams Elegant Gin
• Half Measure of Chase Elderflower Liqueur
• One teaspoonful of Green Chartreuse
• Plenty of Ice
• One frozen Martini glass
• Either a shaker or stirring glass

The key to this is the very fine Williams Elegant Gin - it’s 48% alcohol so I think you can afford to shake this martini, even if you normally prefer yours stirred (and therefore a little stronger) and I think the mix benefits from the extra air that will put in.  Martini people have strong views on shaking or stirring though, so do whichever you prefer.

Either way, start by adding the Elderflower (Chase is the same Herefordshire company who make Williams Gin, hence this is a Hereford . . .) to the ice.  Then a teaspoonful of Green Chartreuse (55% alc so you are not diluting the gin, but don’t add too much or it will be too sweet).

Finally pour in the four measures of Williams Gin and stir or shake.

Split the lime quarter in half and squeeze one half into the mix and re-shake, position the other half on your frozen Martini glass as a garnish and pour your drink.

Naturally, in ideal circumstances, you should drink this while wearing Gin & Lime by Pell Wall Perfumes, but only a select few will be lucky enough to have both the finest Gin and the perfect fragrance to go with it!

Gin & Lime - PWP Product

Gin & Lime