Apparently we’re all now looking for the perfect “serve” for our gin. What mixer should we use and what garnish to accompany?
Is this a matter of taste or aesthetics I often wonder, or a mixture of both? Well, we all like our food to look nice as well as taste nice so why not our drinks as well? It kind of heralds what’s to come as a tasty experience if it’s easy on the eye.
The thing is, if someone has spent an enormous amount of time (about a year in my case!) perfecting the recipe for a gorgeous tasting gin, it was not with the expectation that a completely different and random ingredient would be chucked in at the end which ultimately changes the whole kit and caboodle!
For me it’s about enhancement. Bringing out and complementing what’s already there. The Jacqson Original has ten botanicals, one of which is yummy local Yorkshire rhubarb. Therefore, if you want a nice long refreshing gin, then ginger ale is my mixer of choice because it works in that classic combination of rhubarb and ginger, bringing out the tangy unique taste of the rhubarb with the warm, spicy ginger (just don’t drown the gin in it!)
Another of the botanicals I’ve used is orange peel, so adding a zesty slice of orange to the gin brings out this particular flavour, and also gives your glass that visual appeal. It really doesn’t need anything else. Chucking a wodge of lemon or lime in, although perhaps looking quite colourful, will do nothing for the taste because it will be fighting with the other flavours.
Having said all that, it’s your gin and you can drink it any way you like! When presented with a range of garnishes and you simply can’t decide…..well, some people can’t resist having a floating market garden! Occasionally you’ve just got to do it!