Back to blog
We never need much of an excuse to get out the gin, so with this year’s World Gin Day coming up on Saturday 13 June, we thought we’d share our top tips to help you create your own exclusive gin cocktails.
Choose your botanical base
Here at Lyme Bay Winery, we focus on flavour and quality in our range of award-winning gins. Rather than seeking bold overwhelming notes, we’ve gone for a layered citrus character that allows other flavours to blend with our different gins. This means you end up with a sophisticated, yet refreshing drink, no matter which of our botanical blends you choose – and the selection has something for every palate.
To start, there’s our fresh and invigorating Lyme Bay Dry Gin which has all the traditional botanical flavours of juniper, floral and citrus notes alongside intoxicating aromas of verbena and the freshness of orange peel, lemon and lime.
If you are a fan of something with a citrus twist, Lyme Bay Orange and Thyme Gin or our Lyme Bay Pink Grapefruit Gin are zingy updates to any cocktail trolley.
For something crisper, Lyme Bay Elderflower and Cucumber Gin is seriously mouth-watering, or if you prefer a warmer finish the spicy, earthy notes of our Lyme Bay Winter Gin are sure to perk you up.
And for those of you who can’t make up your mind, our Lyme Bay Mini Gin Gift Box contains one of each, to help you find your new favourite.
Finesse your added extras
Adding boldly flavoured extras will give an appetising layer of interest to your cocktail, so choose something that complements the base notes of your chosen gin.
Don’t know where to start? The tried-and-trusted wedge of lemon, lime or even grapefruit are ever-popular additions, or you can up your cocktail game with a small piece of crushed, fresh ginger; a sprig of rosemary, basil or mint; a scattering of pomegranate seeds or even a slender slice of apple.
If you feel like a flavour combining novice, Nikki Segnit’s ingenious book The Flavour Thesaurus includes a ‘flavour wheel’ that illustrates plenty of complementary pairings.
Pick your perfect mixers
Next come your other liquid elements. Drinks cabinet regulars such as Cointreau, vermouth, Campari and brandy are all good choices if you like them.
Similarly, a dash of fruit liqueur can introduce a sweetening pep which you can dial up or down depending on your taste preference. For example, our Lyme Bay Blackcurrant Rum would add rich, dark fruit notes, but for a lighter touch, you might choose something like our Lyme Bay Damson Liqueur.
For a longer drink, top up with your favourite mixer – whether that’s sparkling water or soda, high-quality tonic, or even some lemonade. And if you really want to push the boat out, then a generous pour of Champagne – or its equally impressive cousin, English sparkling wine – is always a winner.
Finish with a frozen flourish
If you like your cocktails on the cool side, including ice is a must. From crushed to cubed, size is a matter of preference but remember: the bigger the cubes, the slower they melt, so go large if you don’t want your drink to end up a watered-down version of the original.
The really organised cocktail connoisseurs among you might want to plan ahead. Freeze small slices of citrus, basil and mint leaves, raspberries and other small soft fruits in individual ice cube trays to create your own bespoke frozen additions to balance your cocktail of choice.
Christen your creation
A bit like picking a name for your quiz team, coming up with a catchy moniker is often the hardest part. You could take inspiration from the ingredients or, if you get stuck, why not share the recipe with your gin-loving friends and ask them for suggestions.
20% discount code for gin in June
If all of this has got you in the mood for gin, we are offering a lip-smacking 20% discount off all 70cl size Lyme Bay gins throughout the whole of June when you use the code GINTASTIC at checkout.
Order online for drinks delivery
Of course, at the moment our wonderful Winery shop is still closed, but you can still buy alcohol online from us and take advantage of our drink delivery service. You can also get in touch with our friendly team here at the Winery via email at [email protected] or by calling us on 01297 551355 if you’d like to order by phone.
In the meantime do stay in touch with us via our Instagram, Facebook and Twitter pages, and share your gin cocktail creations.
