Cocktail of the week: Gintrification

A touch of elderflower makes this week's cocktail perfect for hot summer days

Gintrification cocktail
Summer tipple: Gintrification

Although it is not a native plant, elderflower is one of those quintessential tastes of the British summer. Along with fresh strawberries and a glass (or two, or three...) of Pimm's, it's a flavour that instantly evokes long, warm days and fragrant walks in the countryside.

At The Vaults, a cosy new bar tucked away below historic whisky shop Milroy's of Soho, it is one of the key ingredients in the cocktail Gintrification. Owner Martyn ‘Simo’ Simpson says he "wanted to create a cocktail that would work well any time of the day regardless of how hot it is, in our ever changing British summer". He came up with a mix of gin, the elderflower liqueur St Germain and a fortified French wine called Floc de Gascogne.

"French aperitifs are fantastic and completely under used in the home and bars," he says. "I have been a fan of Floc de Gascogne for a while. It's a sweet wine fortified with armagnac: not too sweet and very smooth. Add this with the St Germain, arguably one of the best elderflower liqueurs on the market, and you have this lovely light smooth aperitif.

"All that was left was the spirit, I went for a dryish gin as it cut through the sweetness. That squeeze of the orange juice at the end just binds it all together, giving it that light summery taste.”

Gintrification recipe

SERVES

One

INGREDIENTS

  • 25ml gin
  • 30ml floc de gascogne
  • 15ml St Germain or other eldeflower liqueuer
  • Squeeze of fresh orange juice (5-7.5ml)

METHOD

Shake all ingredients with ice, double strain into a frozen coupe and garnish with a sprig of lemon thyme and orange twist.

OTHER COCKTAIL RECIPES

The Nelson
The Nelson cocktail
The 1862
The 1862, from Cane & Grain
Delicious Sour
Delicious Sour