3 delicious and easy cocktails to celebrate World Gin Day

Today is World Gin Day, a day that celebrates a spirit that has been around for centuries.

We have also seen the popularity of the spirit grow over the past few years.

With that in mind, this day seems like the perfect excuse to celebrate the versatility of gin, so we have found beautiful and delicious cocktails for you to try at home this weekend.

Speaking about the popularity of gin, Hope on Hopkins co-founder, Lucy Beard said that the joy of gin is that no two gins are alike: different botanicals are used, and gins are also influenced by the base spirit and distilling equipment.

“What has driven the boom is the increasing focus on local botanicals. South Africa has unique flora and this is being celebrated in an increasing number of locally produced gins. It will continue to be popular, both in cocktails and in gin and tonics and people will continue to have a variety of different gins in their drinks cabinets and bars,” said Beard.

Noted mixologist, Haroon Hafajee, said that we are currently spoilt for choice in terms of the specific flavour profile we want in a gin and also in the way we want to drink it – be it a simple G&T, one served with craft tonic and fresh fruit, or herbs or spices or a great gin-based cocktail.

Below are gin-infused cocktails that you can try this weekend.

Hot toddy

Ingredients

100ml Symmetry Spice tonic essence

1 Rooibos tea bag

1 lemon, freshly squeezed

300ml boiling water

Dash of honey to taste

Method

Grab a mug and heat it with some boiling water. Dump the water and build your toddy in the same mug. Place the teabag in the mug, add the boiling water, and then the Symmetry Tonic. Add the lemon and honey to taste. Garnish with a cinnamon quill for flavour and stir. Char the cinnamon quill at the top for a smoky flavour.

Cocktail with a classic white foam topping

Ingredients

50ml Flowstone Snuffbox gin

15ml simple syrup

15ml lemon juice

1 egg white

Nutmeg, cocoa, or chocolate powder to garnish

Method

Put Flowstone Snuffbox gin, simple syrup, lemon juice, and egg white into a shaker with no ice. Shake vigorously for 30 seconds. The better the shake the better the foam. Add ice and shake again for another 20 seconds to cool the drink. Pour carefully into a cocktail glass keeping the ice back. The foam will float to the top. Grate a light dusting of nutmeg over the foam. A light round of cocoa or chocolate powder and draw a knife through the round to make a perfect heart. Enjoy!