Winter Storm (a gin cocktail - sort of...)

I am a big fan of Four Pillars, the Australian gin maker who have brought the world such delicious innovations as Bloody Shiraz Gin, wherein they add gin to Shiraz grapes, soaking before pressing them. Like wine, each year's batch is subtly different

They're regular gin is pretty damn fine too and they make a good over-proof Navy gin and a Negroni Gin. I'm not a big Negroni lover but friends who are really rate it...

They've been at it again, getting into this new trend for aging gin in barrels. There seems to be no limit to what sort of barrel you can use, but I think Four Pillars started with Chardonnay barrels and then tried sherry casks.

And what with Father's Day 'n' all I got righteously spoiled by No.1 Son who gave me a bottle of Four Pillars Sherry Cask Gin. 

It comes in a 500ml bottle and is I imagine frighteningly expensive. Most gins that come in 500ml bottle seem to be (yes Monkey 47, I'm looking at you, you little beauty). It seemed rude to check the price - thanks for the pressie Cohen!  

But this is special stuff, rested in a sherry cask for 12 to 15 months and then with a little Amontillado Sherry added at bottling. I don't really enjoy sipping gin - yep, li'l ol' philistine me - but I did give it a try neat over ice as suggested on the bottle and it was rather good - oily, a tiny bit sweet and clearly great gin to start with.

As it's not recommended for a gin and tonic (my usual go-to) I went with one of the cocktails from their website, a Winter Storm. Mainly because I had all the ingredients in the cupboard. Their recipe didn't specify the amount of ginger beer, which with such a fine gin is a serious oversight. Too much, which is easy when making a highball-style drink, will swamp the gin and be a complete waste.

This is what I arrived at after a couple of test runs. It's not so much a cocktail as a light refreshing drink with a citrus spiciness and a complex undercurrent from the gin. Very good. (As the caskiness of the gin is a big part of this it probably won't be of much interest with a more regular style gin. I'll have a cocktail for that tomorrow.)  

WINTER STORM

INGREDIENTS

• 45ml Sherry Cask Gin

• 15ml fresh lemon juice

• 15ml fresh orange juice

• 45ml Ginger beer

  to finish

• Angostura Bitters

METHOD

• Stir together in a tall glass

• Fill completely with ice

• Top with 6 drops of Angostura bitters