Sipsmith Gin

Despite the name of this blog, I am not solely an Amatrice du Vin but also an Amatrice du Gin (and indeed myriad other alcholic substances).

The Waitrose mag had a huge plug for Sipsmith Gin this month and to show that I have not remotely learned my lesson after the blue gin debacle, I immediately went into credulous yuppie wanker mode and had to get some. It's made in Hammersmith and is all very artisinal and they only make small batches, the sort of thing of which I thoroughly approve. It's a remarkably precise 41.6% alcohol and cost the princely sum of £24. It also set the security alarm off as I left the shop but I decided to be nonchalant and pretend it wasn't me.

The article was illustrated with pictures of hairy men with beards who make the stuff, who look more like members of CAMRA than what I would expect a gin-maker to look like, although come to think of it I have no idea what I'd expect a gin-maker to look like. Possibly something like myself, after G discovered a juniper tree growing at the family estate in Rutland. But apparently the Sipsmith guys found it very hard to get a licence to distil so don't hold your breath.

Anyway, the same mag had a recipe for a pear martini so I also bought some ruinously expensive pear juice in order to have a bash, and that's the reason why this evening's post is even more rambling and inane than usual. This stuff is good!

My adaptation of the recipe (as I forgot to look it up beforehand and therefore forgot to get a lemon) is as follows: bung loads of ice in cocktail shaker, add a splash of elderly vermouth, then add equal quantities of gin and pear juice. This has turned out very well-balanced and not too sweet, which was my main concern, so I think the lemon can probably be dispensed with. The flavours complement each other well and it has a nice autumnal feel to it. This would be a good cocktail to make when you had company as the pear juice allegedly only lasts for 3 days after opening which means I have a lot of martinis to get through before Tuesday. Must get cracking!

I think a proper assessment of the gin will have to wait until I've made a dry martini or a G&T with it. But first impressions are favourable.