The Gin Bubble
If you haven’t noticed how Gin mad the world has gone then you need to unbury your head from the sand. Gin is everywhere and people can’t get enough.
Walk into any supermarket and you will be greeted with a huge array of different colours and flavours from all over the world.
It’s been dubbed the ‘Gin Bubble’ by some experts, but is the bubble about to burst? Not likely! If anything, the popularity of this clear, diverse spirit just keeps going up. Total sales of British Gin, both home and away, are worth over £3.2 billion.
Why has this happened? Well, craft gin is relatively easy to make meaning an awful lot of distilleries have popped up not just here in the UK but globally.
That being said, it isn’t always easy to pick out the real deal from the basement brands due to the sheer volume of different gins out there.
Here at The Cocktail Society, we like to think we know a little bit about gin and hope to share our knowledge of some of the country’s best brands with you.
And that leads us onto our good friends at The Spirit of Harrogate, who have developed some amazing, flavoured Slingsby Gins.
Slingsby Gin
So, the story goes that in 1571, William Slingsby realised that the spring water of Harrogate had healing properties. People from far and wide came to restore their body and soul in this spa town by bathing and drinking in the magical liquid.
Fast forward to 2014, Marcus Black and Mike Carthy looked to restore and celebrate the heritage of Harrogate and the historical discovery of William Slingsby. As such the Spirit of Harrogate was founded.
Now with a huge line of products, Spirit of Harrogate is best known for its fantastic, flavoured Gins. These aren’t your regular Gins though. Each bottle uses water drawn straight from the Harrogate springs that William Slingsby discovered 400 years ago.
So, if you are looking to heal your body and soul whilst also downing delicious gin cocktails, Slingsby Gin is definitely for you.
Besides mixing it with tonic, what else is there to do with this wonderful liquid? Well, making cocktails at home is a fantastic way to get the most out of Slingsby Gin. We spoke with them to get their favourite recipes made from their Spirit of Harrogate products.
Cocktail Recipes
We recently sat down with Slingsby Gin to discuss the versatility of their amazing flavoured gins.
We agreed that cocktails are a great way to get the most out of this super popular alcohol.
Combining our expertise, we constructed some brilliant cocktails that allow the unique and individual flavours of their gin shine through, without overpowering the drink.
Absolutely ideal for the coming summer months we hope you look forward to making and trying these Slingsby Gin cocktails as much as we do.
Spring Blossom Gin Cocktail Recipe
Combining Slingsby’s original London Dry with the beautiful fresh flavours of elderflower and lemon juice will bring the flavours of spring flooding over your senses. Enjoy at any time of year to give you the feeling of that first, warm sun.
Ingredients
30ml Slingsby London Dry
15ml Elderflower Cordial
5ml Lemon Juice
3 Dashes Peychaud Bitters
2 Drops Monin Coconut Syrup
Soda Top
How To Make A Spring Blossom Gin Cocktail
Combine all ingredients (other than soda) and shake. Fine strain into a coup cocktail glass. Top up with the soda and garnish with a lemon peel disc.
Earth Of The Tropics Gin Cocktail Recipe
Originally a development gin, this rhubarb infused spirit brings a gorgeous tart flavour to the bitter, fruity elements of this cocktail. The addition of beetroot power gives the drink an earthy note that runs through the overriding flavours.
The combination of the multitude of fruits will leave your mouth dancing with tropical light. Each element sings through transporting you from your back garden to an equatorial retreat.
Ingredients
30ml Slingsby Rhubarb Gin
20ml Blackberry Liqueur
60ml Pineapple Juice
10ml Sugar Syrup
10ml Lemon Juice
½ Tsp of Beetroot Powder
4 Raspberries
How To Make An Earth Of The Tropics Gin Cocktail
Muddle the raspberries in the base of a cocktail shaker. Add other ingredients to a shaker. Shake hard, wet (with ice) and dry (without ice) before straining into a martini glass. Allow foam to settle and add a dusting of beetroot powder or garnish with a raspberry.
Marmalade Spritz Gin Cocktail
The Slingsby Marmalade Gin is crafted using locally sourced botanicals from the Harrogate area. They complement the fruity apricot elements bringing a real sense of that promised marmalade flavour to a glass of Prosecco.
Fantastic for enjoying on a summer’s day or at an event. This brilliant Slingsby cocktail is guaranteed to spark some great conversations.
Ingredients
25ml Slingsby Marmalade Gin
25ml Apricot Liqueur
15ml Lime Juice
15ml Sugar Syrup
Soda or Prosecco top
How To Make Marmalade Spritz Gin Cocktail
Build all ingredients in a large wine glass with cubed ice and mix well. Garnish with mint and an orange slice.
Playing Gooseberry Gin Cocktail Recipe
Delivering a tangy, sharpness to a glass of Prosecco, Slingsby’s Gooseberry Gin is highly complementary of the fruity, light elderflower flavour. A delightful addition to any gathering or sunny evening at home.
Elderflower is synonymous with a sunny British picnic, so why not elevate it with the addition of Slingsby Gin. Share it with your friends and family and watch their faces light up in the afternoon sun.
Ingredients
35ml Slingsby Gooseberry Gin
15ml Elderflower Cordial
10ml Lemon Juice
Prosecco Top
How To Make A Playing Gooseberry Gin Cocktail
Build all ingredients together in a chilled flute glass. Garnish with a lemon peel twist.
Continental Breakfast Gin Cocktail Recipe
Those beautiful flavours of a sunny continental breakfast are brought to you in liquid form. The Slingsby Marmalade Gin combined with the bitter grapefruit and sweet syrup leave the taste of the continent dancing on your tongue.
While some of you might feel you’re past the age of day drinking, nothing stops you from having one of these on a sunny day for brunch with some friends and family.
They really are surprisingly refreshing while also perfectly in keeping with the cocktail’s theme.
Ingredients
40ml Slingsby Marmalade Gin
10ml Pierre Ferrand Dry Curacao
5ml Campari
25ml Pink Grapefruit Juice
15ml Simple Syrup
1 teaspoon Slingsby Marmalade Preserve
How To Make A Continental Breakfast Gin Cocktail
Combine all ingredients in a shaker, shake well and strain into a coupe glass. Garnish with a toast triangle or orange wheel.
Rhubarb & Aperol Southside Gin Cocktail
A Southside cocktail is a well-known, delicious drink. Elevated with the addition of Slingsby’s Rhubarb Gin and Aperol, giving it earthy, sweet notes that run through the whole cocktail.
The bitterness of the lemon juice compliments the flavours perfectly to balance the drink for ultimate consumer pleasure.
Ingredients
30ml Slingsby Rhubarb Gin
20ml Aperol
25ml Fresh Lemon Juice
10ml Sugar Syrup
Prosecco Top
A Handful of Fresh Raspberries
1 Basil Leaf
How To Make A Rhubarb & Aperol Southside Gin Cocktail
Shake all the ingredients aside from the prosecco. Double strain into a large wine glass with cubed ice and top with prosecco. Garnish with fresh raspberries and a basil sprig.