Gin's Botanical Blends

Cucumber Gimlet

The cucumber gimlet is one of those classic cocktails that are easy to make but stand out in a crowd. And, did we say it is one of the most refreshing cocktails for a warm summer day?

The key to a great gimlet is the quality of the gin – and of course fresh lime and cucumber! Here is our recipe for the classic. Try to use our gin, since it is cucumber infused (you can order it here!). Otherwise, find a cucumber dominant gin like Hendricks or Uncle Val’s Botanical.

• 2 oz Sidewinder Botanical Gin
• ¾ oz freshly squeezed lime juice
• ¾ oz simple syrup
• 6 – 8 thin slices of peeled cucumber

Singapore Sling

The Singapore Sling was created in the early years of the 20^th century for the Raffles Hotel in Singapore. Any visit to the island nation wasn’t complete without a visit to the Long Bar at Raffles – famous in its day for visitors like Somerset Maugham and Douglas Fairbanks.

Locals claim the drink has evolved over the years to appeal to tourists. Today, a visit to the Long Bar includes a purchase of branded sling glasses and a sweet and slightly effervescent drink.

Today, the trend is back to basics and the original concepts of the ‘sling.’ These drinks are less sweet but ever so refreshing on a warm, humid night. Our favorite is the version created by the Slanted Door in San Francisco. We have just added a little grenadine for extra color and, of course, our own Sidewinder Dry Gin!

• 1 ½ oz Sidewinder Dry Gin
• ½ oz Cointreau
• ¼ oz Benedictine
• ¼ oz Cherry Heering
• ½ oz lime juice
• ½ oz fresh pressed pineapple juice
• ¼ oz of Grenadine for color
• 2 dashes angostura bitters

Corpse Reviver No 2

Four of these taken in swift succession will unrevive the corpse again.

Harry Craddock

Not to be confused with the first version of this drink – ‘to be taken before 11 AM’ – the Corpse Reviver No. 2 made its appearance in the Savoy Cocktail Book in the 1930s. This is Harry Craddock’s original recipe.

• 3/4 oz Sidewinder Dry Gin
• 3/4 oz Cointreau
• 3/4 oz Lillet Blanc
• 3/4 oz fresh lemon juice
• 2 dashes Absinthe

The Sidewinder Martini

The Martini is the most sophisticated of cocktails. From Somerset Maugham, who believed a Martini should be stirred “so that the molecules lie sensuously on top of one another” to Ernest Hemingway who preferred his icy cold, the Martini has defined the cocktail set for a century.

The original Martini called for a sizable measure of vermouth. However, through the decades, and largely because of the poor quality of available vermouth, the Martini became drier and drier. Today, people joke of not using any vermouth at all.

Now, we reintroduce the Martini in its original formulation, but using our own Sidewinder vermouth. The quality of the vermouth shines through in this formulation. Indeed, our vermouth takes the Martini to a whole new level.

• 3 oz Sidewinder Dry Gin
• 1 oz Sidewinder 'Stem & Crown' Dry Vermouth
• 2 dashes Orange Bitters
• Lemon Peel

Sidewinder Negroni

This is a refinement on the original Negroni, which calls for equal parts gin, sweet vermouth, and Campari. For the Sidewinder Negroni, we have substituted sweet vermouth with our Winder and Bow – and changed out Campari for Aperol. The result – incredibly smooth and satisfying.

• 1 oz Sidewinder Dry Gin
• 1 oz Aperol
• 1 oz Sidewinder 'Winder and Bow' Sweet Vermouth
• Dash of Orange Bitters
• Orange peel or lemon peel

Spirit Lifter G&T

Using the depth of flavors of our Barrel Rested Gin, this is a simple and aromatic cocktail. We love the Fever Tree tonics, and this tonic provides the notes to complement our gin.

• 2oz Sidewinder Barrel Rested Gin
• 4 oz Fever Tree Aromatic Tonic
• Foraged garnish, such as fresh rosemary, thyme or mint sprig

Suffering Bast..d

“I always thought that gin, which I had, and bourbon, which I had, don’t marry. But I stuck some gin and bourbon into the vase, and looked about for something to take the curse off.”
Joe Scialom, 1953

The Suffering Bast..d was a hangover cure concocted by Joe Scialom* at the Shepheard’s Hotel in Cairo in 1942. The drink proved popular with the British officers and press corp stationed in Cairo during the second world war. We’re not sure why it is considered a ‘cure,’ but it sure offers relief after a strenuous day.

• 1 oz. Sidewinder Dry Gin
• 1 oz. Sidewinder Straight Bourbon
• 1/4 oz. fresh lime juice
• 1 dash Angostura bitters
• Chilled ginger beer to top

Hanky Panky 2.0

The story of the Hanky Panky is the story of Ada ‘Coley’ Coleman, the first woman bartender at the famous American Bar in London’s Savoy Hotel. Her patrons included Mark Twain and Charlie Chaplin. One day, the story goes, Charles Hawtrey, one of England’s most celebrated comic actors, asked Coley to make him a pick-me-up. When he finished his drink, he is reputed to have said, ‘this is the real Hanky-Panky’ – and that’s how the Hanky Panky was born.

Coleman’s original recipe called for gin, sweet vermouth, and a dash of Fernet Branca. Our mixologists have taken this original recipe, which is quite good, to a higher level through the use of our in-house spirits, a blend of Cocchi Torino and sweet vermouth, and a hint of absinthe.

• 1 ½ oz Sidewinder Dry Gin
• ¾ oz Sidewinder ‘Winder and Bow’ sweet vermouth
• ¾ oz Cocchi Torino
• 1 bar spoon absinthe
• 1 bar spoon Fernet Branca
• Orange peel