Cocktails Distilled

As you reach for your bottle of craft Gin this evening to make your G&T, it's more likely than ever that you'll also be reaching for a craft tonic water to go with it. With so many craft spirits on the market, craft tonic waters and mixers are now really coming into their own. As consumers look to better quality mixers to elevate their favour libation, a recent entry into the mixer category, Artisan Craft Mixers are looking to do things differently and are making quite a splash in the process. We talk to Mikey Enright from Artisan about tonic water, cocktails and their Violet Bloom expression. 

Inspired by stories of mystery, magic and mayhem from the historic Liberties area, the Dublin Liberties Distillery has created whiskey ingrained in the mythology of an area once known as Hell.The two expressions that the distillery has just released in Australia tell stories as old as Dublin itself. Oak Devil takes inspiration from the carved figure that once stood watch over the entrance to the Liberties, while Copper Alley, refers to the oldest street in Dublin, named after the coin that was first minted there in the 17th century. To understand a little more about these expressions, we talk to Darryl McNally Master Distiller of The Dublin Liberties Distillery about the rersurgence of Irish Whiskey, whiskey cocktails and the future of what is now the fastest growing spirit in the world. 

It's a common misconception that all Vodka are created equal but with the release of their Single estate expressions, Bbelvedere Vodka are trying to show that this neutral spirit is anything but tasteless. The two vodkas, made with Rye grown in the Smogóry Forest and Lake Bartężek areas of Poland, has been crafted to capture the distinctive character of these particular terroirs.As the Vodka catagory begins to regain momentum, we talk to Brian Stewart from Belvedere Vodka to get a better understanding of terroir in Vodka, Vodka cocktails and the future of this neutral spirit. 

Hayman’s Gin are launching an innovative new expression called Small Gin. A full strength gin with stronger botanical flavours, Small Gin has been designed to reduce the amount of spirit required to make a Gin & Tonic. The expression is said to be so rich in botanical character that only 5mls is need to create a perfectly balenced G&T, which in theory reduces alcohol consumption by 80%.With many consumers actively looking to reduce their alcohol consumption but keen to still enjoy the classic gin flavour, Hayman's have sought to create a new catagory within the thriving Gin market.With it's release scheduled for early August,we talk to James Hayman from Hayman's Gin about how Small Gin was created, how it tastes and, of course, how this new style of Gin should be used in Highballs and other Gin cocktails. 

Aperitivo hour is thought by Italians to be the most magical of the day. But it's not only Amaro liqueurs that Italian have been drinking in the twilight hours. Historically, Rosolio liqueurs were once extreamly popular but went out of fashion with the rise of Vermouth. Giuseppe Gallo wanted to bring this style of liqueur back and recerate it for modern taste. He therfore created Italicus. Promoted as a sip of Italy, Italicus is made from Italian Bergamot and selected Italian Botanicals in the style of a Rosolio.We talk to Haley Forest, the US brand ambassador for Italicus about the importantance of Aperitivo culture to modern cocktails, the botanicals in their Rosolio and what it was like to win Best New Spirits Cocktail Ingredient at Tales of the Cocktail on the liqueurs release. 

Nothing sums up the spirit of the Miami, better than the flavours of Coconuts and Rum, but most coconut rums have suffered from the stigma of tasting more like suntan lotion than a high quality sipping rum. Brother and sister team, Mike and Dani Zig, are turning the flavoured Rum world on its head by using high-quality, aged, Guatemalan Rum and Coconut Water to show just how good a coconut rum can taste. We talk to the duo about their brand Coconut Cartel, about Central American Rum and how their brand became a favourite of celebrities by smuggling coconuts in their luggage. 

Bartending has a long tradition of Brandy Cocktails and the new Brandy blend, Bertoux Brandy, is dubbed as a Brandy created specifically for cocktails. The brand has just been nominated in the top four at Tales Of The Cocktail within the Best New Spirit Or Cocktail Ingredient category.We talk to Jeff Bell, whose name you may also know from legendary New York cocktail bar Please Don't Tell, about Brandy Cocktails and why it was time to blend a cocktail orientated Brandy.  

The heavy metal band Metallica may be best known for their music but their newly released whiskey, Blackened, is making some noise as well. Using a unique technique called 'sonic enhancement', the whiskey is gaining a solid reputation beyond its celebrity status. We talk to Rob Dietrich the newly appointed Head Distiller from Blackened about the band's involvement, taking up the mantle from a legend and of course the whiskey itself. 

Best known for its starring role in the Hurricane Cocktail, Fassionola Syrup is probably the best syrup you've never heard of. Used widely in Tiki drinks in the 1940s & 1950s, the recipe is commonly believed to be lost. We talk to Jason Crawley from Crawley's Simple Syrups about recreating an iconic syrup and how it can be used in cocktails today. 

If the trend for non-alcoholic cocktails becoming more socially acceptable and widely available, we talk to Claire Warner from the UK's Æcorn. Sister brand to Seedlip. Æcorn is a new Aperitif range that is based on 17th Century herbal remedies that have been reimagined for modern tastes. Using a base of verjus, with added herbs, roots and even acorns, the range has been designed to create pre-dinner drinks that awaken the appetite.