London’s nightlife is comparable to anywhere. There’s a mass of pubs, bars, and clubs to enjoy a quiet drink or spend a night on the tiles. The UK capital is often at the vanguard of trends in entertainment and is currently leading the way in the gin revolution. Craft gin and flavoured gins are the hottest trend in drinks right now and they’re all over London. But gin has always been hot property in the city and testament to that are the famous gin cocktails that were invented in London. Here’s three of them:
- The Vesper Martini
When James Bond frequents cocktail bars Shepherds Bush is probably not on his hit list but as London’s most famous gin cocktail, the Vesper Martini can be found anywhere. It was created in the 1950s in the bar of the Duke’s Hotel for Bond creator Ian Fleming. He loved the drink so much he named it after Bond’s tragic paramour in the secret agent’s first adventure, Casino Royale.
You need:
75ml gin
25ml vodka
- 5ml vermouth
To make:
Fill a cocktail shaker with ice and add the vodka, gin, and vermouth. Shake well. Pour into a martini glass and serve with a twist of lemon.
- The Collins
Gin punch was popular in the mid-1900s and the Collins is a cocktail twist on the classic. It was created by namesake John Collins, a bartender in Mayfair. It is an easy drinkable cocktail, perfect if you’re winding down in the K West Hotel & Spa.
You need:
50ml gin
10ml sugar syrup
25ml lemon juice
Soda water
To make:
Half fill a highball glass with ice. Pour the gin, lemon, and syrup into a shaker and shake thoroughly. Pour the cocktail into the glass and fill to the top with soda water. Garnish with a maraschino cherry and a lemon twist.
- The Breakfast Martini
What a great way to start the day! This cocktail was the brainchild of legendary bartender, the maestro Salvatore Calabrese who has won accolades and praise all over the world for his creations. The Breakfast Martini was created in the Library Bar of the Lanesborough Hotel and its gin and orange combination was inspired by his English wife’s love of marmalade on toast for breakfast.
You need:
50ml gin
15ml Cointreau
15ml freshly squeezed lemon juice
1 teaspoon orange marmalade (must be thin cut)
Orange peel to garnish
To make:
Tip all the ingredients into a shaker then stir until the marmalade has dissolved. Fill the shaker with ice then shake. Strain the drink into a chilled glass. Garnish with a few shreds of orange peel.
The next time you ask for a gin and tonic, why not consider one of these classic cocktails instead.
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