The Seasonality of Spirits
The Key to Making the Best Spring Cocktails
Spring is finally here! Spring tends to be a highly eventful season, with lots of different functions and events. Given the current situation, this year might be a bit different, but you can still enjoy all of the best Spring cocktails! Whether you’re hosting a virtual party or having drinks six feet apart from the neighbors, it’s important to get one thing right: the drink choice. You wouldn’t want to serve something warming and spicy in the Spring, or something too heavy and decadent. The aim for Spring should be light, airy, refreshing, fruity, and floral- much like the season itself! Here are the top three spirits to use to make the best Spring cocktails this Spring season!
Gin Is In
Gin is a spirit that derives most of its flavor from piney, resinous, and citrusy juniper berry. They are used in cooking to exude a “sharp, clear flavor” in many different kinds of cuisines. The use of gin first originated in the Middle Ages as an herbal medicinal drink. From there, it evolved across Europe as a spirit, and derived its name from either the French genièvre or the Dutch jenever, which both translate to "juniper"..
In gin, the berries give off a very botanical and herbal flavor that is perfect for Spring cocktails that incorporate fruity and floral flavors. Mahón Gin is one of the best gins to use in cocktails because of its subtle botanicals. The Juniper berries are sea-salt air aged for up to 4 years at the distillery on the Mediterranean island Menorca. The aging process the berries undergo gives Mahón Gin a sweetness that most gins will never achieve. Strawberry basil gin jammers, blackberry cucumber gin spritzers, coastal orange blossom gin cocktails, and sparkling lavender gin cocktails would all be an amazing way to kick off the Spring!
The Sweet Versatility of Vermouth
Much like gin, vermouth was originally used as a medicinal tonic. This was mostly during the 18th century in Italy, until it too segwayed into becoming a popular ingredient in cocktails, at the tail end of the 19th century. Vermouth is known to be aromatic and botanical, for it is often infused with roots, barks, flowers, seeds, herbs, and spices. Some of the most famous cocktails- including martinis and Manhattans- originated from mixing drinks predominantly composed of vermouth.
Vermouth is an essential ingredient in so many cocktails, and its fruitiness makes it a lovely addition to your collection of the best Spring cocktails to serve at parties and celebrations. Since there are so many different vermouths out there, you may be wondering where to start. La Madre Vermouth is an excellent choice for any cocktail, because of its blend of 32 botanicals from White Grenache and Macabeo grapes. You will practically be able to feel the flavor of warm, ripened, sun-kissed grapes bursting in your mouth when you sip La Madre Vermouth.
Rum? Yum, Yum, Yum
Rum is a distilled alcoholic beverage made from molasses or sugarcane juice. The exact origins of rum are unclear, but it is suspected that the earliest versions of the drink came from ancient India and dispersed from there. There is a lot of history associated with rum, such as its uses in early ayurvedic medicine, ties to piracy in the Caribbean, and role in the Triangle Trade during the early colonial period in America. Rum has truly withstood the test of time, thanks to its subtly delicious flavor.
Most rum used in cocktails are light rums, also known as “silver” or “white” rums. Light rums have a delicate sweetness that makes them mild and light; the perfect base for mixing drinks. Mojitos and daiquiris are tried and true classics that will make for the best Spring cocktails you can imagine. Brands like Blackadder and Amrut make exceptional rums that could be incorporated into any Spring rum cocktail!
Using these three spirits as the base will allow you to get creative when adding flavors and ingredients that compliment it. You can’t go wrong with these options- Whichever drink you choose to bring to the table this Spring, it’s bound to be a keeper and a crowd pleaser!