Unique and Classy Gin Cocktail for Summer

This post will show you step by step how to create a unique and classy gin cocktail for summer!

Gin has had quite the ride with it’s popularity throughout history. Most people you talk to today will either tell you they love it or hate it.

The goal with this drink is to teach you how to make a delicious gin cocktail for summer that helps you look at gin in a whole new light!

Complex in its flavors with a taste you won’t forget, gin holds a true ability to enhance a cocktail. Gin can bring forward  citrus, botanicals, juniper, or even floral notes.

This is an original Sweet Recipe of mine! I call this :

“Cherry Lips” 

Jump to Recipe

What You Will Need

Alcohol:

Alright! First up we will need a lovely gin. For this recipe I use Venus Gin No. 01. This gin has notes of citrus, lavender, ginger, lemon, and juniper. This is my favorite gin that I have ever tasted. I discovered this gin from my time living in Santa Cruz, California where it is locally distilled! If you’re interested you can read more about this distillery HERE. Amazingly it is available at most Total Wine and More stores throughout California. If you cannot find it don’t fret, I will put some other substitutions for you below!

• The Botanist
• Fleurette Gin
• Venus Gin Aquavit No. 01
• Hayman’s Old Tom Gin

Next you will want to grab yourself a bottle of Cognac! For this recipe we will be using Hennessy VS Cognac. This cognac brings notes of caramel, vanilla, and nuts. You can find this at mostly any Liquor store, specifically I got mine at Total Wine and More! They also carry this at Bevmo. For this recipe we are not using much at all so feel free to get the 375ML bottle. 

Fun fact about Cognac is it has to be made and distilled in the region of Cognac, France. Amidst other strict qualifications that is the reason that Cognac is a Brandy, but all Brandy’s cannot be considered a Cognac.

One of my all time favorite Italian Liqueurs is next on our list! We will be using Disaronno Originale Amaretto. The almond and caramel notes of Disaronno pair nicely with our cognac that we will be using. Both the cognac and the Disaronno  bring a depth of flavor into this gin summer cocktail that is a surprising and bold treat. Trust me on this! You can pick up a bottle at Total Wine and More, or Bevmo! We won’t be using a huge amount so feel free to grab the 375ML bottle. 

Lastly we will be using another favorite liqueur of mine, Maraschino Liqueur. This is going to bring the wild berry and spice flavor that really rounds out this summer gin cocktail on the end of your palate. This liqueur is so unique and in my personal opinion always elevates the flavor profile in a cocktail. I picked my bottle up at Total Wine and More, but you can also get this at Bevmo or a Select Liquor Store! 

Citrus and Other Ingredients:

In this gin summer cocktail we will be using fresh lemon juice! Fresh juices are always an amazing way to elevate your cocktails. Trust me, once you taste the difference it will be so hard to go back! The tool I am using in the photo above is probably my favorite addition to my home bar! It is a hand-pressed stainless steel citrus juicer. I LOVE the ease in the squeeze, the pour spot, being able to fit multiple pieces of fruit, and how clean it is! If you want to get yourself one just like mine be sure to check it out on Amazon RIGHT HERE! They are affordable and truly awesome.

Make sure to pick yourself up more than 1 lemon for this recipe because we will be using a lemon peel to express and garnish our gin cocktail!

We will be using a small amount of grenadine in this cocktail! I will be using Giffard Grenadine. I used to order this for my bar consistently for the quality and taste!!! It has notes of red fruits, raspberries, black currants, and vanilla. It truly tastes amazing and is a great addition to have handy in your own bar!

Also if you have any kids around this makes a MEAN shirley temple! I will admit this was a tricky brand to find. I was able to get my bottle from Reup Liquor. The bottle itself was affordable but the shipping was a little much in my opinion. Was it worth it? Most definitely..this product speaks for itself! If you are interested in checking out Reup Liquor, I will leave a link for you RIGHT HERE!

Lastly we will be using some Pomegranate Juice! I was not able to find fresh pomegranates in the store so I opted for the Pom Juice brand! This is 100% pomegranate juice so you are guaranteed a fresh flavor every time! I got my bottle from Whole Foods! I also know they carry this at Vons, Target, and Walmart!  The Pomegranate Juice helps add an additional tart aspect to balance out some of the sweetness in our gin cocktail.

Bar Supplies:

Let’s get into our bar supplies! First up you will want to have a Mixing Glass! Several cocktails out there in the world use a stirring method instead of a shake such as Old fashions, Manhattans, and Martinis. I find that when you stir you get less dilution and bolder flavors. The texture is a little more smooth and silky as well! I have tried shaking this cocktail and stirring and I just love the texture and flavor you get from the stirring method! It really honors the depth of the cocktail. You can get a mixing glass identical to mine easily on Amazon RIGHT HERE.

Along with your Mixing Glass, you will need a Bar Spoon! A bar spoon is a must have essential for your home bar! We will be using our bar spoon to stir our cocktail. You can snag your own bar spoon for your home bar RIGHT HERE on Amazon.

The technique I use for stirring my cocktails in a mixing glass is shown in the photo above. I like to hold the spoon in my dominant hand balanced between my middle and ring finger. I always have the backside of the spoon facing the outside of the glass. I use my thumb and index finger to guide the spoon in circles along the perimeter of the glass. Practice this slowly at first and in no time you will be able to pick up speed!

A pro tip to know when to stop stirring your cocktail is when condensation starts to form on the outside of your mixing glass. You will also be able to tell when the ice starts to lose form and sink deeper into the liquid contents of your mixing glass.

To measure the contents of our gin cocktail for summer we will need a Bar Jigger! Bar jiggers are a necessity for making cocktails. In order to be precise and get a consistent product, the bar jigger is what you need! My jigger measures amounts from 1/4 of an OZ up to 2 OZ of liquid. To get yourself one just like mine check it out RIGHT HERE on Amazon!

When I just starting bartending, I used another style of jigger that was a little easier to use. It shows very clearly all of your measurements and has a nice little pour spout. I will attach that link RIGHT HERE for you all to check out if you are a beginner!

Since we are using a mixing glass for our cocktail we will need a Julep Strainer! The julep strainer tucks easily into the top of the mixing glass to hold back all of the ice as you pour your cocktail into your glassware.

In the photo above you will see how you need to keep the julep strainer at a downward angle balanced with your index finger as you pour the contents into your glassware. Make sure you have a firm grip on your mixing glass with your thumb as you hover above your delicate glass! If you want a Julep Strainer just like mine check out this link RIGHT HERE on Amazon.

Lastly you will want to make sure you have a Y Peeler! We will be using this to get a lemon peel to express our cocktail! We will also use this to get a nice lemon peel for our garnish! These Y Peelers are such a handy little tool to have. I like them wide set like this in order to get yourself a nice sized peel from your fruit. Just remember to be CAREFUL!! These are very sharp and I have definitely had some clumsy accidents before! (Not fun). Check out the exact one I have RIGHT HERE on Amazon!

I also must mention that you will need ICE. Lots of people have fridges with an ice dispenser which is perfect for you to use. Alas, if you do not have accessible fridge Ice, AKA ME, you will have to freeze your own! As you see above I use a silicone perfect ice cube tray. I will link an identical one that comes with a LID right HERE! I am lucky enough to have a cocktail store near me as well that  carries perfect ice in every size but that is not always the most affordable option. I would still recommend you check if any such stores exist near your location! Although a little more pricey, definitely worth it in quality!!!

I do recommend that if you are starting to create multiple cocktails at home, you should invest in your own personal little Bartending Kit. Most come with everything you will need as a beginner while others provide several items for more complex creations. I will put links to both a beginners set, and a more advanced set on Amazon below!

Beginners Kit : HERE

Advanced Kit : HERE.

Garnish:

Garnishes add another outlet of creativity to your beautiful cocktail. They draw the eye in and in most cases give you a preview of what you will be enjoying in your cocktail. While some are just for show, some add a last touch of flavor and aromas to your drink. We actually taste with our noses first before we even touch our lips to a glass. In this specific cocktail the Lemon Spritz and Garnish that we add are essential to enhancing our gin cocktail! I am going to give you a must have garnish for this cocktail and an optional garnish!

This is a necessary step in finishing off this particular gin cocktail. In the picture above you will see me expressing the cocktail with a lemon peel! This expresses all the juices and essence of a lemon peel over the top of your drink. Not only will you get a lovely whiff of fresh lemon as you raise your glass, but the lemon will also add some bright life to a spirit forward cocktail!

You will want to take your Y Peeler and peel off about a 3 inch strip of lemon. Fold it in half right over the top of your gin cocktail. You should be able to see the juices get expressed over your cocktail! Take your peel and rub it around the rim and sides of your glass as well. Feel free top balance the peel on top of your glass or even drop it straight into the drink!

Now I am going to show you a more complex garnish for this cocktail! You can try this for fun if you would like. First off you are going to express the cocktail like I have shown you above. Second, you are going to get another LONG peel of lemon. For this garnish I like to peel the lemon horizontally so you get more to work with.

Next you will want to clean up your peel! Take a pairing knife and cut diagonally on the top and the bottom of the peel. Run your knife along each long side of your peel cleaning up any rough edges. You should be left with a cleaner shape like I have pictured above!

Next step is to take your knife and make little descending slits down the top of your peel! Be sure not to make them too thin or they may break your peel. I try to make the first slit the shortest and make them longer as I cut. In the photo above the slit on the left side is the shortest and the slit on the right side is the longest!

The last step is getting your peel onto your cocktail pick! You will want to lay your lemon peel on its back with the rind facing up towards you. Roll upwards towards your slits at an angle creating your twist!

Insert your pick and stab through the peel at the bottom without the slits. Run the rest of the pick directly through the center, and stab through the top of the peel near the slits! Remember to be delicate with your lemon peel as they can break in half if you are too rough with it.

The cocktail pick will rest gently on the top of your summertime gin cocktail. Now you have created a pretty addition to go along with your pretty drink! Creating cocktail garnishes takes a little bit of practice so have fun and be creative with it!

Cocktail picks are very easy to get ahold of! Especially on Amazon! I will leave you a link for some options RIGHT HERE.

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