Tall and refreshing, the Monsoon Season Cocktail puts spicy gins centre stage along with coconut, lemongrass and ginger.
Monsoon Season Cocktail – Photo © Cocktails & Bars
The gin craze may show no signs of abating but it has a lot to thank for including the proliferation of the gin brands that span beyond the the traditional piney juniper profile. As brands continue to seek a point of difference, the gin flavour spectrum has spread wider than before with spirits that highlight floral, savoury, herbaceous, spicy, sweet or fruity characteristics.
The Monsoon Season Cocktail is well-suited to gins with a spicy profile. Think gins with South East Asian botanicals that include the likes of cardamom, clove, cumin, nutmeg, ginger, cubeb pepper, kaffir lime leaf and turmeric – ingredients which give the juniper spirit an Asian/Oriental twist.
The first step to mixing this spicy gin cocktail is to make the lemongrass syrup, a combination of lemongrass, sugar and water which gives the drink a light citrusy element without added acidity. The syrup is added to the spicy gin along with coconut water, freshly squeezed lime juice and freshly grated ginger to enhance the spicy notes before the drink is shaken over ice.
Tall and refreshing, the Monsoon Season Cocktail makes for easy sipping on hot summer days and balmy evenings, and during the languid heat of Indian summers.
Monsoon Season Cocktail Recipe
Original recipe created by Cocktails & Bars
Ingredients
- 50 ml gin (spicy profile)
- 20 ml coconut water
- 20 ml lemongrass syrup
- 15 ml lime juice, freshly squeezed
- 1/2 teaspoon freshly grated ginger
Glassware: highball glass
Garnish: lemongrass
Method
Add the gin, coconut water, lemongrass syrup, freshly squeezed lime juice and 1/2 teaspoon freshly grated ginger to a cocktail shaker with ice. Shake vigorously until the tin is very cold. Double strain into a chilled highball glass over ice cubes. Garnish with a stick of lemongrass.
You may also like… Pho Cocktail Recipe
