Wines are often described in terms of layered flavors, the first tastes you sense and then the ones that linger. I find it harder to achieve that complexity with cocktails but sometimes you really can achieve it.
This Gin Mojito may strike some as a serious cocktail sin. Mojio = Rum is a standard equation in the cocktail world.
Well, this drink will take you to a different world. It’s based on something called a Gin Cup in The Little Book of Gin Cocktails, but I’ve seriously modified it by drastically increasing the amount of sugar syrup. The result is fun. Your initial sip gives you a shot of very sweet mint flavor. Then the gin kicks in, overpowers, and dominates. You’ll actually get a little sense of gin heat and spice.
Gin is the perfect base for this cocktail. Gin’s distinctive flavor simply cannot be suppressed. Here, the sweet mint flavor gets a head start — the hare — but good old gin — the tortoise — eventually wins out. This race occurs right in your mouth, and you are the winner.
Gin Mojito
Yield: 1 drink
Ingredients:
- 2 ounces sugar syrup
- 10 mint leaves
- Crushed iced
- Juice of 1 lemon
- 4 ounces of gin
Preparation:
Put the sugar syrup in a flat-bottomed cocktail glass and add the mint leaves. Muddle until the leaves are thoroughly crushed. Fill the glass with crushed ice. Add the lemon juice and gin. Stir gently with a spoon.
Drink and be ready for a second round.
Source: Brian O’Rourke