LET’S TALK TONICS AT The Crown Liquor Saloon, Belfast
At The Crown Liquor Saloon in Belfast we take our gin seriously. It’s a complex spirit, and its drinkability can increase simply by the tonic you pair it with and garnish that sits atop the glass.
But we know what you’re thinking, why is it so important to pair your gin with the correct tonic? Well, let the team at The Crown Liquor Saloon explain...
One of the reasons for the meteoric rise in popularity of gin over the last few years is its diversity. Other than the need to include juniper as it’s predominant flavour (which these days is debateable according to some!), gin can include an extremely wide range of botanicals, from coriander to pineapple, to wood and beyond...
JUNIPER HEAVY
Classic juniper heavy gins, such as Tanqueray or Sipsmith, tend to pair fantastically well with a classic Fever-Tree Indian tonic, while some like Plymouth Gin lend themselves better to an Aromatic tonic. Made with South American angostura bark and blended with aromatic botanicals such as cardamom and pimento berries a citrus garnish will always add some zest to classic gin and tonic flavours.
LIGHT AND CITRUS
Fever-Tree Mediterranean Tonic Water is made with reduced quinine, making it less bitter than standard Indian Tonic, and has enhanced flavours of rosemary, lemon thyme and geranium. These botanicals make it the perfect pairing for savoury, herbal gins such as Gin Mare, or citrusy gins such as Little Bird, Williams GB or Tanqueray 10. Garnish these drinks with a lemon or pink grapefruit.
FLORAL
Hendricks is a prime example of a floral gin, as one of its predominant flavours is rose, as is Tarquins, which is made with violet flowers, and these gins pair excellently with Fever-Tree Indian Tonic. A slice of cucumber works really well with Hendricks, while Martin Miller’s subtle candied lemon aroma is brought out even more by pairing it with sliced strawberries.
SOMETHING DIFFERENT
Sloe gin and Lemon Tonic is the best drink you’ve never had (if you’ve never had it!). The sweetness of the sloe berries balances perfectly with the sharpness of the Lemon Tonic. This drink is a wonderful shade of ruby red and looks great with a twist of lemon. The Williams Aged Sloe & Mulberry Gin is a delightfully tart rendition of this marriage made in heaven!
Luckily, our friends at Fever-Tree know a thing or two about what works well with our gins. Come and try one of their carefully crafted creations in any Nicholson’s pub and see for yourself.
