ICE cream has never been the easiest wine match (unless you have a top-quality French vanilla ice cream with a luscious Pedro Ximénez sherry poured over the top). PX can also be used with a good blue cheese, or with pecan pie. But it comes into its own when poured over ice cream.
So instead of looking for the perfect wine match this week, let’s look at gin. Gin is one of my favourite beverages and, in my opinion, very few drinks have such a satisfying effect as an aperitif. A very generous measure of gin in a chilled glass with a large ice cube – so that you chill, rather than dilute the spirit – is by far the best way to start an evening.
Gin is currently booming in the on and off-trade, with new products coming out almost every week. But how do you choose between all the shiny new bottles on the shelves of your local wine and spirits emporium, or on the gantry of your local bar?
Here are a few to tempt your taste buds this weekend:
Hills & Harbour Gin 40% ABV (Inverarity One to One, £36.49). This hails from the Crafty Distillery in Galloway, and is a beautifully fresh, clean style of gin. It was launched just six weeks ago, so if you want to get ahead of the curve now is the time to buy. It makes a lovely clean G&T.
My house pour – naturally – is the 121 Gin 46% ABV (Inverarity One to One, £23.99) which I genuinely feel is the best value, premium quality gin on the market. It’s perfectly balanced and makes a great G&T as well as a really nice martini. Just add the tiniest touch of Cocchi Americano (Inverarity One to One, £16.99) for the ideal combination.
Or why not try a bottle of the Ginerosity 40% ABV (Inverarity One to One, £18.99 for a 50cl bottle). This gin pours its profits back into the community towards charities helping disadvantaged young adults. Are you feeling ginerous? If so, try this with a 50-50 pour of gin to Rose's Lime Cordial for the perfect Gimlet.
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