Love Negronis, but wondering what to sip next? Here are five bitter gin cocktails you simply must try.
Pucker up: it’s not always bad to live life on the bitter side, as these five bracing serves go to show. If you count yourself as an avowed Negroni lover, or don’t like your drinks syrupy-sweet, these bitter gin cocktails are just the thing to add to your sipping repertoire.
Chicote’s Martini
What Harry Craddock was to London, so Perico Chicote was to Madrid (the influential, early 20th-century bartender even worked at the Savoy). His subtle twist on the Martini is simple, but adds a wonderfully piquant intensity.
4 parts Sipsmith London Dry Gin
1 part dry vermouth
4 dashes Angostura bitters
Lemon twist or olive, to garnish
Fill a cocktail shaker or mixing glass full of very cold ice. Add the gin, vermouth, and bitters, and stir briskly for 50 turns. Strain into a chilled Martini glass and garnish according to your preference.
Pink Gin
If you’re of the Winston Churchill school and prefer your Martinis sans vermouth, then Pink Gin is the tipple for you. This classic, exceptionally simple serve pairs gin and Angostura bitters, which creates a drink with a subtly rosy hue.
50ml Sipsmith London Dry Gin
3-4 dashes Angostura bitters
Lemon twist, to garnish
Fill a cocktail shaker or mixing glass full of very cold ice. Add both ingredients and stir well. Strain into a chilled cocktail glass and garnish with a lemon twist.
Gin-Campari Sour
We adore this contemporary bitter gin cocktail recipe, which comes courtesy of Saveur. The addition of egg white, simple syrup, orange bitters, and lemon juice makes for both frothiness and a pleasingly sour bite.
45ml Sipsmith London Dry Gin
25ml Campari
25ml freshly squeezed lemon juice
15ml sugar syrup
1 egg white
1 dash orange bitters
Orange wedge or twist, to garnish
Add the first five ingredients to a cocktail shaker and dry shake. Open, fill with cold ice, seal, and shake again to emulsify. Strain into a chilled coupe glass and garnish with an orange wedge or twist.
Blood Orange Negroni
One of our favourite Negroni riffs is this delectable Blood Orange Negroni. Adding blood orange juice along with Picon—a bitter French aperitif—make this a bold and bracing choice.
30ml Sipsmith London Dry Gin
25ml Campari
20ml Picon
25ml blood orange juice
Dried blood orange slice, to garnish
Fill a mixing glass with ice. Add the first four ingredients and stir well to combine. Strain into a chilled rocks glass and garnish with a dried blood orange slice.
Gin and Bitter Lemon
This bitter gin cocktail is so simple, it takes just seconds to make. This summer, make a change and swap out your G&Ts for Gin and Bitter Lemons.
50ml Sipsmith London Dry Gin
Bitter lemon
Lemon wedge, to garnish
Fill a highball glass with very cold ice. Add the gin and top up with the bitter lemon to taste. Garnish with a lemon wedge.
Feature images © Pley/iStock; Ryzhkov; Sanny11/iStock
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