As January drags on, we’re looking for something uplifting for our weekly Friday night cocktail. And, with unmistakable notes of the Côte d’Azur on every sip, a recipe from Comte de Grasse 44°N Gin is just the ticket.
Crafted in an old perfume house in the small town of Grasse, regarded as the perfume capital of the world, this painstakingly made gin is a love letter to the South of France. Taking inspiration from the craft of perfumery, the makers of 44°N sought to capture the unique scents and flavors of the Mediterranean and bottle them to be enjoyed no matter where you are in the world – just as you would with a perfume.
Over 20 local botanicals have been carefully selected to flavor each bottle of this distinctive gin. The nose is firmly citrussy, with the smell of lemon peels and grapefruit hitting you the moment you open the bottle, which quickly gives way to salty samphire, which emulates the aroma of a fresh sea breeze.
Rose and jasmine combine to create a floral taste on first sip, which rounds out to a warming spicy finish of pepper and horse parsley.
This smorgasbord of different scents and tastes might sound overwhelming, but it works perfectly.
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Each one gently moves out of the way to accommodate the next, creating exactly what it says on the tin: a summer’s day in the South of France.
Thanks to its strong flavor palette, 44°N Gin is powerful enough to hold it’s own served simply with tonic but obviously, we love it in a cocktail, too. Our favorite is the Marron Fizz which is a French take on the classic Ramos recipe, which first originated in New Orleans in the late 1800s. Indulgent heavy cream and nutty Crème de Marron combine with fresh citrus and 44°N Gin to create a cocktail unlike anything you’ve tried before.
This recipe is a little more complex than your standard shake and serve, but we promise the end result is more than worth it – and guaranteed to impress.
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[See also: Sustainable Whisky and Spirits for Eco-Conscious Drinkers]
Ingredients:
- 1¾ oz 44°N Gin
- ½ oz lime juice
- ¾ oz heavy cream
- 1 drop vanilla extract
- ½ oz lime juice
- ½ oz sugar syrup
- 4 bar spoons Crème de Marron
- 1 egg white
- soda water
- marron nut (to garnish)
Method:
Add all ingredients except the soda water to a shaker and shake vigorously (and we mean vigorously), before adding ice and shaking again. With one hand, slowly pour the liquid through a strainer into a Highball glass while simultaneously pouring the soda water.
Wait for the foam to settle and slightly solidify before topping up with the remaining cocktail mix and another dash of soda, so the stiffened foam rises out of the glass. Garnish with a slice of marron nut.
Top tip: To achieve the perfect foam head, after the first pour, leave the cocktail to settle for at least a minute, ideally in the fridge or freezer.
See more Cocktail of the Week recipes here.
