Lately, I have been looking at a lot of craft cocktail books for inspiration on what drinks I should try next. I have quickly come to the conclusion that I need to expand my horizons and step away from vodka… far, far away. I was shocked to see that the least popular spirit for most professional bartenders is vodka. There are some books that feel vodka is not even worth mentioning and is eliminated completely from the book. I do not think I am ready to jump into something as bold and flavorful as bourbon, but gin appears to be the next logical step for me.

As I leafed through this one particular craft cocktail book, I knew I wanted to start with a drink that was more than just gin and olives. I tried to look for a recipe with elements that I know I enjoy, like champagne. I also wanted to make sure I chose a good gin that has a smooth taste. I have learned that gin comes in many varieties and the aroma and taste changes significantly.

Ingredients:

• 2 oz Plymouth Gin
• 1 oz Cointreau
• ¾ oz lemon juice
• ½ sugar cube
• 1 Tbsp egg white
• 2 oz dry champagne

Method:
Shake all of the ingredients with ice (except the champagne), but make sure you are a bit more vigorous and add a few more seconds to get the egg whites to froth. Pour into a wine class. Top with Champagne and garnish with a cherry or lemon twist.

For this drink I purposely chose Plymouth because I heard it was a good introduction to gin. It is a slightly less dry gin than the more common London gins. It also has a higher than usual proportion of root ingredients, which bring a more “earthy” feel and softens that juniper flavor, which I sometimes feel is overbearing. If you are looking to dive into gin, I think this is a light and fun way to do it.