Wired Gin

Top Five Gin Drinks for Autumn

The leaves are falling and we’re all thinking about spooky ghosts, picking apples and killing turkeys. Time again to consider gin, which can help you through these increasingly darker days. Avoid Pumpkin-tinis and other creepy sweet concoctions. Instead, try some of these stellar recommendations:

1. Stellar Apple

Speaking of Stellar, Stellar Gin recommends this seasonally appropriate version of Gin & Juice:

   1½ ounces Stellar Gin
   3 ounces apple juice
   Squeeze of lemon juice
   1 apple slice (red or green), for garnish

Fill a cocktail shaker two-thirds full of ice and add the ingredients. Shake for approximately 15 seconds, strain into a chilled cocktail glass, and add the garnish.

2. Satan’s Whiskers

Eric Felton recently extolled the virtues of Satan’s Whiskers in a recent Wall Street Journal column Halloween Cocktails Needn’t Be Frightful. Here’s his excellent recipe:

   ½ oz gin
   ½ oz dry vermouth
   ½ oz sweet vermouth
   ½ oz freshly squeezed orange juice (blood oranges preferred, of course)
   ½ oz Grand Marnier
   1 dash orange bitters

Stir with ice until bitingly cold and then strain into a stemmed cocktail glass. Garnish with orange twist. For a variation, substitute Cointreau Noir for the Grand Marnier.

3. Negroni

With a reddish color to match the falling leaves, the Negroni is the classic cocktail of choice for the cool fall evenings:

1 oz gin
1 oz sweet vermouth
1 oz Campari

Fill a cocktail shaker two-thirds full of ice and add the ingredients. Shake for approximately 15 seconds, strain into a chilled cocktail glass. Garnish with a slice of orange.

4. Maple Gin Fizz

As described earlier this year at SlashFood, Jason Neu created the Maple Gin Fizz, which feels like an invitation to winter with its robust amaretto and maple flavors.  A cockle-warming delight!

   2 ounces gin
   ½ ounce amaretto
   ½ ounce cream
   1 egg white
   ½ ounce pure maple syrup
   1 ounce lemon juice
   Seltzer

Shake all ingredients except seltzer with ice for at least one minute. Strain into a champagne flute and top with a splash of seltzer.

5. Thanksgiving Cocktail

This recipe has many variations, but we believe this version is just the thing to get you in the turkey mood. 

   1 oz gin
   ½ ounce dry vermouth
   ½ ounce apricot brandy
   ½ teaspoon creme de cassis
   ½ teaspoon lemon juice

Fill a cocktail shaker two-thirds full of ice and add the ingredients. Shake for approximately 15 seconds, strain into a chilled cocktail glass. Garnish with a cherry.