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The most refreshing gin cocktails to celebrate at home with this summer

From margarita-inspired zingers to fruity slings, these are the loveliest gin cocktails to make this summer

Britain has long had a love affair with gin – in fact, it was recently crowned the nation’s favourite spirit, overtaking whisky and vodka. While that could be down to its aromatic botanicals or the fact that the Queen reportedly drinks a gin and Dubonnet cocktail every day before lunch, we think it has a lot to do with its versatility, which makes it both a refreshing sundowner in the midst of summer and an essential addition to hot punches in the winter. In honour of World Gin Day on Saturday 13 June, we asked the Craft Gin Club founders Jon Hulme and John Burke to share their favourite gin cocktail recipes to make at home, taken from their new book, Gin O’Clock: A Year of Ginspiration.

Lemon Drizzle Sling CocktailPin
Ginarita Gin CocktailPin

Ginarita


Ingredients:

35ml gin
20ml triple sec
1 tbsp fresh lime juice
Slices of cucumber, to garnish

For the chilli lime salt:
1 tbsp chilli powder
1 tsp grated lime zest
½ tsp ground cumin
¼ tsp each of cayenne pepper, garlic powder, onion powder, ground coriander and salt
1/8 tsp caster sugar

Description:
This margarita-inspired cocktail is dangerously easy to drink. The chilli lime salt is an authentic touch, though you could simply wet the rim of your glass with lime and then dip it in salt.

Method:
Combine all the ingredients for the chilli lime salt and scatter some into a shallow dish. Wet the rim of a Martini glass and dip it in the mixture. Fill your rimmed glass and a cocktail shaker with ice. Add the gin, triple sec and lime juice to the shaker, then shake and strain into your glass. Garnish with cucumber slices.

Ginarita Gin CocktailPin

Ginarita


Ingredients:

35ml gin
20ml triple sec
1 tbsp fresh lime juice
Slices of cucumber, to garnish

For the chilli lime salt:
1 tbsp chilli powder
1 tsp grated lime zest
½ tsp ground cumin
¼ tsp each of cayenne pepper, garlic powder, onion powder, ground coriander and salt
1/8 tsp caster sugar

Description:

This margarita-inspired cocktail is dangerously easy to drink. The chilli lime salt is an authentic touch, though you could simply wet the rim of your glass with lime and then dip it in salt.

Method:

Combine all the ingredients for the chilli lime salt and scatter some into a shallow dish. Wet the rim of a Martini glass and dip it in the mixture. Fill your rimmed glass and a cocktail shaker with ice. Add the gin, triple sec and lime juice to the shaker, then shake and strain into your glass. Garnish with cucumber slices.

Apricot Blossom Gin CocktailPin

Apricot Blossom


Ingredients
:
50ml gin
1 heaped tsp apricot jam
1 tsp runny honey
1 tbsp grapefruit juice
1 tbsp fresh lemon juice
Fresh basil leaves, to garnish

Description:
A zingy cocktail to celebrate the freshness and brightness of a new season.

Method:
Add your gin to a cocktail shaker. Stir in the jam and then the honey until both are dissolved. Add the grapefruit and lemon juices and pack the shaker with ice. Shake, strain into a cocktail coupe and garnish with basil leaves to serve.

English Garden Gin CocktailPin

English Garden


Ingredients
:
50ml gin
25ml elderflower cordial
75ml apple juice
Slices of cucumber, to garnish

Description:
The perfect al-fresco drink on a warm summer’s day, this floral refresher is the taste of the great outdoors.

Method:
Add the liquid ingredients to a cocktail shaker and fill with ice. Shake and then strain into a highball glass packed with ice. Garnish with slices of cucumber and serve.

Lemon Drizzle Sling CocktailPin

Lemon Drizzle Sling


Ingredients
:
50ml gin
1 heaped tsp lemon curd
60ml pineapple juice
Juice of ½ lime, plus slices of lime to garnish
Soda water, to top up

Description:
What’s even better for a summer picnic than a lovely slice of lemon drizzle cake? This ginny Lemon Drizzle Sling, which is packed full of fresh flavour.

Method:
Add your gin to a cocktail shaker and stir in the lemon curd. Add the pineapple juice, lime juice and some ice. Shake and strain into a highball glass filled with ice. Top up with soda water and garnish with lime slices. You can also serve this cocktail short – just shake and strain into a cocktail coupe and skip the soda.

‘Gin O’Clock by The Craft Gin Club’ is out now (£14.99, HarperNonFiction)
craftginclub.co.uk

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