Minke Martini

Content was originally created in collaboration with Clonakilty Distillery. Views and opinions are my own.

I’m always excited to discover a new gin! The good people at Clonakilty Distillery shared this bottle with me straight from the coast of Ireland. Minke Gin (named after the Minke whales off the coast of Clonakilty) is distilled from whey, giving it a unique “creamy” mouthfeel– which also makes it really pleasant to just sip on its own. As far as gins go, the juniper takes a backseat, with more balanced citrus notes at the forefront. It also contains a coastal botanical called rock samphire, which has a flavor similar to aniseed.
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I was really fascinated by the “creaminess” of this gin, so I thought it would make a refreshing martini riff. I added just a few drops of sarsaparilla bitters to the finished cocktail, so when you take the first sip you’re instantly reminded of cream soda or even an old-timey cola.

Martini recipe — ingredients:

2 oz Minke Gin
¾ oz blanc vermouth
½ oz amontillado sherry
3 drops sarsaparilla bitters
lemon zest

instructions:

Combine gin, vermouth and sherry in a mixing glass and stir with ice.

Strain into a chilled Nick & Nora glass.

Add a few drops of sarsaparilla bitters to the surface of the drink and garnish with lemon zest.

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