21 Hayes*
This is a bit more complicated than usual for me but I had to try a cocktail that had gin and Pimms in it.
According to Gaz, the inventor of this cocktail was Rob Schwartz and for this cocktail, he was fussy about his gin. First off he tried using Hendricks but found that to be too overpoweringly cucumbery, he eventually settled on Damrak Gin because it’s ‘mild and has citrus notes’. I probably should know more about Dutch gin but I really don’t and am not sure that I have knowingly tasted any, so I used Tanqueray, then ’cause that wasn’t quite right (too much junipter is my guess), I used the Bombay Saphire that I was given and don’t really use, that worked better but was still a bit off. Finally I used Jensen’s Old Tom which I liked better, although at this point neither Michael or I could really tell so we decided that we’d give it another go, another time!
The other ingredient in this cocktail is Pimms. (I know that you can get different cups, but I don’t think that anyone in the UK would specify Pimms in terms of it’s cups. There’s Pimms, Vodka Pimms, which isn’t very well known and Winter Pimms, a relatively new product). Pimms had at least six, if not more cups and these are the people who would know! Fruit cups used to be more popular and are coming back, Sipsmith did a summer cup last year (which I saw and heard about but never got to taste or buy, hopefully, they’ll make more this year!). I still mourn the passing of Plymouth version. Pimms is often served with cucumber (not in my house but that’s a subject for another post) so I can see the logic of using it here but you can’t really taste the Pimms over the cucumber and the gin. The 21 Hayes is much drier than I would expect something with Pimms in it to be, however, if you didn’t have any preconceptions about how something with Pimms should taste, this use would make perfect sense.
It’s a good cocktail and I can already think of people to try this on, Christelle and Mike for instance..
I’m still searching for the perfect gin for this and would like to use the Damrak but according to the website you can only buy it in the USA…typical!
What
3 slices cucumber, about 1/4 inch think
0.25oz Pimms (No. 1 Cup)
1.5oz gin
0.25oz lemon juice
1 splash simple syrup
How
1. In a large mixing glass, using a wooden muddler, muddle 4 or 5 small ice cubes, 2 slices of the cucumber and the Pimm’s until the cucumber is almost liquid (don’t worry if there is skin left, that’s ok)
2. Fill the mixing glass two-thirds full of ice and add the gin, lemon juice and simple syrup.
3. Shake well and strain into a chilled glass.
4. Garnish with the remaining cucumber slice.
*all of March’s Friday Night Cocktails come from The Cocktailian Chronicles by Gaz Regan, you should go and buy this book, it’s great.
