Gin, Rum, And Margaritas: Summer With Friends
On this Friday night, we have just the solution for a long week of work. Let down your hair… or, put it up, slick it back, and join us as we explore a few new and interesting spirits and mixers. We've been setting aside the red wines and the heavier scotches and whiskies, and turning to the lighter drinks as the weather goes warm and we spend more time in the parks and gardens and outdoors spots around the city.
We'll start with Knockeen Hills Heather Gin, a "London Cut" gin that is fairly traditional in taste and crystal clear appearance, but far better than many other English-style gins. The bottles are quite attractive, and the quintuple-distilled spirit uses organic botanicals. Clean, crisp, it's a gin you can drink straight and that holds up nicely to tonic. Juniper and a grassy, peppery herbal note hold the tongue, but it's the soft texture that makes it stand out. There's already a little citrus in there, so you don't need to add the lemon- in fact, we liked a little more sweetness, like Meyer lemon. Solid, if you like a straight forward and delicate gin. A bit hard to find, but expect to spend around $40 for 750 mL.
If a sweeter drink is more to your liking, Pink Pigeon Rum will alter your impressions of the spirit. We were impressed- this is a rum with depth and character- and works great in daquiris and mojitos. Made from sugar cane harvested from a single estate in Mauritius, they also add in vanilla for a unique character that is a better-rounded and offers a more immediate appeal than some harsh or weak competitors. It's a very modern twist on a classic spirit, with hints of molasses and a chewiness. Runs about $35, and though the name may be odd, it comes from one of the world's rarest birds. The distinctive packaging stands out- this is a bottle that will make visitors curious (and even rum critics satisfied).
Finally, one of the best parts of going to the beach are margaritas. We've tried other mixes before- and machines!- but Powell and Mahoney's Low-Calorie Margarita Mix is pretty good. Made from agave, pear juice, lemon and lime juice, it runs about 20 calories per serving and is reasonably balanced. They offer a wide range of other mixers as well, from mojitos and cosmos to a full-calorie version of the margarita (70 instead of 20). We tried a few different tequilas and recipes- they suggest blanco in a 2.5:1.5 mix:tequila proportion- and we typically added some fresh lime juice and the necessary salt. Priced around $8 or $9 a bottle, and available fairly widely. It didn't have the depth of some margaritas that we've tried, but did offer no sugar (or artificial sweeteners) for those looking to save some calories!
About the Author
Greg Greg dreamed up the idea for the Truly Network while living in Hawaii, which began with a single site called TrulyObscure. In 2010, when advertisers and readers were requesting coverage beyond the scope of that site, TrulyNet was launched, reaching a broader audience over a variety of niche sites. Formerly the head technology correspondent for the Des Moines Register at age 16, he has since lived and worked in five states and two countries, helping a list of organizations and companies that includes the United States Census Bureau, TripAdvisor, Events Photo Group, Berlitz, and Computer Geeks. He also served as the Content Strategy Manager for HearPlanet, a multi-platform app that has reached over a million users and has been featured in the New York Times, Hemispheres Magazine, National Geographic Adventure, Fox Business News, PC Magazine, and even Apple’s own iPhone ads. Greg has written as a restaurant critic and feature journalist for a number of national and international publications, including City Weekend Magazine, Red Egg Magazine, the Newton Daily News, Capital Change Magazine, and an arm of China Daily, Beijing Weekend. In addition, he has served as a consulting editor for the Foreign Language Press of Beijing, as well as a writer and editor for the George Washington University Hatchet, the school newspaper of his alma mater. Originally from Iowa, Greg is currently living in the West Village of Manhattan.
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