Firetree have collaborated with Craft Gin Club’s Master Mixologist, Maria Viera, to bring you cocktails that perfectly complement five of our volcanic chocolate bars. Here are the recipes for you to recreate the perfect evening in…
Vanuatu 72% and The Smokey Martinez
Maria: “This is a twist on the classic Martinez cocktail, with the addition of just a little whisky to add smokiness, which pairs well with chocolate. The cherry flavour is enhanced by maraschino liqueur and cocktail cherries, and the same is true for the white grape and sweet vermouth. If you are not a whisky drinker, you can remove it and add an extra 5ml of gin.”
Ingredients
30ml gin
35ml sweet vermouth
5ml maraschino liqueur
5ml Scotch whisky
Maraschino cherry, to garnish
Method
Add the ingredients to a mixing glass with ice and stir well. Strain into a Martini glass and garnish with a maraschino cherry.
Philippines 73% and Apple & Cream
Tropical rainforest and volcanic soil on Mindanao Island produce cacao beans with layers of citrus, honey and caramel notes. Master Mixologist, Maria has created this custom cocktail to match.
Ingredients
40ml gin
5ml cinnamon syrup
75ml cloudy apple juice
25ml cream soda
Apple slice and/or cinnamon stick, to garnish
Method
To make your syrup: Add cinnamon bark to 200ml of boiling water and simmer for 10 minutes. Add 200g of sugar and stir well. Take off the heat, cool and strain out the cinnamon. Store your syrup in a sealed container in the fridge.
Optional sugar rim: Add 1 tbsp of granulated brown sugar to a saucer. Add 1 tbsp of cinnamon syrup to a different saucer and dip the rim of the glass in the syrup. Then dip the rim of the glass into the sugar until there is an even coat.
Add the first three ingredients directly to a highball glass with ice and give a quick stir. Top with cream soda and garnish with an apple slice and/or cinnamon bark.
Solomon Islands 69% and Sloe Negroni
Maria: “This is a sweeter style of Negroni, suitable for an after-dinner cocktail to pair with Firetree’s Solomon Islands chocolate. The sloe berries will pair well with the plum and citrus notes of the chocolate and the dry vermouth will balance out the sweetness, whilst giving off a fragrant, herbaceous aroma.”
Ingredients
25ml sloe gin
25ml Campari
20ml sweet vermouth
5ml dry vermouth
Lemon peel, to garnish
Method
Fill a rocks glass with ice, and do the same with a mixing glass. Add your ingredients to a mixing glass and stir down, then strain into your rocks glass. Garnish with a twist of lemon peel and serve.
Makira 75% and Spanish Alexander
Maria: “Pedro Ximénez is the sweeter style of the sherries, packed with flavour or raisin, dried fruit and a slight acidity that match the Makira chocolate flavour profile. It tastes delicious and really autumnal.”
Ingredients
30ml gin
30ml Pedro Ximénez Sherry (available online)
30ml double cream
Cocoa powder, to garnish (optional)
Method
Add the gin and cream to the cocktail shaker with ice and shake well. Add the sherry to a martini or coupette glass and strain the gin and cream mixture over the top. Garnish with cocoa powder, if using.
Madagascar 84% and Espresso Martini
Maria: “Just one mint leaf in the shaker is enough to give this fruity Espresso Martini a subtly refreshing note.”
Ingredients
50ml gin
15ml coffee liqueur
25ml espresso
5ml raspberry or blackcurrant syrup
1 mint leaf, plus extra to garnish
Method
Add all the ingredients in a shaker with ice and shake well. Strain into a coupette or Martini glass and garnish with coffee beans.
Cocktail recipes courtesy of Craft Gin Club.
Find them on Instagram, Facebook, Twitter, Youtube, Pinterest.
For more Craft Gin Club cocktail recipes, head to the Craft Gin Club blog.
