This evening’s mixologist challenge was to come up with a drink that uses the Genever Roger gave me and deal with the fact that Atlanta temperatures went from balmy 70s to wintry 50s with high cold winds. After looking up a few places, found out one in the magazine Food and Wine.

The cocktail is called the Dutch Apple. This is the first cocktail ever where I had to use the stove!! This is 2 ounces of Genever, 2 ounces of apple cider, 1 ounce of honey liqueur and bitters. But here is the thing – you heat it up till it simmers and then pour into your drink glass. Garnish with a cinnamon stick.

Both Sharmila and I loved the output. A great wintry drink!!!

This is a bottle that was gifted to me by Roger. It is an interesting gin in many respects. First, most people will not recognize it as a gin. In fact it is a Genever. Genever – Jenever as alternately spelled – is the original ancestor of modern day gin. You may remember I had featured a Old Tom Gin once. Well, roughly speaking we went from Genever to Old Tom Gin to modern day Gin. Even modern day Gin – which was for the longest time called London Dry – has many variations. In fact, the latest going around is American Gin.

The big difference between Genever and Gin is the fact that it is aged in (mostly oak) barrels. Gin is never aged – it is bottled straight after distillation. This is what gives the Genever the distinct color.

Genever itself is of two varieties – Oude (old) and Jonge (young). And this – unlike wine – has nothing to do with how long it is aged. It has actually got to do with how much malt wine is in it (at least 15% for Oude and less than 15% for Jonge) and the amount of sugar in it (less than 20 grams per liter for Oude and less than 10 for Jonge).

Boomsma Distillery in the Netherlands – which makes both the Oude and the Jonge variety is one of the oldest genever distilleries in the world. It goes back 125 years and is still owned by the same family. Started by Jodocus Boomsma, it is now operated by the fifth generation after him (Saskia and Chantoine Boomsma)

Content wise, Boomsma Oude Genever is made from a blend of grain alcohol, malt wine and cornwine, botanicals and juniper distillate. The Genever is then aged in oak casks – sometimes for a full year.

The nose, of course, immediately speaks to its aging which will remind you of the peaty scotches. Once the wood has settled, you can get the palette and the finish of junipers and rich vanilla.

Genevers are often recommended to be imbibed cold and straight up. I added a King Ice though.

Pomegranate Vodka, Champagne and a dash of grenadine!!

Last evening I did my final cocktail with Wint and Lila. That was a great Spanish gin. The cocktail I tried was called Alask Cocktail”. Other than the gin itself, it has Yellow Chartreuse and Orange bitters.

Gin (Wint and Lila from Spain), Sambuca (from Italy) and Orange Bitters (from US)

Continued with the Spanish gin Wint and Lila. Today’s cocktail was a Montmartre which has sweet vermouth. triple sec and the gin.

Gin, Dry Vermouth and Orange bitters.

Was wondering what to try out with a orange-nose-led gin like Wint and Lila. Tried some ginger and aniseed with it. Went for a Perky Goth, which is gin, ginger liqueur, absinthe, bitters and orange syrup. The nose was strongly anise and orange. The finish was anise too. The palate was complex with the ginger playing well with the botanicals but keeping the juniper and anise subdued.

I was introduced to this gin last year by my good friend John who owns and runs one of my favorite haunts – Zola’s in Milton. I remember having the first taste and exclaiming – Wow! the Oranges!!

For the next two weeks this will be the Spanish gin I will be researching and experimenting different cocktails with.

First the history. The name is derived from one Juan de Wint and Margarita de Lila who had started one of earliest trading companies (with the East and Americas) back in the mid 1600s. The gin was named in their honor by the family of Casalbors who have run the distillery for nearly 200 years. It is situated in the port city of Puerto de Santa Maria in the Cadiz area of Spain.

Next the ingredients and the process: It has 10 botanicals – of course, juniper, coriander, angelica and angelica root and cinnamon which are staple for all gins. But additionally, it has orange peel, lemon peel, lime peel, peppermint and orange blossom. All these are mixed with corn and then distilled – not with direct heat or steam but water bath. This makes for a slow process but the botanicals retain all their richness. And then this is distilled five times over!!

One of the unique features of this gin is the bottle it comes in. The exterior is actually white clay and inside is glass!

The nose is rich with juniper and oranges. The palate continued with the orange and a hint of mint. The finish was distinctly citrusy.

Orange infused vodka with Campari