Trending ! Infused Gin !

Did you know Spain is the biggest market in the world for, believe it or not, Gin !

Whilst the Brits believe they invented Gin , and the Dutch know that it was invented in Holland in the 1700s, it is the Spaniards who have taken Gin consumption to a whole new level. Someone famous once said that Gin is nothing more than vodka with botanicals. In view of the spice trade the Dutch are famous for, their claims are possibly more justified.

Blessed with a warm, and in places, hot climate, the Spanish have changed the way Gin is mostly thought of, and have come up with a whole new style of serving. Gone is the boring old G&T, served in the boring old highball.

The new style involves serving in bulbous long stemmed glasses. The idea being that there is room to add any variation of infusables to the basic Gin, and tonic top up. And lots of ice ! Contrary to popular belief, the ice does not in fact water down the drink, but provides extra hydration required in warm climates.

At a Spanish lunch I attended recently, the guests were invited to create their own versions using, amongst other condiments, lime peel, orange rind, blueberries, mint and cinnamon. The riot of colour added to the occasion and the final product was truly Instagrammable.

London Dry is a type of Gin, and Beefeater, Gordon’s, Tanqueray, and Bombay Sapphire are fine examples.

Plymouth is apparently more popular with bartenders because it is lighter in taste and therefore considered more mixable. Hendrick’s is a more modern Gin ; don’t ask me why.

Accompanied by a Tapas smorgasbord, the 20 guests spent a whole afternoon savouring , discussing, and photographing their creations of infused Gin cocktails. What better way of entertaining interactively and being entertained. I will be taking this trend up for sure.

Of course no meal can be complete without brilliant deserts, and the pastry chefs at the Sankara certainly know their job. The sit down lunch with brilliant music in the background is without a doubt the new way to go.

It would be remiss of me, in all this talk about Gin, to not mention the excellent Cava, served as a welcome drink.