Pink gin originally was a delicious martini-like cocktail of London dry gin and several dashes of bitters — traditionally, angostura, although New Orleans-based Peychaud’s is our preference. Now, there is a bizarre category of gins that are colored and flavored, using pink fruits, flowers or even rhubarb. These are made by traditional houses like Gordon’s and newer distillers, such as Glendalough from Ireland.
THREE GINS TO TRY
Hayman’s London Dry. If we’re forced to choose a single gin, London dry is it, and Hayman’s is one of our favorites, especially for a classic 50/50 martini or a bracing gin and tonic.
Hat Trick Extraordinarily Fine Botanical Gin. From High Wire Distillery in Charleston, South Carolina, this one has classic gin botanicals, but the orange and lemon peel notes are pleasantly dominant. This is our favorite gin for a Southside — gin’s answer to a mojito.
St. George Terroir. With dominant notes of Douglas fir, bay laurel and sage, this domestic gin is an ode to the California wilderness. Not at all shy, it makes a profoundly complex martini, and dials a gin and tonic up to 11. It gets murky when mixed with too many ingredients; keep things simple and let it be the star.
A Southside cocktail is gin’s answer to a mojito. Krista Slater for The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
MAKING A SOUTHSIDE
If you order a Southside nowadays, you’re likely to get a drink resembling a mint gimlet. This fizz version, with crushed ice, might be more akin to the original, and is delightfully refreshing.
Making a Southside
- 4-6 mint leaves, plus mint sprig for garnish
- ½ ounce simple syrup
- 2 ounces gin (we recommend Hat Trick)
- ¾ ounce fresh lime juice
- cubed ice and crushed ice
- 1 ounce soda water
- Put the mint leaves and simple syrup in a cocktail shaker and gently muddle, to release the mint oils. Add gin, lime juice, cubes of ice, and shake. Have crushed ice ready in a rocks glass (or a mint julep cup, if you are feeling fancy). Strain the cocktail over crushed ice. Top with soda water and garnish with a mint sprig.
- To make simple syrup, add 1 cup of water and 1 cup of sugar to a saucepan and warm over medium-high heat, stirring until the sugar has dissolved. Remove from the heat and let cool. Store refrigerated in a lidded container for up to a month.
Serves 1.
Nutritional information
Per serving: Per serving: 177 calories (percent of calories from fat, 1), trace protein, 13 grams carbohydrates, trace fiber, trace fat (no saturated fat), no cholesterol, 17 milligrams sodium.
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