The Gin Passport

The Ninth Day of Christmas

Negroni

After all the dancing from New Year's Eve, it feels quite appropriate that the Nine Ladies Dancing have led me over to Spain today!

For this serve, I'm using Mascaró 9, a rather interesting gin that takes a completely different approach to many modern gins. While some brands showcase a long list of botanicals, this one keeps things beautifully simple with just one botanical... juniper.

Sometimes less really is more, and this is a great example of letting the character of the spirit and the quality of the ingredient shine through.

I had originally planned to make a Sabot today — a White Lady topped with Champagne — but after rather too many cocktails on New Year's Eve, I thought perhaps a slightly lower ABV option was the sensible choice!

So instead, I paired this Spanish gin with a low ABV bitter and vermouth to create a lighter take on a Negroni-style serve. It still has the bitterness and complexity you expect, but without quite the same punch — perfect for easing gently into the new year!