Gin has always had a special place in our hearts. In fact, it has historically been one of the most popular spirits on the planet ever since the Dutch distilled barley and juniper berries together back in the 16th century. A G&T on a hot summer’s day is a standard go-to because the drink is light and has a tonne of variety.
Unlike whiskey or vodka, gin doesn’t really have any rules. Sure, you might know what a “London-Dry” is supposed to taste like, but there’s no one actually enforcing that. When it comes to gin, experimentation is the name of the game so there will always be new and exciting ways to drink it.
Enter Japan, who for years now have been releasing exciting new whiskeys that are all the rage down at your local specialist watering hole. Now too, Japanese gin is becoming a bit of a thing which is perfect for us Aussies as this gin pairs perfectly with seafood flavours, something we know a thing or two about.
Here’s six great ways to serve your gin this summer to go with any summer seafood cook up.
ROKU Gin & Tonic
ROKU Gin
Tonic
Ginger
Your straight up classic serve here. Take a 30ml serve of ROKU Gin and pour over ice. Top with 120ml of tonic and garnish with thinly sliced sticks of ginger. Doesn’t get simpler than that.
Pair with: Oysters
Try sipping on this with a dozen fresh Sydney Rockies and you’ve got yourself pretty much the perfect summer arvo. Make sure to give them a big squeeze of lemon to bring out the citrus notes of the gin.
ROKU Sonic
ROKU Gin
Tonic
Soda
Lime
Another simple take designed to bring out the flavours of the gin here. Pour a 30ml serve of ROKU Gin over ice and stir to cool both glass and gin. Pour in 60ml of soda and follow that with another 60ml of tonic. Garnish with a roll of lime peel.
Pair with: Smoked salmon
The fatty, protein rich texture of smoked salmon will be cut through by both the fizz of the mixers and the twin sharpness of the citrus botanicals and lime here. Works really well with salty smoked foods which enhance the more earthy flavours of the green tea botanicals too.
ROKU Negroni
ROKU Gin
Umeshu
Campari
Orange
A fiery clash of Italian and Japanese culture here, the ROKU Negroni has a complex palate blending the citrus notes of the gin with the deep bitterness of the Campari and sweetening it all up with umeshu plum wine. Take 30ml of your ROKU Gin, 15ml of Campari, and 15ml of fortified wine and add them all to a heavy mixing glass with ice. Stir vigorously until the outside of the glass gets cold. Strain the whole mixture into a new rocks glass with a few big chunks of ice. Add a thin slice of orange and serve.
Pair with: Cheese board
The powerful Negroni is typically an aperitif — something you drink before dinner — and a cheese board is something you normally eat after dinner so these two would never normally meet. However, the fresh bitterness of the ROKU gin ties a ribbon around them perfectly. Just make sure to serve your cheeses with sweet things like truffle honey or quince paste to really offset the drink.
ROKU Sour
ROKU Gin
Matcha tea
Egg white
Yuzu wheel
An excellent sour alternative to add to your repertoire, the ROKU Sour uses matcha to highlight the green tea botanicals in the gin. Separate your egg white and shake it hard in a cocktail shaker with ice to aerate. Open it up, add 60ml of ROKU Gin and 10ml of matcha tea then close it up and shake hard again. Strain it into a chilled Martini glass and garnish with a wheel of yuzu.
Pair with: Salad
There’s a tonne of complex flavouring going on here. You’ve got the earthy tea boosted by the botanicals plus the yuzu citrus and gin notes happening. Pairing all of this with a salty, umami salad like a seaweed salad or something leafy with a heavy salty, vinegarette dressing will balance out that sourness perfectly.
