Bergamot Morning – Juniper Jack Smoke & Oak
So, I guess this is two for two now, because I have another gin to review. I really like the gins by Joerg Fiedler. One of his newer creations is the Smoke & Oak gin where he cleverly combined barrel aged gin with smoked Lapsang Souchong tea..
The Juniper Jack Smoke & Oak gin uses the classic juniper forward flavour as a basis. However, the gin is infused with organic, smoked Lapsang Souchong tea just before a finish in slightly toasted oak barrels. In the end the gin is bottle at 46,5 % ABV.
Smoky and delicate
The Juniper Jack starts with clear and strong juniper notes. However, the Smoke & Oak has more tamed flavours than the original. Additionally, you can find hints of smoke as well as some tea flavours. In the taste, the barrel finish also becomes noticeable, but without overpowering the gin character. All in all, this is an excellent barrel aged gin.
Obviously, a Breakfast Martini
The obvious choice was to create a Breakfast Martini variation. Especially because I had some homemade bergamot marmalade on hand. Additionally, I replaced the Orange Curacao with the excellent mandarin liqueur from Artisan Spirits. Furthermore, I just added a bit of simple syrup to balance everything out.
1,5 cl Artisan Spirits Mandarin Liqueur
3 cl Lemon Juice
0,75 cl Simple Syrup
Shake – double strain – chilled Cocktail glass;
Garnish:Lemon Twist; Song: Sea Wolf – Bergamot Morning;
The drink starts off with a nice combination of bergamot and mandarin flavours. Yet, after a short while the Smoke & Oak gin kicks in with its smoky tea flavours. The juniper also still is noticeable in the taste. All in all, the drink still carries the basic characteristics of the original cocktail, but twists every aspect of it a bit.
