Here’s a great drink to try for anyone who *thinks* they don’t like gin. (Side note to those people: There are more than 5,000 brands of gin in the world; have you tried them all?) It’s also a nice cocktail for the summer-to-fall transition. It’s light and a little fruity but not all the way into wintry Manhattan territory.

The Gin Blossom tempers gin’s stronger flavors and alcohol with the sweetness of blanc vermouth and apricot liqueur. For the gin in this recipe, it’s okay to use your house favorite, although I’d suggest sticking with one that’s solidly in London Dry territory, as the aromatics in this cocktail will come primarily from the other ingredients. 

Blanc vermouth (sometimes labeled ‘blanco’ or ‘bianco’) is clear, as is the more familiar dry vermouth, but is pleasantly sweet—not at all cloying, and it lacks the bitter notes of the reddish-brown vermouth we usually call “sweet.” Pinnacle Wine & Liquor offers several excellent blanc vermouths, and if you’re trying one for the first time, I recommend starting with Dolin’s. 

Don’t be surprised if you find yourself sipping that blanc vermouth by itself, chilled and with a twist of lemon peel; that’s how it was meant to be enjoyed in the first place! (As you should with all vermouths, which are fortified and aromatized wine, keep it in the fridge after opening; it begins to oxidize upon opening, and its useful lifespan, even refrigerated, is 4-8 weeks.)

There are a number of apricot brandy liqueurs available, but the best are either Giffard Abricot du Roussillon or Blume Marillen Apricot Eau de Vie. Don’t settle! 

To mix this drink, you’ll need a mixing glass, a stirring rod or bar spoon, and a Hawthorne or julep strainer for straining the mixed and chilled drink into a small Martini glass or cocktail coupe. All of those items are available over at Cooks’ World.

GIN BLOSSOM MARTINI
Ingredients (all available at Pinnacle Wine & Liquor):
1½ oz Gin of choice
1½ oz Blanc/Bianco vermouth
¾ oz Giffard Abricot du Roussillon or Blume Marillen Apricot Eau de Vie 
2 dashes Regans’ Orange Bitters

Directions:
Before mixing the cocktail place the Martini glass/coupe in your freezer to chill, or fill it with ice and cold water. 

Combine all of the ingredients in a mixing glass and fill the glass with ice to about twice the depth of the fluids. Stir for 20-25 seconds to chill and dilute the mix well, the strain the cocktail into your chilled Martini glass. Garnish with twist of lemon zest. 

About our Cocktail of the Week partners—shop local and independent!

Cooks’ World and Pinnacle Wine & Liquor are less than a mile from each other, on Monroe Avenue near Twelve Corners in Brighton.

Cooks’ World, in business since 1978, is Rochester’s premier retailer of dining, kitchen, and cooking products, including a complete selection of glassware, mixology tools, and accessories for wine and spirits lovers. Follow Cooks’ World on Facebook and Instagram. Sign up here to receive Cooks’ World’s daily email specials and other news. 

Pinnacle Wine & Liquor, in business since 1997, offers a thoughtfully curated selection of spirits and wine from around the world, with a savvy staff to assist in your selection and encourage you along your cocktail and wine journey. Follow Pinnacle on Facebook and Instagram. For the inside track on Pinnacle’s spirits sales, send two text messages to (585)765-7546:
— Text the word “bourbon,” to receive weekly text messages offering the chance to buy rare or allocated whiskies or special prices on popular products.
—Text the word “spirits,” to receive roughly monthly offers on fine spirits other than whiskies.