I still remember the first time I tried Gin Mare. It was 2010, and I was living on the Costa Brava (for the second time). It was late afternoon at the Mandarin Oriental Hotel, and I stopped in to meet up with my Barcelona bar buddy Albert Montserrat. I had never seen a Gin & Tonic as sophisticated as this Catalan version garnished with fresh rosemary and olives. It was a far cry from the usual gin + whatever tonic + a wedge of lime. I began to have the surprise understanding of just how important gin is in Spanish drinking culture.
Did you know that “gin tonic” is the most popular mixed drink in Spain? Many corner pubs have special chalkboards or menus by which the guest can choose their favorite brand of gin, their brand of tonic to best suit it, and the garnish they feel complements that combination. It was fascinating to me when I first saw these.
Gin Mare with Tonic at Mandarin Oriental Hotel, 2010
Before I get into Gin Mare Capri, I’d like to give a bit more information about gin and its revival in modern cocktail culture. When I teach cocktail classes, I cannot help but weave a bit of world history in-between-and-around the spirits lesson and mixology workshop. I often explain that mixology is the liquid element of the culinary world, and how people eat and drink is deeply ingrained into their culture.
The art of distillation arrived with the Moors when they moved up into the Iberian Peninsula more than a thousand years ago. The Arabic world was quite advanced in making medicine, perfume, and even makeup, so they distilled for reasons other than making alcoholic beverages. (For the record, the word “alcohol” is derived from Arabic as well, but I’m starting to waver too far off on this tangent!)
Let’s jump forward a few centuries and venture north to Holland where juniper berries were infused into distillates for both medicinal and pleasurable purposes resulting in Genever, a malty, herbaceous spirit. In the 1700s, after fighting the Dutch, the British soldiers brought Genever back to England and soon the British version of gin was created and enjoyed furiously for the next century (alternately referred to as “Mother’s Milk” and “Mother’s Ruin”). It traveled around the world with British soldiers who mixed gin with quinine tonic to protect themselves from Malaria and a squeeze of lime to stave off scurvy. Voila – a Gin & Tonic became the ultimate maritime drink.
So, back to 2010, smack-dab in the middle of the mixology renaissance which revived an interest in the kind of spirits our grandparents drank and the vintage cocktails that went with them. The thing is that while much of the world had spent a few previous decades relegating gin to “what grandpa drinks,” it was always a part of Spanish drinking. And, Barcelona, like all major cities in the world, was swept up in the booze boom. The original Gin Mare launched that year as the first gin paying homage to the Mediterranean with notes of all things we love from the region – lavender, rosemary, thyme, olives, citrus zest. It pairs beautifully with food. I fell head over heels in love with it immediately, and visited the charming distillery outside the city.
It is no surprise that Gin Mare enjoyed enormous success and has just now launched its second version – Gin Mare Capri. Oh my lordy. It is just fabulous.
I’ll be honest – I have not poured a drop of tonic into this near-perfect gin. Why would I want to pollute the lemony, citrus aroma and flavor? Bergamot, sweet orange and juniper are the first whiff. Clove, lemon tart, buttery pastry, and orange flower water came to mind with my first sip. I have been sipping it over ice, and reveling in its clean, floral, citrusy experience. If I close my eyes, I can almost hear the waves lapping at a rocky Mediterranean shore.
Long story, short, I don’t have time to blog much anymore. And, I receive samples of new products to taste from time to time. I take time to delve into the ones I really love – and this is my new favorite summertime gin. Do yourself a favor and check it out! It’s a vacation in a glass…