Silver Bullet

One of Alex’s favourite and particularly good after a heavy meal as a digestif. It is a drink dating back to the 1920’s. It can also be made into a particularly good sorbet to be served as a trou normand between courses.

Begin with a brandy glass full of plenty of ice; it could be crushed ice if you enjoy a refreshing crunch. Pour in 50 ml of L2L Gin, then 20 ml of Kummel. Stir and away you go. Sit in your leather armchair, take a deep sniff of the Caraway aroma and listen to Rhapsody Blue by George Gershwin on your Gramophone!

If you want a bit of extra bite, add 20 ml of lime juice and/or flakes of silver leaf! Switch the gramophone for a set of decks and you’ll be cutting four-dimensional shapes on the dancefloor at no. 5 in no time!

Ingredients:

• 50ml L2L Gin
• 20ml Kummel
• 20ml Lime Juice (some prefer with, some without)
• Silver leaf (if you have!)

Spectacled Bear G&T

A classic with a twist, created by Javier Laos, our neighbour and fellow cocktail enthusiast. You name it, he can make it!

Ingredients:

• 50 ml London to Lima Gin
• 200 ml Fever Tree Elderflower Tonic Water
• 1 slice Star Fruit
• 1 Aguaymanto / Peruvian Groundcherry
• 1 strip Sweet Lime peel
• Ice

Method:

Chill the glass with 4 large ice cubes. Add London to Lima Gin, the star fruit and aguaymanto and squeeze the lime peel to burst the oil pockets into and around the glass.

Gently pour the tonic on the bar spoon to preserve the fizz. Allow it to rest for 10 seconds and enjoy!

French ’75

An all-time classic, named after the French World War I “Canon de 75 modèle 1897”, a lethal and extremely potent weapon and cocktail  in one, otherwise known as the Soixante-Quinze. The grape base of our gin marries particularly well with the Champagne. Perhaps Karena’s favourite, drinkable at any time of day and blending with pink champagne will surely give you rosy cheeks.

Ingredients:

• 45ml London to Lima Gin
• 10ml freshly squeezed lemon juice
• 5ml sugar syrup
• Top up with Champagne, preferably pink!

Method:

Pour gin, lemon juice and sugar syrup onto ice cubes in a shaker. Shake and strain into a chilled champagne flute and top up with more champagne!

L2L Martini

Stirred not shaken for me please. Each bartender has their way of making the best Martini, my recommendation would be to drop into the Northall Bar at the Corinthia and Juri Romano will prepare the ultimate London to Lima Martini whilst you sit in the most comfortable Glacial Blue Bar Chair. What a way to commence proceedings; be sure to visit the Bassoon Bar afterwards for a follow up!

Ingredients:

• 75ml L2L Gin
• 15ml Vermouth Extra Dry or simply spray a fine mist over the glass!
• 1 Green Olive
• Olive brine (add to taste if you like it dirty or not at all)

Method:

Put many ice cubes in your mixer jar and stir. Strain out any water then add L2L Gin and the vermouth. Strain this into your pre-frosted Martini glass. Add an olive or two for decoration.

Classic G&T

Your choice of tonic water is personal, if it’s Fever Tree go for the Mediterranean (the blue one). Whilst in Lima we should look to support the local tonic and pair it with Mr Perkins (the blue one again). There seems to be a theme here… the San Pellegrino cans will work well if you are preparing 2 mid-week Gin and Tonics.

The key is to get the temperature of the glass and the tonic down and find that alcoholic strength you like. It could be 2, 3 or 4 to 1. For me, 3 tonic to 1 L2L Gin. Lots of large ice cubes will ensure an even temperature for longer, and hold the bubbles so more burst in your mouth.

Ingredients:

• Gin and Tonic!

Garnish Ideas:

• Orange Wheel and Cinnamon Stick
• Strawberry and Star anise
• Sage Sprig and Lime
• Fresh Mint and Cucumber