Cocktail No 83 Maiden

This is one of my favourites. Its warming, rich, complex loveliness. The Cointreau adds a deep orangeness that complements the real orange juice. Be light with the lemon juice as this one shouldn't be a sour.

Recipe

Ice cubes
25 ml Orange juice
20 ml Birkdale gin
20 ml Cointreau
15 ml Lemon juice

Crack ice and put in shaker along with other ingredients. Shake well and strain into a large cocktail glass.

Cocktail No 78 Lady Brown

Wow this one is a keeper!

The gin comes through very strongly (maybe I had a heavy hand!) and in an extremely good way. The grand marnier and the mandarin orange juice (I cheated and used regular OJ) provide the sweetness, not not over the top, whilst the lemon juice cuts through this to give the sour compliment.

There is burnt caramel in there - heavens knows where from, but it is extremely pleasant and I don't have a sweet tooth, so its subtle and just balances against the lemon acidity. And relatively low in alcohol, which is an interesting concept in cocktails as the gin is diluted with almost equal volumes of low ABV GM and 0% lemon juice. Probably only 15-16%. I could work it out, but hey it is Easter Sunday on lockdown due to COVID-19

Recipe

Ice cubes
40 ml Birkdale gin
20 ml Grand Marnier (or Cointreau - its a bit sweeter)
20 ml Mandarin Orange Juice (or regular orange juice)
15 ml Lemon juice
2 Mandarin Orange segments

Crack Ice and put in shaker with the gin, Grand Marnier, mandarin orange juice and lemon juice. Shake well and strai into a cocktail glass. Garnish with the 2 mandarin segments and serve with a straw.

Cocktail No 62 - Bronx

The rosso vermouth is the first taste to come through, giving that caramel herbal flavour. Then orange blasts across the mouth, followed by the dryness and cleaness of the Noilly Prat competing for attention. The aftertaste reminds my slightly of the Dry Martini with the gin becoming noticible.

Don't think this is one for me.

Recipe

1 measure Birkdale Gin
1 measure Noilly Prat (or Dry Vermouth)
1 measure Rosso Vermouth
1 measure Orange Juice
1 dash Angustura bitters
Spiral of orange peel

Add Ice with gin, vermouths, orange juice and bitters to shaker. Shake well and strain into a cocktail glass. Spear orange peel on a cocktail stick and use to garnish

Cocktail No 60 - Berlin

Madeira is a new drink for me, so this is the first time I have tried this cocktail. Where else could I rely on stocking Madeira, but the Wine Rack in Birkdale, where they have 3 varieties. I went for the traditional Blandy's as that would fit the chronology for the original Berlin Cocktail.

The Madeira surprised me as I was expecting something similar to port, but it is much lighter in colour, almost rosé in colour and lower viscosity. Sweet as an after dinner drink should be. but not cloying.

The Berlin isn't the prettiest drink in the world. The orange juice gives a turbidity and the Madiera dampens the colour from a bright orange to tangerine.

The nose is mainly from the Madeira, but the Angustura bitters are also poking through.

Then the first taste - orange hits you immediately. Very full, very strong and very delightful if you like your citrus. The Birkdale Gin is giving it a kick, but isn't over-powering - I would almost say you can't tell its there. The Madeira is also doing something, but its all blended in. The Angustura is contributing, but not over-powering.

I have to confess that I am extremely surprised by this cocktail - its a perfect blend of its component parts and the Birkdale Gin and Madeira are supporting roles boosting the orange to an unexpected height.

I have just added a dash of orange bitters and that extra zest boosts it even more.

Very, very, very pleased with this cocktail - think alcoholic and complex oranges.

Looks like Madeira is going to be in the cocktail cabinet from now onwards.

Recipe

1 part Birkdale Gin
1 part Madeira
1 part Orange Juice
1 dash Angustura bitters
(Optional 1 dash Orange Bitters)

Put ice in shaker with other ingredients. Shake well and pour into cocktails glass. Serve with straw, which I did not have, so omitted.

Cocktail No 48 Muddy Water

So Cuba Libre (Rum & Coke with Lime to most people) replacing the lime with orange juice. The OJ makes a real difference. Since I am not really a Coke fan, I can't really say whether I am enjoying this.

It lives up to its name and looks like a muddy slurry. I guess the relatively high proportions of Rum and Orange Juice to Coke makes this a potent drink and changes the balance of flavour. Its definitely not a Rum & Coke. It is growing on me, but not sure its a repeater.

Mmmmh can't really say much more about this, but most people will have the ingredients in house, so try it and let me know what you think.

NB - there seems to be multiple completely different recipes for the Muddy Water.

Recipe

Fill a Highball glass with Ice. Add 1 measure White Rum with 1 Part Orange Juice and 2 measures Cola.

Cocktail No 39 Basil's Cooler (Non-alcoholic).

A request from one of the old school for a new cocktail which is non-alcoholic.

Its a variation on the Orange Cooler, substituting grenadine in place of sugar for sweetness and giving it that sunrise look. The combination of Orange Juice with Ginger Ale is not an obvious one, but it works really well. It does need the extra sweetness otherwise it could be a bit tart.

Recipe

Add Orange Juice to taste in a tall glass, with half as much Grenadine syrup. A dash of Peychaud's Bitters to give the merest hint of aniseed. Stir, then add ice to taste.

Cocktail No 33 Between The Sheets

Continuing the Brandy theme, I present a classic that is an official cocktail according to the International Bartenders Association, although they call for lemon juice instead of the orange juice and I do think it would be better with a bit of extra sharpness.

Its still very pleasant though. The Brandy and Rum mixes so well together - really good robust mouth feel and a sweetness from the Rum and Orange Juice. It certainly packs a punch and is wonderfully warming on a cold autumn night like this one is.

Recipe

Add 1 measure Brandy to a shaker, with 1 measure White Rum, 1 measure Cointreau and 3/4 measure of Orange Juice (or Lemon Juice). Shake on Ice and strain into a Cocktail glass.

Cocktail No 32 April Shower

This combines 3 of my favourite things a) Brandy, b) Bénédictine and c) freshly squeezed Orange Juice.Top it up with Soda water and it becomes quite a mild long drink in terms of alcohol content.

If its chilled sufficiently the initial mouthful is tasteless - there is a pricking on the tongue from the bubbles in the Soda Water - then the flavour comes through. Whilst mild, it does have a deep base flavour from the mix of the Brandy and Bénédictine and the herbs from the latter definitely add, but no individual flavour stands out. Its a blend of the flavours unlike some others which create different sensations in the mouth.

I'm not sure which recipe is canonical, as the net gives one similar to a Vodka Gibson or tini. Others which are Brandy based use the same as me, but skip to Soda Water. I need to find the definitive recipe collection, there must be one out there somewhere - of course there is and April Shower is not included as an official cocktail:

http://www.iba-world.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=88&Itemid=532

Recipe

Add 1 measure of Brandy, 1 measure of Bénédictine and 2 measures of Orange Juice to a tall goblet, Stir. Top up with Soda Water and add Ice to taste.

Cocktail No 28 Planter's Cocktail

Wasn't quite planned as I had mixed the orange and lemon juice in the wrong quantitiy for the original cocktail, but a pleasant mistake indeed. The lemon juice cutting the rum is the dominant taste note. The rum give its usual earthy caramel warmth, taken a bit deeper by the angostura bitters. Then the orange comes through to balance everything out.

A perfect drink for a balmy summer night.

Recipe

Add 1 & 1/2 measures of rum to a shaker with 3/4 measure of orange juice and 3/4 measure of lemon juice. Add 2 dashes of Angostura Bitters and a teaspoon of caster sugar or a splash of sugar syrup. Shake well on ice and strain into a cocktail glass. Decorate with cherry.

Cocktail No 25 Maiden

Made with freshly squeezed orange and lemon juice, this is a very fine and clean drink, The acidity of the 2 citrus fruits balances the sharpness of the gin perfectly. Initially it orangey gin and then the lemon juice hits the roof of the mouth in a bitter-sweet sensation due to the Cointreau.

Yet another of those cocktails that has multiple taste sensations as it goes down the hatch.

Make sure it is really cold for that first mouthful. Quite delicious.

Recipe

Add one measure of Orange Juice to a shaker with 3/4 measure of Gin, 3/4 measure of Cointreau and 1/2 measure of Lemon Juice. Shake on ie and strain into a large Cocktail glass.