Happenstance Fiesta Gin

A clear burst of juniper opens Happenstance Fiesta Gin before kaffir lime and chamomile take over. It is bottled at 42% ABV, and the recipe adds star anise and chilli, five botanicals in all. Fiesta won a Gold Medal at the 2020 Australian Gin Awards.

Citrus · Spicy · Floral

Kaffir lime gives the nose a vivid, perfumed citrus quite different from ordinary lime, and chamomile softens it with a gentle floral, honeyed note. Star anise adds a sweet aromatic layer in the middle of the palate. Then the chilli arrives: not a burning heat, but a small warming tingle that Happenstance says lingers on the tongue alongside the juniper. That contrast between the soft flowers and the late warmth is what sets Fiesta apart from the cleaner citrus of Happenstance Gin. Chamomile softens the texture as well.

The name suits the way the drink moves, from fresh lime to chamomile and anise and on to a warm finish. Happenstance sells it in 700 ml bottles and recommends tonic or soda. Tonic brings out the citrus and the spice; soda gives the lime and juniper a drier, more direct presentation and lets the chilli show more clearly. For anyone who likes an aromatic gin with a little heat, either works well, and the chilli also makes it an interesting base for a Margarita-style sour with lime juice. With soda and a squeeze of lime, it makes a dry, refreshing highballHighballA long drink served in a tall, straight glass with plenty of ice: a spirit topped with soda or tonic. The word also names the glass.Glossary for warm weather.

For a gin and tonic, pour 4 cl over clear iceClear iceIce without air bubbles, made by slow, directional freezing. Denser, it melts more slowly and dilutes less.Glossary in a balloon glassCopa glassA large stemmed balloon glass, popularised by the Spanish gin and tonic: it stays cold for longer and gathers the aromas above the drink.Glossary, add 10 cl of chilled Fever-Tree Refreshingly Light Indian Tonic WaterIndian tonicThe classic tonic: sparkling water, bitter quinine and sugar. The name recalls colonial India, where quinine warded off malaria.Glossary and stir once. Add a kaffir lime wheel and a star anise pod. The light tonicLight tonicA low- or no-sugar tonic, often sweetened with substitutes. Drier, it brings out the bitterness and the gin.Glossary keeps sugar low so the chilli warmth and the lime perfume stay in the foreground. The star anise pod also adds a sweet scent at each sip.