Hector s Platinum Ink Gin

Butterfly pea extract colours Hector's Platinum Ink Gin deep blue and turns it pink with tonic or citrus. The recipe shares thirteen botanicals with Hector's Premium Dry and adds the extract to the blend. The gin is made in Akaroa, New Zealand, and bottled at 42% ABV.

Citrus · Floral · Herbal

Bright citrus leads the tasting into a soft floral passage and a clean, saline finish. JuniperJuniperThe one compulsory botanical: gin must taste predominantly of juniper. Its "berry" is really a small conifer cone, resinous and peppery.Glossary, coriander seed, angelica, orris and liquorice root provide a classic foundation, while orange, cardamom and cinnamon add citrus and spice. Mānuka, thyme, lavender and lemon myrtle contribute herbal and floral notes to the blend. Lemon myrtle sharpens the citrus at the start, lavender carries the floral middle, and orris and liquorice root give the palate a soft, rounded texture.

Hector's Spirits makes the gin in small batchesSmall batchProduction in small quantities per distillation run, often in a small still. The term has no legal definition.Glossary by the sea, weighing the botanicals by hand and cutting the distillate by taste. Its sea kelp comes from Wainui on the New Zealand coast and accounts for the saline touch on the finish. The 700 ml bottle incorporates sand ripples, scallop shapes and a dolphin engraving; the brand supports the New Zealand Whale and Dolphin Trust.

For Ink & Citrus, pour 6 cl gin over ice 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. Slowly add 15 cl Franklin & Sons Premium Indian Tonic WaterIndian tonicThe classic tonic: sparkling water, bitter quinine and sugar. The name recalls colonial India, where quinine warded off malaria.Glossary, squeeze in fresh lemon juice and finish with lemon peel. The lemon juice and peel echo the bright citrus opening, and the oils from the peel freshen the nose. The tonic's quinineQuinineAn alkaloid from cinchona bark that gives tonic its bitterness. The British in India drank it against malaria and added gin: the gin and tonic was born.Glossary keeps the drink dry, so the floral notes come through clearly. The wide balloon glass leaves room for the long pour of tonic and shows off the change of colour.