A Drink That Truly Deserves its Title

My love for Tiki drinks is by no means a secret. The passion , time and effort that goes into every cocktail is for me the beauty behind the Tiki movement. The balance of alcohol, fresh fruit juice and freshly made syrups create a unique and perfect cocktail. The Winchester is no expectation to this rule and like all great Tiki cocktails it is fun to drink.

The Winchester was created by Brian Miller in New York and was aptly named after Angus Winchester, the World Brand Ambassador for Tanquery Gin. A man whose work in the drinks industry has been second to none. This gin variation of the classic Tiki cocktail the Zombie - a combination of three base spirits blended with various fruit juices and spiced syrups - is a truly exceptional drink. When I heard of this imitation I must admit I was very intrigued. A Zombie is perhaps one of my all time favourite cocktails so with news of a young pretender on the scene I had to try it, hoping that if it was anything like the original Zombie I was in for a real treat.

Unsurprisingly when I finally got to make the Winchester after a bit of research into its ingredients and sourcing them I was in no way disappointed. A base of three gins produces a delightful juniper flavour that is balanced with sharp fruit juice and fiery spice. If you aren’t the biggest fan of Tiki drinks somply because of the abundance of rum on show this gin twist offers you a unique Tiki experience. Trust me after a few of these you would have sworn you had been drinking Zombies all night.

The Winchester,

20ml Haymen’s Old Tom Gin
20ml Martin Miller’s Westbourne Strength Gin
20ml Tanqueray Dry Gin
12.5ml Lime Juice
12.5ml Grapefruit Juice
12.5ml St. Germain
12.5ml Grenadine
10ml Ginger Syrup
2 Dashes of Angostura Bitters

Shake well and serve over crushed ice preferably served in a Tiki mug, otherwise use a larger glass.