Once in a while I’m completely swept off my feet by a product I’ve already decided I’m probably not going to enjoy. This happened when I tried That Boutique-y Gin Company’s Spit Roasted Pineapple Gin. Deep gold in colour the liquid has an almost syrupy texture! Alright then I’m going to say it – I’m a drinks snob, there it is, it’s out there. A product that’s akin to a gin liqueur (with the exception of Sloe Gin) is not going to be taken seriously by me, so when I tasted the Pineapple Gin I sat bolt upright and gave it the attention it deserves which was to place an order as quickly as I could.
The drink is like pineapple nectar! Fresh whole pineapples are peeled, coated with demerara sugar and spit roasted so that the sugar caramelises. This is then combined with a gin made using a classic recipe with juniper, coriander, angelica, orange, lemon, nutmeg, cassia, cinnamon, orris and liquorice. The stock arrived last week so I bought a bottle and tried it on some friends, for those with a sweet tooth I served it with Lilt, and then for me and a few others we drank it with Luscombe Grapefruit tonic water. The bottle was emptied that night!
Polocu Cocktail
30ml Pineapple Gin
10ml Cognac
5ml Triple Sec
5ml Elderflower Liqueur
5ml Coconut Cream
3 Dashes Orange Bitters
Place all ingredients in a shaker with ice. Shake well and strain into a cocktail glass, garnish with a wedge of pineapple. This cocktail is very different to a pina colada, fruitier and tangy and definitely more decadent.
