From Rum To Whisky: 5 Best Alcohol Pairings With Mint For Summers
A bright green herb that can be easily cultivated in a mixologist’s garden, mint is widely used as a garnish or is directly muddled into several cocktails because its sharp, peppery taste brings a flavourful touch to multiple mixes. Both dry and fresh mint can be added to cocktails depending on how its flavours are to be extracted into the blend. Either way, mint has an herbaceous and slightly spicy taste which enables it to build taste into cocktails.
While lots of cocktail recipes contain mint, there are certain spirits which particularly pair well with this herb. From rum to whisky to tequila, spirits with different tastes and textural profiles contain certain characteristics which either complement or contrast the flavours of the herb to bring about interesting combinations in the making of cocktail blends. That’s why it becomes essential to know which spirits are suitable for blending with mint and how this coupling can affect the taste of a cocktail.
Here are some of the spirits that pair well with mint when the herb is added to the liquors in the form of infusions, syrups or garnishes:
Bourbon And Rye Whisky
One of the reasons mint goes well with bourbon is because it contrasts the deep, caramel-like and smoky notes of the spirit. When the peppery and sharp flavour of mint is added to different bourbon or rye whisky-based cocktails such as a classic mint julep, the herb manages to offset some of the tart flavours of the spirit to bring about more flavour complexity into the blend. As well, the bright green colour of fresh mint leaves contrasts the yellowish golden hues of whisky giving the drink an aesthetic finish.
London Dry Gin
A crisp and dry spirit known for its citrusy flavours and juniper-forward tasting notes, the London Dry gin pairs exceedingly well with mint as the two complement each other’s herbaceous flavours. Use 30 ml of London Dry Gin like Gordon’s to craft cocktails such as a signature southside or a mint and cucumber gin and tonic in a coming together of peppery and herbal notes. These complementary flavours are instrumental in blending a well-balanced drink complete with citrusy and savoury flavours.
White Rum
Another liquor which can be paired suitably with fresh or dried mint leaves is white rum. Prepare mint mojitos, daiquiris and watermelon mint fizzes using this classic combination. White rum has a clear, sweet and tart taste with tropical hints that goes well with the sharp flavours of mint. In fact, the two integrate into each other to produce cocktail blends with a very sophisticated flavour, making this combination inseparable in the world of mixology.
Tequila Blanco
Make use of 30 ml of premium quality blanco tequila like Don Julio to prepare drinks which highlight the peppery, sharp and stingy flavours of fresh mint leaves. Such a quality tequila blanco will contain earthy and fruity notes contrasted by the herby, crisp mint. This leads to an interesting combination of flavours in cocktails such as the classic margarita or tequila smash that contains added sour notes coming from grapefruit juice.
Champagne
An excellent sparkling champagne or prosecco is also an interesting spirit to blend with mint. The herb adds a touch of spicy and sharp notes to sparkling cocktails giving them an elegant, crispy finish. Add muddled fresh mint to cocktails like a mint and elderflower spritz made using 30 ml prosecco or a minty French 75 that blends 15 ml champagne with 15 ml gin for a flavourful mix of herbaceous and sparkly textures.
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