The ‘Besties Bar Kit’: A Guide To Curating A Gift Box For Your Best Friend
Curating a gift kit for your bestie is perhaps one of the trickiest things you can undertake. And if that bestie is a mixology enthusiast, then you are in for a real challenge. Not only will every element of the gift kit be scrutinised and assessed, the slightest slip can turn into a long-standing humorous moment you will always be reminded of. Evidently, putting together a hamper of this sort will require some thought.
Fret not, here are some handy tips that will enable you to sort through multiple options and shortlist those which your bestie would most prefer to have in this mixing kit. And if this bestie is fond of working with gin, the opportunities to craft cocktails using Tanqueray London No. Ten Gin, are absolutely immense.
Read on below for a guide to curating an elegant and sophisticated gift box for your bestie complete with good quality gin, garnishes and cocktail-making apparatus:
Tanqueray No. Ten Gin
One of the first things that you can add to the gift hamper is a 750 ml bottle of Tanqueray No. Ten Gin. This is a spirit with an elegant juniper-forward palette, complete with undertones of coriander, angelica and liquorice. Its vanilla-like flavours and an elegant floral finish make this liquor an excellent base for cocktails that require such subtle, sophisticated touches. The spirit can be used to build a wide variety of drinks ranging from gin spritzers and coolers to the more classic concoctions like a martini cocktail, a gimlet or a flavoured gin and tonic.
Creative Mixers
Where this gift box can truly shine is the varied mixers and flavour accents that can be added to it for infusing flavour into cocktails. Such mixers can include simple elements like a couple of cans of sparkly tonic water and those of carbonated sodas and sparkling water. Also add flavoured tonic water to the hamper, laced with the citrusy tang of limes or the spicy zing of ginger. Along with this, flavours can be introduced in the form of simple syrup infused with herbs like mint or a honey cordial carrying the subtle flavours of cinnamon. Place a small bottle of sparkling wine or bitter Italian aperitif in the kit too, for building sparkling cocktails or negronis.
Also Read: Why The 2:1:1 Ratio For Cocktails Is A Beginner’s Best Friend
Abundant Garnishes
What lends gin cocktails their signature flair and elegance are garnishes which imbue an unspoken grace into the serving glass. Add to the kit little mason jars filled with pink peppercorns, orange peels and floral embellishments like dried roses and marigold petals. These will introduce deep flavours into gin-based drinks and lend them a floral elegance. Couple the edible flowers with herbs like fresh basil, rosemary and thyme to build into the botanical depth of the drinks. A small jar of candied ginger or spiced orange peel placed within can be used to lend these cocktails an unexpectedly flavourful flair.
Cocktail Making And Serving Essentials
A kitschy bar spoon, a jigger and a cocktail shaker can be among the handy cocktail apparatus that can make-up the besties bar kit. These are simple tools which can be used to shake or stir numerous gin-forward blends ranging from negronis to gimlets. Also place a couple of coupé glasses or tall highball glasses in the hamper which can be used to serve cocktails like a floral gin and tonic or a herb-infused gin spritzer prepared using 30 ml Tanqueray No. Ten Gin.
Recipe Cards And Serving Suggestions
Most significantly, include step-by-step instructions to build at least three easy gin and tonic variations containing 30 ml of spirit per serve so your novice mixologist bestie can go about blending cocktails smoothly. A few colourful reusable straws or cocktail stirrers can also be placed in the gift kit with a guide to using them in artsy ways. So many gin cocktails are all about elegance and sophistication — with this handy guide, your bestie can start off on a gin-making mixology journey with much panache.
Drink Responsibly. This communication is for audiences above the age of 25.
