The Sundowner: Tracing The Journey Of An Iconic Drinking Tradition
Picture this: you’re at a bar, by the beach. The sky is bright crimson and jets have left glorious white and puffy traces of their journey. You’re enjoying a delicious cocktail as you watch the last traces of the sun disappear temporarily.
Traditionally, the sundowner is a drink that you enjoy at sunset. Although it wasn’t discovered by a specific person or a specific region, it’s a tradition that has been passed down for centuries across cultures. Even before this tradition and drink was officiated as "the sundowner," people have been enjoying a drink during that time of the day for a while now, and that too in various forms – be it hot or cold; alcoholic or non-alcoholic.
Sundowners, today, are known more as luxurious and delicious cocktails that you enjoy on holidays or weekends as a treat. A proper sundowner is the best way to rejuvenate after you’ve had a highly-wound day.
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If you want to enjoy this cocktail in the comforts of your own home, you should definitely try out the classic gin sundowner recipe. For this, you’ll need 30 ml of Gordon's The Original London Dry Gin, 30 ml of fresh lemon juice, 15 ml of simple syrup, 60 ml of soda water, ice, and a lemon slice for garnish. First, fill a highball glass with ice cubes and allow it to chill. Then, in a mixing glass, combine all the ingredients except the soda water with some more ice and stir until everything is incorporated perfectly. Strain the mixture into the highball glass, and top it off with the soda water to create a lovely fizz. Garnish it with a lemon slice. Finally, be sure to enjoy it at sunset.
You can also try the sundowner margarita, which requires 30 ml of tequila, 30 ml of fresh lime juice, 30 ml of Cointreau, 15 ml of simple syrup, ice cubes, salt, and lime wedges for garnish. First, rim the martini glass with salt, fill it with ice and allow it to chill. Then, add all the ingredients in a cocktail shaker with ice and shake well. Then strain it into the martini glass and garish it with a lime wedge. And there you have it!
As we always say, drink responsibly!
