There are so many interesting gin and vodka spirits on the market nowadays. In this post I would like to share how you to flavour gin with finger limes and other botanicals. This discussion is relevant to vodka as well. See below for tips on which flavours work well together and how simple it is to do.
There Are Many Botanical You Can Choose
We think finger limes are an important ingredient in a good gin or vodka tonic. You can choose from all the same botanicals you see on the label of your favourite spirit. Everyone has different flavours they prefer, so you can create your own recipe. Botanicals are pretty much any natural ingredient you can use to add flavour.
Which Botanicals Work Well Together
Spirits generally fall into one of the following categories:
DRY works well with juniper and citrus.
FLORAL is suitable with hibiscus, lavender, calendula, chamomile and rose petals.
SPICY can be enhanced with cassia (cinnamon), star anise, peppercorns and coriander.
SAVOURY is good with cardamom, thyme and rosemary.
Experiment with Different Finger Lime Varieties
We grow a number of finger lime varieties and also two hybrids. When you include some fresh finger lime pearls or a slice of blood lime in any gin/vodka tonic you will notice each brings subtle differences. When you use these to flavour your favourite spirit the same applies. Note the colours in the picture at the beginning of this blog. It shows a gin flavoured with our Wauchope variety on the left and one with blood limes on the right.
How To Flavour Your Gin With Finger Limes
1. First purchase a spirit that is inexpensive and doesn't have a marked flavour profile already. There is no point in spending a lot as you can add the value by choosing the flavour you prefer.
2. Next slice the finger lime you have chosen into coarse slices. You will only need a few pieces of fruit for a 750ml bottle. I typically use three to five pieces per bottle.
3. Choose some other botanicals. You might only need two to three so that the taste isn't too complicated.
4. Add the fruit and botanicals you have chosen, along with the gin or vodka to a sterile container. Store in a dark spot for about 3 days. Remember to mix once daily to allow the flavours to infuse properly. As a general rule stronger flavours need less time to infuse than mild ones.
5. When you are happy with the flavour you will need to strain the spirit to remove the fruit and botanicals. If you have used something fine it might need to be strained through muslin to get clarity back into the spirit
6. Pour your spirit back into the original bottle.
Recipes That We Like
Here are a few that we have tried and enjoyed but you can create many others.
Juniper, vanilla and Mary variety finger lime
Lemon, coriander and WG variety finger lime
Pink peppercorn, cinnamon and Blood Lime
Juniper, lemon and Wauchope variety finger lime
Start Creating
You now have all the information you need to create your own top shelf spirit party. The only limit is your imagination. To purchase some fruit or for more information about our finger lime varieties and their flavours visit the product page.