London Sunset
London Sunset
1 3/4 oz Malfy Grapefruit Gin
1/4 oz Martini & Rossi 1872 Bitter Liqueur
1/4 oz Maraschino Liqueur
1/2 oz Lemon Juice
1/4 oz Crème de Violette (float)
Garnish: Brandied Cherry
Shake all ingredients (except the Crème de Violette) over ice, then double-strain into a chilled coupe glass. Pour the Crème de Violette onto a mixing spoon and carefully place it in the glass to float on the bottom.
In late February of 2019, about a year before the world would plunge into a pandemic crisis, I spent the most glorious few days in London with my bestie. Prior to this visit, it had been exactly 20 years since I last stepped foot in the city, and I was desperately playing catch up.
One of the most memorable moments was a walk across Tower Bridge during sunset on my first evening in the city. My first time ever crossing Tower Bridge and I got to witness arguably one of the most beautiful sunsets in recent memory.
Those bubble gum pink skies also lit up the Thames and surrounding buildings on the waterfront. It was extraordinary and breathtaking... almost surreal, like I stumbled upon on a movie set. I didn’t want to leave my spot on the bridge; desperate to not miss a second of those changing skies as the curtain drew down on the city for the day.
It left enough of an impression to create a cocktail paying homage to that specific experience. This drink is a riff off the traditional Aviation, which seemed apt given it’s a tribute to a sky scene. The key difference, however, is the gin used for this drink – Malfy Gin – lends a more citrus nose with its grapefruit base but the floral hints in the Crème de Violette are not lost if you follow the exact measurements below. Since grapefruit is both sour and bitter, I’ve also added Martini’s bitter liqueur, to complement and balance out the sweetness from the Crème de Violette and brandied cherry. Not to mention, the bitter liqueur recreates the near exact shade of frothy pink sky I saw that February evening.
