It seems every bearded boy is making either a gin or an over-hopped beer these days. Both drinks have come back from the dead rather; not so long ago the only gin you’d see around was Gordon’s and the only person who drank it was your grandma, who may or may not have had a beard. Or tattoos.

Now the gin market is flooded, soused, pickled even with all kinds of gins and the choice is getting overwhelming. No doubt the bubble will burst soon enough and only the big brands will be left or at least only the ones with strong brand backing. Gin Mare will almost certainly be one of those.

The word Mare comes from’sea’ and this is gin born in the Mediterranean and not East London, with a distillery in an ancient fishing village between the Costa Brava and the Costa Dorada and botanicals from around the Med such as Basil from Italy, Thyme from Greece, Rosemary from Turkey and Citrus fruits from Spain. And the Arbequina olive, of course.

Right now Pizarro restaurant is featuring a Gin Mare menu, of which Jose kindly set up a tasting for us, with first a perfect Gin Mare G&T to get the taste buds going.

The food was as to be expected, excellent. The menu is below as well as mixing instructions for some great Gin Mare concoctions.

Check the Pizarro website for dates of the Gin Mare menu.

www.ginmare.com

www.josepizarro.com

Perfect G&T

50ml Gin mare

125ml 1724 tonic water

2 slices of mango

2 grinds black pepper

Served in a Copa glass

White: serve cold

35ml Gin Mare

25ml dry vermouth

25ml lemon juice

20ml melon syrup

top off with sparkling water

garnish with olive

Red:

35ml gin mare

15ml  Merlet creme de cassis

70ml Darjeeling tea

5ml tannic acid solution

Alexander

40ml gin mare

20ml creme de cacao blanc

20ml dbl cream

20ml milk

small sprig of rosemary, shake up strain into coupette

Gin Mare Menu

Iberico charcuterie selection

Pan con tomate

Bermondsey Bomb

butifarra heart, spiced tomato, rosemary allioli

Requeson salad

Bigarrade gin dressing, roasted piquillo and pecan nuts

King Prawns a la plancha

Jamon dust and Pomada foam

Presa iberica 5J 100% acorn fed

Baked potatoes, piquillo butter and padron peppers

Green Salad

Mint and honey dressing

Gintónica – The Dessert

Juniper sponge, olive powder, lemon and thyme sorbet, basil syrup