Spiced Gin "Black Friday" Cocktail

A spiced gin cocktail paired with coffee syrup and sage: holiday flavors with a caffeine boost and ‘tolerance sauce’ (aka fuel for dealing with the family).

Not to toot our own horn over here, but we are pretty good with a creative winter cocktail. Is this a beginner cocktail? No. Because as my friend said when I sent her the video we made for this campaign “I would never make it and light star anise on fire but I would drink it if you made it for me”. So realistically, if you love a good cocktail- this is for you. If you order vodka soda, this is not for you.

This spiced gin cocktail features all spice dram (you can make it or buy it) with coffee syrup. A fresh sage garnish and smoked star anise make it incredibly aromatic and provide a, dare I say, magical drinking experience.

We decided to call this the "Black Friday". It’s for when you need a boost of energy (caffeine) and also have to deal with people (family or otherwise). The usage of the term Black Friday dates to at least 1961 and is used currently as a broad sales phrase for the Friday after Thanksgiving when retailers began to turn a profit from being “in the red” to being “in the black” from a monetary perspective. But as we generally detest crowds, but even more so, dislike the idea of shopping for half assed gifts that inevitably the other person hates, we recommend making this and drinking at home with your cats on the couch. We speak from personal experience.

See the video on how to make it.

Spiced Gin "Black Friday" Cocktail

INGREDIENTS

2.5 oz bombay sapphire gin

1/2 oz fresh orange juice

1/2-3/4 oz allspice dram

1 oz coffee syrup (1:1 ratio of espresso and white sugar) *could be caffeine free

a few drops saline solution or a tiny pinch of salt

a few drops of Molasses Bitters (we like fee brothers - blackstrap style *tastes like coffee, molasses, nutmeg)

Smoked Star Anise Garnish

Fresh Sage Garnish

Crushed Ice

*Note: You can buy Allspice Dram, but you can also make it like we did. Here’s a great recipe.  

DIRECTIONS

1. In a stirring glass with ice cubes (see video link at top of post), add gin, orange juice, allspice dram, coffee syrup, salt, molasses bitters. Stir to combine.

2. Fill a drinking glass with crushed ice. Fill with mixed cocktail.

3. Garnish with fresh sage.

4. Light star anise on fire (So fun. But don’t do it after two cocktails beforehand- be responsible). Place on top of drink.