Today, we are blessed with all sorts of options when it comes to flavoring our liquor, but it’s worth remembering that barmen of the 19th century were limited to what they themselves could juice, brew, or infuse.
There’s definitely something to be said for making anything from scratch: the flavors are bolder and deeper, the aroma of the final result more subtle, and the garnishes for the drink are created as part of the process. The drawback of starting at the beginning is that it takes some work and a little skill; this handy little kit, however, makes it much easier.
Designed to spice up your basic gin and tonic, each of the six flavors add both a hint of natural flavor and visual appeal to your cocktail. The supplied instructions are pretty professional and clear: it’s obvious that quite a bit of work has gone into creating each recipe. Made in Spain (and therefore under E.U. food preparation rules), it’s easy to detect a hint of inspiration from the seasons and traditional flavors of that country.
Considering the price, it’s a little disappointing that each box contains only six assorted single-use flavor packs. In fact, none of the ingredients are difficult to find, although you might end up with a lot of stuff you don’t need if you dry food yourself or purchase a bag full of each of the dried fruit and spices included.
For this reason, this is probably better as a gift than something you’d buy for your own consumption; perhaps paired with a good bottle of gin. The packaging is certainly suitable for a present, and once the admittedly small amount of aromatics supplied is gone, the instruction booklet will continue to be of use, especially for someone who would like to experiment with using natural flavors in their cocktails.
