I must confess that although I love spirits, Gin is not at the top of my list when I reach the bar- however, after a recent trip to Carom @ Meza, I was persuaded by head bartender and gin enthusiast Adam Spinks to come back to the Soho bar for a gin masterclass and promised to change the way I thought about one of the world’s oldest spirits.
I arrive at Carom slightly apprehensive as many have tried to convert me to gin, but have failed miserably. I take my seat at the bar and all 6 of us in attendance are given a history of gin. This was certainly the most interesting history lesson I’ve ever had (if only school history lessons were this good)- did you know that it got the nickname ‘Mother’s ruin’ as parents were failing to feed their children in favour of getting intoxicated on cheap gin all day?
We were then introduced to Martin Miller’s, a gin first distilled in 1999 as a result of the man himself being fed up of the lacklustre gins available and had the burning desire to create a gin using only the finest ingredients in the world. He started by purchasing a single copper still called Angela that has been distilling gin since 1898, and is the sole still used to create Martin Miller’s. I will spare you the details of where each ingredient comes from, but they have literally gone all around the world sourcing the best juniper, cinnamon etc all in the name of creating great gin. And for the pièce de résistance; once the product has been distilled in London, it is transported to Iceland so they can add some of the world’s purest water, hence why the bottle bares an English and Icelandic flag.
We were then treated to a tasting of some delicious Martin Miller’s based cocktails. My favourite . was the Gin Mojito, an interesting twist on the rum classic. Adam then dropped the bombshell that we would have to try our hand at making some cocktails of our own, with the winner receiving a bottle of Martin Miller’s! After trying my hand at creating a orangey, icey, minty mess of a cocktail, I have a new found respect for bartenders, and needless to say I did not win (sad face).
Thanks to Carom @ Meza, I’ve gone through my own gin renaissance. Martin Miller’s may not win any awards for its green credentials, but the quality is undeniable and I highly recommend all lovers of the 11th century spirit to try a cocktail (or few) in one of Soho’s best loved bars.