With the arrival of the autumn equinox on the 23rd of September, Britain began to prepare for the arrival of colder weather, shorter days and longer nights.
However, those with a passion for food and drink will have something to cheer about with the coming British apple harvest.
With 160,000 tonnes of the fruit expected to be picked this season alone, we asked Caorunn Gin to create six great cocktails using the UK's favourite fruit for you to try out:
Apple Winter Toddy (The Finnieston, Glasgow)
A simple winter warmer that is easy to create at home over the stove.
Picture: Caorunn Gin
Ingredients
• 45ml Caorunn Gin
• 125ml cloudy apple juice
• dash of port
• 20ml lemon juice
• 2 tea spoons of caster sugar
• 2 dashes Angostura Bitters
Method: Pour the individual ingredients into a pot and heat until boiling then remove and pour into the toddy glass before adding the garnish.
Garnish: orange studded orange, grated nutmeg
Glass: Toddy glass
Caorunn Apple Martini (56 North, Edinburgh)
A refreshing classic that's always in fashion
Picture: Caorunn
Ingredients
• 50 ml Caorunn Gin
• 10 ml Vermouth
Method: Add ingredients to glass and stir over ice
Garnish: Caramelised Apple Slice
Glass: Coupe/Martini
Blush Apple Martini
An interesting take with a fruity twist on a classic cocktail
Picture: Caorunn
Ingredients
• 50ml Caorunn Gin
• 40ml Pressed Apple juice
• 20ml Lemon juice
• 10ml Gomme syrup
• 3 raspberries
Method: Add all ingredients to a cocktail shaker; shake and serve in a 5 1/2 oz coupette.
Garnish: 3 Raspberries on a skewer
• Caorunn, Speyside, gin review
Caorunn Apple Three Ways (Ryan Chetiyawardana)
An innovative cocktail that engages the apple lover in all of us
Picture: Caorunn
Ingredients
• 50ml Caorunn Gin
• 10ml Bitter cider reduction
• 4pcs Red apple peeled
Glass: Martini glass
Garnish: Red apple peel
Method: For the bitter cider reduce 500ml cider with 5ml Angostura and 10ml Peychaud’s Bitters on a medium hob for 5 minutes, take off heat, add skin of 3 red apples, cool and strain. Stir Caorunn Gin and the bitter cider reduction over ice.
Caorunn Apple Twist
A sweet and fizzy cocktail perfect for entertaining friends
Ingredients:
• 75ml Caorunn Gin
• 100ml Pressed apple juice
• 200ml tonic water
Method: Add cubed ice to glass, add gin, freshly pressed apple juice then tonic. Stir after adding thinly sliced apples and lemon wheels until evenly spread throughout.
Garnish: Red apple slices and lemon wheels
Glass: 500ml highball
Caorunn Apple Smash
A big hitting blast of apple flavours
Ingredients:
• 75ml Caorunn Gin
• 200ml Fever Tree Tonic Water
• ¼ red apple
• ¼ green apple
• 2 cloves
Method: Muddle the quartered apples into the gin in a cocktail shaker. Add the cloves and shake hard until cold. Double strain over cubed ice and top up with Fever Tree tonic water.
Garnish: Sliced red and green apples.
Glass: 500ml highball
