Here’s a surprise – a gin and citrus cocktail that works perfectly for fall and winter. I usually lean toward the darker spirits this time of year, and leave the lighter drinks for warmer weather. But this drink – combining gin with both lime and grapefruit juice – is not the light and spritzy thing the ingredients might suggest.
The Dorchester is rich, rounded, complex, and perfect for pre-Thanksgiving dinner. Plus, there’s a pine-needle tang on the back end that gives just a tiny hint of the holidays ahead in December.
Created by San Francisco mix master Erik Adkins, this isn’t a classic, but it has all the earmarks of a recipe that has stood the test of time – and I have no doubt it will. I found the original recipe a touch too sweet, so I dialed back the simple syrup a little – which is how I present it below.
Dorchester
1.5 ounces gin
.5 ounce Luxardo maraschino liqueur
.5 ounce lime juice, freshly squeezed
.5 ounce grapefruit juice, freshly squeezed
.25 ounce simple syrup
Re the grapefruit juice: use white, not pink, if at all possible. Its less sweet than pink and gives the right color to the drink.
Combine the ingredients in a shaker and shake for 10 to 12 seconds (I count them) to get it frosty cold. Serve straight up.