Last month I wrote a little piece about gin bars in Manchester. Though I tried to limit myself in number, I had to make a special mention for The Botanist on Deansgate.
Though I admit, it’s not been my first port of call for cocktails, it’s always had a good selection of gins. And the increased list following the world record gin tasting they held along with their sister bars, meant that I’m visiting even more often.
However cocktail wise, I’ve always found them a little on the sweet side. I seem to have a bit of a sensitivity to sugar and one or two cocktails in, I’d stop and head back to the gin with slightly itchy teeth. Given the calibre of the barstaff in the venue, that’s been a bit of a let down.
But all that is about to change. The Botanist has gone back to it’s roots (sorry I’m on pun form today) with it’s latest cocktail menu.
In a move that sees them return to fresh fruit and herbs and step away from the pre-created purees, there’s a whole new cocktail menu in place featuring original serves and new twists. Purees are helpful and useful and can provide a consistency, but this move, that will challenge their barstaff a little more, will also provide more fresh flavours and a whole lot less sugar. Even their non-alcoholic cocktails they create have been party to the change.
And having been for a visit, the drinks are better for it.
Their Blueberry and Passion Fruit Martini has undergone a transformation. Gone is the vodka, and puree, in it’s place is a blend of fresh muddled blueberries and mint which add a light fragrant acidity, and Brockman’s Gin. This is balanced by the sweetness of Licor 43 and Passoa passion fruit liqueur.
A new addition to the menu is the blackberry and mint julep. A twist on the classic, this features fresh blackberries, apple juice, aromatic bitters and blackberry liqueur in addition to the mint, and Wild Turkey you’d expect in the original.
The result is fresh, with a deep fruitiness that makes this a cocktail that even non-whiskey lovers will love.
The Thai Chilli Crush brings a little spice to the menu. With fresh chilli and Thai micro-basil, apple juice, lemon juice, Tanqueray Gin (now their house pour), and the delightfully sour green apple of Manzana Verde, the result is refreshing, with as little (or as much) heat as you like. If you want more heat, just ask for more chilli.
Our final drink of the night was the Basil & Plum Caipirinha – a favourite both of our host, and as it turns out, me too. Fresh plums are muddled with basil, red chillies, and a touch of sugar syrup, before the addition of lime juice and Cachaca.
As with the Thai Chilli Crush, the heat in this is adjustable, so it can merely provide a red pepper freshness, or you can add more for a punch of heat. The soft fruitiness of the plums and the sourness of the lime make this one a perfect pre dinner drink to get your taste buds going.
I must admit I’m really pleased that The Botanist have made this move. As a cocktail lover it makes for fresher flavours, and allows for more variation – it’s easier to ask for more heat, or more sweetness in a drink, it’s harder to take it away. This means a slightly more personalised service for you and your palate.
For me, I know that the boys and girls behind the bar are great bartenders. This means they’re being given the opportunity to express it. And that, more than anything else, makes me happy.
With thanks to The Botanist for the invitation. These drinks were supplied for free and were shared between attendees.