Thyme please!
Wild Mountain Thyme.
Named after a traditional Scottish song this drink was an attempt to get three of my most beloved ingredients – Blackwood’s gin, Amaro Montenegro and Punt e Mes – to play nice together. I’ve been kicking this one around for a couple of years now, making various changes along the way but I think it’s finally time for it to settle down. The final piece of the puzzle was the addition of a couple of dashes of orange bitters which seem to bring the other ingredients together a bit more harmoniously. The truth is that I’m still not totally settled on this one as I’m somewhat in two minds on how to serve it; up with a sprig of fresh thyme (as above) or over a chunk of ice with a lemon twist (as below)? Help me decide!
Thyme after thyme.
Wild Mountain Thyme.
2oz / 60ml dry gin (in this case Blackwood’s).
0.75oz / 22.5ml Punt e Mes (an excellent bittered sweet vermouth).
0.75oz / 22.5ml Amaro Montenegro.
2 dashes of orange bitters.
Stir with ice and:
a) Strain into a chilled champagne coupé and garnish with a sprig of thyme.
or
b) Strain into a DOF glass containing a large chunk of clear ice and a lemon twist.
Toast The Silencers for their excellent rendition of Wild Mountain Thyme.
Variation: Substitute VS cognac for the gin to create the Black Mountain Thyme.
