Goldi Cooks! Olive Oil Washed Gin with Darren Leaney
World-class bartender - and Martini aficionado - Darren Leaney, shares his recipe for olive-oil-washed gin (and the best three drinks to make with it.)
This week, we are joined by our friendly, local (and widely lauded) bartender, Darren Leaney. Darren’s going to take us through his super easy recipe for Goldi EVOO Gin... and the Martini, Negroni, and Collins that you can then make with it.
Darren Leaney's
Olive Oil Washed Gin
Ingredients
Olive Oil Gin
175ml extra virgin olive oil (eg Punchy)
700ml gin
Martini
60ml Olive Oil Gin
15ml good dry vermouth (Dolin or Noilly Prat)
Negroni
25ml Olive Oil Gin
25ml sweet vermouth
25ml Campari or Marionette Bitter
Collins
50ml Olive Oil Gin
25ml lemon syrup
25ml simple syrup
Method
Olive Oil Gin:
Pour the olive oil and gin into a sealable plastic container, ideally around 2L in capacity. Opt for a long, shallow container rather than a deep, tall one to maximise surface area contact between the oil and the spirit. Leave to infuse at room temperature for 24 hours.
After infusing, place the container in the freezer and leave it there until the oil solidifies—this should take about four hours. Strain the mixture through a coffee filter into a clean glass jar, then decant it back into the gin bottle. This infusion will keep indefinitely at room temperature but is best used within a month for optimal taste. Alternatively, you can store it in the freezer to preserve the flavour.
Martini:
Stir the olive oil gin and vermouth over ice. Strain into a chilled glass. Garnish with Sicilian olives and a twist of lemon. Add a drop of olive oil to enhance the aroma.
Negroni:
Add all ingredients to a glass and stir a few times. Garnish with a slice of in-season citrus.
Collins:
Shake the olive oil gin, lemon juice, and simple syrup over ice. Strain over fresh ice into a tall glass. Top with soda and garnish with a lemon wedge and an olive.