Pink Gin

Throw a lot of bitters into a balloon glass and swill it around until the surface inside is coated. Throw away any excess so no loose liquid remains. Add a most generous helping of chilled, or even frozen, Plymouth gin. No ice is called for.

It is questionable that you can even call this a cocktail, some insist that they should have at least 3 components, but it is a classic dating back to the Royal Navy in the 19th century when, oddly, Angostura was prescribed as a cure for sea sickness. To make it more palatable, Plymouth gin, the Navy’s favourite, was added, or rather the bitters were added to gin.

My pater generally drank ale when he took ‘the dog for a walk’ to the local, but if he fancied a stiff one, he’s have a Pink Gin. They kindly kept a bottle of cold gin for him in the fridge for this very purpose. If missing, our beagle was often to be found in the pub, awaiting service, alone, but not for long. It was Kim Philby’s top tipple too. I wonder if he managed to get the bitters. They weren’t coming over in the diplomatic bag anymore once he had fled to Moscow and no London gin.