The Hands Down Best Way To Drink Contemporary Gins - Tasting Table

""I wouldn't say the bramble is the only way to enjoy contemporary gin, but it's absolutely one of the most flattering cocktails to highlight the category," says Justin Lavenue, co-owner of Austin's famed cocktail bar The Roosevelt Room. "Contemporary gins, which tend to lean away from heavy juniper and more toward citrus, floral, root, and herbaceous notes, shine in cocktails where those subtleties have room to breathe. Unlike many other gin-based classics, the bramble gives them exactly that platform.""

""It allows the spirit to remain the masterpiece, presented with a bright, refreshing, and fruit-forward frame," he says. Contemporary gins often feature notes like elderflower, cucumber, citrus peel, pink peppercorn, or delicate herbs. "Those botanicals play beautifully against fresh lemon juice, while the blackberry liqueur adds richness and depth without overwhelming the base spirit," Lavenue says. "The result is a cocktail that feels bright at first sip, then rounds into something plush and fruit-forward, while still finishing crisp.""

Contemporary gin tends to be less juniper-forward and often uses local botanicals to create a distinct sense of place. A bramble cocktail provides space for citrus, floral, root, and herbaceous notes to emerge while keeping the drink bright, refreshing, and approachable. Martinis can emphasize juniper and gin and tonics can mask nuance with quinine and carbonation, but a bramble highlights the gin's botanical blend without overpowering it. Botanicals like elderflower, cucumber, citrus peel, pink peppercorn, and delicate herbs pair well with fresh lemon juice, while blackberry liqueur adds richness without overwhelming, finishing crisp and fruit-forward.

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