Grape & tonic

With grape power comes grape responsibility

Around Christmas, Frederik Krause from VI.ER Akvavit brought a bottle of his creation “Dragør” to an event at Kester Thomas and in the course of a few hours, bar manager Erwan Le Bonniec had invented the Grape & Tonic – a take on the classic G&T, twisted to fit into the grape theme of the bar.

Grape & Tonic has heavy notes of dill from the VI.ER akvavit (undoubtedly the dilliest aquavit in school!) and uses Lillet Blanc as the base instead of gin – this illusive switcharoo is facilitated by using juniper syrup to achieve the distinct main notes classically associated with gin. It’s simple yet effective, and with its relatively low ABV (no more than 20%) you can have quite a few before you are asked to leave.

Grape & Tonic from Kester Thomas in Copenhagen50 ml Lillet Blanc (or similar French fortified wine)
10 ml VI.ER Dill Aquavit
15ml Juniper syrup

Stir with ice, top up with tonic water. Serve in a wine glass.

The Grape & Tonic is a fun take on a classic. The Lillet Blanc, aquavit and juniper syrup combination is unmistakably reminiscent of gin while considerably more complex than a London Dry.

The cocktail feels fresh with the light sparkle from the tonic water – and herby rather than fruity or sweet because of the distinct flavor of dill. The bitterness of the tonic is present but the sweetness from the syrup cuts it off before it gets too dominant, giving a very balanced overall impression.

For more inspiration on aquavit used in cocktails download our free e-booklet with 9 delicious recipes.

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Søren Brofeldt
If this was a pirate ship, I would be the captains parrot...