Four Ways with Four Pillars Gin & Nachtmann
And the new Gin & Tonic glass
The Nachtmann Gin & Tonic glass has everything you could want: big bowl for lots of ice (and maybe an extra slug of gin), long elegant stem for elevating your everyday creations, and a striking optic design to amp up the flair. So we asked James Irvine, the Creative Director of Gin Drinks for Four Pillars Gin, to show us four ways to mix one of our favourite spirits!
James Irvine joined Four Pillars in 2018 after returning home from Mexico City, where he was named Runner Up at the 10th annual Bacardi Legacy Competition. In June 2020, he helped open the Four Pillars Laboratory in Surry Hills, to bring the experience of the Yarra Valley gin distillery to Sydney.
If you haven't heard of Four Pillars (unlikely!), there's one major thing you should know: in 2019, they were named International Gin Producer of the Year at the International Wine and Spirits Competition in London. So they know their stuff, and their new venue shows this off: an exhaustive gin shop, masterclasses and tastings, and Eileen's Bar, open from 5pm Wednesday to Friday and 3pm on Saturdays.
There you'll find James mixing Four Pillars creations from the carefully curated cocktail list of gin classics and modern masterpieces, complimented by a selection of beer, cider and wine, and a small menu of bar snacks. "Eileen's Bar focuses on a variety of drink styles, ingredients, producers and techniques," James says, "Our menus stay true to the brand promise of being fun, approachable and foremost – delicious."
Keen for a taste? Check out James' four gin cocktails below, then visit the Eileen's Bar website to learn more!
Rare Dry Gin & Tonic
Ingredients:
- 45ml Rare Dry Gin
- 90ml Fever-Tree Mediterranean Tonic
Method:
- Build drink in glass, followed by ice
- Garnish with an orange wedge
Spiced Negroni Gin Spritz
Ingredients:
- 15ml Spiced Negroni Gin
- 30ml Fresh Lemon Juice
- 10ml Lillet Blanc
- 10ml Sugar Syrup (1:1)
- 20ml Soda Water
- 60ml Sparkling Wine
Method:
- Build drink in glass, followed by ice
- Garnish with basil and lemon wheel
Ginger Mule
Ingredients:
- 30ml Navy Strength Gin
- 2 Dashes Angostura Bitters
- Capi Flamin’ Ginger Beer
Method:
- Add Navy Strength Gin and Bitters to glass, followed by ice
- Top up with Ginger Beer
- Garnish with a squeeze of fresh lime
Bloody & Lemon
Ingredients:
- 45ml Bloody Shiraz Gin
- StrangeLove Bitter Lemon
Method:
- Add Bloody Shiraz Gin to glass, followed by ice
- Top up with Bitter Lemon
- Garnish with a ruby grapefruit wedge
