Spring is upon us and that always means more parties, friends over for get togethers, and lots of good times. That begs the question how do you host a greta Soiree and still have a good time yourself, well thanks to Star of Bombay for hosting us and showing us how its done.
Through the Star Soiree series, STAR OF BOMBAY™ shares the philosophies of the world’s best bartenders, and the secrets to the art of creating and serving impressive drinks this summer, all while having the time to host and entertain guests.
Presented by Global Brand Ambassador, Raj Nagra, and Australian Brand Ambassador, Sean Forsyth, the Star Soiree guides guests through the art of cocktails in summer entertaining by adapting a technique known in the modern bartending world as “batching”. This allows high volumes of cocktail ingredients to be pre-prepared allowing time for botanicals to infuse, resulting in richer flavours and smoother cocktails. This also enables hosts to serve different cocktails with ease to pair with food and most importantly, frees up time for entertaining.
Commenting on the process of batching for summer hosting Global Brand Ambassador, Raj Nagra, said, “Star Soiree takes an avant-garde approach to summer entertaining by likening cocktails to culinary concepts, and showing that the elements of water, refrigeration and freezing can be used to prepare a high volume of drinks, and to intensify and soften flavours, in the same way a chef would use heat, a sous vide and oven.”
The Star Martini, an elegant and contemporary take on the classic, is the recommended welcome drink for a Star Soiree and when pre-batched can be poured effortlessly like a bottle of wine, into a martini glass as guests arrive. The Star Martini pairs perfectly with fresh oysters where the botanical, floral notes of STAR OF BOMBAY™ gin, with the citrus twist, beautifully complement the sweet and fresh taste of the oysters.
The Star Soiree inspires a different perspective on dinner parties by encouraging guests to craft their own summer cocktails, using seasonal garnishes and ingredients from the table centrepiece, to add theatre and interactivity to an event, which can then be bottled and taken home as a gift from a memorable evening.
Produced in small quantities entirely at Laverstoke Mill in Hampshire, England, STAR OF BOMBAY™ is a new expression of the BOMBAY signature style, yet with a distinctive, intriguing character of its very own. The recipe for STAR OF BOMBAY™ begins with the precious botanicals that lie at the heart of all BOMBAY gins: Juniper, Coriander, Lemon Peel, Orris, Angelica, Almonds, Liquorice and Cassia Bark, ‘and lifts them to a new dimension’.
Gently dried bergamot orange peel, sourced from the mountains of Calabria, Southern Italy, provide a fragrant, rich citrus note; while the floral-musk of ambrette seeds, from the tropical yellow hibiscus flower grown in Ecuador, supply a singular graceful elegance.
The elegant liquid captured in each bottle is achieved by slowing down our signature Vapour Infusion process, to increase the level of extraction from the botanicals, building richer aromas and more intense flavours.
With a wide variety of fresh and deep botanicals infused in every bottle and distinctively served with fresh orange peel to heighten the senses, STAR OF BOMBAY™ is the ultimate super premium gin for summer entertaining.
STAR SOIREE COCKTAIL RECIPES
Negroni Cocktail Batch
1 litre clean glass bottle with lid
1 measuring jug
1 funnel
250ml Star of Bombay Gin
250ml Martini Rosso vermouth
250ml Campari
250ml water
1 whole orangeMethod: Build ingredients into the clean glass bottle using the funnel, shake and place into freezer for storage.
Fill a rocks glass with ice and pour 100ml of Negroni batch.
Garnish: Orange slice
Star Martini Cocktail Batch
1 litre clean glass bottle with lid
1 measuring jug
1 funnel
350ml Star of Bombay Gin
350ml Noilly Prat
250ml Water
10ml Angostura orange bitters
2 whole orangesMethod: Build ingredients into the clean glass bottle using the funnel, shake and place into freezer alongside martini glasses for storage.
Pour Martini batch from freezer into frozen Martini glass
Garnish: Orange Zest
Star Gin Cup
1 litre clean glass bottle with lid
1 measuring jug
1 funnel
375ml Star of Bombay Gin
250ml Martini Rosso vermouth
125ml triple sec/ St Germain/ Chambord
250ml waterMethod: Build ingredients into the clean glass bottle using the funnel, shake and place into the fridge for storage.
Fill a highball glass with ice and pour 50ml of Star Gin cup with 100ml dry ginger ale
Garnish: Orange slice/ Mint sprig/ Strawberry
Star Gin Punch
2 litre clean glass jug
1 measuring jug
270ml Star of Bombay
270ml St Germain
135ml Lemon juice
180ml Sugar syrup
400ml Pineapple juice
180ml Water
540ml Prosecco (to be added just before service)
Pink peppercorns, Pineapple wedge, orange sliceMethod: Build ingredients (Except Prosecco) into the clean glass jug and stir
Before service add Prosecco and stir all together.
Pour into small rocks glasses filled with cubed ice
Garnish: Pink peppercorns, Orange slice, Pineapple wedge
by Arrnott Olssen
Editor Rogue Homme
