Think the botanical spirit is only for summer? These drinks prove that any season, gin is in.

By Kelly Magyarics, CSX Editor-in-Chief

Just like the rule about wearing white after Labor Day, reserving gin only for balmy summer quaffing is way outdated. Sure it may evoke thoughts of G&Ts poolside, but gin also conjures up stiff Martinis and Negronis sipped fireside. These five cocktails show that gin is always in style.

Count CamilloRecipe courtesy of Masseria, Washington, D.C.
This drink from the Tuscan hotspot is named in honor of the inventor of the Negroni, who in 1919 asked a bartender in Florence, Italy, to strengthen his favorite cocktail the Americano by also adding gin. He also requested an orange garnish instead of the typical lemon, and the classic was born. Here, it’s reinvented once again by infusing the Campari with beets for an earthy note.

1 oz. blanco vermouth
1 oz. St. George Spirits Gin
1 oz. beet-infused Campari (see Note)
Orange twist, for garnish

Add the vermouth, gin and Campari to a cocktail glass, add ice and stir until chilled. Strain into a rocks glass over ice, and garnish with an orange twist.

For the beet-infused Campari:
Mandolin 4-5 raw beets into paper slices, and place them in a large Mason jar. Add 1 cup sugar and 1 750 ml bottle Campari, and store for a day or longer, until the desired flavor is achieved.

The GTT
Recipe courtesy of Ryan Hooks, mixologists, St. Felix, Los Angeles, CA
Thyme is used in a lot of winter dishes that are simmered, stewed or braised. Here it’s infused into a simple syrup that also has orange peels and used in a seasonal variation of the Gin & Tonic.

1 ½ oz. Martin Miller’s Gin
1 oz. thyme simple syrup (see Note)
1 oz. lemon juice
Tonic
Lemon wedge, for garnish

Add gin, syrup and lemon juice to a cocktail shaker, add ice and shake until chilled. Strain it into a wine glass filled with fresh ice, top with tonic, stir and garnish with the lime wedge.

For the thyme-infused simple syrup:
Combine equal parts sugar and water along with 3 orange peels. Bring to a boil until sugar dissolves, remove from the heat and steep until desired flavor is achieved. Strain out solids and store in a container with a tight-fitting lid.

Gin and GingerRecipe courtesy of Brendan Drewniany, Martin Miller’s Gin
This gin-based Mule riff is lighter than those made with rum, but still has nice spice. “Sweet spicy ginger beer plays with the sweet liquorish and spicy cinnamon notes,” explains Drewniany. “The lime cuts through and brings out the citrus flavor.

1 ¾ oz. Martin Miller’s Gin
Premium Ginger Beer
Lime wedge
Angostura bitters, optional
Mint, optional

Fill a balloon glass or Collins glass with ice. Pour gin over the ice, squeeze in the lime wedge, top with ginger beer and the Angostura bitters if using. Stir gently and garnish with mint.

Spanky PankyRecipe courtesy of Jared Brown, master distiller, Sipsmith Independent Spirits
The bracing menthol aroma and flavor of fernet is mixed with gin and sweet vermouth for a spirited, decidedly wintery drink. The name refers to the process of “spanking” or slapping the mint leaf before using it for a garnish, which releases the herb’s essential oils.

1 ¾ oz. Sipsmith London Dry Gin
1 ¾ oz. sweet vermouth
1 tsp. Fernet Branca or another herbal digestive bitter liqueur like Letherbee Fernet
8-10 mint leaves, 1 reserved for garnish

Add the gin, vermouth and all except 1 of the mint leaves to a shaker, add ice and shake until chilled. Double strain into a chilled coupe glass, and garnish with a spanked mint leaf.

The Spanky Panky with Sipsmith London Dry Gin gets some bracing mint flavor from Fernet. Photo credit Sipsmith.

Scarlet LetterRecipe courtesy of 701 Restaurant, Washington, D.C.
The upscale D.C. restaurant has been experimenting with using different jams in cocktails, which do double duty as they add both flavor and sweetness. For this drink, gin, amaro and orange-y Aperol are mixed with sweet tart pomegranate jam; egg white that’s dry shaken before adding the other ingredients or ice, adding a luxuriously silky texture.

1 ½ oz. Plymouth Gin
1 oz. lemon juice
1 oz. Amaro Lucano
1 oz. Aperol
1 tbls. pomegranate jam
1 egg white
Mint, for garnish

Add the egg white to the cocktail shaker and shake without ice to emulsify. Add the gin, lemon juice, amaro, Aperol and jam, add ice and shake until well chilled. Strain it into a chilled coupe glass and garnish with the mint.

Kelly Magyarics, DWS, is CSX’s editor-in-chief. She can be reached by email at kelly@drinkCSX.com, or on Twitter and Instagram @kmagyarics.