All punches are not created equal and this Palin's Christmas Punch proves it. Sam Ross has created a spectacular gin punch here and I had my first taste of it at a reception hosted by Martin Miller's Gin at the 2009 Tales of the cocktail. There is a lot going on in this punch and the combination of Martin Miller's Westbourne, absinthe, Zirbenz, and champagne is fantastic and has a soft, aromatic quality to it. Not one of the ingredients stands out from the others, instead they are wonderfully balanced. This is a punch that, while it takes a bit of work, is worth it and you'll impress even the most finicky of guests.
Ingredients:
- 12 oz Martin Miller's Westbourne Strength Gin
- 12 oz fresh lemon juice
- 10 oz demerara date syrup (recipe below)
- 14 oz Zirbenz Stone Pine Liqueur
- 1 1/2 oz absinthe
- 1/2 oz Regan's Orange Bitters #6
- 1 bottle of Dry Champagne
- peel of two lemons
- dash of sugar
- absinthe dates for garnish (recipe below)
- lemon ice (recipe below)
Preparation:
- Muddle the peel of two lemons with a little sugar to extract the oils.
- Pour all ingredients (except champagne) into a pitcher and stir briefly with ice.
- Strain into a large punch bowl.
- Top with Champagne.
- Float lemon ice.
- Stir and serve in punch cups with absinthe dates.
Demerara Date Syrup:
Stir 2 parts dermerara sugar into 1 part water. Drop a bag of crushed dates in and leave for three days. Strain through a coffee filter to eliminate the sediment.
Lemon ice:
Drop lemon wheels into a small plastic container filled with water and place in the freezer until frozen.
Absinthe Dates:
With an eye dropper, drop 3-4 drops of absinthe into the top of a date.
