I am really excited to finally get this post out to you all as I’ve been sitting on it for a few weeks now…whilst merrily experimenting and enjoying the cocktails, obviously.
Steeped in history, with a fantastic back story, the origins of MAMPE Berlin can be dated back to the 1830’s and a gentleman named Carl Mampe, where it began life as a remedy for cholera, concocted from a mixture of herbs and schnapps which was sold in pharmacies.
The recipe was passed on within the family, which in turn lead to relocation, division, competition and crisis, well, the rest of the cocktail goes something like this. Throw in a football club and an elephant at Berlin zoo. Add a couple of racing legends in the form of Klaus Ludwig and Hans Heyer. Then fill to the brim with a rather large serving of David Bowie…(that link is truly not one to be missed, Davie Bowie dressed as a MAMPE bottle.) Decant into a black, heavy, earthenware bottle and garnish with a striking red elephant motif, before placing in the hands of a couple of rather dashing entrepreneurs named Tom Inden-Lohmar and Frank Zächel, and believe me, you are in for a real treat.
With a brand already comprising of spirits including vodka, liqueurs and several gins I have been lucky enough to try a couple of their new offerings. Launched on 20th March 2018, MAMPE’S latest two gins are quite something and almost completely incomparable to each other in taste.
It makes sense to work chronologically, so I’ll begin with #6, MAMPE’S Ku’Damm 15, dubbed as a classic London Dry Gin, which takes it’s name from the MAMPE franchise which was located on Berlin’s most famous and popular shopping boulevard. Coming it at 44% with a bit of a kick, this gin was a little more to my Hubby’s tastes than to mine. Opening with a bold juniper hit with is followed by cardamom, coriander and a cut of citrus I was determined to find a way of making this gin a little more pleasing to my palate. Being such a robust gin, it could easily stand up to a tonic with a little more bite, so I first teamed it with a Fever-Tree aromatic tonic and a slice of orange. This really worked a treat for me, balancing out the richness of the gin and making it, for me, far more drinkable. Not only that, but it looked rather pretty too!
Next, I figured it’s bold flavours would most certainly be able to hold their own served as a Negroni…yup, that’s right, I’m now advocating a drink which I once eye-twitched at! If you haven’t had a Negroni before, they are super easy to make, and I got a little overexcited recently when my dad told me in his youth he used to take a Negroni kit pretty much everywhere with him when he was younger! For this Negroni I combined 45ml gin with 45ml La Quintinye Vermouth Royal Rouge and 1 dash Orange Bitters. I served it over two ice balls with a slice of orange. Pretty good even if I do say so myself.
Finally I went back to the classic G&T, which I served this time with Peter Spanton Beverage N°9 Cardamom. This combination was stunning, the cardamom tonic beautifully complimented the flavours of the gin, mellowing it without taking anything away. It was so tasty in fact, that I lost mine to Hubby after encouraging him to just have one little sip.
Next comes #7, MAMPE’S Kreuzberg 61 takes it’s name from the location of MAMPE’S neue heimat “MAMPE’S new home.” After being homeless for almost 40 years, it seems very fitting that a gin should be named in honour of the new establishment and what a gin to honour it with. In my opinion, this gin really does have the wow factor and was quite the conversation piece at our latest gin club. This gin boasts a hugely varied mix of botanicals and combines the traditional juniper with blackcurrant, rosehip, daisy, blueberry and…wait for it…peppermint. Fresh, refreshing and clean, this gin is wonderfully drinkable neat and certainly makes for a rather glorious springtime G&T.
Despite the fact I could drink the entire bottle neat, (not in one sitting mind you,) I decided I should try it out in a couple of cocktails.
I wanted to pair it with something equally as refreshing so first up, I tried it out as a ginjito, which is basically a mojito but with gin rather than rum. Muddle together 4 lime slices with 2 tsp of sugar. Add several mint leaves and gently combine with the lime juice. Pop in 50ml of gin give it a bit of a stir until the sugar has all dissolved. Fill the glass to the top with crushed ice and then top up with soda water. I must confess during our recent blast of warm wether, I consumed quite a few of these and they are insanely moreish.
After this I went a little bit sunshine rogue, perhaps because I had spent far too much time being obscenely British and completely over immersing myself in the “summer” which we had for all of a week. Anyhoo, I decided to make a little, sweet, fizzy pop pop cocktail, which looks quite bold and I thoroughly enjoyed. I combined a dash of grenadine with 30ml of gin in a champagne flute. Topped it up with prosecco and a squeeze of lime which I also ran around the rim of the glass and used as a garnish.
If you haven’t yet tried any of the delights which MAMPE have to offer, I absolutely insist that you do. As a little more encouragement, the wonderful people at MAMPE are offering my followers a *10% discount on products from their online shop. Just use the discount code ginobsessions when placing your order and you’re away, plus, they ship all over the world! Happy ginning my lovelies!
*Discount promotion runs for 14 days from Tuesday 24th April 2018
Gin Obsessions 