Kin Kan

About the Kin Kan

Kin Kan pairs Timber Creek Florida Gin with kumquat syrup, fresh lemon juice, and a float of St. Germain elderflower liqueur, making it a citrus forward gin sour built around a less common fruit than the usual lemon or lime. The kumquat syrup brings a candied orange peel quality, slightly bitter at the edges the way kumquat skin always is, and it plays beautifully against the floral sweetness of the elderflower liqueur. Timber Creek Florida Gin is built for a drink like this. Because the distillery’s PureBlend process distills and ages each grain component separately before blending, the base spirit carries a clean, neutral backbone that lets the botanicals, mostly juniper with citrus and soft floral notes, come forward without fighting the kumquat or the elderflower for attention.

A heavier or more aggressively spiced gin would compete with the drink’s other elements instead of supporting them. To build Kin Kan, add the kumquat syrup, gin, lemon juice, and St. Germain to a shaker filled with ice. Shake vigorously for about ten seconds and strain into a chilled coupe glass. If fresh kumquats are on hand, a thin wheel or a few segments dropped into the glass make an attractive garnish and reinforce the syrup’s flavor visually.

This cocktail was made for lighter, aromatic food. Its bright citrus and floral notes cut nicely through the richness of shrimp tempura or sushi rolls, and it holds its own next to miso soup or a cucumber salad without overwhelming either. It also makes a good warm weather sipper on its own, since the kumquat syrup keeps it from tasting like a generic gin sour. Kumquat syrup can be found at some specialty grocers or made at home by simmering sliced kumquats with equal parts sugar and water [VERIFY: exact ratio and steeping time can vary by recipe].

As always, enjoy Kin Kan in moderation and only if you are 21 or older, pacing yourself so the evening stays as pleasant as the drink.

Kin Kan pairs Timber Creek Florida Gin with kumquat syrup, fresh lemon juice, and a float of St. Germain elderflower liqueur, making it a citrus forward gin sour built around a less common fruit than the usual lemon or lime. The kumquat syrup brings a candied orange peel quality, slightly bitter at the edges the way kumquat skin always is, and it plays beautifully against the floral sweetness of the elderflower liqueur. Timber Creek Florida Gin is built for a drink like this. Because the distillery’s PureBlend process distills and ages each grain component separately before blending, the base spirit carries a clean, neutral backbone that lets the botanicals, mostly juniper with citrus and soft floral notes, come forward without fighting the kumquat or the elderflower for attention.

A heavier or more aggressively spiced gin would compete with the drink’s other elements instead of supporting them. To build Kin Kan, add the kumquat syrup, gin, lemon juice, and St. Germain to a shaker filled with ice. Shake vigorously for about ten seconds and strain into a chilled coupe glass. If fresh kumquats are on hand, a thin wheel or a few segments dropped into the glass make an attractive garnish and reinforce the syrup’s flavor visually.

This cocktail was made for lighter, aromatic food. Its bright citrus and floral notes cut nicely through the richness of shrimp tempura or sushi rolls, and it holds its own next to miso soup or a cucumber salad without overwhelming either. It also makes a good warm weather sipper on its own, since the kumquat syrup keeps it from tasting like a generic gin sour. Kumquat syrup can be found at some specialty grocers or made at home by simmering sliced kumquats with equal parts sugar and water [VERIFY: exact ratio and steeping time can vary by recipe].

As always, enjoy Kin Kan in moderation and only if you are 21 or older, pacing yourself so the evening stays as pleasant as the drink.