I find inspiration for cocktails: in food, in deserts, but most often, I find inspiration in the spirits themselves.  Whenever I'm getting acquainted with a new spirit, I taste it neat, and identify the primary flavors.  I then try...

I find inspiration for cocktails: in food, in deserts, but most often, I find inspiration in the spirits themselves.  Whenever I'm getting acquainted with a new spirit, I taste it neat, and identify the primary flavors.  I then try to think about what other flavors will either compliment or contrast against the dominant flavors in that spirit and build a concept around that.  Lemongrass is a flavor that struck me in the new Bowling & Burch gin, the small batch gin made from 17 botanicals grown on the Limestone Branch Distillery grounds.  I was surprised to see Lemongrass as an ingredient in their gin, because it is an ingredient that I love and use a lot when I'm cooking.  I wanted to try an unexpected cocktail playing up the lemongrass flavor - and immediately thought about a Saturn. 

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