5 Grand National gin cocktails that are well worth a punt

This Saturday sees the nation's favourite horse race, the Grand National, take place at Aintree Racecourse, and here at Craft Gin Club we will certainly be shouting ourselves, um, horse as we cheer on our favourites.

And for all those neigh-sayers who don’t think gin is right for the races, we say: trot on! We’ve rein-ed in five gin-based cocktails that provide the perfect accompaniment to all the excitement. And yes, the names are all as pun-tastic as this introduction. Good luck, gin lovers!

Method:

Shake all ingredients with ice and strain into a glass filled with crushed ice.

Garnish with a slice of grapefruit.

Ingredients:

30ml Sloe gin
30ml gin
30ml Freshly squeezed pink grapefruit juice
8ml Sugar syrup
15 ml Cherry Heering Liqueur

Ingredients:

40ml gin

40ml dry vermouth

Champagne (or other sparkling wine)

Method:

Stir the gin and vermouth together in an ice-filled mixing glass until properly chilled.

Strain into a chilled coupe glass and top with Champagne.

Method:

Rinse a small coupe glass with absinthe and set aside. Add the remaining ingredients to a mixing glass and fill with ice. Stir for 30 seconds and strain into the prepared glass. Garnish with a slice of lemon peel.

*To make thyme syrup:

In a medium saucepan, combine 2 parts sugar and one part water. Add a small bunch of fresh thyme sprigs. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat and simmer for four to five minutes. Let cool without removing thyme, then strain into a clean bottle and store in the fridge. The syrup will keep for several weeks.

Ingredients:

Absinthe

45ml gin

15ml fino sherry

15ml dry vermouth

1 dash Angostura Bitters

1 dash orange bitters

5ml Farigoule Thyme Liqueuer (or homemade thyme syrup *)

Method:

Shake all ingredients with ice and strain into a chilled glass.

Garnish with an orange zest twist.

Ingredients:

60ml gin

15ml amaretto

15ml freshly squeezed lemon juice

1 dash orange bitters

1 dash Angostura bitters

Method:

Add the gin and Pimm's to a shaker and fill with ice. Shake, and strain into a half-pint glass.

Top up with lemon-lime soda.

Blitz the cucumber in a blender then strain through a fine sieve, pressing to extract as much juice as possible.

Put the cucumber juice into a jar or container with a tight-fitting lid and shake vigorously until it foams.

Top the Pimm’s mixture with the foam and serve.

Ingredients:

60ml gin

20ml Pimm’s No. 1 Cup

30ml sparkling lemon & lime soda
(You could even use Sprite)

3-inch chunk of cucumber (skin on)