As I’ve mentioned numerous times, I am a history nerd. Recently I came across a couple history centric (British mostly) youtube channels posting full length documentaries that have sucked me in over the past few days. After consuming yet another documentary about WWII and The Blitz, I decided to keep the British theme going this week and reached for my copy of Churchill: A Drinking Life and see what I could make for this space this week.

I found that I had already bookmarked a couple drinks in that book a while ago, and decided on an interesting sounding one: the Orange Blossom. An interesting gin and orange juice concoction served by FDR to Churchill during a visit to the White House in 1942. Apparently Churchill wasn’t a fan. I wonder how it is:

Orange Blossom

1 oz. gin

1 oz. vermouth

1 oz. orange juice.

Shake up the ingredients with ice like FDR and strain into a tall glass

A quick note here, I opted for sweet vermouth here. I based that call on a quick search of alternate recipes. Ones that weren’t just gin and orange juice use sweet vermouth so that seemed like the obvious decision.

Anyway, there is a slight orange nose from the juice. Going back in a second and third time reveal some deeper vermouth aromas. It’s a nice mix that leads into the sip here.

Speaking of, it’s rather interesting, and not at all what I expected. It’s heavy up front on the orange juice flavors, but it’s more complex than that. Yes you get OJ, but there is a slight sourness there too. I suspect the vermouth is bringing out or enhancing the underlying citric sourness of the orange juice. Which isn’t bad mind you, but like I said before, it wasn’t exactly what I was expecting. I thought the sweeter notes of the vermouth would be more prevalent but they are completely gone, moving this firmly into the sour category of drinks. Also, the drink is not very boozy tasting either. This could be a good thing depending on what you’re looking for. The complexities of the orange juice and the vermouth mute any kind of herbal flavors the dry gin could impart here. Resulting in the cocktail not tasting very strong. You can tell there is something in there thanks to the aforementioned vermouth, but gin? I doubt anyone could immediately pick up the fact that there is gin in this. The finish is mostly orange juice, with a slight bitter/sour citrus aftertaste. Of which does dissipate rather quickly. A good thing in my book, as any sour flavors left lingering on the palate can get old rather quickly.

This was good, but I don’t know if I’d go out of my way to make it again. It could be a breakfast cocktail, but for breakfast, I think I would defer to a screwdriver. It doesn’t fit well with dinner either. Maybe if the main was duck in an orange based sauce? But then again it might be too much orange there.

(Banner image courtesy Matthew Tetrault Photography)