How to Serve Gin Mare

Co-authored by wikiHow Staff

Last Updated: April 14, 2020 References Tested

If you have ever spent time in the gin aisle at a liquor store, you might have seen the white and blue pyramid bottle Gin Mare comes in. Gin Mare is a type of savory gin from Spain that has been made for a long time and has become popular around the world because of its flavor. It is made with rosemary, thyme, and basil that gives it a pleasant, herbal taste. It is one of the few gins many people like drinking plain, but it can also be garnished or mixed into many different cocktails.^{[1]
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Method 1

Method 1 of 3:

Drinking Gin Mare Plain

1
Select a balloon glass to serve the gin in. A balloon glass is tulip-shaped, with a wide bottom and a narrower top. If you have any wine stemware at home, you might already have this kind of glass. It’s big enough to hold ice and garnishes, but it also draws out more of the scent and flavor Gin Mare has. Not only does the gin look nice in this kind of glass, but you can reuse it anytime you want to mix gin with another liquor.^{[2]
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- Instead of using a regular wine glass, try getting a gin balloon, or Copa de Balon, glass. It's wide bottom makes it perfect for gin.
- If you don’t have a balloon glass, a highball glass is fine. It’s a tall, thin glass used for most kinds of liquor. You could also use a Collins glass if you need something slightly taller.
- You could also use other glasses in a pinch. Select a rocks glass to serve gin with ice, for instance.
2
Drink gin neat if you enjoy the taste of it plain. A neat Gin Mare is just the liquor on its own. You don’t serve it with ice or any sort of garnishes this way. Pour 1 ¹⁄₂ to 2 fluid ounces (44 to 59 mL) of the gin mare straight into your glass. Drinking gin this way is perfectly fine, and it gives you a chance to enjoy the clearness and unique flavors of a quality gin.^{[3]
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- Gin tends to have a very bitter, wooden taste, but many people enjoy drinking Gin Mare neat. It is much more balanced than many other types of gin.
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3
Drop 3 to 5 ice cubes in if you’re drinking gin on the rocks. Any liquor served on the rocks is served plain with ice. Put in plenty of ice, but make sure it looks neat in the glass. If the ice is higher than the rim, it might come out once you add the gin. For Gin Mare, the ice both chills it and activates more of its flavor.^{[4]
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- You don’t need a ton of ice to cool gin or gin drinks. Just fill the glass up lighty, leaving plenty of room for liquor and garnishes.
4
Pour up to 2 fluid ounces (59 mL) of gin into the glass. Pour the gin straight into the center of the glass. To do this without having to measure the gin out separately, keep an eye on the glass. Add gin until the glass is about ¼-full. Make sure the ice stays under the glass’s rim so the drink looks neat when you serve it.^{[5]
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- If you have a pouring spout on the Gin Mare bottle, use it for more control. Quickly count to 4 while pouring. This will be about 1 fluid ounce (30 mL) of gin, and you can repeat the count to add more.
5
Wait 1 to 2 minutes for the ice to cool the gin. If you use ice in your drink, don’t start sipping it right away. The gin will still be warm and taste like it does when it is served neat. The ice draws out more of the gin’s flavor and also looks nice in the glass.^{[6]
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- The ice dilutes the gin a little bit when it starts melting. It causes the gin to have a stronger flavor and scent.
6
Serve the gin with a garnish for more color and flavor. Gin Mare is perfectly fine when sipped on its own. However, you can accent it with a pretty garnish. Fresh herbs like rosemary and basil are the most common garnish with Gin Mare. Just crush several leaves in your hand, then drop them into the glass.^{[7]
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- Citrus, especially lemon and lime wedges, are also great, colorful choices to pair with Gin Mare. You can also try other garnishes, such as other types of fruit.
- Choose a garnish carefully. The wrong garnish could be overpowering. For instance, limit or avoid using spices like cinnamon, star anise, cardamom, or allspice.

Method 2

Method 2 of 3:

Selecting a Garnish

1
Crush basil or rosemary to complement gin’s herbal taste. Herbs are a natural complement to Gin Mare and a popular way to spice up any drinks made with it. To add an herb garnish, pluck 4 or 5 leaves off a sprig and place them in the palm of your hand. Squash them down hard with your other hand. Drop them into the glass afterward.^{[8]
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- Crushing the herbs causes them to release their oils so they add flavor when you put them in the Gin Mare. Fresh herbs also add a little vibrancy to the otherwise colorless liquor.
- Gin Mare is made with rosemary, thyme, and basil, so using these herbs can help draw out its herbal flavor.
- You can use other herbs, but they may mask Gin Mare’s natural flavor.
2
Garnish glasses with a slice of lime for a classic sourness. Cut about ¹⁄₄ in (0.64 cm) off each end of a fresh lime. Then, slice the lime in half lengthwise. Finish by cutting the lime halves lengthwise at an angle to divide them up into thirds. Center one of the wedges over the glass’ rim, then push it down to stick it in place.^{[9]
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- A slice of citrus adds a little bit of color to your drink. It is also a traditional way to smooth out the strong flavor gin has.
- When you’re drinking gin, you can either squeeze lime juice into the glass or drop the wedge in.
- Lemon can also be used. Since all types of gin are made with citrus and juniper, lemon and lime work no matter what brand you’re serving.
3
Slice an orange peel to sweeten up Gin Mare. Use a paring knife to cut the garnish. Hold the orange in one hand. Slip the tip of the knife in just deep enough to get under the peel. While holding the knife there, rotate the orange in your hand. You will end up with a curled strip of the peel that looks bright and fun when placed in a glass of gin.^{[10]
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- You could also use a vegetable peeler, but be careful not to cut off the white pith underneath the skin. It’s very bitter and will spoil the gin’s taste.
- Another option is to cut across the fruit’s width to divide it up into thin wheels about ¹⁄₄ in (0.64 cm) thick. You can then drape a wheel on the rim or set it in the glass.
- Other types of fruit will also work, whether it’s grapefruit, strawberries, or something else. Orange is the most common type of fruit to use and the least likely to overshadow Gin Mare’s taste.

Method 3

Method 3 of 3:

Making a Gin Mare Cocktail

1
Make a gin and tonic to sweeten up Gin Mare. Fill a highball glass with ice, then pour in about 2 fluid ounces (59 mL) of the Gin Mare. Add at least 4 fl oz (120 mL) of a quality tonic water next. Top it with a garnish, such as rosemary leaves or the juice of a freshly-cut lime. When you’re ready to drink it, use a long spoon or a stirrer to mix everything together.^{[11]
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- Try using tonic water with a botanical taste. Botanical just means it tastes like herbs. Ones made with basil or rosemary pair nicely with Gin Mare.
2
Create a gin martini for a slightly more bitter drink. Set up a cocktail mixing glass or shaker filled with 3 to 5 ice cubes. Pour in about 2 fluid ounces (59 mL) of Gin Mare, followed by 2 fluid ounces (59 mL) of dry vermouth. Then, mix everything together for about 2 minutes and pour it through a strainer into a martini glass. Top it with a glass peel and even a few olives on a stick to make it more colorful.^{[12]
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- A martini is another classic use for gin. The vermouth makes it a little more bitter, but it doesn’t take away the gin’s flavor.
- You can also add other types of alcohol, like ¹⁄₃ fluid ounce (9.9 mL) of fine sherry, for more balance.
3
Make a Tom Collins for a sweeter, fruitier drink. Fill a shaker with 3 to 5 ice cubes, then add all the ingredients you’re using for the drink. For example, try combining about 1 ¹⁄₂ fl oz (44 mL) of Gin Mare with ¹⁄₂ fluid ounce (15 mL) of raspberry syrup, ¹⁄₃ fluid ounce (9.9 mL) of vanilla syrup, and ²⁄₃ fluid ounce (20 mL) of lemon juice. Add about 4 fresh basil leaves as well. Shake thoroughly, then pour it through a strainer twice before serving it in a Collins glass.^{[13]
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- You can use extra basil, raspberries, and lemon as a garnish to make the drink look even more tropical. Top the drink with about 1 US tbsp (15 mL) of club soda as well.
- A Tom Collins kind of tastes like a sparkling lemonade. A similar drink called a gin fizz is a little more solid. Both drinks can be made many different ways without losing the herbal taste of the Gin Mare.