Veranda Cocktails
Old Sport Gin, Tsikoudia 35N, Denise from Greece & FiveTwenty
Friends with proposals…
Greece has an abundance of new distilling talent and Old Sport Gin was enthusiastically recommended to me by a long lost childhood friend over a late autumnal dinner in Andros, in a charming home right beside the statue of the Unknown Sailor.
Tsikoudia is the rough and vigorous spirit of Crete, epitomizing the island’s powerful character and the 35N brand was sent to me at Christmas by a distinguished Cretan politician and friend.
My mother’s island…
A perfectly chilled drink with ice needs a perfect base on which to stand. The striking marble coasters in various shapes and sizes by Denise from Greece are crafted in Tinos, but I discovered them in Syros, where my mother was born.
And finally addictive pistachios…
I am also delighted to include these delicious appetizers which are so tastefully packaged.
Veranda Cocktails evoke the idea of balmy nights, whether in the buzz of a city, in countryside quiet, or in an island haven… enjoy them, lulled by a breeze, savouring the best of Greece.
Old Sport Gin
Old Sport Gin is produced by Callicounis Distilleries, which was established in Kalamata in 1850 by George Callicounis who concocted the internationally acclaimed Alexander Brandy. Today after five generations, the company continues as a family business and produces ouzo, raki, masticha and brandy, as well as being the oldest distillery in Greece to produce gin.
This gin is utterly unique. The producers exercise an innovative method of three separate distillations, each with a different herbal mix. These plant and seed extractions are extraordinarily rich: wild juniper, rosemary, cardamom, cinnamon, nutmeg, citrus peels, with angelica and liquorice roots. There is even a hint of Mastiha from Chios in the mix.
Being located in Kalamata offers the distillery great access to the supreme local citrus fruits, like lemons, oranges, bergamots and grapefruits, which they use intensely in their production.
35N Cretan Distillery
A friendship of three men from the island of Crete is the foundation of Tsikoudia 35N. Ilias Melissourgos, George Markoulakis and Pantelis Fanourakis founded the brand, driven by a passion to create a definitively smooth version of tsikoudia.
The name 35N stands for the 35th parallel North which passes along Crete, thus binding the brand to its island roots. The drink is endemic to Crete, knitted into its culture.
The distilleries are located in Rethymno and the Syrah grapes they use are from selected vineyards of the area. Every stage of the grapes’s harvest is carefully monitored to ensure an excellent end product.
Denise from Greece
Denia Panagaki is a photographer and artist from Athens, currently based on the island of Tinos. Inspired by motifs from Greek folk art, she reproduces designs which decorated old traditional marble house tiles, using stencil as a technique.
After a solo photographic exhibition in Tinos in 2016, she decided to stay for a short time on the island and has stayed ever since. Tinos has a long history of marble craftsmanship and it is a common practice for the marble workers to throw away great quantities of smaller marble pieces that they consider as leftovers. Denia decided to recycle these and use them as a “canvas” for her art. This has led her to the production of delightful coasters and decorative objects.
Denia is an artist who likes to experiment with new forms and materials. She has plans to design lamps using marble and wood and she is currently working on her latest exhibition of photography inspired by traditional Greek dresses.
FiveTwenty
FiveTwenty is a family company that produces and distributes quality food products.
Established in 2014, it is based on the island of Aegina by a family who have grown pistachio nuts since 1956, upholding a long farming tradition of three generations.
The nuts are grown, hand-picked and produced in the company’s organic orchard using modern and sustainable methods of cultivation.
Apart from pistachios, FiveTwenty also offers a selection of other quality Greek products, like honey, olive oil and salt. They have built long-lasting partnerships with producers from all around the country, with whom they collaborate at all stages of production, from harvesting to distribution.
Veranda Cocktails evoke the idea of balmy nights, whether in the buzz of a city, in countryside quiet, or in an island haven… enjoy them, lulled by a breeze, savouring the best of Greece.