The enduring appeal of the spritz, especially in the warmer months, lies in it being a drink that is crisp and refreshing without being too strong. But you definitely don’t need to settle for less flavour.
That’s the philosophy behind a soda-spiked Aussie spritz concocted by Dylan Howarth, owner of Fortunate Son in Sydney. The cosy, retro-tinged destination recently collected Bar of the Year honours from Australian Bartender magazine, so Howarth clearly knows his stuff.
But surprisingly, his inspiration for this spritz actually came from the recent uptick in popularity of wet Martinis, which lessen the classic cocktail’s dryness in favour of more vermouth.
“We’re starting to see Martinis get a little wetter,” says Howarth. “If you break this drink down and think of it as a wet Martini topped with soda, that’s kind of where I got to.”
The resulting drink couldn’t be more straightforward: it’s a well-crafted Australian gin and dry vermouth stirred over ice and then topped with Sodasmith’s finger lime soda, with a fresh lime slice to garnish. You can even swap out the soda for Sodasmith’s lemon myrtle tonic if you prefer a lemon flavour.
“I wanted a classic built drink with just a bit more complexity, without having to cook any syrups,” says Howarth. “There’s so much flavour in just those three ingredients. It’s a big, bright smack of native flavour. It’s easy to replicate: you can make a batch in a carafe before friends arrive and just pour away. It’s just super versatile and refreshing.”
While it’s an easy drink to put together, the choice of ingredients is crucial. Hickson House Distilling Co Australian dry gin puts a fresh spin on a traditional London dry gin, adding native thyme, finger lime and aniseed myrtle to its summer-ready array of botanicals. That combination creates a bright citrus top note that captures a sense of sherbet.
Meanwhile, Maidenii dry vermouth adds some more native ingredients to the mix, including strawberry gum, wattle seed, river mint, sea parsley and makrut lime leaf. “The vermouth marries the soda and the gin together,” says Howarth. “You’re cutting through the sweetness to bring it all together, and you’re not taking away flavour to lower the ABV.”
As for the Sodasmith finger lime soda it’s a citrus-forward mixer made with pure Tasmanian mountain spring water and native Australian finger lime. The zing of the citrus completes the drink’s focus on native flavours. “It’s the brightness,” says Howarth. “The finger lime brightens the whole experience and heightens the drink.”
That comfortably positions this local-themed spritz right alongside other popular Fortunate Son orders like a Paloma or a Tom Collins. And it makes it an ideal make-at-home refresher for the summer months ahead. Make a single glass for yourself, or make a big serving for the next time you’re entertaining.
Native Aussie Spritz
Makes 1 serving
Approx. 1 standard drink
Ingredients:
30 ml Hickson House Distilling Co Australian dry gin
30 ml Maidenii dry vermouth
100 ml Sodasmith finger lime soda
Fresh lime slices to garnish
Method:
Fill your favourite highball or cocktail glass with ice. Pour in gin and vermouth, then stir to mix. Top with Sodasmith soda. Garnish with lime slice.
This article is produced by Broadsheet in partnership with Sodasmith.
