From a classic Gin & Tonic to one of last year’s most popular cocktails at Southbank Theatre, as well as drinks inspired by or created especially for recent MTC shows, The Melbourne Gin Company (MGC) take a leaf out of Stanley Tucci’s book and show us how to shake and stir at home.
Big fans of the arts, MGC have been partnering with MTC since 2017, providing tried-and-true cocktails at Southbank Theatre as well as bespoke recipes for our opening nights. An independent distillery born in Collingwood and operating in the Yarra Valley, MGC takes an artisan approach to its handcrafted gins.
They take the same approach to the cocktails served at and devised for our shows. Try them for yourself at home and enjoy a taste of the theatre in the comfort of your living room.
Mr Percival
This Storm Boy drink special proved so popular at our Southbank Theatre that our bar manager decided to keep it on our cocktail menu permanently. An MGC original, the Mr Percival was specially created for us by mixologist Hugh, who you’ll meet in the videos below as he takes you through the recipes step by step.
30ml MGC
20ml Maidenii Dry
10ml Bittermilk Charred Grapefruit Tonic (this is a syrup, available from the Bitters Lab on Smith Street, Fitzroy)
Top with soda/Capy Dry Tonic
Garnish with pink grapefruit, rosemary and salt
Bee’s Knees
A sweet and tasty Prohibition-era cocktail, the Bee’s Knees was served in the final months of 2019, and quickly became one of the the year's most popular cocktails at Southbank Theatre.
40ml of MGC Single Shot Gin
20ml of lemon juice
15ml of honey syrup
Shake all ingredients together over ice, double strain into a cold glass and enjoy.
Gimlet
Created in the 1920s but popularised by the 1953 Raymond Chandler novel The Long Goodbye, the Gimlet became a staple during the 1950s and will be familiar to anyone who saw Judy serving them to her guests in Home, I'm Darling.
45ml of MGC Dry Gin or Singleshot
20ml fresh lime juice
20ml lime cordial
Shake all ingredients together over ice, double strain into a cold glass and enjoy.
Garnish with a lime wheel or wedge.
Gin & Tonic
An old-fashioned highball cocktail, the G&T is always a crowd pleaser – James Bond orders one in Dr No, and Douglas Adams even joked about its popularity in The Restaurant at the End of the Universe. MGC's recipe is for a classic, unadulterated G&T.
30ml MGC Dry Gin/Singleshot
90ml Capi Dry Tonic
Garnish with either grapefruit and rosemary or orange and thyme.
Published on 12 May 2020
