Ten drinks inspired to famous movies by VII Hills Gin: trendy cocktails from the best Italian mixologists.

After the great success of the previous article (HERE) on the movie-themed cocktails based on Rum Don Papa, here is a new episode of what we could jokingly (but not so much) define a real “Saga”, since we are already at work to offer you more new episodes.
This time our expert Carlo Dutto offers us ten “titles” based on VII Hills Gin. We therefore immediately give him the word for the presentation and the recipes.

Italian Gin, distributed by Pallini Spa and distilled in Moncalieri, but insipred by the cultural and culinary traditions of Ancient Rome, the VII Hills Italian Dry Gin has an aromatic and fruity spirit, with its 43 degrees alcohol, slightly citrusy on the nose. VII Hills is the fruit of seven spices (the Seven Hills evoked by the name) that are mixed and infused for up to 15 days, in a versatile mixture, rich in history and tradition. Sweet notes of pomegranate and Roman chamomile perfectly balanced by the freshness of celery, artichoke, dog rose, juniper and red orange. It is distilled with Vacuum Pot Stil “under vacuum”, to eliminate the air and to let the ethyl alcohol evaporate at lower temperatures, with a finer, elegant result and with more delicate aromas. And, to celebrate the centenary of Italy’s most famous aperitif, the Negroni, VII Hills Italian Dry Gin went in search of a new label for its bottles, launching the European “Label Your Spirit” competition. The winning artwork, created by Paula Ariza, visually represents the perfect balance between the ingredients, the freshness, the citrusy aromas between delicacy and bitterness and will be distributed on 3000 limited edition bottles that will be on sale in Europe and Asia starting from March 2020.

THE RECIPES

DRINK: ARANA’
(ispired by the movie “Baarìa”, of Giuseppe Tornatore, 2009)

BARMAN: Fabio Torre, bar manager of Circus Cocktail Bar – Catania

INGREDIENTS:

4,5 cl VII Hills Italian Dry Gin
1.0 cl verdello Sicilian juice
2.0 cl homemade pomegranate syrup
1.5 cl of wild fennel liqueur
Limoncello Pallini velvet top

Glass: grappa glass
Garnish: sage leaf on a dark chocolate meringue and raspberry candy

PREPARATION:
I chose the shake & strain technique to create a homogeneity between the syrup sucrose and the verdello citric acid along with the alcoholic percentage of VII Hills Italian Dry Gin. Then, excluding the limoncello, the ingredients are poured into the shaker and, after being shaken vigorously, they are filtered in the glass. The glass chosen is the grappa glass, with a narrow mouth, to retain the scents. The preparation is completed by emulsifying the velvet of Limoncello Pallini with sucro, pouring it on top of the cocktail. As a garnish, lay a thin sage leaf on the edge of the glass on a meringue with some dark chocolate and a raspberry caramel on the base of the glass.

INSPIRATION:
The name of the cocktail, Aranà, is the abbreviation of the Sicilian word aranato, which means “pomegranate”. The film from which it was inspired is Baaría by Giuseppe Tornatore, with its country settings and Sicilian lifestyle to act as inspirational muse and to bring to mind the elements combined in the cocktail. The scenography of the film, the choice of the actors and the everyday life represented in the film are particular symbolism of the still current spontaneity and genuineness of the Sicilian soul. The drink and the film are accompanied by the harmony of aromas and flavors of liqueurs and syrups used. Concepts expressed through the alcoholic blending of citrus fruits, fennel and pomegranate which are scent, memory and perception of Sicily. Starting from the use of VII Hills Italian Dry Gin, produced 100% in Italy and reminiscent of Mediterranean fragrances, inspired by the cultural and culinary traditions of Ancient Rome, with its seven herbs and spices that grow naturally on the Seven Roman Hills . And with the top of the Pallini limoncello, produced according to an ancient recipe kept for years by the Pallini family, with the use of “Sfusato IGP” lemons, coming from the terraces of the Amalfi Coast.

DRINK: THE ENGLISH PATIENT
(inspired by the movie “The English Patient”, by Anthony Minghella, 1996)

BARLADY: Ilaria Migliorini from La Zanzara – Rome

INGREDIENTS:
60 ml VII Hills Italian Dry Gin
half a spoon Vermouth Dry Oscar.697
half a spoon Fennel liqueur

Glass: cup
Garnish: lemon peel and dill

PREPARATION:
Mix all the ingredients in the mixing glass, filter in a previously cooled cup. Garnish with lemon zest and dill.

INSPIRATION:
From the meeting between two high quality Italian products, VII Hills Italian Dry Gin with its Roman botanicals and the Vermouth Oscar.697 and the genuine flavors of juniper and wild fennel, this drink is born, a twist on the Martini Cocktail, aromatic, fresh and elegant, to be enjoyed as the beautiful art film from which it draws inspiration.

DRINK: CIRCE
(inspired by the Movie “Odyssey”, by Francesco Bertolini and Adolfo Padovan, 1911)

BARLADY: Carola Abrate from La Drogheria – Torino

INGREDIENTS:

5 cl VII Hills Italian Dry Gin
2,5 cl Americano Cocchi
1 cl Solerno
3 dash bitter celery

Glass: Tulip bowl

PREPARATION:
The technique used is called “throwing” from the English “to throw” (ie pouring, throwing), chosen to ensure that this movement can release the hints of the ingredients used, the bouquet and the softness of VII Hills Italian Dry Gin. Subsequently the drink is poured into a Tulipano cup and served, after a sprinkling of essential orange oils, which give an extra softness.

INSPIRATION:
The inspiration was given by the 1911 silent film entitled Odyssey. The film is inspired by the story of Homer and subsequently inspired me, as it was made in honor of the 50th anniversary of the Unity of Italy at the Turin International Exhibition, my hometown. Circe wants to be a pimp drink, delicate and charming, just like the character who gives it its name.

DRINK: VIA COL VENTO
(inspired by the film “Gone with the Wind” by Victor Fleming, 1939)

BARMAN: Mattia Ria, owner and barmanager of Rome’s Blind Pig

INGREDIENTS:
60 ml VII Hills Italian Dry Gin infused in hibiscus and violet
30 ml lemon and cucumber water
15 ml lemongrass syrup

Glass: cup

PREPARATION:
Pour all the ingredients into a shaker, once the drink has cooled, strain and pour into a cold cup, using a balloon as decoration.

INSPIRATION:
A modern take on an Aviation, a historical drink from the 1930s based on gin, violet liqueur, lemon and maraschino. It is made with an infusion of hibiscus and violet in VII Hills Italian Dry Gin, a mixture of lemon juice and cucumber water and a homemade lemongrass syrup (citronella). The name Via Col Vento is inspired by one of the most important films of the thirties, a period in which there is news of the first female aviator. The connection between Aviation, Gone with the Wind and a balloon on the glass was interesting. This drink is a dedication to women, feminine in its marked acidity and in its floral palate.

DRINK: C’ERA UNA VOLTA IN AMERICA
(inspired by the film “Once Upon a Time in America”, by Sergio Leone, 1984)

BARMAN: Federico Leone

INGREDIENTS:

60 ml VII Hills Italian Dry Gin
Instant infusion of toasted popcorn
20 ml fresh lemon
10 ml salt syrup
Top Italian beer

Glass: cup

PREPARATION:
Pour the VII Hills Italian Dry Gin on the toasted popcorn, so as to acquire its flavor with an instant infusion, add fresh lemon juice, salt syrup, shake everything and pour the contents into the glass, ice and top of beer to finish the drink.

INSPIRATION:
Once upon a time in America, the last masterpiece of director Sergio Leone that required 10 years of preparation and for which he used all his passion for cinema, is a film that in his almost 4 hours keeps you glued to the chair and comes want to see it again and again over time. What better way to celebrate it by including in this drink the main elements that identify an Italy that goes to the cinema, to admire the masterpiece of the Maestro. VII Hills Italian Dry Gin wants to honor the passion and the art of Italian cinema of the past that the whole world envies us and often wants to honor.

DRINK: THE NEW POPE
(inspired by the TV series ‘The New Pope’, by Paolo Sorrentino, 2019)

BARMAN: Simone Mina of Ch 18 87, the cocktail bar of the historic Checchino restaurant since 1887 in Rome

INGREDIENTS:

3 cl VII Hills Italian Dry Gin
3 cl Bitter Rouge White
3 cl Dry Vermouth
Vaporization of missed sanctorum bitter (incense dye)

Glass: Martini cup
Garnish: chives

PREPARATION:
With the stir & strain technique, pour all the ingredients into a mixing glass and fill with ice cubes. Then mix with a barspoon and, after cooling and dilution, pour the drink into a previously cooled Martini cup. Spray the incense dye on the drink and garnish with a chive on the edge of the glass.

INSPIRATION:
This cocktail pays homage to a great twist of the Negroni, born in the capital during the Dolce Vita that responds to the name of “Cardinal”. Playing with ingredients and color the thought goes to a twist-of-twist. The natural evolution of a Cardinal is to become Pope, so the cocktail undresses with cardinal color and assumes the candid papal color. White in the world of drinks is transparent and, playing with the colors and the lexicon of the cocktails, the cocktail “masks” Cardinal da Martini, also paying homage to the series by Paolo Sorrentino to be released in 2020, in which the Pope interpreted by Jude Law is added to that of John Malkovich. Who is the Negroni and who is the Martini? To those who taste the arduous choice, in the meantime the wish is to enjoy these two drinks in one, “The New Pope”, which is born in the Capital.

DRINK: SLIMER
(inspired by the film “Ghostbusters – Acchiappafantasmi”, by Ivan Reitman, 1984)

BARMAN: Andrea Jachetta, bartender of Misto – Mixology and Cibarie of Rome

INGREDIENTS:

6 cl VII Hills Italian Dry Gin
3 cl acidified apple juice
1.5 cl spicy cinnamon syrup
1,5 cl Roots Mastiha liqueur
1.5 cl egg white
2 dash bitter celery

Glass: cup
Garnish: thyme and chili peppers

PREPARATION:
Pour all the ingredients into the shaker, fill with ice, shake, strain the drink from the tin at half tin, make a dry shake and pour with double strainer in a cup. Garnish with thyme and chillies.

INSPIRATION:
A drink inspired by the movie Ghostbusters – Ghost catchers since its color, a bright green that recalls Slimer, the cute ghost from which it takes its name. One of the ingredients of the cocktail, the apple, returns to the “Big Apple”, New York, where the film is set and where the History of Mixing began.

DRINK: GINGER HILLS
(inspired by the movie “The Fantastic 4”, by Tim Story, 2005)

BARMEN: Giambattista Rizzi and Filippo Veneziani, owners and bartenders of the Southside Cocktail Bar in Monopoli (Bari)

INGREDIENTS:
5 cl VII Hills Italian Dry Gin
2 cl King’s Ginger
2 cl fresh lemon juice
1 cl homemade cucumber syrup

Glass: cup
Garnish: lemon peel and fresh cucumber

PREPARATION:
Pour all the ingredients into a shaker, shake vigorously and strain everything into a cocktail glass, garnishing with lemon peel and fresh cucumber.

INSPIRATION:
The 4-handed Ginger Hills drink is inspired by the movie The Fantastic 4 because it is composed of 4 ingredients that, mixed together, form a perfect combination just like in the movie. VII Hills Italian Dry Gin, ginger root from King’s Ginger, lemon and cucumber. Four fresh and decisive ingredients, clear and heroic. Who tastes the task of linking the single ingredient to the individual character, who will be Mister Fantastic, the Invisible Woman, the Human Torch and the Thing?

DRINK: JAY
(inspired by the film “The Great Gatsby”, by Baz Luhrmann, 2013)

BARMAN: Paolo Manna of the Donna Romita – Alcoholic & Cucina in Naples

INGREDIENTS:

5 cl VII Hills Italian Dry Gin
3 cl fresh lemon juice
1.5 cl sugar flavored with homemade basil
2 cl St.Germain liqueur

Glass: Old Fashioned
Garnish: lemon zest with basil leaf

PREPARATION:
The cocktail is made with the shake and double strain technique. Cool the glass with ice. Meanwhile, pour all the ingredients into a tin and fill it with ice. Shake and double strain. Garnish with lemon zest with basil leaf.

INSPIRATION:
The cocktail is inspired by the film transpositions of The Great Gatsby already novel by Francis Scott Fitzgerald. Gin, Jay Gatsby’s faithful companion and protagonist of his luxurious parties, was banned in the 1920s, just like Gatsby, even though everyone wanted to attend his parties. Prohibited like Gatsby’s love for Daisy. It is well known that you want what you can’t have and that’s why Jay, aka gin, represents the dark side of the American Dream.

DRINK: BURLESQUE
(inspired by the film “Moulin Rouge”, by Baz Luhrmann, 2001)

BARMAN: Giorgio Colonna of the La Belle Epoque Cocktail Bar in Frascati (Rome)

INGREDIENTS:

45 ml VII Hills Italian Dry Gin
15 ml lemon
30 ml raspberry syrup
3 dashes Bitter Karadè
20 ml egg white

Glass: Nick & Nora
Garnish: grated 70% chocolate

PREPARATION:
With the shake and strain technique, pour all the ingredients into a shaker, shake vigorously and pour, filtering, into a frozen Nick & Nora glass.

INSPIRATION:
The cocktail is inspired by the film Moulin Rouge starring Nicole Kidman (Satine, first star of the restaurant), the aspiring writer Ewan McGregor and their troubled love story that will create scandal. The drink fully describes the film: VII Hills Italian Dry Gin, with its fresh botanicals mixed with raspberry syrup, a homemade karkadè and pink pepper tincture, freshly squeezed lemon juice, a little egg white – which gives silkiness to the drink – and to a grating of dark chocolate on the foam hat, they fully reflect the bohemian atmosphere of the film, but in the same way they remember the sufferings that are resolved in a happy ending, worthy of a great love story.