Internationally-awarded gin Monkey 47 collaborated with Gather Seattle for a beautiful “Friendsgiving” event at The London Plane, bringing together the community to give gratitude as we head into the holiday season.

The partnership resulted in a glittering evening that looked straight out of Pinterest. With fabulous Monkey 47 cocktails, glowing candles, beautiful floral arrangements and a table groaning with a fresh veggie-focused spread, it was an evening to remember.

Gather Seattle founder, Chloe Csadenyi-Benson said, “Collaborating with Monkey 47 on our Fall Thanksgiving Celebration was so much fun! We enjoyed a beautiful gathering which included Monkey 47 gin cocktails with recipes from some of our favorite Seattle restaurants including; The London Plane, Homer, Queen City, and Pomerol. The event was the perfect opportunity for us to invite our community members and many past event collaborations as a way to show gratitude for their support over the past few years.” 

The highlight of the evening was the experimental gin cocktails (edgy negronis and spicy, dirty martinis!) and we made sure to chat with Lacy Hawkins, the Monkey 47 National Brand Ambassador. Lacy is an expert at all things gin, and let us in on some of her insider secrets. Here are Lacy’s top tips and a couple of special cocktail recipes, guaranteed to up your cocktail game this season. Happy stirring!

Seattleite: What are the essentials for an at-home cocktail party?

Lacy Hawkins: When I’m hosting a cocktail party at home, I make sure to always have two things ready: (1) A punch made in advance that quickly and easily serves my guests as soon as they arrive and (2) a small selection of delicious spirits that great on their own so I can spend more time with my guests and less time bartending. I like spirits that can be served neat, on the rocks or with a simple carbonated mixer, and my friends know they can always count on Monkey 47 Gin being available at every party I throw. It’s made with 47 different botanicals in Germany’s Black Forest, and true gin fans love it so much, they drink Monkey 47 gin without anything in it! Even hesitant gin lovers are obsessed with the taste.

Seattleite: Can you share some DIY hacks for fancy cocktails?

Lacy Hawkins: I always make punches or pre-batched cocktails in advance of any party. This allows me to guarantee fantastic drinks without having to stand there and make each one myself. You can turn just about any recipe into a punch by multiplying the recipe proportions by the number of cocktails you’d like to serve and just before your guests arrive, pour over a large block of ice into a punch bowl. And a catchy garnish can really elevate any cocktail, no matter where it’s being served. I like to pick up small cookie cutters in whatever shapes fit the theme of my party and make cutouts from my twists and use those to garnish my cocktails.

Festive gin cocktail recipes (Credit: Lacy Hawkins @ Monkey 47)

Pomme Collins

Ingredients:

2oz Monkey 47 Gin, 3/4oz Fresh Lemon Juice, 1/2oz 1:1 Simple Syrup, Dry Hard Cider

Method:

Add Monkey 47 Gin, lemon and simple syrup to a shaker, add ice and shake or 5-7 seconds. Strain over fresh ice into the glass of your choice and top with a dry styled hard cider of any brand. Garnish with slices of apple and a lemon wheel or a fresh citrus twist.

Harvest Vesper Bell

Ingredients:

1 1/2oz Monkey 47 Gin, 3/4oz Absolut Elyx, 3/4oz Lillet Rouge

Method:

Add all ingredients to a mixing glass, fill completely with ice, stir for 7-10 seconds, strain into a rocks glass over fresh ice and garnish with an orange twist studded with cloves and star anise.