In a highly competitive soda market, it’s not often you come across a new entrant offering something different. Laimon Fresh stands out for its unique combination of lemon, lime and mint which sit atop an sparkling apple juice base, although peculiarly this element is downplayed, only showing itself on the ingredients list.
Nose: Lemony, lime-y and minty, just what you’d expect.
Neat: Both the lemon and lime are evident,although they do somewhat melt into a lemon-lime flavour rather than a combination of two individual flavours. Particularly striking though is the achievement of a surprisingly fresh-tasting mint flavour. Whilst not quite a match for a freshly picked, still-got-caterpillar’s-on-the-leaves job, this is more than respectable and turns an otherwise standard soda pop into something altogether more interesting. The apple juice adds a little backbone to proceedings without risking becoming the dominant flavour.
Mixing: The obvious opportunity is in the signature Laimon Mojito where the need for fresh mint is abolished. The result is permissable, although in need of a little extra sugar and certainly not a replacement for the real thing. The lemon-lime combo in particular doesn’t quite work with the rum. Another tick in the “fresh is always best” box I’m afraid. A similar theme follows in other drinks, from the Laimon RumPunch through to the Berry Blast. Both freshen things up with the use of fresh fruits, but this only serves to make the mint taste that little more stale. The combination of Campari, Sweet Vermouth and Laimon Fresh in the bitter Laimon meanwhile is simply weird and not to be recommended.
Signature Cocktail – Laimon Mojito
2oz White Rum, Laimon Fresh
Fill highball glass 2/3rds with crushed ice and add rum and Laimon Fresh. Stir and top with crushed ice.
Signature Cocktail – Laimon Rum Punch
2oz Golden Rum, 0.5oz Lemon Juice, 0.25oz Sugar Syrup, Dash Angostura Bitters, Laimon Fresh
Shake first four ingredients with ice and train over ice into a highball glass. Top with Laimon Fresh
Signature Cocktail – Berry Blast
2oz Vodka, 4 Blackberries, 4 Blueberries, 0.25oz Lemon Juice, 0.25oz Sugar Syrup, Laimon Fresh
Shake first five ingredients with ice and train over ice into a highball glass. Top with Laimon Fresh
Signature Cocktail – Bitter Laimon
1oz Campari, 1oz Sweet Vermouth, Laimon Fresh
Stir Campari and Sweet Vermouth with ice then top with Laimon Fresh
Laimon Fresh is an enticing and refreshing soda which captures a respectable minty flavour to complement the lemon-lime. It’s not quite good enough to replace fresh ingredients in cocktails however.
Rating: ★★★
★: Terrible, only drink for a dare.
★★: Meh, not undrinkable but best left alone.
★★★: Reasonable, middle of the road.
★★★★: Tasty stuff, well worth seeking out.
★★★★★: Incredible, booze doesn’t get better than this. You need a bottle in your life.
Review – Laimon Fresh
In a highly competitive soda market, it’s not often you come across a new entrant offering something different. Laimon Fresh stands out for its unique combination of lemon, lime and mint which sit atop an sparkling apple juice base, although peculiarly this element is downplayed, only showing itself on the ingredients list.
Neat: Both the lemon and lime are evident,although they do somewhat melt into a lemon-lime flavour rather than a combination of two individual flavours. Particularly striking though is the achievement of a surprisingly fresh-tasting mint flavour. Whilst not quite a match for a freshly picked, still-got-caterpillar’s-on-the-leaves job, this is more than respectable and turns an otherwise standard soda pop into something altogether more interesting. The apple juice adds a little backbone to proceedings without risking becoming the dominant flavour.
Mixing: The obvious opportunity is in the signature Laimon Mojito where the need for fresh mint is abolished. The result is permissable, although in need of a little extra sugar and certainly not a replacement for the real thing. The lemon-lime combo in particular doesn’t quite work with the rum. Another tick in the “fresh is always best” box I’m afraid. A similar theme follows in other drinks, from the Laimon RumPunch through to the Berry Blast. Both freshen things up with the use of fresh fruits, but this only serves to make the mint taste that little more stale. The combination of Campari, Sweet Vermouth and Laimon Fresh in the bitter Laimon meanwhile is simply weird and not to be recommended.
Signature Cocktail – Laimon Mojito
2oz White Rum, Laimon Fresh
Fill highball glass 2/3rds with crushed ice and add rum and Laimon Fresh. Stir and top with crushed ice.
Signature Cocktail – Laimon Rum Punch
2oz Golden Rum, 0.5oz Lemon Juice, 0.25oz Sugar Syrup, Dash Angostura Bitters, Laimon Fresh
Shake first four ingredients with ice and train over ice into a highball glass. Top with Laimon Fresh
Signature Cocktail – Berry Blast
2oz Vodka, 4 Blackberries, 4 Blueberries, 0.25oz Lemon Juice, 0.25oz Sugar Syrup, Laimon Fresh
Shake first five ingredients with ice and train over ice into a highball glass. Top with Laimon Fresh
Signature Cocktail – Bitter Laimon
1oz Campari, 1oz Sweet Vermouth, Laimon Fresh
Stir Campari and Sweet Vermouth with ice then top with Laimon Fresh
★: Terrible, only drink for a dare.
★★: Meh, not undrinkable but best left alone.
★★★: Reasonable, middle of the road.
★★★★: Tasty stuff, well worth seeking out.
★★★★★: Incredible, booze doesn’t get better than this. You need a bottle in your life.