Spirits for the World Cup Semifinals: July 15, 2026

Over the years I’ve built a small global library of distilled spirits and fortified wines, and the World Cup Knockout Round feels like the perfect excuse to dig back into it - researching the producers, revisiting the bottles, and tasting my way through the bracket. Starting with the June 29th matches, I’ll be recommending one or two spirits for each game, whether they’re already on my shelf or simply deserve a place in the lineup. Click here to view the other World Cup matches.  Today's match for July 15th:

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England vs Argentina

Sipsmith London Dry Gin (England)
I was reminded of the Green Isaac’s Special while listening to the Seagroni episode of The Modern Barcart, where it appeared as the featured cocktail. That sent me back to Philip Greene’s To Have and to Have Another: A Hemingway Cocktail Companion, which includes Hemingway’s take on the drink and notes its first appearance in the novel Islands in the Stream. Named for the Isaacs Islands near Bimini in the Bahamas, the Green Isaac’s Special is essentially a tropical interpretation of a Tom Collins, swapping lemon for lime and replacing club soda with coconut water.

For the gin I chose the Sipsmith London Dry Gin, which I featured in the Spirits for the World Cup Knockout Round: July 1, 2026. As a recap, the gin is built on a straightforward, classical approach to English gin: a traditional copper‑pot distillation and a recipe centered on clean, expressive botanicals. The distillery uses ten botanicals — including juniper, coriander, lemon peel, orange peel, cassia, cinnamon, orris root, angelica, licorice, and almond — all steeped overnight to extract essential oils before distillation. This method emphasizes clarity and balance rather than modern flavor additions, keeping the profile firmly rooted in the London Dry style.

The  recipe as it appears in To Have and to Have Another: A Hemingway Cocktail Companion:

• 2 ounces London dry gin
• 4 ounces unsweetened coconut water
• 1 ounce fresh lime juice
• 3-4 dashes Angostura bitters (enough to create a "rusty, rose color")
• Ice and a lime wedge for garnish 

To prepare, shake the gin, coconut water, lime juice, and bitters vigorously with ice, then strain into a highball or Collins glass filled with fresh ice. The result is a tart, low-sugar summer drink that balances the botanicals of the gin with the tropical notes of coconut and the acidity of lime. 

Fernet-Branca — Argentina’s National Drink (with Cola)

Fernet-Branca, founded in Milan in 1845, became deeply rooted in Argentine culture through immigration rather than marketing. Italian families brought the bitter digestivo with them, and over time it shifted from an after‑dinner medicinal spirit to a staple of social life. Today, the Fernet con Coca is one of Argentina’s most common mixed drinks, found at gatherings alongside fútbol, asado, and mate.

The spirit is made from a grape‑distillate base infused with 27 botanicals sourced from four continents, including saffron, gentian, aloe ferox, chamomile, myrrh, and mint. These ingredients are macerated and matured in large Slavonian oak casks, where extended resting integrates the herbal components and softens the bitterness. Production relies on long extraction times and slow barrel aging, creating a profile defined by strong herbal intensity, cooling mint, and deep earthy notes.

Fernet-Branca shows mint, dark chocolate, saffron, eucalyptus, and bitter herbs on the nose. The palate is firmly bitter with herbal depth, mint, spice, and subtle sweetness carried by a dense texture. The finish is long and mint‑driven. When mixed with cola, the bitterness sharpens the sweetness, the mint lifts the caramel notes, and carbonation adds balance. Fernet con Coca has become a shared custom across Argentina, turning a historic Italian amaro into a national everyday drink. Is 30%-70% your preferred ratio or are you a Coronado fan?

Spirits for the World Cup Knockout Round: July 1, 2026

Over the years I’ve built a small global library of distilled spirits and fortified wines, and the World Cup Knockout Round feels like the perfect excuse to dig back into it - researching the producers, revisiting the bottles, and tasting my way through the bracket. Starting with the June 29th matches, I’ll be recommending one or two spirits for each game, whether they’re already on my shelf or simply deserve a place in the lineup. Click here to view the other World Cup Knockout Round matches.  Today's matches for July 1st. 

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England vs Congo DR

Sipsmith London Dry Gin (England)
Sipsmith London Dry Gin is built on a straightforward, classical approach to English gin: a traditional copper‑pot distillation and a recipe centered on clean, expressive botanicals. The distillery uses ten botanicals — including juniper, coriander, lemon peel, orange peel, cassia, cinnamon, orris root, angelica, licorice, and almond — all steeped overnight to extract essential oils before distillation. This method emphasizes clarity and balance rather than modern flavor additions, keeping the profile firmly rooted in the London Dry style.
Production follows a one‑shot method, meaning every botanical goes into the still and the resulting distillate is used as‑is, without blending or redistillation. Distillation takes place in small Christian Carl copper pot stills, where slow runs and manual cuts help preserve juniper structure, citrus lift, and the subtle earthy notes contributed by orris and angelica. The process is intentionally simple: no vapor‑infusion, no post‑distillation adjustments, and no added flavors. It’s a traditional workflow designed to maintain consistency and highlight the raw materials.

The finished gin is bottled at 41.6% ABV and presents a classic London Dry profile. Juniper leads with crisp pine and citrus oil, followed by coriander spice, orange brightness, and a light sweetness from licorice and almond. The palate is clean, balanced, and versatile, making it suitable for martinis, gin‑and‑tonics, and other classic cocktails. 

Congo DR

Lotoko, also known by the slang term pétrole, is a home-distilled alcoholic drink or moonshine in the Democratic Republic of the Congo. Lotoko is usually made from maize, but sometimes from cassava or plantain. Heads of corn are cut up and boiled into a mash which is then fermented and distilled using improvised stills made from cut-down oil drums. Although it is officially banned because of its high alcohol content (over 50%), its production is widespread in the Democratic Republic of Congo.

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Belgium vs Senegal

Belgium

Like the Dutch, Jenever (also known as genever or genièvre) is the national distilled spirit of Belgium.  It is distilled from a base of malt wine (fermented from malted barley, rye, and sometimes corn), giving it a fuller, maltier profile than standard gin.  And in 2008, Jenever has held a Protected Geographical Indication (PGI) status within the EU, recognizing its origins in the Netherlands and Belgium.

Senegal
Bissap (hibiscus juice) is the national drink of Senegal.  It is a non-alcoholic beverage made from the dried flowers of the Hibiscus sabdariffa plant, known for its floral, tangy, and refreshing taste, often prepared with mint and sugar. 

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USA vs Bosnia and Herzegovina

Laird’s Tenth Generation Bottled in Bond Apple Brandy (United States)
It’s almost surreal to think that America’s oldest licensed distillery isn’t a bourbon house or a rye pioneer — it’s Laird & Company, a family‑run New Jersey distillery whose apple spirits have satisfied American palates since the 1700s. The Laird family has distilled through wars, Prohibition, industrialization, and ten generations of stewardship, making their Tenth Generation Apple Brandy a living piece of American history. 

The brandy begins with fresh‑pressed apple cider sourced from orchards across the Mid‑Atlantic, then fermented to preserve crisp fruit character and natural acidity. Distillation takes place in traditional copper pot stills, yielding a spirit that balances orchard brightness with depth from concentrated apple skins and seeds. Maturation unfolds in charred American oak, where vanilla, spice, and gentle tannin integrate with the apple‑driven core. The Tenth Generation Bottled in Bond release highlights the family’s ongoing commitment to heritage production — consider it a bridge between colonial‑era applejack and modern American craft distilling.

Laird’s Tenth Generation opens with baked apple, cinnamon, toasted oak, and subtle caramel on the nose. The palate is warm and expressive: apple pie, clove, vanilla, citrus peel, and a touch of roasted nut, all carried by the natural fruit sweetness of long‑aged apple brandy. The finish is long with lingering spice, oak, and apple‑skin tannin. This bottling stands as a benchmark American apple brandy — a spirit that captures the continuity of ten generations and the enduring soul of American distillation. Happy 250th. 

Gazdina Rakija Vilijamovka - Williams Pear Brandy (Bosnia & Herzegovina)
Rakija is the cultural centerpiece for the countries that emerged from the breakup of Yugoslavia - and that is particularly the case in Bosnia and Herzegovina. In this multiethnic country, where the parliamentary republic has a tripartite presidency, rakija is a unifying force and a symbol of hospitality, craftsmanship, and generational continuity. In this landscape, Gazdina has emerged as one of the region’s modern standard‑bearers, blending traditional distillation with orchard‑driven precision. 

The Vilijamovka begins with fully ripe Williams pears, harvested at peak aromatic intensity from orchards across Bosnia and Herzegovina. Fermentation is slow and temperature‑controlled, preserving delicate esters and the natural pear‑skin aromatics that define great Vilijamovka. Distillation takes place in small copper pot stills, where careful cuts ensure clarity, texture, and unmistakable varietal character. Gazdina’s philosophy is rooted in purity — no added sugar, no artificial flavoring, no shortcuts — just fruit, fermentation, and copper. After distillation, the spirit rests to integrate and soften, allowing the pear’s floral and honeyed notes to fully develop.

Gazdina Vilijamovka opens with fresh pear, white blossom, honey, and subtle citrus on the nose. The palate is clean, expressive, and all Williams pear. The palate concentrates on ripe orchard fruit, subtle spice, soft sweetness, and a touch of roundness. The finish is long and fruit‑forward, with lingering pear, floral lift, and a little minerality.