Shake it or Stir It

Ever since cocktails became a thing in the roaring 1920s, they have been a symbol of coolness. Actors, artists, socialites, heiresses… the most chic There is something quintessentially chic about cocktails. From the paraphernalia around them – shaker, glasses and garnishes – to how cool one looks drinking one, cocktails have been a symbol of style and sophistication ever since Prohibition went into effect. Oh the allure of the “forbidden”! 

I need to start with a coffee-infused Negroni: equal parts of vermouth Cinzano Bianco 1757, Campari and gin are the ingredients of an original Negroni garnished with a bit of orange peel. For this one, we are adding a third of the measure of the other spirits of Barolo Chinato, an aromatised fortified wine from the Piedmonte region. You add tons of ice to dilute the alcohol and stir it to get rid of the ethanol fumes. After tasting several gins, the one that gives it a more special twist is Amázzoni gin from Brazil. 

Amázzoni includes botanicals never seen before in this spirit, all of which come from the heart of the Amazonian rainforest, namely Brazil nut, maroon cucumber, victoria regia, cipò cravo (an aromatic creeper that smells a bit like clove) and of course, cocoa. Chocolate and coffee go together famously well, and this is the reason to select this particular gin. The coffee flavour comes from passing the Negroni though a funnel with a coffee filter where you put coarsely ground coffee (just a teaspoon). The quality of the coffee is quite important here, so I’d recommend Lavazza for Planet, 100 percent Arabica coffee, mild and fruity. Serve in a rock glass, finished with a bit of orange peel. Amázzoni gin available HERE, Barolo Chinato HERE and Lavazza coffee HERE.

Next, it has to be a Cosmopolitan. The Christmas touch is added at the very beginning by grating a quarter of a nutmeg into a shaker and adding a cinnamon stick. Then – for two cocktails – you add 100ml of Edwards Rhubarb vodka (made with Yorkshire rhubarb) and half that amount of cranberry juice, another 50ml of clementine Juice, lime juice and triple sec. Pour in 25ml of ginger syrup and shake for 10 seconds. 

Now it is time to add a good handful of ice and give it a longer shake, probably double the time, before straining and serving in cocktail glasses with grated orange zest sprinkled over the top. Find Edwards Rhubarb HERE. 

My third choice is a not very well known but delicious party cocktail, the Clover Club.Combine a double measure of Santa Ana gin (45-50ml) with 25ml of lemon juice, and egg white, 15ml of framboise syrup and a tablespoon of simple syrup. Now you need a bit of muscle to give it a real good shake for 10 seconds to emulsify the egg white. Now it is the time to add the ice and shake for 10 – 15 seconds. Double strain into a chilled cocktail glass and serve. 

Santa Ana Gin is made via partial-vacuum distillation, a process that allows to extract a concentration of botanical aromas without degradation by heat. This technique strengthens the perfumes of the botanicals and makes them more complex. You can find Santa Ana gin HERE.

It is definitely time to introduce a rum cocktail. To move away from the obvious, I have chosen a Sampinit Sour. Sampinit is a Philippine wild raspberry that, mixed with rum, creates s a refreshingly crisp cocktail. My choice here is also from the Philippines, Don Papa 7.

Start by putting 25ml of lemon juicy, two sprigs of mint and two raspberries in a cocktail shaker and gently muddle to combine the flavours. Then add 50ml of Don Papa 7 and ice. Shake for 10-15 seconds and ready to pour into a rock glass with some crushed ice. Garnish with an orchid, mint sprig, and a fresh raspberry. You can find Don Papa 7 HERE.

After rum, I think we should introduce tequila. Mayan Coffee is the kind of cocktail that will warm you up from within after a winter walk or an afternoon roaming stores in search of that final elusive present. 

Mix equal parts of Maestro Dobel Añejo tequila and fresh Lavazza for Africa espresso coffee (this rich blend of Arabica and robusta adds intensity to the cocktail) with a dash of coffee liqueur and of dark agave nectar (a spoonful or two), three dashes of chocolate bitters and two of orange bitters. Shake extra hard with ice for up to eight seconds before fine-straining into a glass. Garnish with freshly grated nutmeg and chocolate, a pinch of cinnamon powder and a few coffee beans. 

You can find Maestro Dobel Añejo HERE and Lavazza for Africa HERE.

And here comes our choice for a whisky-based cocktail: Singular tales. This fabulous concoction was created by Pritesh Mody (founder of World of Zing) exclusively for Bushmills Single Malt 10-year-old Irish whiskey, the result of a marriage of single malts matured for at least 10 years in hand-selected bourbon barrels and sherry butts.

Bushmills 10-year-old is zesty and fresh on the nose, with notes of ripe fruit, creamy vanilla and soft toasted wood. It has a crisp finish that dwindles gently on the palate.

t is also dead easy to prepare, you don’t even need a shaker. Pour directly into a tumbler glass filled with ice a double measure of 10-year-old single malt Bushmills Irish whiskey (50ml), 20ml of apple syrup, half that of cider vinegar, 30ml of cloudy apple juice, one egg white and top up with soda (as much or as little as you want). Finally, garnish with apple crisps, thyme and rosemary. You can buy 10-year-old single malt Bushmills HERE.

As I am a bit partial to gin, for my last cocktail I have chosen Mulled Gin, a much better option than the wine equivalent. This is a bit of a bomb, so please don’t try this at home unless you are a well-seasoned drinker. My gin of choice here is Amarula. Yes, you read well, I am not talking about their famous South African cream liqueur but about their gin, which is distilled with African premium botanicals such as marula fruit, orange blossom, juniper berries and peppery Ghanaian grains of paradise.

Amarula gin displays a light, sweet orange flourish and a spicy backbone. This refreshing, uniquely African gin works wonderfully well with the zesty notes of lemon and apple.

This is actually a cocktail that I like drinking warm. For two servings, combine in a saucepan, 100ml of Amarula gin, three times that of apple juice, 20ml of honey, six cloves, four cardamom pods and one cinnamon stick. Warm up on the hob for five minutes (low heat) to release all the aromas. Then pour into two glasses, and as a garnish, add lemon slices, one cinnamon stick in each plus a cardamom pod and a couple of cloves. Trust me, you’ll never drink mulled wine ever again. Amarula gin is available to purchase HERE.

Words: Julia Pasarón

Opening picture by Michal Lizuch