Refreshing whisky cocktails inspired by the classics
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Schenelle Dsouza- 10 minutes read
Schenelle Dsouza
When you think of a spirit like whisky, you almost never imagine it in a cocktail. And true aficionados will agree that whisky is best enjoyed neat or at the very least over ice. However, over the years, aficionados and amateurs have both become open to the idea of a good whisky cocktail, favouring classics like the whisky sour and highball. And while we love the classics, a little experimentation is always fun!
Refreshing the classics with a contemporary take, expert mixologists around the country shared their modern recreations of classic whisky cocktails made especially for the warm summer season. Check out these cocktail recipes below!
Dark Knight – Vishal Tawde, Head Mixologist, PCO Mumbai
Ingredients:
50m whisky
12.5ml caramel syrup
10ml lime acid
Garnish: Espresso foam
Method: Shaken
Gleaming Reno – Glenmorangie
Ingredients:
40ml Glenmorangie Lasanta
1/2 a passionfruit
10ml ginger syrup
15ml pineapple juice
1 dash vanilla bitters
10ml egg white
Method: Add the whisky, tropical ginger syrup, pineapple juice, lemon juice and egg white into a cocktail shaker. Then scoop the seeds and flesh from half a passion fruit and add them too. Fill with ice cubes and shake well, then strain into a chilled martini glass. And don’t forget to bring some bling to the glass. We suggest gold leaf and a lemon twist.
Golden era: Captivation – Atul Mastud, Bar Shift Manager, Hakkasan
Ingredients:
45ml Bourbon
15ml date cordial
20ml schezuapn shrub Yang walker
4 drops of aromatic bitters
Garnish: Skewered date, date powder & edible gold
Method: Stir & single strain
Hennessy Maple Spiced Old Fashioned – Hennessy
Ingredients:
60ml Hennessy Very Special
4 dashes Angostura bitters
7.5ml homemade spiced maple syrup
Garnish: slice of ginger & dehydrated lime
Method: Add spiced maple syrup, bitters and Hennessy in a mixing glass full of ice. Stir until well chilled and diluted. Strain into an old-fashioned glass with an ice block. Garnish with a flamed cinnamon stick.
High(T)Ball – Hemali Bendre, Head Mixologist, Native Bombay
Ingredients:
60ml Blended scotch whisky
20ml sustainable mint syrup- 20ml
45ml chamomile tea brew- 45ml
Soda water- Top up
Garnish: Fresh mint sprigs and orange wedge
Method: Start by filling your glass with ice, follow it by the Blended scotch whisky, and top it off with the mint syrup, tea brew and soda water. You don’t stir or shake the cocktails in a built up drink. Garnish with Fresh Mint sprigs and Orange Wedge before you sit back and sip!
Melon Sage Old Fashioned – Malvika Pardhanani, Bar Executive, The St. Regis Mumbai Bar
Ingredients:
60ml melon-infused whiskey
15ml sage syrup
A dash of spice bitters
Garnish: Melon balls and a sprig of sage
Method: Stirred
My Rosetta – Mayur Marne, Head Mixologist & Partner, Cobbler & Crew, Pune
Ingredients:
60ml Johnnie Walker Red Label Scotch
40ml pineapple & ginger cordial
15ml blueberry wine
15ml vanilla lactate
20ml lime juice
Method: Shake & Strain
Old Fashioned Roast – Avril Gonsalves, Head Mixologist, Butterfly High Mumbai
Ingredients:
60ml Jim Beam
10ml maple syrup
Garnish: Marshmallow garnish
Method: Stirred
Tamarind Whisky Shake – Prantik Haldar, Beverage Innovations Head, The Bombay Canteen
Ingredients:
60ml whisky
90ml orange juice
5ml lime juice
2 bar spoon (or teaspoon) tamarind paste
Ice cubes
Garnish: Orange peel
Method: Add all the ingredients to a cocktail shaker along with ice and shake. Pour over ice in the old-fashioned glass. Garnish with the orange peel.
Walter White – Latesh Kotian, Beverage Director, Silly Mumbai
Ingredients:
60ml Jim Beam bourbon whisky
7.5ml elderflower syrup
3-4 dashes Angostura aromatic Bitter
Garnish: orange peel
Method: Stirred and poured over clear block ice
Yang walker – Rosslyn Selwin Karpanam, Head Mixologist, Yauatcha
