Part 1 of this three-part series on easy whisky-based DIY cocktails is here.
With the basics out of the way and two of the six recipes down, let’s continue with three more quick and easy DIY-cocktails that you can make at home for both yourself and your guests.
No. 3: The Bold Beginning – Rob Roy
WHAT IT IS
With one-third of this drink being sweet vermouth, the Rob Roy is the perfect aperitif to serve before a meal. Guests will finish this drink with a dry palate that’s more than ready for food.
WHAT YOU NEED
1. Chivas Regal 12 (40 millilitres)
2. Sweet vermouth (20 millilitres)
3. Bitters (two dashes)
4. Orange twist
HOW TO MAKE IT
1. Pour the Chivas Regal 12 into a mixing glass, then add in the sweet vermouth and bitters. Stir to mix them.
2. Add the ice in and stir continuously to melt it until the volume of liquid in the glass has doubled. The purpose of this is to dilute the mixture and reduce its alcohol content from 35 per cent ABV down to around 15 to 20 per cent ABV.
3. Strain into a chilled martini glass and garnish with a twist of orange.
NOTE THESE
1. For even quicker preparation, you can mix this cocktail directly in a rock glass. Simply remove the excess ice after the desired volume of liquid is reached.
2. To garnish, remove as much of the orange peel’s pith as possible first before twisting what’s left to wring out the oils contained inside. The peel should then be rubbed onto the rim of the glass before being dropped into the cocktail.
3. For a sweet vermouth, try Martini Rosso.
No. 4: The Finisher – Old Fashioned
WHAT IT IS
A timeless cocktail that’s frequently cited as one of mixology’s classic drinks, the Old Fashioned here is built around its soul – the whisky inside it – with every other note chosen to accentuate it. Finish the evening on a right note with this.
WHAT YOU NEED
1. Chivas Regal 12 or 18 (60 millilitres)
2. Bitters (two dashes)
3. Brown sugar (one cube)
4. Orange (one slice)
HOW TO MAKE IT
1. Put the brown sugar cube into an Old Fashioned glass and add two dashes of bitters. Muddle them together using either a muddler or whatever else is available.
2. Pour in 15 millilitres of your Chivas whisky of choice, then add an ice cube to the mixture. Stir continuously until the ice cube is half melted.
3. Repeat step two another three times to mix in a total of 60 millilitres of whisky and four ice cubes
5. Garnish with an orange slice.
NOTE THESE
1. Use a larger orange slice here; the cocktail is strong given the volume of whisky, so more garnish is needed to balance it.
2. The steps here are simple, but the process is fairly long, and each cocktail could take a few minutes to prepare, so plan accordingly.
3. You could conceivably put in the full amount of whisky and all four ice cubes together, but this is not preferred. Ideally, you should use larger ice cubes which melt more slowly, so fitting four of them into an Old Fashioned glass will be difficult.
No. 5: The Special Occasion: River Isla
WHAT IT IS
A whisky-and-champagne cocktail, this highball highlights the flavours of autumn, but doesn’t need to be confined to that season. Mix this for any celebratory occasion, and put that bubbly you’ve just popped to good use.
WHAT YOU NEED
1. Chivas Regal 18 (50 millilitres)
2. Caramelised apple cordial (50 millilitres)
3. Perrier-Jouët Grand Brut champagne (20 millilitres)
4. Soda water (30 millilitres)
5. Sage (one sprig)
6. Apple (one slice)
HOW TO MAKE IT
1. Pour the Chivas Regal 18, Grand Brut champagne, and caramelised apple cordial into a highball glass sequentially.
2. Fill the glass with ice before topping up with soda water.
3. Stir, then garnish with a sprig of sage and a slice of apple.
NOTE THESE
1. To prepare caramelised apple cordial, simply reduce 200 millilitres of apple cider over high heat in a pan to around a quarter of its original volume. This should be done well in advance, as you will need the caramelised apple cordial to cool down to room temperature before you use it.
2. Any apple cider with around 4.5 per cent ABV is suitable. This process wouldn’t take more than 20 minutes, is more impressive than it sounds, and should probably be kept a secret from your guests.
3. Leftover caramelised apple cordial can be kept for up to two days and used at another time. It must, however, be refrigerated.
4. Although champagne takes up a fairly small proportion of this cocktail by volume, it lends a kick by rounding out the flavour profile of the drink. Again, feel free to experiment with different champagnes, or use whatever is at hand to create your own unique take.
This three-part guide to whisky-based DIY cocktails concludes in Part 3.