In honour of World Cocktail Day (13th May) and World Whisky Day (16th May), Carl Peters of Altrincham-based Alibi Event Bars combines the two to demonstrate the versatility of a wee dram.
Whisky has long been a feature of Jewish celebrations, but it’s certainly come a long way from a dusty bottle of Bell’s brought to the table at a kiddush by your great uncle. The drink has seen a real upsurge in popularity in recent years and has become a staple at large events – you’ll often see a decent single malt selection at our event bars. Isla malts are currently having a moment with distilleries like Bruichladdich and Ardbeg bringing their signature smoky styles to the mix.
People may think whisky isn’t for them if they imagine taking it neat, but it makes a solid base for a delicious cocktail. Here are five that we have shaken and stirred at some recent weddings and Bar and Bat Mitzvah parties!
The Godfather
For those who love an Amaretto sour, this one’s for you. Stir 50ml (double shot) of whisky with 15ml Amaretto. Pick whichever whisky you want but the sweet Amaretto compliments the smoky ones perfectly. Serve on the rocks and garnish with some orange peel – it tastes like dessert and a cocktail in one.
Penicillin
Stir together 50ml of blended scotch – we like Johnny Walker Black Label – with the juice of half a lemon and a teaspoon of honey. Strain into a glass with plenty of ice and finish with a dash of Laphroaig 10 or Lagavulin 16. This is one for the purists and will definitely give you a boost if you’re feeling under the weather!
Mint Julep
This bourbon classic is super simple and equally tasty. Bourbon is a good starting point for anyone new to whisky as it has a bit of a sweeter flavour than scotch.
We’ve been serving a lot of these at event receptions recently and they look really stylish in their pewter cups. Simply clap and drop 10 mint leaves into the cup to release the flavour, add a dash of sugar syrup, 50ml of bourbon (we like Makers Mark), crushed ice, and stir. The ice will naturally reduce so top with more crushed ice and garnish with a sprig of mint. If you don’t have a pewter cup, a kiddush cup might do the trick!
Whisky Sour
A classic drink where any kind of whisky will do. Take 50ml of your chosen whisky, 25ml of lemon juice, 15ml of sugar syrup, and shake together with egg white. The egg white is a natural foaming agent and gives a great consistency to the drink but if that’s not your thing, try 25ml of chickpea water – trust us on this!
Shake hard, pour over cubed ice, and serve with a maraschino cherry, some orange peel, and a dash of aromatic bitters on the top for depth and aroma.
McDevil
This is a twist on a tequila classic – El Diablo. Pour 50ml of any whisky into a tall glass with ice, squeeze in the juice of half a lime, and top with fiery ginger beer. Then pour in a generous dash of Crème de Cassis (if you don’t have it, blackcurrant cordial will have to do). Garnish with a lime wheel and a blackberry. The perfect balance of sweet and spicy and the whisky flavour won’t be overbearing.
Alibieventbars.com
