We all know that food and beverages are a match made in heaven, but usually what we don’t know are the pairs beyond wine and cheese that exist, are simple to make and equally sumptuous. Welcome to this new section on my blog called Cocktails And Cuisine With Aditi, wherein I shall share some classic, some offbeat, some regular and some unique food and beverage combos that you will enjoy trying.
Pushing the boundaries and challenging the status quo of single malt whisky since 1887, Glenfiddich celebrates World Whisky Day with the Experimental Series. Over its 130-year history, distiller William Grant & Sons and its most famous creation, Glenfiddich single malt scotch whisky, have blazed a pioneering trail that lives on today. Overcoming adversity over the years, innovating, remaining family-owned and ever-changing, Glenfiddich has become the world’s most-awarded and No.1-selling single malt whisky.
Forging the way for new Scotch whisky avenues, Glenfiddich has been collaborating with maverick individuals from the world of whisky. Designed with the desire to “inspire unusual and unexpected variants”, the Glenfiddich Experimental Series is the perfect means of memorializing this day. Focused on applying unparalleled and ingenious production processes, the Glenfiddich Experimental Series presents a unique single malt whisky experience.
Speaking on the significance held by the occasion of World Whisky Day, William Grant & Sons India Managing Director, James Pennefather said, “Glenfiddich has created a niche in the world of single malt Scotch whisky breaking age-old traditions and encouraging whisky aficionados to experiment. Building on the long-established tradition of innovation The Experimental Series helped Glenfiddich attain a new pinnacle of experimentation, setting it apart from all other distilleries. By forgoing the custom of a Malt Master selecting and examining malt whiskies, Glenfiddich welcomed global insights from 20 experts. On this World Whisky Day, we celebrate this time-honoured practice of taking on new challenges, savouring the finest of drams with our friends and family.”
The zeal for innovating new flavours at Glenfiddich, led Malt Master Brian Kinsman to partner with a local craft brewer of Speyside. Together they created the Glenfiddich IPA Experiment, a new single malt whisky, infused with breathtaking flavours from oak casks that have held a zesty Speyside IPA. Kinsman was also instrumental in the creation of the phenomenal Glenfiddich Project XX. A result of a collaboration between him and 20 whisky artistes from 16 countries around the world, the Glenfiddich Project XX is exceptional because it was created with a blend of 20 special single malts.
ABOUT WILLIAM GRANT & SONS AND GLENFIDDICH
William Grant & Sons, Ltd. is an independent family-owned distiller headquartered in the United Kingdom and founded by William Grant in 1887. Today, the luxury spirits company is run by the fifth generation of his family and distils some of the world’s leading brands of Scotch whisky, including the world’s favourite single malt Glenfiddich®, The Balvenie® range of handcrafted single malts and the world’s third largest blended Scotch Grant’s® as well as other iconic spirits brands such as Hendrick’s® Gin, Sailor Jerry®, Milagro® Tequila and, most recently, Tullamore D.E.W Irish Whiskey.
ABOUT GLENFIDDICH, INDIA
Glenfiddich is a single malt whisky owned and produced by William Grant & Sons Distillers Limited, an independent family-owned distiller founded by William Grant in 1886 and still controlled by the fifth generation of the family. Glenfiddich has gained a reputation for supporting the creative arts in India with various initiatives including the annual Artists in Residence award and World’s Most Experimental Bartender programmes.
And here are few amazing whiskey cocktail recipes for you to try 🙂
Brahmaputra Boat
Glenfiddich 60ml
Bay Leaf/cinnamon cordial 10ml
Fresh Lime juice 10ml
Apple Juice 30ml
Method – In a shaker glass filled with ice pour all of the above ingredients and shake well. Strain and serve straight up in a coupe glass. Garnish with a cinnamon candy
Brahmaputra Boat– The finest bay leaf from Assam and exquisite cinnamon from Kerala combine to make a cordial that gives the World’s Most Awarded single malt, the Glenfiddich 12 Year Old a rightful, full-bodied, spicy finish. Bay leaf and cinnamon. Gifts fit for monarchs, symbols of honour since the dawn of civilisation and waxed eloquent by poets including Apollo, the Greek God of Poetry.
Speyside Tiramisu
Glenfiddich 12 60ml
Dark Chocolate Sauce 15ml
Single cream 15ml
Gung Giri estate strong black coffee 15ml
Caramel syrup 10ml
Method – In a shaker glass filled with ice pour all of the above ingredients and shake well. Strain and serve straight up in a coupe glass. Sprinkle with orange peel and cinnamon
Speyside Tiramisu– The fruit-forward notes of the Glenfiddich 12 Year Old combine with the tangerine sweetness and intense aromas of the Gung Giri estate’s premium coffee. The finish is celebratory almost, with orange oils, cinnamon spice and caramel to round up all things whisky. Around 400 years ago, someone stole 8 seeds from the Arabs and planted them in Chikmagalur. Today, the whole world has an eye on the Gung Giri coffee blend.
Mullberry Sparkle
Glenfiddich 12 60ml
Gujarat Figs Puree 20ml
Reduced Apple Juice 30ml
Ginger Juice 5ml
Aromatic bitters 1 drop
Lime juice 10ml
Tonic Water 60ml
Method – In a goblet glass pour the Glenfiddich 12, Figs Puree, reduced apple juice, Ginger juice, aromatic bitters and lime juice and mix well. Fill with ice and top with Tonic water. Garnish with dried figs in a skewer
Mulberry sparkle– The fruity notes of the 12 Year Old expression find the perfect partner in handpicked Figs from Gujarat. A fig puree complements the sweetness of the malt, and the splash of ginger juice gives it a spicy zing. A twist of lime juice makes for a surprising citrus finish. A mention in the Old Testament. Believed to be the first domesticated crop ever. Extolled for its restorative powers. The fig has surely stood the test of time.
Nutty Rob Roy
Walnut Infused Glenfiddich 15 60ml
Palm sugar/Black pepper Syrup 10ml
Apple juice 30ml
Egg White 1 number
Method – In a shaker glass filled with ice pour all of the above ingredients and shake well. Strain and serve straight up in a tulip glass. Garnish with caramelised apple slice
Nutty Rob Roy– The best Kashmiri walnuts complement the nuttiness of our 15 Year Old Expression. A fine touch of palm sugar and a black pepper cordial bring the complexity alive. The result? A sweetness that lingers. The oldest tree food known to man. Rembrandt’s wonder ink. A Chinese investor’s wonder stock. No wonder the walnut was once only reserved for royalty.
Darjeeling Mail Old Fashioned
Glenfiddich 18 60ml
Castleton Muscatel concentrate 10ml
Spring Water Ice Cube 1 number
Method – In an old fashioned glass drop a big size spring water ice cube/sphere and measure the Glenfiddich 18, Castleton Muscatel concentrate and stir gently. Garnish with dehydrated marigold petals and serve
Darjeeling Mail Old Fashioned– The full-bodied aroma of the Darjeeling Castleton Muscatel extract combines with the rich fruity notes of the Glenfiddich 18 Year Old to enhance its sherry character. The magical expression of the cocktail changes with every sip, thanks to the marigold finish. A result of the finest Chinese saplings planted 125 years ago, the Castleton Muscatel second flush, over time, has acquired a sobriquet that’s anything but Chinese. The Champagne of Teas.
Moon Spring
Glenfiddich 21 60ml
Silver Tips Fullmoon Tea Liquor 60ml
Orange Nasturtium Petal Ice Cube 1 number
Method – Stirred and served
Method – In an old fashioned glass measure the Glenfiddich 21. Add 60 ml of the Silver Tips Fullmoon Tea Liquor. Drop one sphere ice/cube ice of Nasturtium flower and serve
Moon Spring– The Glenfiddich 21 Year Old comes alive with its nuanced rum character as it combines with Silver Tips Full-moon Tea. The Nasturtium Orange ice cube enhances the peppery finish of the 21 Year Old. Plucked only on one full-moon night every year, just for a minute short of 3 hours, they say it is a cosmic confluence that makes Silver Tips Imperial Darjeeling Tea magical.
Savour the golden malt and introduce your taste buds to these rare yet refreshing whisky cocktail recipes because Summer is nature’s way of saying let’s party
Because the Liquid Sunshine promises to add some extra spark and chemistry to your romantic valentine date nights we bring to you your soon to be favourite
Whisky Cocktail recipes for your forever.
Recipes
GRANT’S BLOOD AND SAND WHISKY COCKTAIL – So we all know the best thing about winters, Orange and Whisky. This cocktail is surely
going to be your and your partner’s favourite drink for the romantic winter
nights
Ingredients –
50ml Grant’s Family Reserve 50ml Orange Juice
45ml Sweet Vermouth Instructions
_1. Add Whisky, Orange Juice and sweet vermouth to a shaker. 2. Add in a spoon of juice from the Maraschino cherry jar.
3. Strain and garnish with a Maraschino cherry.
Key to your drink: https://grantswhisky.com/en/our-cocktails/grants-blood-and- sand/
GRANT’S ROB ROY WHISKY COCKTAIL – Don’t chase anything but Cocktails and Dreams. Woo your partner’s taste buds with the relishing flavour of your favourite cocktail .
Ingredients
50ml Grant’s Family Reserve 15ml Sweet Vermouth
1-4 Dash (es) of Bitters
Instruction
Add whisky, vermouth and bitters to a mixing glass. Add ice and stir.
Strain and garnish with a maraschino cherry.
Key to your drink: https://www.grantswhisky.com/en/our-cocktails/grants-rob- roy/\
GRANT’S GINGER WHISKY COCKTAIL – Here we are for all our old school love birds with there would be favorite cocktail drink for the season.
Give your LOVE a twist and enjoy this all-time favorite whiskey cocktail.
Ingredients
50ml Grant’s Family Reserve 150ml Ginger Ale
1/2 Lime
Instruction
Add the whisky into an ice filled glass.
Top with ginger ale, and squeeze half a lime. Garnish with lime wedge.
Key to your drink- https://www.grantswhisky.com/index.php/en/our- cocktails/grants/
Ain’t no party complete without the perfect booze, these cocktails are sure to ‘sleigh’ your party this holiday season!
Recipes
GRANT’S BLOOD AND SAND WHISKY COCKTAIL – So we all know the best thing about winters, Orange and Whiskey. This cocktail is surely going to be your favourite party pooper.
Ingredients
50ml Grant’s Family Reserve
50ml Orange Juice
45ml Sweet Vermouth
Instructions
Add Whisky, Orange Juice and sweet vermouth to a shaker.
Add in a spoon of juice from the Maraschino cherry jar.
GRANT’S AND GINGER WHISKY COCKTAIL – Don’t chase anything but Cocktails and Dreams. Woo your taste buds with the relishing flavour of your favourite whiskey and ginger ale.
GRANT’S OLD FASHIONED WHISKY COCKTAIL – Here we are for all our old school pals with there would be favourite cocktail drink for the season. Give your tongue a twist and introduce it to the cocktail world.
Ingredients
50ml Grant’s Family Reserve
One sugar cube soaked in bitters
Orange peel for garnish
Instructions
Soak sugar cube with bitters, add to a mixing glass and muddle.
Add ice followed by half of the whisky & stir.
Repeat and strain into glass over a single ice cube.
Cut up the seasonal fruits into thin slices or wedges. Leave the peels on.
Transfer the cut fruit to a pitcher.
Uncork the Red Wine and pour it over the fruit.
Measure the Cognac and pour it into the pitcher as well.
Measure and pour triple sec into the pitcher.
Stir the Red Wine, Cognac, Triple Sec and fruit together.
Cover the pitcher and refrigerate for at least 4 hours, or preferably overnight. Sangria gets softer, sweeter, and much more delicious overnight in the fridge.
When ready to serve, top off the Sangria with sparkling water.
Stir gently to combine.
Taste and add more if desired. Scoop a few pieces of fruit into each glass when serving.
Witch’s Spell (Blue cocktail)
Ingredients Quantity
Vodka 45 ml
Blue curacao 15 ml
Lemon juice 5 ml
Orange juice 5 ml
Orange Spiral for garnish
Method
Measure and pour Vodka into the cocktail shaker.
Measure and pour Blue Curacao into the cocktail shaker.
Measure and pour Lemon Juice into the cocktail shaker.
Measure and pour Orange Juice into the cocktail shaker.
Mix the Vodka, Blue Curacao, Lemon Juice and Orange Juice together.
Garnish the top off the Witch’s Spell glass with orange Spiral.
While some whisky lovers will tell you that it is a drink that has been designed to be enjoyed on its own, there is no doubt that it makes some pretty fine cocktails as well. So, here we will have a quick look through some of the finest ones that you can enjoy. The beauty is that a lot of these are very simple to make as well, so if you are not an experienced mixologist, you are in luck!
A lot of whisky cocktails involve a simple syrup. Essentially all you need to do is put equal parts water and white sugar over a medium-heat saucepan, remove it from the heat when the sugar has dissolved and allow it to cool. Which whisky you use depends on your taste, so you may be a Jim Beam fan or you could take a look at a kikori whisky review for something different. So, let’s move onto those cocktails.
The Manhattan
Probably the most iconic of them all, Manhattans have been enjoyed for years by many iconic people and characters. The classic way to serve it is to strain it into a cocktail glass with a Maraschino cherry. Your other ingredients are vermouth, bitters, the simple syrup we talked about earlier and lemon peel.
There is something especially great about going up to a bar and ordering an Old Fashioned and it is a cocktail that even many whisky purists enjoy from time to time. It is traditionally served in a short tumbler glass. You will need bitters again as well as the simple syrup, but you will also serve it with ice cubes and some orange peel to garnish. Squeeze the peel to release the oil to drop into the drink.
Hot Toddy
Though it may not be the right time of year right now to be enjoying one of these, there is nothing like a Hot Toddy during the cold winter months. Originally it was a drink that was designed to cure a whole range of illnesses, though it is not medically prescribed today! As well as your whisky of choice, you will need honey, cloves, nutmeg and lemon to garnish. Place the ingredients in a mug and pour in some hot water while stirring everything together.
Whisky Sour
The one thing that puts people off this particular cocktail is the frothy raw egg white, so you need to make sure you find the freshest eggs before serving up this particular cocktail. You will need lemon juice and your trusty simple syrup as well as your whisky and egg white. Shake everything vigorously before serving and serve in a glass of your choice.
John Collins
Though this is only a subtle variation on the Whisky Sour, the club soda that you add to the previous ingredients already listed above give it a different sort of edge. If you aren’t sure which one you prefer, it is worth giving both a go side by side!