Many people think whisky is made to be served neat or on the rocks. But the honey-brown liquor is infinitely versatile and pairs beautifully with far more than ice cubes and Chesterfield couches.
Felix Allsop is bar manager at The Everleigh in Melbourne, one of Australia’s most awarded bars. He says people need to keep an open mind when it comes to mixing Scotch. “I think the main challenge with mixing scotch is the perception that to use a single malt in a co*cktail is sacrilege,” says Allsop. “We don’t agree with that at all. The better the ingredient, the better the co*cktail.”
Allsop suggests your bartender is like a jeweller, creating a golden band of ingredients – and sometimes a few other precious stones – to complement and draw attention to the diamond that is the single malt whisky. “There’s such a broad range of flavours within Scotch,” he says. “Some whiskies lend themselves more to mixing than others.”
With World Whisky Day just around the corner (Saturday May 19), we asked Allsop to provide three of his favourite Scotch co*cktails you can make at home for just the right occasion.
The White Horse
Occasion: A Sunny afternoon with friends
Scotch and dry is a classic pairing. But, as a connoisseur, you can do better. Easy to make but consistently delicious, Allsop recommends his variation: The White Horse.
“It’s originally a Scotch highball, with ginger ale and a bit of pineapple juice in there,” he says. “But at the Everleigh, we make it a little more involved. It’s a little bit on the sweeter side, nice and spicy from the ginger, but with tropical and earthy notes that you’ll find coming to the fore.”
Felix says matching those features with the right Scotch is important. “I’d go with something a bit lighter, so the Glenfiddich 12 would be good for that.”
In terms of occasion, Allsop says this one’s for late afternoon when the sun’s getting low among the trees. “It’s definitely for after lunch, out in the backyard,” he says. “Instead of having a beer, have one of these.”
The White Horse
Makes 1 serve. Approx. 2 standard drinks.
Ingredients:
60ml Glenfiddich 12 Year Old Scotch Whisky
30ml fresh pineapple juice
15ml fresh lemon juice
15ml sugar syrup and fresh ginger muddled through
Soda to finish
Candied ginger and pineapple leaf to garnish
Method:
Combine Glenfiddich, lemon juice, ginger syrup, pineapple juice and either shake or stir. Pour over ice, top with a dash of soda and garnish with candied ginger and pineapple leaf.
The Woolworths
Occasion: Before a dinner party
Allsop describes the Woolworths as something like a Scotch Martini – “a bit of a twist on a Rob Roy or Manhattan,” he says. “It’s a very classic pairing, sherry and Scotch. Scotch was always traditionally aged in sherry casks, and nowadays that’s not as common and much more expensive. But it’s still very much a sought-after style. If you’re using sweet sherry, it’ll bring out all those rich, fruitcake-y notes. But if you’re using a dry sherry, like in this co*cktail, it’ll show you a different side of scotch: much more elegant and bright and light, which is why I love this drink.”
The Everleigh bartenders are partial to a heavier whisky when making the Woolworths, something that’ll hold its own against the sherry. “We tend to use something quite malty, so The Balvenie would work well,” says Allsop.
The Woolworth’s is an ideal aperitif, something to whet your guest’s appetite before sitting down for a meal. “It’s definitely a pre-dinner drink,” says Allsop. “The sherry will dry out the drink and get you nice and puckered for a big meal later on.”
The Woolworths
Makes 1 serve. Approx. 2.5 standard drinks.
Ingredients:
60ml The Balvenie DoubleWood 12 Year Old
20ml dry sherry (Fino, Manzanilla or Amontillado)
10ml Benedictine
2 dashes orange bitters
Lemon twist for garnish
Method:
Combine all ingredients. Either stir in a glass or shake in a co*cktail mixer full of ice. Pour into glass with large piece of ice and garnish with lemon twist.
Whisky Milk Punch
Occasion: A winter party.
Nothing pleases the masses like punch. Simple to make and able to be served en masse, Whisky Milk Punch can be mixed beforehand and left for guests to serve themselves.
“I’m a bit of a sucker for a hearty milk punch,” says Allsop. “It’s originally made with an American whisky or dark rum, but if you’re going to use a big malty biscuity scotch like The Balvenie, that’ll go really well.”
Allsop suggests serving this drink in lieu of a dessert - either hot or cold. “This is an end of the night thing, after a big family meal in the middle of winter,” says Allsop. “It’s dessert punch.”
Whisky Milk Punch
Makes 15 serves. Approx. 1.3 standard drinks per serve.
Ingredients:
450ml The Balvenie DoubleWood 12 Year Old
180ml rich, dark rum (to really bring out those vanilla-y notes).
720ml good-quality full-cream milk
180ml sugar syrup
45ml vanilla extract
Loads of fresh nutmeg
Method:
Cold: mix all ingredients and pour into a punchbowl filled with the biggest pieces of ice you can find.
Warm: pour all ingredients into a saucepan and heat slowly.
This article is produced by Broadsheet in partnership with Glenfiddich and The Balvenie. See more whisky related events in celebration of World Whisky Day here.
