New Delhi: As the country goes back into lockdown, beat the blues and the summer heat by sipping on some delicious home made cocktails. One would think, summer is all about sunshine, tan lines, tall drinks, and if you’re lucky, a vacation or two, but as we stay home to stay safe, keep the spirits high by experimenting at your home bar.
Diageo India’s DIY cocktail recipes, by Brand Ambassador Meghana Balaji, help you pick from your favourite tipple, whether its � Gin, Vodka, Scotch or a Baileys! A perfect way to enjoy a sundowner is with a classic cocktail by your side.
Gordon’s’ G&T
Ingredients:
60ml Gordon’s London Dry
150-180ml Fever-Tree Tonic
2 dashes Bitters
Mosambi Wheel, Sage leaves garnish Ice: Cubed Ice
Glassware: Copa style glassware
Method:
As prep, chill your glass, the tonic & the gin far ahead of time.
In your chilled glass, pour in 60ml of Gordon’s London Dry Gin.
Top up with ice, until ice peaks through the glass like a mini iceberg.
Start to pour in 180ml of cold tonic water, you will notice the ice starts to melt.
Top with more ice to keep the carbonation strong, avoid over diluting your drink with mixer and to reduce the melt. Finish pouring in your tonic water as desired.
Dress with 2-3 dashes of bitters, and garnish with a mosambi wheel and sage leaves.
Andalusian Summer with Tanqueray London Dry
Ingredients:
45ml Tanqueray London Dry
20ml Chamomile Honey
20ml Fresh Orange Juice
15ml Lime Juice
Soda to Top Up
Orange Wheel
Glassware: Copa De Balon, Wine Glass
Method:
Take highball, add 60ml Tanqueray London Dry, and all other ingredients until lime juice.
Top up with ice, until ice peaks through the glass, stir and cool your drink down.
Place your orange wedge against the glass for a clean garnish look.
Add more ice and then top up ever so slightly with crisp soda.
Dress with 2-3 dashes of bitters if you like!
Ketel Mule
Ingredients:
45 ml Ketel One Vodka
100 ml Ginger Ale
Lime Wedges
Mint
Julienned Ginger
Glassware: Mule Mug
Method:
Lightly muddle a couple of ginger juliennes in your mule mug,
Juice half a lime,
Add 45 ml Ketel One, top with ice until ice peaks through the mug
Top with crisp, fresh, superbly cold ginger ale
Agitate a sprig of mint on the back of your hand. Garnish with more lime wedges, said mint and ginger juliennes.
Melon & Mint
Ingredients:
60 ml Smirnoff No.21 Vodka
5 Watermelon Wedges
3 Lime Wedges
15ml Sweet & Sour (a mix of sugar & lime)
Fresh Rosemary
Soda
Glassware: A highball glass
Method:
In a highball glass, muddle watermelon (de-seeded) and 60ml of Smirnoff No.21 Vodka.
Lightly muddle in the lime wedges. Don’t go in too hard, or the lemon oils make the drink bitter.
Pour in 15 ml of sweet & sour.
Add cubed ice to fill in the glass completely.
Add soda water until halfway; you’ll see the ice melt.
Wiggle your bar spoon right to the bottom of the glass, hitting the base, give it a proper stir
Top with more ice and a touch of soda.
Agitate a sprig of mint on the back of your hand.
Garnish with more lime wedges, said mint and a watermelon wedge on the rim.
Scotch needs to be in your arsenal of tasty summer drams. Follow along for sweet surprises!
Johnnie Berry Crush
Ingredients:
45ml Johnnie Walker Black Label
10ml Lime Juice
Ripe Raspberries / Strawberries
Soda Water to top up
Mint to garnish
Glassware: An Old-fashioned glass
Method:
Take an old-fashioned glass, add 3-4 strawberries and a sprig of mint
Use a muddler to gently crush the berries & mint
Pour in 45 ml of Johnnie Walker Black Label
Add crushed ice to the top and add soda water until halfway
Wiggle your bar spoon right to the bottom of the glass, hitting the base, give it a proper stir
Top with soda
Agitate your sprig of mint by slapping it against your palm
Garnish with mint and slurp it up! That’s a fabulous way to go highballing’ into the weekend!
Tips:
Adding all the soda and then giving it a stir will cause fizziness to reduce and take away the beautiful gradation in your drink.
Use a tall glass as a Collins (which fits more liquid) to further dilute your drink with soda if desired.
The colder the soda, the crisper the fizz. Ice is one part, but also make sure your soda is fresh off the refrigerator.
Citrus Got Real
Ingredients:
45ml Black & White Scotch and Whisky
60ml Fresh Orange Juice
10ml Fresh Lime
Lemonade tops up
Garnish Fresh basil
Glassware: An old-fashioned glass
Method:
Take an old-fashioned glass, pour in 45 ml of Black & White Scotch, 60ml of Orange Juice and 10ml of Lime juice.
Add ice to the top and add lemonade until halfway
Wiggle your bar spoon right to the bottom of the glass, hitting the base, give it a proper stir
Top with more ice and a touch of lemonade
Agitate basil by slapping it against your palm or tear into large chunks.
Garnish with delight! And your Black & White Scotch and Whisky citrus highball just got real!
And finally, a bottle that deserves to have a forever home in your chiller.
Bailey’s On Ice
Ingredients:
60ml Baileys
Crushed Ice
Coffee Dusting
30ml Dark Roast Espresso (optional)
Glassware: An old-fashioned glass
Method:
Fill to the top of the glass with crushed ice.
Allow the glass to cool and pour in the 60ml of Bailey’s on top.
Fill further with more crushed ice to keep it from melting too quickly.
Espresso fans could also pour in 30ml dark roast espresso for that bitter note.
Dust with instant coffee. Enjoy.