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Be it a house party or a wedding anniversary, cocktails are quite a hit during celebrations. With interesting combinations and unique flavours, these boozy drinks always excite our taste buds. Be it gin, scotch whisky, or vodka, the process of making a cocktail involves a delicate balance of ingredients, precise measurements, and a touch of magic. The solution created is not just a drink; it becomes a form of art.
Another exciting thing about cocktails is that they give you an opportunity to showcase your creativity by experimenting with ingredients. Each cocktail is a balanced combination of flavours, colours, and textures that come together to create a sensory experience that is both delicious and memorable. Margarita, old-fashioned, mojito, and pina colada are some cocktails that are popular all across the world.
If you are also looking for some unique and exciting cocktails to surprise your friends and family on their next visit to your house, here are six recipes shared by renowned mixologists at Diageo, India:
Gordon’s & Tonic:
By Mayur Marne, Brand Ambassador at Diageo, India
Ingredients:
- 60 ml Gordon's London dry gin
- 180 ml tonic water top-up
- 1 lemon wedge
Method
- Fill a chilled Copa glass with fresh ice cubes.
- Pour the gin over ice and top it up with a chilled tonic.
- Gently squeeze a wedge of lime into the glass before dropping it in, then give it all a final stir and serve.
Tanqueray Basil Bae
By Ajay Nayyar, Brand Ambassador at Diageo, India
Ingredients:
- 45 ml Tanqueray London dry gin
- 5 to 6 basil leaves
- 1 teaspoon of honey
- 10 ml of lime juice
- Garnish: lime wheel or basil sprig
Method:
- Add 4 cubes of ice along with all the ingredients to a cocktail shaker and shake well.
- Double-strain the liquid into the glass.
- Garnish and serve.
The Singleton Cooler
By Vikram Ku, Brand Ambassador at Diageo, India
Ingredients:
- 60 ml Singleton scotch whisky
- 10 ml of sugar syrup
- 20 ml of lime juice
- 3 cucumber slices
- 4 mint sprigs
Method
- Add 3 cucumber slices and 4 mint sprigs to a cocktail shaker.
- Combine Singleton, lime juice, and sugar syrup in a mixing bowl.
- Garnish with a cucumber slice and mint.
Spiced Bloody Mary
By Shantanu Sengupta and Vikram Ku, brand ambassadors at Diageo, India
Ingredients:
- 60 ml of Smirnoff vodka
- 15 ml of lime juice
- A pinch of chaat masala
- A pinch of salt
- A pinch of crushed pepper
- A dash of Tabasco sauce (if available)
- 120 ml of tomato juice
Method:
- Stir up all the ingredients in a tall glass filled with ice.
- Garnish with slit chilli, sliced cucumber, and cherry tomato, and enjoy.
Black & White Spice Basket
By Shantanu Sengupta and Vikram Ku, brand ambassadors at Diageo, India
Ingredients
- 45 ml Black & White scotch whisky
- 1 ginger slice
- 1 clove of green cardamom
- Juice of ½ lime
- 2 drops of aromatic bitters
- Ginger ale to the top
Method:
- In a cocktail shaker, add the ginger slice, cardamom, and muddle. Pour in the lime juice and whisky and add ice. Shake.
- In a glass, add ice and strain the cocktail. Top it up with ginger ale and stir.
- Garnish with a star anise and a cinnamon stick. Serve.
Black Blazer
By Shantanu Sengupta and Vikram Ku, brand ambassadors at Diageo, India
Ingredients:
- 60 ml of Black Dog scotch whisky
- 15 ml of paan and rose syrup
- 20 ml of orange juice
- 1 dash of bitters
Method:
For the paan and rose syrup:
- Boil 5 leaves of paan and 5 petals of a rose, added to 100 g of sugar and 100 ml of water.
For the cocktail:
- Take a cocktail shaker and add all the ingredients, giving it a good shake.
- Strain into a chilled cocktail glass over fresh ice.
- Garnish with orange peel, and serve.
