Caviar-Inspired Cocktails: 5 Drinks That Blend Luxury With Mixology
Known for its saline, briny flavours, caviar is a culinary delicacy that is a mix of umami and salty notes. It is generally served cold with a side of crème fraîche or even oysters and is often described as an acquired taste. Overtime, mixologists experimenting with different ingredient pairings and cocktail profiles have come to reimagine the use of caviar in blending drinks. This means endowing cocktail recipes with a luxurious and sophisticated edge that has become synonymous with caviar.
Drinks that use caviar as a garnish or are fat washed with crème fraîche or butter or even prepared with the incorporation of champagne to mimic the effervescence of caviar, all become a nod to this luxurious gastronomical treat. And introducing these flavours into cocktails undoubtedly also lends them a savoury and salty touch that builds more depth into blends.
Read on below to know more about some of the caviar-inspired cocktails that can be prepared at home while hosting a gathering that spells luxury:
Caviar Margarita
One of the more modernist cocktail concoctions, caviar margarita is a coming together of 30 ml Don Julio Blanco Tequila or any other premium tequila of choice with 15 ml lime juice, 10 ml saline and just a splash of orange liqueur. The salinity in the drink coupled with the slight tartness of orange liqueur brings into this blend a caviar-inspired finish that is all about imbuing elegance and sophistication into a classic blend. Use a spherical lime or a lightly citrusy caviar as a molecular garnish for the finishing touch.
Oscietra Spritz
An essential element in bringing caviar’s notes into any blend is effervescence. Oscietra spritz when prepared using 30 ml sparkling wine, 30 ml dry sherry and 15 ml sea buckthorn cordial brings this bubbly effect into the cocktail blend. Adding a pinch of lime zest further introduces a citrusy quality into the bubbly spritz. This, coupled with a blini chip and caviar garnish will make for a mix of sweet, tart and umami flavours that are well-suited to a luxurious formal dinner gathering hosted at home.
Seaside Negroni
A more sophisticated spin on the classic aperitif, a seaside negroni can be prepared by bringing together 30 ml Tanqueray No. 10 Gin or any other premium gin of choice with 15 ml blanc vermouth, 15 ml sake and a dash of yuzu bitters. What brings a slight brininess and saltiness into this mixture is a saline solution which lends the drink a seaside touch reminiscent of the salty taste of caviar. This drink can be garnished with a dehydrated citrus peel and a nori and salt rim for a heightened caviar-like, luxe touch, and can be served ahead of a grand dinner.
Nordic Fizz
Of the different caviar variations out there, the ones like beluga and sevruga, that is the traditional sturgeon caviar, are often found in Nordic regions. Inspired by their tasting notes, an exquisite nordic fizz can be prepared by bringing together 30 ml akvavit or a kind of clear spirit akin to vodka with 1 teaspoon dill tincture, a dash of cucumber shrub and a splash of club soda. This fizzy drink garnished with roe on a cucumber disc comes quite close to the taste of caviar and can be prepared as an elegant alternative at an evening time cocktail party.
Black Pearl Martini Cocktail
Complete with the notes of 30 ml Ciroc Ultra Premium Vodka or any other premium vodka of choice coupled with 15 ml dry vermouth, 2-4 saline drops and a dash of seaweed tincture, the black pearl martini cocktail is the perfect addition to an evening featuring caviar-inspired drinks. Its briny flavour and complex salinity finished off with a dollop of caviar placed on top of the drink imbues a luxurious touch into the blend inspired by caviar’s salty and umami notes.
Drink Responsibly. This communication is for audiences above the age of 25.
