These 5 Cocktails Will Make Your Party A Win-Win
Be it a themed affair, an intimate hang or a formal dinner, lip smacking cocktails elevate the mood of any party you host. When you turn mixologist on such occasions, along with your more elaborate contraptions, what stand out are those classic recipes that never fail to impress guests when they are blended right. From the old fashioned to a rum and cola highball, many such classic cocktails are bound to be the highlight of any party. These are recipes perfected across time by bartenders working on their formulas many times over to arrive at the perfect proportion of ingredients. And when you get that right, you are well on your way to becoming the most favoured mixologist in your circles.
Read on below for a glimpse at the detailed recipes of some classic cocktails that would turn your run of the mill party into a memorable affair:
Old Fashioned
Prepare a classic old fashioned using quality bourbon and citrus bitters to elevate the flavour offerings at your home bar. Find out below a step-by-step recipe to prepare this famed cocktail:
Ingredients:
60 ml bourbon or rye whisky
1 sugar cube
3 dashes of Angostura bitters
For garnish:
Orange slice or maraschino cherries
Method:
1. In a rocks glass, muddle sugar cubes and bitters together. Add a splash of water, if required, to dissolve the sugar quicker.
2. Add a couple of ice cubes before pouring the bourbon and stir gently.
3. Garnish the cocktail with a twisted orange peel or a maraschino cherry. Your old fashioned is now ready to be enjoyed.
Classic Martini
If it’s good enough for a certain British spy, it’s good enough for us! A classic martini is a go to drink for many cocktail connoisseurs so when you get this mix right, you will reign supreme as a mixologist at any party you host. Here’s a glimpse at a quick recipe:
Ingredients:
75 ml Tanqueray No. Ten Gin
15 ml dry vermouth
For garnish:
Lemon twist or olives
Method:
1. Chill your martini glass by placing it in a freezer.
2. Fill a shaker with ice cubes and pour gin. Add dry vermouth according to your taste preference and the amount of ice you add.
3. Stir the mixture with a bar spoon or shake briskly.
4. Strain it into your chilled martini glass using a Hawthorne strainer.
5. Garnish the drink with a twisted lemon peel or skewer an olive and place it in the glass. The classic martini is now ready to be served.
Ginger Highball
A simple yet spiky cocktail, this drink exudes a subtle intensity and sweetness characteristic of a luxurious Johnny Walker. Make a straightforward ginger highball following the recipe below:
Ingredients:
30 ml Johnny Walker Red Label
120 ml ginger ale
For garnish:
1 ginger slice
1 star anise
Method:
1. Fill a highball glass with ice.
2. Build all the ingredients in order, starting with Johnny Walker.
3. Garnish with a ginger slice or a star anise. Your ginger highball is ready to be served.
G&T
One of the most classic, yet unfailingly delicious concoctions, a G&T served with a lime wedge garnish will stand out as a winner at any party across an array of seasons and festivities. Here’s how you can mix this cocktail:
Ingredients:
60 ml Tanqueray No. Ten Gin
120 ml tonic water (Optional: use bitter lemon or ginger tonic water for flavour)
For garnish:
Lime wedge or lemon slice
Method:
1. Fill a highball glass or rocks glass with ice cubes.
2. Build the gin and tonic water in order.
3. Garnish with a lime wedge or lemon slice as per your preference. Your classic G&T is now ready to be savoured.
Rum & Cola
Another classic highball number, this is a cocktail with a long history. Mixologists make the famed cuba libre, or rum with coke as a signature drink at many gatherings where you are just looking for a good time and a cheerful buzz. Read on for a quick recipe to make this cocktail:
Ingredients:
60 ml Captain Morgan Dark Rum
120 ml cola
For garnish:
Lime wedge
Method:
1. Fill a highball glass with ice keeping room for the other ingredients.
2. Pour the rum over ice and top it up with cola. Make sure you adjust the proportion of the cola according to the ice you have added to avoid diluting the mix.
3. Garnish with a lime wedge and decorate with a tiki umbrella. Relish your rum and cola with some crispy appetisers.
