Make 4 Winter Whisky Cocktails Spiced Up With Desi Flavours
Spotlight the richness of Indian flavours through the mixology glass with cocktail recipes that are a fluent blend of traditional flavours and modern mixology. Indian spices and condiments like cardamom, saffron, jaggery and chai masala infuse deeply earthy flavours and aromatic nuances into winter cocktails, turning them into robust drinks befitting the cold weather. Whisky can be accentuated with these touches, particularly when it is an Indian malt blend, which resonates that much more with the desi provenance of several spices. Winter cocktail recipes spiced with desi flavours can be the newest signature blends you serve at the next cocktail party you host this season.
Masala Hot Toddy
Bring together an Indian single malt with the flavours of masala chai in this warm winter cocktail version. Rich and rounded, certain malts produced in Indian deserts carry a very full-bodied flavour that blends seamlessly with the desi spices used to concoct traditional chai.
Ingredients:
- 30 ml Indian single malt whisky
- 1 cup hot water
- 1 tablespoon honey
- ½ tablespoon lime juice
- 2 cloves
- 1 small piece of dry ginger
- A pinch of black pepper
- Cinnamon stick and lime wedge for garnish
Method:
– Heat water with all spices including cloves, dry ginger and a pinch of black pepper. Strain into a mug and stir in 1 tablespoon honey and ½ tablespoon lime juice. Add whisky and stir gently. Garnish with a cinnamon stick and lemon wedge.
Saffron And Cardamom Whisky Sour
Both saffron and cardamom are among some of the most luxe Indian spices, full of rich aromas and vibrant flavours. When added to the sour cocktail, they enliven it with a complexity that is a sheer creamy and rich wonder in winter weather.
Ingredients:
- 30 ml blended Scotch whisky
- 20 ml lime juice
- 10 ml cardamom syrup
- 2-3 saffron strands soaked in milk
- 1 egg white
- Ice as required
- Saffron strands for garnish
Method:
– In a cocktail shaker, bring together 30 ml blended Scotch whisky, 20 ml lime juice, 10 ml cardamom syrup and 2-3 saffron strands soaked in milk with 1 egg white. Give all the ingredients a dry shake before adding ice and shaking again for 15-20 seconds. Strain the foamy cocktail into a rocks glass filled with ice and garnish with saffron strands.
Also Read: Mastering The Art Of Warm Serves — Explore Classic Techniques For Blending Winter Cocktails
Jaggery Old Fashioned
A smoky, briny drink immersed in a coastal nuance, this reinterpretation of the classic brings together two disparate culinary and mixology worlds in a cocktail glass. The deeply sweet notes of jaggery interact with a briny, smoky, layered Scotch to produce a cocktail with much character.
Ingredients:
- 30 ml Islay single malt Scotch
- 1 teaspoon jaggery syrup
- 2 dashes of citrus bitters
- 1 pinch of powdered cinnamon
- Ice as required
- Lemon slice for garnish
Method:
– To make the jaggery old fashioned, bring together 1 teaspoon jaggery syrup and 2 dashes of citrus bitters in a mixing glass and stir well. Add 30 ml Islay single malt Scotch and ice. Stir again. Strain into a rocks glass over a large ice cube. Garnish with a lemon slice.
Kashmiri Kahwa Highball
An excellent fusion of mountain flavours emanating from the Kashmir valley and the elegant profile of a quality Highland Scotch, this highball is lifted up by a mix of assorted spices that make up the Kahwa, or the Kashmiri green tea – doused in the aromas of saffron, cardamom, cloves and cinnamon.
Ingredients:
- 30 ml Highland Scotch
- 60 ml freshly brewed and chilled Kashmiri Kahwa
- 30 ml soda water
- Ice as required
- 1 slit almond and saffron strand for garnish
Method:
– In a cocktail glass filled with ice, add 30 ml Highland Scotch and 60 ml freshly brewed and chilled Kashmiri Kahwa. Stir gently before topping this off with 30 ml soda water. Garnish with a slit almond and a saffron strand.
Key Takeaways:
– Craft a fusion of the flavours of Indian spices and the complexity of a quality whisky in a cocktail glass, through spiced drinks perfect for winter weather.
– Ingredients such as cardamom, saffron, jaggery and chai masala can infuse winter cocktails with a desi twist.
– Prepare spiced syrups including a cardamom syrup and a colourful saffron and milk concoction for adding an aromatic depth into cocktails.
FAQs:
– Which are some of the whisky drinks that can be crafted with a desi twist?
Cocktails like the masala hot toddy, the saffron and cardamom whisky sour and the Kashmiri Kahwa highball are among some of the whisky drinks that can be crafted with a desi twist.
– Is it possible to serve the Kashmiri Kahwa drink as a warm cocktail?
Absolutely. However, while serving it warm, swap out the soda with a hint of maple or jaggery syrup to introduce more wintry touches into it, as the drink no longer remains a highball.
– Why is it essential to soak saffron strands in milk while blending the whisky sour cocktail?
Saffron strands release their crimson hues when soaked in milk, which lend the cocktail a richer finish. The tablespoon of milk added to the blend also infuses it with a creamier, more luxurious quality.
All cocktails listed use 30 ml liquor measurements for single serves. Drink Responsibly. This communication is for audiences above the age of 25.
