Start Your New Year With A New Bar — And The Must-Have Bottles For The Season
The best whisky of the season would undoubtedly be that which can elevate your winter entertaining. As you plan to refresh or start building your home bar this season, fill it up with top whisky brands, best rum varieties and interesting flavoured gins that will last through the changing seasons. Mindfully stock up on bottles that are distributed across varied price points, so you end up splurging thoughtfully on a new bar for the new year. Starter cocktail recipes using gin, vodka, whisky and rum as the base spirits will help you better navigate what each purchase does to your home bar.
A Spectacular Blended Scotch
Start the new year afresh with the addition of a premium blended Scotch whisky to your liquor cabinet. Every winter, whisky creates quite a buzz: hot toddies, highballs, sours and old fashioneds abound cocktail rosters. Throughout the year, a good blended Scotch brings a much sought-after complexity and lightly layered flavours in essential cocktail serves. Source a mid-range blended Scotch, for preparing whisky-based cocktails all through the new year.
Starter Recipe: Classic Whisky Highball
Ingredients:
- 30 ml blended Scotch whisky
- 90 ml chilled soda
- Ice as required
- Lemon wheel for garnish
Method:
– In a tall highball glass filled with ice, add 30 ml blended Scotch whisky. Top this off with 90 ml chilled soda and garnish with a lemon wheel.
A Premium Gin
Sourcing a good quality gin is where you can splurge a little. Gin is a mixologist’s treasure as much for its botanical flourish as for its cocktail versatility. A premium gin can be used to prepare spritzers when the ball drops, it can accentuate the negronis you prepare in the early summer months of the new year and can be used to perfect martini cocktails, gin sours and tea and herb-based spring/summer concoctions.
Starter Recipe: Winter Gin And Honey Sour
Ingredients:
- 30 ml gin
- 10 ml lemon juice
- 10 ml honey syrup
- A dash of cinnamon powder
- Ice as required
- Star anise for garnish
Method:
– Add 30 ml gin, 10 ml lemon juice, 10 ml honey syrup, a dash of cinnamon powder and ice as required to a cocktail shaker. Shake well for 15-20 seconds and strain into a tall cocktail glass filled with ice. Garnish with star anise.
An Aromatic Rum
Tropical twists, winter spiced effects and dessert-forward drinks are what make rum such an essential addition to the bar you rebuild for the new year. The sheer versatility, deep flavour and caramelised nuance of rum make this as good an addition to mulled ciders and festive punch recipes as to rum cocktails like the piña colada or the dark and stormy. Go for a mid-range spiced, aromatic rum or a classic dark rum, according to your taste preferences.
Starter Recipe: Spiced Coconut Rum Toddy
Ingredients:
- 30 ml dark rum
- 90 ml warm coconut water
- 5 ml jaggery syrup
- A pinch of cinnamon powder
- Grated nutmeg for garnish
Method:
– In a heatproof mug, bring together 30 ml dark rum with 5 ml jaggery syrup and stir gently. Add 90 ml coconut water and a pinch of cinnamon powder and stir again. Garnish with a grated nutmeg.
Also Read: Learn How To Pair A Delightful Scottish Duo of Scotch Whisky With Shortbread
A Vodka With Character
Sourcing a vodka is where you can put a little bit of thought into the purchase. While vodkas abound, a good quality, flavoured spirit is what will lend cocktails in your new year quite a bit of fresh character. Go for a vodka laced with desi twists like lemon lime or mango mirchi, which can be used to prepare cocktails that work across different seasons.
Starter Recipe: Tropical Vodka Chilli Spritzer
Ingredients:
- 30 ml mango-chilli flavoured vodka
- 60 ml soda
- 1 tablespoon lime juice
- Ice as required
- Salt and chilli powder mix for the rim garnish
Method:
– In a cocktail shaker, bring together 30 ml mango-chilli flavoured vodka and 1 tablespoon lime juice with ice and shake lightly.
Dampen the rim of a rocks glass with lemon juice and dip it in the salt and chilli powder mix. Add ice to the glass and the vodka and lime juice mixture. Top this off with 60 ml soda.
Key Takeaways:
– Building or refreshing your bar for the new year means stocking it up with an assorted range of spirits that will enable you to craft drinks across seasons.
– Source from premium to mid-range spirits, according to your mixology needs. This will create a more diverse and versatile bar that can navigate across a range of cocktail recipes.
– Splurge mindfully on spirit bottles while refurbishing the bar. Distribute equally across price points, without burning a hole through your pocket.
FAQs:
– What is a good whisky addition to the new year bar?
An excellent mid-range blended Scotch whisky is a good addition to the new year bar. It can be used to prepare wintertime mixes like toddies and old fashioneds as well as cocktails like highballs and sours that are blended all year round.
– Why is a premium gin an interesting addition to the bar?
Gin is a very versatile spirit with light and fresh flavours. It can be used to concoct elegant and chic cocktails across spring and summer weather. So, a premium gin delivers much in terms of flavour and style when it is part of your cocktail-making set.
– What is a good vodka to have in the liquor cabinet?
A flavoured vodka with a desi twist such as the mango mirchi vodka laced with a sweet and spicy note is a good addition to the liquor cabinet because it lends a wonderful tropical, fruity character to conventional cocktail recipes.
All cocktails listed use 30 ml liquor measurements for single serves. Drink Responsibly. This communication is for audiences above the age of 25.
