When summers become endlessly hot, those of us who enjoy an occasional cooling beverage often reach for lighter spirits such as gin and vodka, but warmer weather doesn’t mean your whiskey needs to get neglected at the back of your bar cart. There are a plethora of cocktails that use aged spirits like whiskey, brandy and rum that can be utterly refreshing during times of heat. You will be selling yourself short if you don’t give these spirits their limelight during the warmer months of the year. It is a misconception that wood-aged spirits can only be imbibed during the cold autumn and winter months and that’s just not true. So, how best can one incorporate these winter staples into our summer bar? Think lighter and brighter when mixing drinks in warm months. It’s all about what you
mix with your spirits that make the drinks summer-worthy. Go for fruits, herbs, shrubs and vinegar, which highlight the lighter side of aged spirits. Fresh ingredients are the perfect swaps for heavier bar staples.
Using good produce during the height of its growing season is the key to help make cocktails better suited to the summer. Bring in the bright and light flavours of basil, mint, and rosemary to add the extra touch of freshness that is much needed in the sweltering heat. Tropical fruits grow in the heat of the tropics for a reason as they are best suited to cool the body from the inside. While whiskey is rarely chosen to mix with tropical flavours, it can bring out a new profile of flavours in such cocktails. Its woody-spicy mature grain notes do go surprisingly well with a whole bunch of tropical flavours. Coconut, pineapple and even guava lend themselves well to whiskey drinks. Summers also call for a cool crunch in cocktails be it cucumber or watermelon or even crushed ice. The crunchy cool texture is another complementing feature in summer cocktails that just can’t be left out. Use chunks of fruit in the cocktail or add in a slice or two as a garnish on the rim to transform your cocktail experience.
Some of the most popular ways to have whiskey in summer is to turn it into carefully crafted cocktails. One classic craft whiskey cocktail that you can enjoy with friends is the Mint Julep. It is easy and simple to make a Mint Julep as all you need to do is combine bourbon or your favourite craft whiskey with simple syrup and mint leaves, and serve with crushed ice.
Another popular summer cocktail is the Bourbon Punch, which consists of bourbon mixed with lemonade and pomegranate juice, and then served with a lemon twist. And if pomegranate juice is not your thing, you can just enjoy a Whiskey Lemonade, which is whiskey mixed with lemonade, and then served in a tall glass with ice. And, finally, one more popular whiskey cocktail is the Palmer. This unique creation takes everything that we love about summer — iced tea and mint lemonade — and combines them with bourbon. Add a lemon wedge, serve in a tall glass with ice, and you’re set. Let’s not forget how bright and colourful summers can be; fresh juices, fruits and flowers add the colour to cocktails that we sorely miss in cold dull weather. So don’t just beat the heat with cooling produce and frozen water and use some flower power as it adds that touch of colour to your drinks. Here’s a cool new whiskey cocktail — the Spiced Highball — that is completely innovative and makes a great addition to your collection of summer drinks.
SPICED HIGHBALL
Ingredients
l 60 ml Highbury Classic whiskey
l 60 ml cranberry juice
l 10 ml fresh lime juice
l Top up with ginger ale
l Garnish with dry ginger
Method
l Take a highball glass and fill it with ice.
l Pour 60 ml whiskey, 60 ml cranberry juice, 10 ml fresh lime juice.
l Stir until the liquid achieves a consistent colour.
l Top up with ginger ale & garnish with dry ginger.
(The author is a mixologist.)