Not that there’s anything wrong with neat. But with this summer’s heat showing no signs of abating, we were looking for a more refreshing way to enjoy our drink du jour.
Cut to Toronto’s Spirit House where mixologist Brad Gubbins demoed two Scotch cocktails we (and we’re pretty sure you) never thought of.
The Algonquin
Named after Manhattan’s iconic Algonquin Hotel, which was founded in 1902 as a “dry” establishment long before Prohibition. The eponymous cocktail was originally made with rye whisky but we’ve substituted Chivas Regal 12 blended Scotch because, well, we can.
Lillet is a vermouth-like aperitif and the pineapple juice imbues a sweet, refreshing surprise when it hits your mouth.
50mL Chivas Regal
30mL Lillet Blanc
30mL Pressed pineapple juice
2 dashes Peychaud’s Bitters
Shake and strain into old-fashioned glass. Garnish with raspberry.
The DailyXY Stagecoach
Based on the classic “sidecar” (cognac, Cointreau, lemon juice), Brad reworked the ingredients with a Scottish twist, finding flavours compatible with Chivas 12. Elderflower (liqueur) stands in for oranges (Cointreau) and Heather honey (when he can find the damned stuff) plus a few dashes of Angostura aromatic bitters brings the flavours together by complementing Chivas’ spice.
Few cocktails capture the diversity and complexity of Chivas while at the same time offering a uniquely refreshing taste.
37.5mL Chivas Regal 12
12.5mL Elderflower liqueur
17.5mL freshly-squeezed lemon juice
12.5mL honey syrup (1:1)
2 dashes Angostura aromatic bitters
Shake and strain into martini glass. Garnish with lemon zest.
