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STEPHANE
THE MAD MALT MIXOLOGIST |
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Stéphane
is an excellent mixologist and used
to have his own successful website
about cocktails a few years ago.
He dropped it when he got deep into
Single Malts (a shame, if you ask
me) but never quite dropped the
practice, and that’s why we
thought he would be the ideal person
to whom we should propose to handle
this rubric about Single Malt Cocktails.
That’s right, cocktails made
with Single Malt Whisky.
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See, we’re not against transgression
- and after all, the first Scot we
ever met in real life, back in 1978,
used to drown Glenfiddich 8yo into
ginger tonic. Stéphane, whom
we boldly nicknamed “The Mad
Malt Mixologist”, grants Whiskyfun’s
distinguished readers with his great
recipes from time to time, far, very
far beyond the usual Whisky Sours
or Manhattans. These are the archives...
- Serge |
Berries
and Nuts (Autumn
2008) |
Pour
into a whisky tumbler:
- 8 cl Macallan 12 yo sherry
- 1 cl crème de myrtilles (blueberry
liqueur)
- 1 cl crème de marrons (chestnut
liqueur)
- 1 dash Amaretto
Add 2 or 3 ice cubes, stir and decorate
with one lemon slice, a little winegrape
and any autumnal berries and nuts.
Variants: You may
use other sherry-typed malts instead
of the Macallan, e.g. Glenfarclas,
Glendronach...
For more intense sensations, try also
the Macallan 10 yo cask strength. |
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Black
Sun (Autumn
2008)
Pour
into a shaker with ice:
- 6 cl Lagavulin 16 yo
- 1 cl crème de chocolat
(chocolate liqueur)
- 1 cl Triple sec Combier or Cointreau
(or any triple sec of quality)
Shake then strain into a cocktail
glass simply decorated with a lemon
slice. Info: I created this one,
being inspired by the Laga Distiller's
Edition on the one side, which I
adore, and on the other side by
an old cocktail that I also love:
The "Crossbow" (gin +
crème de cacao + triple sec).
Well... I think the result is not
too bad, I guess the main keyword
to appreciate it is... EPICURIAN! |
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| Variants:
Lagavulin just brings the perfect
base to this cocktail, but you may
try another peaty and smoky malt of
your choice instead. Use crème
de cacao if you don't have crème
de chocolat. For a fresher recipe
you may also add one dash of lemon
juice. |
| Celtic
and Exotic
(Winter
2008)
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Pour into a shaker, with ice:
- 6 cl Celtic Connexion Sauternes
finish
- 1,5 cl exotic liqueur (mango, passion
fruit, banana,...)
- 3 cl pineapple juice
- 1,5 cl lime juice
- a few pinches of ginger in powder
Shake and strain into a beautiful
wine glass of your choice.
Deco: a stick with slices of various
tropical fruits.
You should propose this cocktail around
a "festive cocktail party"
featuring for instance foie gras toasts.
Please do one or two tries before
to achieve proportions that suit you
best, between strength, sweetness/acidity...
This could also be the base of a punch.
You will just have to multiply the
quantities, to add more tropical fruits,
cinamon sticks, spices of your choice...
and let the whole rest in the cold
for 24/48h before serving. |
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| Variants:
Add 1 or 2cl of white 'Floc de Gascogne'
for a more unusual taste. You may
also substitute
the whisky with another white sweet
wine-finished single malt " (such
as Glenmorangie Nectar d'Or, Benriach
Sauternes, some Bruichladdies and
so on). |
Danish
in the bush
(Spring 2009) |
Pour into a shaker, with ice:
- 6 cl Bushmills Malt 10 yo 40%
- 1,5 cl Cherry Heering
- 0,5 cl white mint liqueur (e.g.
Get 31)
- 3 cl pink grapefruit juice
Shake then strain into a cocktail
glass decorated with a shamrock.
May also be served on crushed ice
to obtain a "Frozen Danish in
the bush" |
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| Drunken
Squirrel (Winter
2008)
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Pour
into an old-fashioned glass, with
ice:
- 6 cl Auchentoshan Triple wood
- 2 cl hazelnut liqueur
- 1,5 cl Maraschino
- 2 cl lemon juiceStir and finish
(moderately) with ginger ale.
Deco: a little wine grape and one
cooked chestnut on the edge of the
glass. And two hazelnuts if you have
some.
Variants: Maraschino may be substituted
with any red/black berry liqueur (strawberry,
blackberry...) and the Auchentoshan
with a young, round and fruity/sherried
type of malt. |
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French
Romantic Glen
(Spring
2009)
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Pour
into a shaker, with ice:
- 6 cl Glenlivet 15 yo french oak
40%
- 2 cl rose liqueur and 1 dash rose
syrup
- 1/2 lime juice
- 2 cl pink grapefruit juice
Shake then strain into a cocktail
glass decorated with one dwarf rose.
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Pour into a shaker, with ice:
- 6 cl Yoichi NAS 40%
- 2 cl Mandarine Impériale
liqueur
- 1 cl Soho (lytchee liqueur)
- 2 cl lime juice
Shake, Strain into a glass with an
"asiatic look" of your choice,
then finish moderately with Perrier
or Schweppes Agrum's.
Deco: exotic fruits.
Comment: This Yoichi NAS is a perfect
blender whisky for exotic stuff, but
you may try this cocktail with other
young japanese whiskies ; or/and with
different exotic liqueurs (mango,
pineapple, passion fruit...). |
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Laddie's
Night (Summer
2008)
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Pour into a shaker:
- 6 cl Bruichladdich 10 yo OB 46%
- 2 cl Triple sec Combier or Cointreau
- 1,5 cl crème de myrtilles
- 0,5 cl white crème de menthe
(Get 31)
- 1/2 lime juice
Add ice, shake then serve in a cocktail
glass decorated with a sprig of fresh
mint and a lime slice.
Variants:
- Substitute the 10 yo with another
Laddie of your choice.
- Substitute the crème de myrtilles
with crème de cassis or crème
de mûre.
Comments: A delicious after-drink
for ending a romantic night spent
with you lover. |
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Longrow
Stormy Sting
(Summer
2008) |
Pour into a shaker:
- 6 cl Longrow CV
- 2 cl white crème de menthe
(Get 31)
- 1/2 lime juice
Add ice, shake then strain into a
cocktail glass. Add very slowly on
the back of a teaspoon placed against
the glass' edge, a few drops of crème
de myrtilles (blueberry liqueur -
must drown to the bottom), then a
few drops of Angostura bitter (must
stay at the top).
Decoration : a fresh mint "blade",
one lime slice. |
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Variants:
- Substitute the Longrow CV with another
version, or why not try your favourite
young peaty malt?
- Substitute the crème de myrtilles
with crème de cassis or crème
de mûre (blackberry).
Comments: Would you
dare to try this biting cocktail?
It's part of the "Stingers"
(cocktails with crème de menthe)... |
Margarita's
Renaissance
(Summer
2008)
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Pour into a shaker :
- 6 cl Ardbeg "Renaissance"
55,9%
- 3 cl Triple sec Combier or Cointreau
- 1/2 lime juice
Add ice, shake then strain into a
cocktail glass previously frozzen
with lime juice, mint syrup and salt
(from Islay of course!). Decorate
with a lime slice and maybe a sprig
of fresh mint. |
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Pat
is mat!
(Spring 2009) |
Serve into a shot glass:
- 2/3 Power's irish whiskey
- 1/3 Cointreau or Triple sec Combier
This one is a shot, drink it straight.
Frozen, cold, or at any temperature
you like... but bottoms up!
Could be a pretty good "starter"
before celebrating St Patrick :)
Variants: Try to mix another "strong
liqueur or spirit" with an irish
whiskey you like, to make your own
St Pat's shot! |
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Peaty
Martini (Autumn
2008) |
Pour
into a shaker, with ice:
- 6 cl Bunnahabhain Toiteach
- 1 cl dry vermouth
Shake, then strain into a cocktail
glass. Drop one olive stuffed with
anchovies and one little vinegar onion.
Decorate with one pickle, one onion,
one tomato slice, and maybe one little
chunk of smoked ham or even a shrimp...
for hungry people!
Variants: substitute
the Bunna with any other young peaty
malt of your choice, dry, vegetal,
bourbon-typed rather than sherry.
E.g. young Caol Ila or Bowmore, or
other versions of young peaty Bunnahabhains
(by Signatory and so on).
You may also add one dash of lime
juice. |
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| Samurai
Sling
(Spring 2009)
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Pour into a highball, with ice:
- 6 cl Karuizawa 12 y.o.
- 2 cl cherry Heering (or another
cherry brandy)
- 1/2 lemon juice
Finish with Perrier and decorate with
cherries or/and exotic fruits.
In memory of the excellent Singapore
Sling.
Variants : substitute Karuizawa with
a young japanese whisky of your choice.
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Serge's
Special Whisky Fun! (Summer
2008) |
Pour
into a shaker:
- 6 cl Clynelish 14 yo OB 46%
- 1 cl white crème de menthe
(Get 31)
- 3 cl pineapple and guava juice
- 3 cl limejuice
- 1 half-slice tomato
- 1 pickle and 1 little onion
- 1/2 teaspoon soy sauce
Shake (very hard!) for 20 seconds,
strain into a cocktail glass decorated
with one pickle, one half slice tomato
and one lemon slice.
Add a pinch of fresh chives, a pinch
of powdered ginger or white pepper
and a few drops of Angostura bitter.
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Comments: For those
who do not fear trying different tastes!
Once the "very special first
taste" has passed, it is a very
appetizing thing which has a huge
potential of variants!
You may substitute the 14 yo Clynelish
OB with another Clynelish, try also
Brora. Vary the fruit juices. And
why wouldn't you try your favourite
raw vegetables?... carrot, cucumber,
pepperoni, Tabasco, Worcestershire
sauce, celery salt, paprika,... You
may also turn it into a "Bloody
Serge Special" adding a splash
of tomato juice. |
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Speyside's
New Fashion
(Winter
2008)
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Pour
into an old-fashioned glass:
- 6 cl Glen Deveron 15 y.o. OB
- 4 cl sweet vermouth
- a few drops Pernod
- 1 cl lemon juice
- 1 cl orange juice
Stir
well, finish (moderately) with cold
Perrier. Add 2 big ice cubes, then
a few drops of Angostura bitter
on top of them. Deco: one lemon
slice and one tangerine slice.
For maximum effect, you may take
off the central part of the tangerine
slice so that you can slide a straw
into it and put the whole in top
of the ice cubes.. |
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recipe is a tribute to two famous
classic cocktails i enjoy a lot: The
Manhattan and The Old-Fashioned. You
may try different variations, depending
on your own ideas/preferences. You
may substitute the Glen Deveron with
any other light and rounded speyside
malts. |
Strawberry
field
(Spring 2009) |
Pour into a tumbler, with ice:
- 6 cl Auchentoshan Classic 40%
- 2 cl strawberry liqueur
- 1/2 lemon juice
- Finish at will with orange juice
Stir and decorate with berries and
(if you have one!) a wheat leaf.
You may change it into a "so
trendy" smoothie, substituting
the strawberry liqueur with strawberry
juice, using a blender/mixer, and
with crushed ice instead of big ice
cubes. |
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Sunny
Speyside afternoon
(Spring 2009)
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Pour into a tumbler, with ice:
- 6 cl Linkwood F&F or a young
version from an independent (Signatory,
Jean Boyer...) preferably "bourbon
matured" or with little influence
of sherry
- 2 cl pineapple liqueur
- 1 cl banana liqueur
- 1 dash passion fruit syrup
- Finish with pink grapefruit juice
Decorate with exotic fruits.
Variants: Linkwood is a malt that
usually blends very well, especially
with tropical fruits.
You may substitute it by another young
and rounded Speyside whisky of your
choice, and appreciate the changings
in the resulting taste. |
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The
Hunt is Open!
(Autumn
2008) |
Pour
into a whisky tumbler:
- 6 cl Glenfiddich 18 yo "Ancient
reserve"
- 1 cl hazelnut liqueur
- 1 cl Jaegermeister
- 4 cl blood orange juice
Stir, then using the back of a teaspoon
along the edge of the glass add carefully
1 cl crème de mûre (blackberry
liqueur) which will drop to the bottom
of the glass.
Finish with a few drops of Angostura
bitter (which will stay at the top),
and a pinch of fresh chervil.
Decoration: Mini hart horns... if
you find some!
Variants: Substitute
the Glenfiddich 18 with another Glenfiddich
(12, 15, Caoran...) or with a Isle
of Jura, or aDalmore... |
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Velvet
Smoky Tolosa
(Summer
2008) |
Pour
into a shaker:
- 6 cl Scottish Smoky Malt Spirit
(from Jean Boyer) 40%
- 2 cl liqueur de violette - from
Toulouse! - (or any other violet liqueur)
- 1/2 lime juice
Add ice, shake, then strain into a
cocktail glass.
Decoration: one sprig of fresh mint
and one lime slice.
Variants:
- Substitute the malt spirit with
other fruity/peaty young whiskies
that display a very clear color.
- Change the violet liqueur with blue
Curacao for a "Blue Smoky Tolosa"
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Comments: How could
i resist making this cocktail the
night Toulouse won its seventeeth
"Bouclier de Brennus"! A
nod in the direction of Jean-Marie
and his excellent malt spirit. |
Versailles
on the other side
(Spring 2009) |
Pour into an old-fashioned, with ice:
- 6 cl Woodford Reserve bourbon (batch
of your choice)
- 4 cl old cognac
- 2 cl Grand Marnier or Cointreau
- 1/2 lemon juice
Stir and finish moderately with Perrier.
Decorate with various fruits.
One old rule in the art of making
cocktails is to never blend grain
and grape alcoohols... well there
is also something that says "rules
are to be broken" isn't it ?...
Choose a good V.S.O.P. or even X.O.
cognac (e.g. Hennessy VSOP, Gourmel
10 or 20 carats) rather than a too
young and "biting" one. |
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| X-mas
G.G.B. (for
X-mas
2008)
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Pour into a shaker, with ice:
- 6 cl young Glenrothes (e.g. 1992/05,
or Select)
- 2 cl ginger liqueur
- 1,5 cl triple sec (Combier, Cointreau...)
- 1 cl lime juice
- 1 cinamon stick
Shake and strain into a cocktail
glass, onto the cinamon stick.
Add a pinch of powdered ginger
Deco: one orange slice.
Fun: the cinamon stick may also
be used as an original and tasty
straw!
This cocktail reminds me of gingerbread
(hence its name) and should be very
tasty at the end of a Christmas
dinner, with some sweet and/or spicy
dessert... |
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