Continuing on in our series of guest cocktail posts, we are thrilled to bring you Chris Hoban, who writes for the excellent Edinburgh Whisky Blog – a detailed, brilliantly written site about all things whisky and drinks related.
Chris’ brief was simple: concoct a delicious winter cocktail using our 8 Year Old Blend and our new Whisky Bitters. This is what Chris came up with…
Making A Bitter Rum Chocolatsky
by Chris Hoban
When it comes to projects, homework and deadlines, Lucas and I tend to be fashionably late. Even when it is something as intriguing and fun as creating some cocktails using Master of Malt bespoke bitters and Master of Malt 8 year old blend, it still took me ages to do it. But I promise, there is a good excuse (there always is).
I received the Master of Malt ingredients just before Christmas, and I promised myself I would get on to it quickly. My downfall was that I was a little over ambitious with my first cocktail attempt: The Ultimate Long Vodka (Chopin Rye Vodka 0.5 shot, Polish Honey Vodka 0.5 shot, Master of Malt Blend 0.5 shot, a dash of Master of Malt bitters and Fentimans lemonade). Honestly, it was a little painful. I have made cocktails before, but I went a bit mad/devil may care with this one. Put it this way, it didn’t work. I am clearly no Vodka blender. Too many flavours, it was all just a bit messy. I had another try, replacing the honey vodka with some Zubrowka vodka (I have a lot of vodka in my house.). Again, it just wasn’t good enough.
I put my thinking cap on, and tried to look for inspiration. It was snowing outside and that’s when it hit me. An awesome Hot Chocolate! Something to really warm my heart during this never ending winter.
Ingredients
– Green and Blacks Hot Chocolate
– A mug of hot milk
– A Quarter dash of Master of Malt bitters
– 3 Quarters shot of Master of Malt 8 year old blend
– 3 Quarters shot of Ron Zacapa XO Centenario (purchased from drinks by the dram)
Method
It’s simple really. Make a hot chocolate as you normally would, add the other ingredients and stir.
Taste and relax. It’s like getting a big warm hug at the end of a hard day. The light, honeyed notes of the whisky combine with the cloves and spice of the bitters and the limes/bitterness of the Ron Zacapa Rum. Mix that with delightful drinking chocolate and it becomes a heavenly result.
Finally! I cannot express the joy getting it right (in the end). I am stocking up on these ingredients for next Winter!
Cheers,
Chris
You can read the Edinburgh Whisky Blog here
Or follow them on Twitter @EdinburghWhisky
– The Chaps at Master of Malt –
Louise Hoban