Here we are, in the second week of advent already! It must be time for the first, but definitely not the last, #MasterofCocktails Christmassy drink of December, this one being a festive twist on a classic…
You see, we love a good whiskey sour, but we also sure do love warming, Christmassy flavours at this time of year with ginger being one of the yummiest and most satisfying of them all. Back in October we not only made the perfect Eggnog but also some Bathtub Ginger Beer using fresh ginger and (perhaps unsurprisingly) ginger beer. Both cocktail recipes are well worth a revisit as we approach Christmas, but this time around we’ll be getting our ginger warmth from an excellent ginger liqueur as well as gingerbread syrup, which brings some darn’ tasty baked goodness into the mix!
You’ll be needing these…
List of Ingredients
- 40ml Good Quality Sweet Bourbon or similar e.g. FEW Bourbon Whiskey Cask Strength or Balcones True Blue 100 Proof
- 15ml The King’s Ginger Liqueur
- 15ml Monin Pain d’Epices (Gingerbread) Syrup
- 20ml Fresh Lemon Juice
- Lemon Peel
Very first thing – we need to get a glass in the Freezer. A slightly larger than normal Coupe Glass this time.
Now, we need 40ml of good quality sweet Bourbon. I’ve chosen this Cask Strength Bourbon Whiskey from FEW Spirits.
This stuff (as well as being properly badass) has been sold out for a wee while, so you could use something else instead. I’ve also used Balcones True Blue 100 Proof. Supremely sweet and utterly delicious.
Anywhoo, whichever you choose, you need 40ml.
Sling it into a cocktail shaker.
Now 15ml of The King’s Ginger Liqueur. Superb stuff this. Full and spicy to match the Bourbon.
Next, 15ml of (Dirty) Monin Gingerbread Syrup. There’s precious little way of recreating the ‘baked’ flavour this gives. Into the cocktail shaker with this too.
Finally, 20ml of Fresh Lemon Juice. Do make sure it’s from as fresh a lemon as possible too. The use of juice from really fresh fruit is a hugely underestimated thing, it really is. Into the shaker with that too.
Now pack that bad boy with fresh, sharp (freezer-temperature) ice.
Shake for a good 30 seconds or so, until the outside of the shaker is covered in (solid) frost.
Now double-strain the drink into your chilled Coupe glass.
Finally, whip a strip of lemon peel off the squeezed lemon & express it over the glass (chuck it away, don’t drop it in).
And there we have it. A festive twist on a whiskey sour. A Christmassy Ginger Sour.
Enjoy!
Be sure to send us pictures of any Christmassy Ginger Sours that you make to @MasterOfMalt (you can also use the #MasterofCocktails hashtag). As ever these days, I’ve also squeezed the recipe into a Vine. Looky:
Next week, we’ll be going for a fusion of Classic, Christmas, and dubious Translation…
Next week, you’ll be needing these…
Hine Rare VSOP Cognac, Smooth Ambler Old Scout 7 Year Old Rye, Antica Formula Carpano Vermouth, Christmas Mulled Cup, Angostura Bitters, Peychauds Bitters, Luxardo Maraschino Cherries, an Orange.
I’ll say thanks in advance to @thecocktailgeek for the idea for this one. It’s truly, truly epic.
And as I know you’ll be asking – yes, the bar has indeed become Christmassified!
Ben
