Cocktails with Creativity
We are delighted to present a creative collaboration with the incredible team at Mr Lyan Studio where we challenged them to create some delicious cocktails, inspired by Compass Box whiskies. They have created two brand new cocktails and two twists on classics. The best thing about these cocktails… they’re all made with ingredients you’ll be able to find in your cupboard or local supermarket. A small time spent preparing ingredients up front pays off enormously for these delicious serves.
For our two bespoke recipes, our friends at Mr Lyan Studio took inspiration from the friendly rivalry and culinary preferences of Edinburgh and Glasgow, asking a question that cuts to the heart of both cities; will it be Salt & Vinegar or Salt & Sauce on your chips?
Salt & Sauce with Artist Blend
An off-dry Rob Roy with soy. Sweet vermouth infused with frozen blackberries, clove and cinnamon. Soy sauce for the salt and sauce elements.
Ingredients
50ml/2 oz Compass Box Artist Blend 2
5ml/1 oz Spiced Berry Soy Vermouth (see recipe below)
Glass
Rocks over cubes
Garnish
Maraschino Cherry
Method
Combine all ingredients, stir until chilled, then pour over ice in a chilled rocks glass. Garnish with cherry.
Spiced Berry Soy Vermouth
Ingredients
200g Sweet Vermouth
20g Blackberries
1/2 Cinnamon Stick
2 Cloves
32g Sugar
10g Soy Sauce
Method
Measure all ingredients individually and combine in a container with a lid. Leave to infuse for 12hrs, then pass through a fine strainer, pressing lightly on the blackberries. Store in a sealed bottle in the fridge for up to 2 weeks.
Glasgow Blend
Salt & Vinegar with Glasgow Blend
A smoky New York Sour, with a splash of red wine vinegar and flaky salt rim to provide the salt and vinegar.
Ingredients
50ml/2 oz Compass Box Glasgow Blend
15ml/¾ oz Lemon Juice
15ml/¾ oz Red Wine Vinegar Syrup (see recipe below)
1 Dash Angostura Bitters
15ml/¾ oz Red Wine Float
Glass
Coupette
Garnish
Flaky Sea Salt
Method
Add all ingredients, except the red wine, into a cocktail shaker. Shake with lots of ice until nice and frosty. Fine strain into a chilled pre-salt rimmed cocktail glass, then float the red wine on the surface of the drink by pouring slowly over the back of a spoon that is touching the surface of the drink. Enjoy!
Red Wine Vinegar Syrup
Ingredients
100g Sugar
50g Red Wine Vinegar
50g Boiling Water
Method
Measure all ingredients individually and combine in a container with a lid. Leave to infuse for 12hrs, then pass through a fine strainer, pressing lightly on the blackberries. Store in a sealed bottle in the fridge for up to 2 weeks.
Orchard House
Mamie Taylor-ish with Orchard House
Taking the blueprint of the Mamie Taylor, you can bring together the beautiful orchard fruit notes of the whisky with the spice of homemade ginger syrup and fresh chilli, and then skew that into the territory of a classic shandy, with lime and pale ale.
Ingredients
50ml/2 oz Compass Box Orchard House 20ml/½ oz Ginger Syrup (see recipe below)
20ml/½ oz Lime Juice
50ml/2oz Pale Ale
2 Ginger Slices (optional)
1 Slice of Chilli (optional)
Glass
Highball
Garnish
Fresh Ginger & Chilli Slices or use dried candied ginger slices from syrup making.
Method
Combine all ingredients, except pale ale, in a cocktail tin. Shake with ice, and fine strain into highball over fresh ice. Top with pale ale, stir gently to combine, garnish and serve.
Ginger Syrup
Ingredients
150g Sugar
150g Water
60g Fresh Ginger (peeled and finely sliced)
Method
Individually weigh each ingredient and combine in a pan. Bring pot to a gentle simmer, stirring to dissolve sugar. Allow to simmer on lowest heat for 10 minutes. Remove from heat and allow to cool fully before straining through a fine strainer of sieve. The longer you leave to infuse, the more gingery the syrup will be. Ginger slices can be places on a wire rack or gently baked to dry out and create candied ginger slices for garnish, baking or snacking. Store in a sealed bottle in the fridge for one week.
The Spice Tree
Rusty Nail-ish with The Spice Tree
Using the base of The Spice Tree to create a Compass Box liqueur (similar to Drambuie), using honey, spices, herbs and vanilla (all supermarket purchasable), we then suggest pairings with other Compass Box whiskies from the core range to bring out different flavour profiles. A great alternative to an Old Fashioned.
Ingredients
15ml/½ oz Compass Box Highland Liqueur/Shambuie (see recipe below)
45ml/1 ½ oz Compass Box Whisky of Choice
Glass
Rocks
Garnish
Clove studded orange twist/slice
Method
Combine The Spice Tree ‘Drambuie’ with your Compass Box whisky of choice, in a cocktail tin or mixing glass. Stir briefly to chill and dilute, then pour over fresh ice in your rocks glass. Garnish and serve.
Compass Box Highland Liqueur
Ingredients
150ml/5 oz Compass Box The Spice Tree
1 x Large Strip of Orange Peel (10x3cm)
1 x 3cm piece of Fresh Rosemary
¼ tsp Coriander Seeds (Crushed)
¾ tsp Fennel Seeds (Crushed)
1 Pinch Nutmeg (Ground)
50g Heather Honey
Method
Combine whisky, herbs and spices for 12 hours to infuse. Pass through a coffee filter and then dissolve honey into the strained liquid. Store at room temperature indefinitely. Enjoy neat, on ice, or combine with your Compass Box whisky of choice as a Rusty Nail-ish.
We recommend trying with The Story of The Spaniard, The Peat Monster or Hedonism.
Share & Enjoy!
The Compass Box Team