There’s nothing more impressive then being able to order a drink in an intelligent and mature manner when trying to impress someone, whether thats a lady or gentleman, a work colleague or suitor, or maybe they’re both. But it speaks volumes about an individual if you have a signature tipple, which at the same time, sides on the values of stylish and intelligent then wanky and pretentious.
We’ve all been in that situation when we’ve arrived late to meet friends and we’re told such and such is at the bar now, get them to get you a drink in. Your rushed your harassed and you say those fatal words, “Errrr just get me whatever your havin” and low and behold you end up drinking either some hideous soft drink like dandelion and burdock or some equally horrid, day glo concoction, that you know will result in the hangover from hell tomorrow.
So for this very reason, we sort the advice of an expert and who better to turn to in this hour of need then AlexanderandJames.com. Named after legendary spirits masters Alexander Walker and James Buchanan, offers premium Drinks brands including Johnnie Walker, Zacapa, Don Julio, Tanqueray and Cîroc. In addition to selling premium spirits, including a bottle of whisky that retails for £2,320.93 ($3,662.89) you can invest in glasses, cocktail set ideas and curious ‘accessories’ such as a £2,300 ($3,629.86) Johnnie Walker backgammon set, which every raconteur needs.
We asked the guys to deconstruct the cocktail and do the hard work for us . They advised to learn the fundamentals of making a good cocktail, and you can experiment with ingredients to create your own. Basically, cocktails have three components (wooden umbrella not included). There is no hard fast rule about exactly how to dose, but generally we like to stick to 3:2:1. Use this, and your tastebuds as a guide. Just keep it simple, since the cocktail world doesn’t need any more showboats.
3)The base. This is the principle spirit in your cocktail, such as a fine gin, vodka, tequila, whisky or rum. The base typically makes up 70% of your drink before adding ice. Like all bases in life, this one should be solid and of the best possible quality–otherwise you’re just wasting your time.
2)The modifier. A modifier lends character to your cocktail and emphasizes the attributes of the base spirit. Use the modifier to draw out what you like about the principle spirit. Mixologists typically choose an aromatic wine, a liqueur such as Grand Marnier or freshly pressed fruit juice to enhance the original flavour notes of the base spirit.
1)The twist. Twists include taste and texture enhancers like bitters, herbs and spices or flavoured and simple syrups. Twists enrich and enhance your cocktail, but they should generally be used sparingly. When we’re feeling particularly rowdy over at A&J we like to add an egg white à la pisco sour or a splash of cream to create sensational texture.
Always remember,
‘A good cocktail has tension. Tension exists in the balance between elements like alcoholic strength, sweet, sour, bitter, salt, temperature and texture. ‘
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