Do You Remember These Forgotten Classic Cocktails?!

Over the many years people have been imbibing, cocktail trends have come, gone, and come again multiple times. Throughout these cycles, and the memory obscuring nature of alcoholic beverages playing its role, many a mixed drink has slipped through the cracks into relative obscurity. This is not to say the drink is bad, however, as they were thoroughly enjoyed in their heyday. In fact, if every drink that fell out of fashion was in fact unenjoyable, then personalities like renowned cocktail historian Harry Craddock would become obsolete, and we could not be happier that this is not the case.

Craddock and co’s work allows home cocktail enthusiasts and professional bartenders alike to rediscover some of the best drinks of generations past. It often begs the question “How did this drink even fall out of fashion in the first place?”

In honour of our beloved historians, let us look at some classic cocktails that enjoyed the spotlight some years ago, but rarely see play in the bars of today.

ALAMAGOOZLUM

Similar to many American classic cocktails of its era, this cocktail's time and place accreditations are muddy. However, while we may not know who created it, it was popularised by John Pierpoint Morgan Sr. more popularly known as J.P. Morgan.

Like the cocktail, the word Alamagoozlum itself has unclear origins, with some sources stating it to be a stand-in for doohickey or thingamabob, while others claim it to be a French-Canadian-American term for maple syrup.

What can be said for sure is that the drink is just as unique as its namesake. Created by the founder of a worldwide financial conglomerate, it initially served as a batched punch recipe to serve five cocktails. It also has the oddity of being shaken with an egg white despite a distinct lack of citrus and all other ingredients being spirits, liqueurs, or bitters. Normally, a drink with such a recipe would be stirred over ice.

This cocktail is not one for the faint of heart either, with punchy ingredients such as genever and Jamaican pot still rum forming the base, and seasoned with healthy pours of Yellow Chartreuse and Angostura bitters. If sweet and herbaceous sounds like a little bit of you we recommend giving this one a go!

Ingredients
20ml Genever
15ml Jamaican Pot Still Rum
15ml Yellow Chartreuse
5ml Orange Curacao
5ml Angostura Bitters
10ml 2:1 Simple Syrup (15ml if using 1:1 Simple)
20ml Water (Trust me)
15ml Egg Whites or foamer of choice

Method
Combine all ingredients into a shaker tin. Shake without ice, and then with ice. Strain into a cocktail coupe. Garnish with a pineapple wedge.

DEATH IN THE AFTERNOON

Contrary to popular belief, this drink is not named after the Ernest Hemingway novel, it was created by the man himself. The original drink called for “1 jigger (45ml) of absinthe” and “iced champagne until it attains the proper opalescent milkiness.” As we are well aware, Hemingway was not a man for just one casual drink, his instructions state to “Drink 3 to 5 of these slowly.”

Like many Hemingway cocktails, the modern spec had to be adjusted to suit the palate of today, as his spirit-forward, zero-sugar approach results in a harshly dry, unpleasing drinking experience. Even with the toned-down pour, and a splash of sugar, the drink remains absinthe forward, with rich notes of anise and candied fennel seeds in the spotlight. The sharp acidity and brioche/biscuit notes of the champagne add a reprieve from the potency of the absinthe, and the lemon twist garnish adds a lingering freshness to the nose. We would not recommend having 3 to 5 of these, but we recommend one!

Ingredients
10ml Absinthe
5ml 2:1 Simple Syrup (7.5ml if using 1:1 Simple Syrup)
Top with Champagne

Method
Combine absinthe and simple syrup in a mixing tin and stir until cold. Strain into a champagne flute. Top with champagne. Garnish with lemon zest.

SATURN

This gin-based tiki drink with a storied history gives rum a run for its money. Created by California bartender, J. “Popo” Galsini, it was originally called the X-15, after an American rocket-powered aircraft. However, the drink required a change of name as shortly after the advent of the drink, an X-15 pilot suffered a fatal crash. Galsini renamed the drink Saturn after the rocket of the first Apollo space flight.

Under the name Saturn, Galsini submitted the drink to the International Bartender’s Association World Championship in 1967, in which he placed first. The drink enjoyed its moment in the spotlight during the tiki boom in mid-century America, after which it faded into obscurity, and would more than likely have been lost forever were it not for famed tiki cocktail historian Jeff “Beachbum” Berry. Berry came across a commemorative glass in a thrift shop in Southern California, and opted not to purchase it, but took a picture of the recipe listed on the glass, and then included it in his recipe book “Beachbum Berry Remixed”.

This publication caused a mild resurgence of the cocktail and can now be seen in the deep cuts of cocktail bars. Much like the Pina Colada, the Saturn falls into the category of can be shaken but is much better blended. The rich tropical combination of Falernum, Orgeat, and Passionfruit syrup gives this drink unmatchable crushability making it easy to see off multiple in one sitting. The drink is traditionally garnished with a cherry and lemon peel on a cocktail skewer resembling Saturn and its rings, however, for ease of recreation, a simple cherry and lemon wedge will suffice.

Method
Combine all ingredients in a blender. Blend with ice until slushy. Served in a sling glass. Garnish with a cherry and lemon slice.
OR
Combine all ingredients in a shaker tin. Shake over ice. Strain into a highball glass filled with crushed ice. Garnish with a cherry and lemon slice.

ANGEL FACE

This pre-prohibition cocktail comes from Harry Craddock’s “The Savoy Cocktail Book” with little else other than a recipe. Many have tried to use external sources to find out more about the origin of this drink but to no avail.

A lack of history does not make this drink any less delicious though. A simple foolproof recipe of three ingredients in equal parts brilliantly displays the keystone bartending principle of simplicity in execution and complexity in flavour. The original recipe calls for the drink to be shaken, and modern bartenders will tell you it should be stirred, however, my preferred serve is to combine all three ingredients with water for dilution and store in the freezer beforehand. This results in a drink with the appropriate amount of dilution and a rich silky texture which matches the flavour of the drink itself.

This is a rich, sweet, spirit-forward cocktail and makes an excellent summer sipper for Manhattan drinkers. Rich apple and apricot notes star on the palate with seasonings being offered from the botanicals of the gin.

Ingredients
25ml London Dry Gin
25ml Calvados
25ml Apricot Brandy

Method
Combine all ingredients in a mixing tin. Stir over ice. Strain into a cocktail glass. Garnish with a lemon twist or apple slice.

LA LOUISIANE

With a name like this, it comes as no surprise that this classic cocktail originated from the French quarter of New Orleans. This drink was the signature cocktail of Restaurant de la Louisiane, one of the hallmark French restaurants of New Orleans.

The modern recipe is an adaptation of the one listed in Stanley Clisby Arthur’s 1937 publication “Famous New Orleans Drinks and How to Mix ‘Em” and has the distinctive DNA of a Manhattan - Rye Whiskey and Sweet Vermouth, alongside various modifiers. These modifiers include Benedictine, Absinthe, and Peychauds Bitters, resulting in a sweeter take on a timeless classic a rich herbaceous character.

This cocktail serves as an excellent alternative to the classic Manhattan for the winter months as the Benedictine offers a lovely warmth, with the Peychauds bringing a complex winter spice character.

Similar to the aforementioned Angel Face, this is another cocktail viable in the freezer-door category. Precombining all the ingredients with 10% of the total volume in water, and storing it in the freezer for later drinking makes for easy drinking after a long shift, or good for serving a large crowd without having to remove yourself from the social for too long.

Ingredients
30ml Bottled-in-Bond Rye Whiskey
30ml Sweet Vermouth (Ideally Italian)
15ml Benedictine D.O.M.
2.5ml Absinthe
2 Dashes Peychaud’s Bitters

Method
Combine all ingredients in a mixing tin. Stir over ice. Strain into a Nick & Nora Glass. Garnish with a cherry.

CULROSS

Yet another drink with an unknown origin, this cocktail is named after the Scottish village and former royal burgh, Culross. The earliest documentation of this drink comes from the bible of forgotten classic cocktails; Harry Craddock’s “The Savoy Cocktail Book”. This cocktail calls for Kina Lillet in the original recipe but has since stopped production and is no longer available. As a substitute, we recommend Lillet Blanc or Bordiga Vermut Bianco.

The drink is dry, and lightly sour with a rich fruity backbone owing to the aromatised wine and Apricot Brandy. The rum comes in the mid-palate to bring an alcoholic punch, and the touch of lemon juice brings much-needed freshness to the drink.

Ingredients
30ml Light Rum
30ml Apricot Brandy
30ml Blanc Vermouth
7.5ml Lemon Juice

Method
Combine all ingredients in a shaker tin. Shake with ice. Strain into a cocktail coupe. Garnish with an orange zest.

DAISY DE SANTIAGO

This summer refresher is an adapted recipe from Charles H. Baker Jr.’s book “The Gentleman’s Companion Volume II - An Exotic Drinking Book” (1939). The passage it is mentioned in states that it was served in a special skyscraper the Bacardi distillery had erected in Cuba, where they would invite various travellers to come and imbibe various Bacardi-based cocktails. The passage also states that this cocktail is “along with the immortal Daiquiri, …. The best Bacardi drink on record.”

The drink reads as a potent variation of the Canchanchara - a daiquiri with honey as opposed to sugar syrup. The Yellow Chartreuse adds rich honey sweetness and complexity from its proprietary blend of botanicals, with the rum and lemon juice forming the main flavour profile of the drink.

Ingredients
60ml Light Rum
22.5ml Lemon Juice
7.5ml Yellow Chartreuse
7.5ml 2:1 Simple Syrup (10ml if using 1:1 Simple Syrup)
5ml Yellow Chartreuse to float on top

Method
Combine all ingredients except the last 5ml of Yellow Chartreuse in a shaker tin. Shake over ice. Strain into a highball glass filled with crushed ice. Garnish with Yellow Chartreuse float, seasonal berries, and a mint sprig.

By Fowwaz Ansari

11 Must-Try Martini Variations

When thinking about cocktails, none are more iconic than the Martini. A drink steeped in history and cinematic references, this classic cocktail has stood the test of time and is again, enjoying yet another moment in the limelight. The Martini stands the test of time owing to its ease of preparation (but difficult to master), availability, and of course, customisability.

Like many pre-prohibition era drinks, the Martini has a clouded history, with three possible stories of how the serve came to be. One theory suggests it was named after the brand of vermouth used in the drink, while another states that it was created in 1911 by an Italian immigrant bartender in New York named Martini di Arma di Taggia, who made a cocktail consisting of gin, vermouth, orange bitters, and olive to garnish.

What we do know, however, is that the Martini is an evolution of its predecessor, the Martinez, which was served in the early 1860s at the Occidental Hotel in San Francisco, where people would go to quench their thirst before taking a ferry to the town of Martinez in California.

Owing to the rich history of the drink and its symbolic opulence, the Martini has undergone many iterations. Bartenders have played with ratios, ingredients, and the style of serve over the years. To understand all the possible variations of this drink, we have broken them down into three categories; ratio variations, addition variations, and twists.

RATIO VARIATIONS

DRY MARTINI

The original iteration of the Martini from 1911 is now known as the Dry Martini. The choice of gin or vodka, and the amount of vermouth in a Dry Martini will vary from bar to bar, and in some bars, even bartender to bartender. A generally accepted ratio for a dry martini sits at 6:1 spirit to vermouth, however, some purists take the advice of Winston Churchill, who states that a glance at the vermouth bottle is sufficient.

Ingredients:
60ml London Dry Gin OR Vodka
10ml Dry Vermouth
1 Dash Orange Bitters (2 if using a smaller dasher bottle)

Method:
Stir over ice. Strain into a martini glass. Garnish with a Lemon Twist OR Olive on a skewer OR both.

WET MARTINI

The Wet Martini, like the other ratio-based variations that follow in this article, does not have a clear time or place of origin, and most likely stems from multiple locations at multiple times. I believe these are “botched” ratios of the original Dry Martini (botched is in quotations as all of these variations are still very much quaffable).

The Wet Martini ratio lies between 2:1 and 3:1 spirit to vermouth, and is less dry owing to the larger pour of vermouth - hence the Wet Martini.

My perfect Wet Martini sits at a comfy 3:1 and is served with a lemon twist and a sidecar of mixed pickles and olives.

Ingredients:
60ml London Dry Gin OR Vodka
20ml Dry Vermouth
1 Dash Orange Bitters (2 if using a smaller dasher bottle)

Method:
Stir over ice. Strain into a martini glass. Garnish with a Lemon Twist OR Olive on a skewer OR both.

50/50 MARTINI

The 50/50 Martini does exactly what it says on the tin, spirit and vermouth in equal parts, stirred over ice and served as cold as possible. This is a great Martini for after dinner if the wine goes down a little too smooth, as the equal share of vermouth results in a considerably lower ABV for the cocktail.

Ingredients:
40ml London Dry Gin OR Vodka
20ml Dry Vermouth
1 Dash Orange Bitters (2 if using a smaller dasher bottle)

Method:
Stir over ice. Strain into a martini glass. Garnish with a Lemon Twist OR Olive on a skewer OR both.

REVERSE MARTINI

This one is one that you do not see in the wild very often, and if while sitting at the bar, you overhear someone order this, you can rest assured they do or have worked in bars at some point in their life. This Martini takes the original 6:1 ratio of the Dry Martini and flips it on its head, resulting in a low ABV, vermouth forward serve spiked with the splash of spirit. This Martini variation makes a great daytime sipper if you find yourself in for a longer session.

Ingredients:
10ml London Dry Gin OR Vodka
60ml Dry Vermouth
1 Dash Orange Bitters (2 if using a smaller dasher bottle)

Method:
Stir over ice. Strain into a martini glass. Garnish with a Lemon Twist OR Olive on a skewer OR both.

SLIGHT VARIATIONS

Alongside all the possible combinations of ratios, the Martini also has variations depending on added modifiers. Although each modifier is added in minuscule quantities, these minor modifications result in a brand-new drink unique enough to stand apart from the crowd, yet holding enough of the DNA of the original Martini to have an unmistakable resemblance.

DIRTY MARTINI

Quite possibly the variation responsible for the current resurgence of the Martini, this variation takes your Martini ratio of choice and adds a splash of olive brine to the mix. This results in a Martini with its flavours boosted by the salt within the olive brine, and a nice spicy kick from it too!

Ingredients:
60ml London Dry Gin OR Vodka
10ml Dry Vermouth
1 Dash Orange Bitters (2 if using a smaller dasher bottle)
5-10ml Olive Brine depending on your preference

Method:
Stir over ice. Strain into a martini glass. Garnish with an Olive on a skewer.

GIBSON MARTINI

The Gibson is an underrated Martini variation that unjustly gets less love than its dirty counterpart. However, pickled onions deserve just as much love as olives. Changing out the olive brine for pickled onion brine adds a bright acidity and slight sweetness to the drink making it extremely pleasing on the palette.

Ingredients:
60ml London Dry Gin OR Vodka
10ml Dry Vermouth
1 Dash Orange Bitters (2 if using a smaller dasher bottle)
5-10ml Pickled onion brine depending on your preference

Method:
Stir over ice. Strain into a martini glass. Garnish with a Pickled Onion on a skewer.

BURNT MARTINI

This unique Martini variation plays on the potently peated flavour profile of Islay Single Malt Scotch Whisky. Rinsing the glass with peated Islay Single Malt before straining your Dry Martini gives the drink a distinct smoky aroma without overpowering the playdate of botanicals from the vermouth and spirit. A Martini to try if you also enjoy a dram!

Ingredients:
60ml London Dry Gin OR Vodka
10ml Dry Vermouth
1 Dash Orange Bitters (2 if using a smaller dasher bottle)
5ml Peated Islay Whisky

Method:
Stir over ice. Strain into a martini glass. Garnish with Flamed Orange Twist.

VESPER MARTINI

By far, the most famous variation of the Martini to exist, thanks to author Ian Fleming in his inaugural James Bond novel, Casino Royal, in 1953. This Martini is unique for a couple of reasons, firstly, it does not allow you the choice of gin or vodka, but rather uses both. Secondly, this is the only Martini any bartender will say is better shaken than stirred. Opting to shake rather than stir results in a colder, more diluted martini that allows the botanicals of the aromatised wine to sing.

Ingredients:
60ml London Dry Gin
20ml Vodka
5ml Quinquina
5ml Lillet Blanc

Method:
Shake over ice. Fine strain into a martini glass. Garnish with a lemon twist.

TWISTS ON THE CLASSIC

TUXEDO NO. 4

This bone-dry Martini variation is a personal favourite. Taking the Wet Martini ratio of 3:1 and using fino sherry in place of the usual dry vermouth, results in a crisper, fresher, and slightly more savoury martini. The traditional garnish in an orange twist but an olive would not be out of place in the glass either.

Ingredients:
60ml London Dry Gin
30ml Fino Sherry
1 Dash Orange Bitters (2 if using a smaller dasher bottle)

Method:
Stir over ice. Strain into a martini glass. Garnish with an Orange Zest

ALASKA

This honeyed, citrus-forward Martini uses one of my favourite bartending techniques - the regal stir! Expressing an orange zest into the mixing tin you build the drink in and stirring with the peel in the tin as well allows for an incredibly complex citrus profile with a well rounded bitterness as well. The combination of orange, absinthe, and Yellow Chartreuse is an excellent one and despite having never been there myself, this martini somehow makes me feel reminiscent of an Alaskan summer sunset.

Ingredients:
50ml London Dry Gin
15ml Yellow Chartreuse
2 Dashes Orange Bitters (4 if using a smaller dasher bottle)
1 Dash Absinthe (2 if using a smaller dasher bottle)
2 Drops 20% Saline Solution
Orange Zest Coin expressed and dumped into stirring tin

Method:
Stir over ice. Strain into a martini glass. Garnish with an Orange Zest.

OBITUARY

What would a New Orleans take on a classic be without a little bit of Absinthe? This simple twist removes the classic orange bitters for a sparing pour of the wormwood-based liqueur. This Martini variation was popularised in 1940s New Orleans at Lafitte’s Blacksmith Shop and has been seeing a rise in popularity alongside its other martini compatriots.

Ingredients:
60ml London Dry Gin
10ml Dry Vermouth
3 Dashes Absinthe (6 if using a smaller dasher bottle)

Method:
Stir over ice. Strain into a martini glass. Garnish with an Olive on a Skewer.

By Fowwaz Ansari

The Best Scotch and Pizza Pairings

In the weird and wonderful world of food and drink pairings, rules exist about which pairings are good and which are bad. In the days of yore, they may have been as simple as red wine with red meat, white or sparkling wines if paired with seafood or white meat, or something as simple and delicious as pizza and beer.

However, as globalisation occurs at an ever-increasing rate, we have increasing access to food and drink across the globe. On top of this, with increases in technology, producers are bringing more and more unique products to the metaphoric dinner table every single day. As a result, these rules become dated and have been removed in place of more general flavour terms. Rather than strictly looking at wine, or even just the colour of it, we look at 7 aspects of flavour:

Sweetness, which pairs well with sweetness in turn

Umami, which contrasts beautifully with fruity flavours

Acidity, which, is similar to sweetness, matches best with more acidity

Salt, which likes light, fresh, and bitter flavours

Bitterness, which can be tempered by sweetness

Chilli, which enjoys a lower alcohol pairing

Fattiness, which can be cut through with bright acidity

So if not just wine, what else can I pair my food with? The answer is anything really, but one that stuck out to me was how well Single Malt Scotch Whisky goes with a well-made pizza.

This pairing was made aware to me out of necessity, as a friend and I were enjoying a couple of drams at Edinburgh institution, The Black Cat, and we started to feel peckish. As the pub does not have a full-sized kitchen, the staff were kind enough to allow us to grab some pizza from Dough, the stone-bake pizzeria just next door, and the rest was history.

Let us delve into some incredible Scotch Whisky and pizza (Italians and purists look away) pairings, and what makes them so special.

HAWAIIAN PIZZA & Glen Moray Chardonnay Cask Finish

It's a controversial one right off the bat, but hear me out. While the marriage of pineapple, ham, and cheese may be blasphemous to some, the mixture of acid from the tomato sauce and pineapple chunks, and fattiness from the ham call for a whisky with sweetness and acidity.

This bottling from Glen Moray provides exactly that! Upon the first sniff, you are met with a welcoming aroma of boiled lemon sweets before moving into a middle note of vanilla ice cream, and fresh pineapple with a lingering bread-and-butter note to finish, offering all the implied sweetness needed to stand up to the pineapple and tomatoes of the pizza.

You are met with rich creamy vanilla wafer notes on the palate to bolster the sweetness before moving into a mid-palate of fermented bread, not dissimilar to sourdough - or a well-made pizza base! As the flavours dissipate you are met with the dry fleeting finish of bright granny smith apples, and white peach cobbler.

The notes of the Chardonnay cask finish bring the desired (implied) sweetness and acidity you would get from a grape such as Chardonnay while still being dry and very sippable while you enjoy your pizza!

This is a love-it-or-hate-it pairing, but if Hawaiian Pizza is up your alley, for only £29.90 a bottle of this delicious single malt, it is worth a try!

GLEN MORAY CHARDONNAY CASK
Size: 700ml
Find here: £29.90

DIAVOLA PIZZA & CAOL ILA DISTILLERS EDITION

This pairing is one of my favourites, and is right in your wheelhouse if you rather your flavours punch you in the face over kissing your palate. Diavola pizza translates to devil pizza and Caol Ila is a classic Islay single malt bringing peat to the party, indicating where this pairing is headed.

Diavola generally consists of your usual tomato sauce and cheese base, topped with spicy salami and chilli peppers. The rich fattiness of the salami, along with the spice from it and the chillis are tempered by the chewy pizza dough and the sweetness of the tomato base and cheese, resulting in a spicy pizza that tickles your tongue but still is not a challenge to eat.

Caol Ila Distillers Edition is a peated single-malt double matured in Moscatel seasoned American Oak casks. The distillery character of sea salt, peat smoke, and damp ash brings to the nose a vivid image of a nostalgic beach barbecue, amplifying the spicy oiliness of the pizza. The cask finish contributes a scent of dried apricots and aloe vera vegetality allowing a reprieve from the potent spice and smoke of the pairing.

On the palate, you are met with a rich wave of sweet wood smoke, akin to that used to smoke a brisket, again, tempering the punchy flavours brought to the table by the pizza and the malt. We then move into a mid-palate spice mix of black peppercorn, nutmeg, and cinnamon which season the meat and chilis. The malt is then rounded out by a lovely lingering smoke finish, turning your delicious pizza and dram into a sensory experience that will blow your socks (and potentially your head) off, but you cannot stop returning for another bite and sip!

CAOL ILA DISTILLERS EDITION
Size: 700ml
Find here: £67.95

WHITE PIZZA & NC’NEAN HUNTRESS 2024 RELEASE

An understated player in the game, the pizza bianca is a delicious, lighter variation of your standard pizza. Omitting tomatoes entirely and simply topping the traditional pizza base with ricotta, mozzarella, and garlic, the creamy and lightly salted profile of this unique pizza pairs with a single malt just as unique - the Huntress Orchard Cobbler of Nc’nean distillery.

The Nc’nean distillery is notorious for pushing the boundaries of Scotch whisky, distilling two different kinds of spirits over the course of the year to be used in different age statement bottlings. This Huntress bottling has been distilled in the week post-recipe change, resulting in a hyper-fruit-forward spirit to the point where the bottling is named after one of the favourite desserts of the team!

On the first sniff, you are hit with aromas of rich black cherry conserve with back-end notes of puff pastry, vanilla custard, and an ever so slight fresh mintiness. When the whisky hits the tongue, we are met with a rich syrupy texture that coats the mouth, combined with a rich apricot jam note that bolsters the texture. In the mid-palate, the fruitiness prevails further but is accompanied by a warm spice of ginger nut biscuits, before moving into a long-lasting finish of custard sweetness.

This almost dessert-like dram jam-packed (pun intended) with flavours of cherry and apricot conserves brings out an incredible contrast to the soft cheeses and garlic in the pizza, reminiscent of the flavours of a mezze board.

NC’NEAN HUNTRESS 2024, ORCHARD COBBLER
Size: 700ml
Find here: £84.95

PIZZA CALABRESE & ARRAN SAUTERNES CASK

Consisting of tomato sauce, parmesan, tuna, olives, capers, garlic, onion, and hot Calabrian chilli peppers, calabrese pizza is one for those who love the salty savoury flavour profile that Italian cookery does so incredibly. 

To cut through the punchy flavours of this spicy, savoury pie, we recommend leaning towards the sweeter side of the Scotch malty whisky-verse, and where better to look than the sole distillery on the Isle of Arran, famous for their cask-finished malts? Specifically, the Sauternes cask-finished bottling brings to the pairing a fruit-forward honeyed profile that offers a sweet reprieve from the umami spice of the pizza.

This deceptively complex malt is the gift that keeps on giving, as I find a new tasting note for it every time we are reacquainted. On the nose, we are met with a pronounced honey scent before delving into a fruit bowl that is somehow tropical, orchard and stone all at the same time.

The palate has a mild saltiness and baking spice flavour running throughout, seasoning the layers of lemon zest, toffee apples, and honey. The finish is a short burst of crisp orange zest, honey, and unmistakable sauternes character.

The malt and pizza play together in this salty, spicy, sweet combination in a contrast that allows each component to shine brighter than if they were to be enjoyed in solidarity.

P.S. This bottling always sells out fast upon release!

ARRAN SAUTERNES CASK
Size: 700ml
Find here: £49.90

PIZZA PARMA & AUCHENTOSHAN AMERICAN OAk

A pairing that brings together the flavours of Northern Italy and the central belt of Scotland! Pizza Parma consists of Parma ham, paired with fresh rocket, and cherry tomatoes all added to the classic pizza base post-bake resulting in a fresh peppery pizza, with fatty saltiness coming from the Parma ham.

Lowlands distillery Auchentoshan’s American Oak aged bottling evokes memories of playing football (or your outdoor sport of choice) in the rain! On the nose you are hit in the face with the smell of dewy grass, accompanied by citrus notes of orange wedges and an ever so slight chocolatey toffee sweetness.

The palate follows suit, as upon first sip you are met with coconut water flavours married with mixed citrus peels and stone fruit, before developing into the distillery character of grassy freshness and malty, oaky spice on the mid-palate. On the lingering finish, the tongue tingles in a way that is reminiscent of grapefruit zests or Szechuan peppercorns, while also being tempered by a pronounced caramel sweetness.

The peppery notes of the fresh rocket boost the malt and oak spice of the malt, while the acidity from the cherry tomatoes and salt and fat from the ham cut through the recurring toffee notes.

Owing to its approachability in flavour and accessibility in price, a pairing I highly recommend as an introduction to the world of food and Scotch Whisky Pairings.

AUCHENTOSHAN AMERICAN OAK
Size: 700ml
Find here: £26.94

It is also worth noting that drinking the whisky neat is not the only way to approach this pairing! If you feel that a neat dram may be too potent to pair with a pizza, opting for a Highball, Old Fashioned, or Sour, is not only allowed but encouraged! Adding different ingredients would allow other flavours to enter the pairing and also make the world of whisky more accessible to those with less experience in drinking neat spirits, or even to those who simply do not like drinking neat spirits. We hope that these combinations of a dram and a slice have set you in the mood to go out and try a pairing of your own!

By Fowwaz Ansari

Weird Food and Drinks Pairings That Taste Great

Everyone loves a good drink that pairs perfectly with their meal, whether in a restaurant or at home. The standard choice of familiar wine with a meal is a wise one, as you are presented with complexity and depth in flavour straight from the bottle, however, there is a whole world of more unexpected pairings that are well worth exploring. 

The act of pairing food and drink together is as much a science as it is an art. There are set recipes of which kinds of drinks pair well with which kinds of food. However, there are ways to be creative within these rules! You can follow the route of complimentary flavours, for example, pairing the salty sweetness of oysters with a high salinity single malt whisky such as Talisker 10-Year-Old, or use the method of contrasting flavours, that when paired together give a well-rounded flavour profile hitting all those flavours - salty, sweet, bitter, acidity, umami and spice.

The pairings we will be looking at in this article may be outside your usual recommendations but hopefully expand your horizons of dreamy food and beverage pairings!

SUBCONTINENTAL BARBECUE + BLANC DE BLANC CHAMPAGNE

Going to a subcontinental barbecue restaurant is almost a parallel experience to going out for tapas. With an array of dishes for the table rather than a dish per person, dish-specific pairings become nearly impossible and we must look at a common theme between all the food at the table. In this scenario, the predominant flavours are the spice blends used, the tang of the yoghurt marination, and the smoke from the fire of the barbecue. These flavours hit the mark with salt (seasonings), bitter (charcoal fire cooked), umami (meats and spinach), and obviously, spice from the spices, meaning we are left without sweetness and acidity.

Suggesting champagne to bring sweetness to a pairing might sound bizarre, but the buttery brioche notes of a 100% Chardonnay Blanc de Blanc contrast with the heat and slight bitterness of the fire-cooked spread bringing an implied sweetness that refreshes the palate and tempers the spice, despite the crisp carbonation. The bright fresh orchard fruit flavours of granny smith apples and stone fruits such as peach bring forth another dimension of sweetness while also offering a sharp malic acidity that rounds out a divine pairing that may seem sacrilegious to some.

Nicolas Feuillatte Blanc de Blancs

The next time you fancy going to your local BYOB curry house, we recommend bringing along a bottle of Nicolas Feuillatte Blanc de Blancs for something cheap and cheerful with no compromise on quality.

Size: 750ml
ABV: 12%
Find here: £36.99

Champagne PIAFF Blanc de Blancs NV

If you are celebrating an occasion and want to have a brilliant bottle of bubbles to match, we recommend Champagne PIAFF Blanc de Blancs NV from Amathus Wines!

Size: 750ml
ABV: 12%
Find here: £69.30

NEW YORK CHEESECAKE + A FRENCH 75

You are out for dinner and have enjoyed your meal over a brilliantly paired bottle of wine with company, and your waiter brings over the dessert menu which contains an incredible-sounding New York-style cheesecake. The only problem is, you feel a little wined out and a full glass seems a little bit too much. Look no further than the most famous Champagne cocktail on the planet!

This pairing looks at complimentary flavours of sweet, acid, and salt. A tangy, sweet cheesecake with a salty-sweet biscuit base is elevated by the botanicals of the gin (ideally a citrus-forward London dry-style gin). The lemon juice boosts the presence of the lactic acidity from the cream cheese, and the champagne with notes of citrus, nuts, and fresh fruits such as peaches, apricots, and pears can even be used in place of garnishing the cheesecake with fresh fruits. The buttery, nutty notes of the champagne interact with the biscuit base in a way that simply sets up the pairing for success!

If you happen to have a cheesecake at home with no gin or lemons, or even if you are feeling cocktailed out, high-acid Champagne will even do the trick in a pinch!

CRAB + AMONTILLADO SHERRY

If you, like myself, are a lover of the fruits of the sea, this pairing is not one to miss! The sweet sea-salty flavours of crab find a surprising match with the nutty dryness of Amontillado sherry.

The pairing I experienced was at Hawksmoor’s beautiful Edinburgh location; their Eyemouth crab on toast was paired with the iconic Lustau Bodega’s Amontillado Sherry. The pairing, however, will work in more than this format. This sherry works incredibly well with a spicy crab fried rice or even a crab cake.

The aromatic notes of the sherry, of hazelnuts, and a mix of fresh and dried herbs season the crab as you sip and bite in conjunction, while the whisper of tobacco on the back palette of the sherry works even more wonders if your plate of crab has been cooked on the grill. It’s not just the sherry that elevates the crab either, as the natural salty-sweet profile of the crab acts as a flavour enhancer making all the nutty, raising flavours of the sherry sing even louder. Truly a pairing that reminds me why I love food and drink.

Lustau Amontillado Sherry

Size: 750ml
ABV: 18.5%
Find here: £26.50

GORDAL OLIVES + CREME DE CACAO BLANC

This savoury sweet pairing is light on the booze and the budget, and is perfect for a summertime post-lunch, pre-dinner snack!

Gordal olives have a meaty texture, with a nice crunch. Their sharp acidity and short finish of chilli spice and seaweed brinyness make an incredible pairing when contrasted by the soft, and delicately layered Creme de Cacao White from Gabriel Boudier. The liqueur has a very delicate nose reminiscent of a more “masculine” cologne that has started to fade with notes of sandalwood, white chocolate, cacao, dark roasted coffee beans, and orchard fruits. On the palate, however, you are hit with a wave of rich white and milk chocolates, followed by heavy cream and hints of red fruit such as strawberries and cherries, before a long buttery finish reminiscent of good vanilla ice cream.

Olives are great on their own, but this pairing truly does end up greater than the sum of its parts. As these two potent flavours fight for the spotlight, they end up enhancing each other and result in a pairing that is light on the stomach yet still jam-packed full of flavour!

Gabriel Boudier Creme De Cacao

Size: 500ml
ABV: 15%
Find here: £16.99

NASHVILLE HOT CHICKEN + LISTAN BLANCO

It’s a difficult thing to not love fried chicken. It’s equally difficult to not love a crisp cold glass of white wine, although usually not in conjunction. This pairing makes the exception to this rule as they contrast against each other beautifully.

Nashville Hot and Listan Blanco are not the most popular forms of their base products, as they each bring a signature flavour characteristic that falls under the love-it-or-hate-it category. Nashville Hot is, well, very hot, as the hot oil used to fry the chicken is then poured over cayenne, chile, black pepper, onion powder, paprika, salt, and sugar to form a chilli oil that the chicken is then drenched in.

On the other side of the coin, Listan Blanco has a very sulfurous quality. With fresh-struck matchstick on the nose, alongside curry powder aromatics and a strong minerality that reminds you of bathing in a mud bath. The palate lends itself to being savoury and mineral-forward, with flavours of fresh citrus zest which allows the floral quality of the chilies in the chili oil. The savoury funk of the wine also tempers the spice of the wine and allows more sweetness to come through.

When paired together, these two somewhat polarising forms of long-standing beloved classics become infinitely more approachable as their unique qualities come together for a bite with tempered spice and a sip with tamed sulphur notes.

If you cannot find Listan Blanco on the shelves of your local supermarket or bottle shop, we commend Borja Perez Viticultor, Listan Blanco, Artifice, 2019 from the Justerini & Brooks portfolio.

Listan Blanco

Size: 750ml
ABV: 12.5%
Find here: £19.40

By Fowwaz Ansari

Elevating Cocktails With Tea

In the modern realm of craft cocktail bartending, bartenders are always looking for ways to impart complex flavour profiles with real depth into their signature slings. From organic produce such as fresh fruit and vegetables to specialist ingredients such as acid powders and thickening and emulsifying agents, anything that can add complexity in flavour and texture can and will be employed.

To understand how to use tea effectively, we must first understand the variations of tea. The two major categories are herbal teas made using various herbs and spices steeped in hot water and include chamomile, ginger, and peppermint teas, and tea coming from the tea plant, Camellia Sinensis, which has six further subcategories; green, white, yellow, oolong, black and dark. The difference between these six types of tea is how the raw leaves are processed post-harvest.

Tea has versatility in not only breadth but also depth. When using tea in a cocktail there are two main questions to ask yourself before starting your process - What kind of tea do I want to use? And what kind of flavours do I want to extract from the tea leaves? The answer to these questions will determine what kind of tea leaves to use and how to impart their flavours into your libation.

With this knowledge, we will explore some of the delicious brew-based cocktails created by bartenders worldwide and the various techniques they employ!

SPIRIT INFUSION

The Earl Grey Marteani was created by legendary New York City bartender Audrey Saunders for the opening menu of her bar Pegu Club. This gin-sour serve is a brilliant introduction to tea, cocktails, and both in combination, owing to its ease of replicability and the fact that it is just damn delicious.

The recipe calls for Earl Grey tea-infused gin, which may seem daunting to a beginner but requires no speciality equipment and minimal active time. Simply add ¼ cup or 8 grams of loose leaf earl grey tea to 750ml of London Dry Gin and leave to steep for at least 2 and up to 8 hours, before straining through a coffee filter and bottling.

Looking at Saunders’ choice of process is intriguing here as an infusion into the spirit allows the alcohol to leech out the flavour faster than cold brewing it before turning the cold brewed tea into a syrup, as well as allowing for a more shelf stable product than a tea syrup!

With these pros, however, always comes a con. As alcohol leeches out flavours a lot faster than water, it also pulls out the bitter tannic profile contained in all kinds of teas. To combat this, Saunders added egg white to the drink to soften the bitter, tannic finish of the drink.

While infusing the tea into spirit was ideal for Saunders’ application, infusing tea into a whole bottle of gin may not be the most ideal for home bartending use, so let’s turn our heads to the alternative of tea syrups!

SYRUP INFUSION

Image credit: 1820rooftopbar on Instagram

When infusing tea into syrup, your choice between hot or cold brewing the tea will determine the flavours you extract from the tea. A cold brewed tea will be a more delicate extraction with the predominant flavour coming from the process used to preserve the tea leaf post-harvest, whereas, a hot brew will give you a more tannic profile a lot more akin to your regular cuppa.

A great example of hot brewed tea syrup in a cocktail is the Apricot + Dragon Ball Tea from the 1820 Rooftop Bar in Edinburgh, which uses a blend of 5 different teas to mimic the flavour profile of Johnnie Walker Black Label!

We spoke with the creative lead on the project Connor Norris on his thought process for the choice of teas and method of extraction:

“The cordial made a lot of sense in this serve, and the blend of teas chosen was based on the tasting notes of Johnnie Walker Black label that were perceived by the team. Rooibos tea was the backbone of the blend, providing the malty base and bridging the gap between the flavours of tea, and single-grain whisky. Lapsang tea offered the smoke that Caol Ila brings, while Hibiscus brought the fruity notes of Cardhu and the floral profile of Glenkinchie. Earl Grey mimicked some of the tropical notes found in Clynelish, and to round it out, Breakfast Tea added the classic tannic flavours that are brought to whisky through their cask aging.”

Connor’s method of infusion was a hot brew using the sous vide, which allowed a quicker infusion for the high-volume purposes of the venue but also allowed the tannic dryness of the tea to contrast against the sweetness of the apricot jam used in the cordial.

It is an all-around delicious beverage so we suggest it as a fantastic example of what a tea cocktail can be if you get the chance to visit.

COLD DISTILLATION

This one is for my fellow cocktail bartenders who stepped into the prep space of their new venue and saw a rotary evaporator (rotovap) for the first time and wondered what exactly they had gotten themselves into - a feeling I have known all too well.

Fear not! As while a rotovap is an expensive and intricate piece of equipment, the theory behind its use is far simpler than the column and pot still distillation processes used in the making of spirits. Applying the same logic of hot versus cold brewing of tea to the vigor of your boil in your distillation chamber, you can achieve an incredible variance of end product while starting with the same raw materials. A few things to note first:

• As pressure drops, so does the boiling point of the liquid.

• As alcohol by volume increases, the boiling point of the liquid drops.

• A rotovap is by no means necessary in making great drinks, with tea or otherwise.

• For the sake of example, we will look at making a tea liqueur using distillation.

If the main goal of the extraction was to pull out the bitter tannins from the tea, then keeping the pressure relatively high and boiling aggressively at a higher temperature is the way to go. Whereas if you want to extract the flavours of the tea leaf and how it was processed, drop the pressure very low and keep the temperature low to keep the liquid on a simmer.

An old head bartender of mine once said that using a rotovap is very similar to using a barbecue - learning to read the fire and use that to your advantage is one of the keys to good barbecues. In the case of a rotovap, learning to read the boil and pressure and adjusting those to achieve the flavours that you want from them is the key to good rotovapped cocktails!

With this new-found knowledge of tea and infusion methods, you can sling yourself up a delicious tea cocktail with minimal faff for the home bartender, or go all the way to distillation for the professionals! An exciting world awaits…

By Fowwaz Ansari

The 5 Best Scotch Whisky Cocktails to Try at Home

When thinking of a Scotch whisky bar, it’s likely that an image of a dark room with mahogany and leather furnishings will pop into the mind, perhaps with a lingering cigar scent. However, in this modern Scotch whisky and cocktail renaissance, the norms are changing to brighter bars less reminiscent of old boys’ clubs and more akin to the modern high-end cocktail bar.

A change in attitude accompanies this change in the atmosphere; there is less nose-turning when mixing a cocktail with Scotch whiskies, and in some cases, even single malts! When prepared correctly, a Scotch whisky cocktail is just downright incredible. Whether your favourite mixed drink is an Old Fashioned or a Whisky Sour, there is a Scotch Whisky classic out there for you! Here are some of our favourites.

Mizuwari

The Japanese cousin of Scotch and soda simply replaces soda water with still water and is a staple in Asian drinking culture. The single-ingredient replacement in a 2 ingredient drink makes more of a difference than one would think as soda water has acidity and bitterness from carbonation, so the still water results in a softer flavour profile, allowing the drinker to experience even more layers of the single malt of choice, and arguably, it’s even more refreshing! The beauty of this drink lies in its versatility; you can use any Scotch of your choice, blended or single malt and it will be smooth and refreshing. You can even play around with flavoured waters that complement your whisky of choice! e.g. Cardhu 12 and red apple flavoured water.

Ingredients
50ml (1 &2/3oz) Single Malt Scotch Whisky
Still water to top up

Method
Add Scotch whisky to a highball with ice and top with still water. Optionally, garnish with a slice of lemon.

BRIGADOON

The whisky sour gets the daisy treatment with this lesser-known classic. Like many historic cocktails, not much is known about the origin of this drink other than the fact it was the creation of Adam McGurk at the Player in London. The combination of apricot brandy and orgeat is a well-utilised one in many a tiki cocktail and works just as splendidly when swapping the base spirit of rum for whisky. For this drink, we recommend any well-rounded blended scotch so as not to overpower the other flavours running through the drink.

Ingredients
40ml (1 &1/3oz) Blended Scotch
20ml (2/3oz) Apricot Brandy
20ml (2/3oz) Lemon Juice
15ml (1/2oz) Orgeat
3 dashes Angostura Bitters

Method
Combine all ingredients into a shaker and shake with ice for 10 seconds. Lastly,
strain into your favourite cocktail glass and enjoy.

WILLIAM WALLACE

This Scotch Manhattan adjacent tipple is one of the newest drinks to take the bartending world by storm. Created by Joe Schofield of Schofield’s Bar fame in Manchester in 2019, it was a simple stroke of genius by taking the classic Rob Roy template and substituting a portion of the Sweet Vermouth for Pedro Ximenez Sherry. This adds an extra layer of complexity to the flavour profile, alongside a touch of extra body and sweetness. This one-ingredient switch lands the William Wallace a touch sweeter than the Rob Roy it is based on, and a touch drier than their brother, the Bobby Burns.

Top Tip: This is a cocktail that is also very much batchable, you can pre-combine multiple serves of this drink with water added for the dilution that would have been achieved by stirring (10% of total volume is ideal), bottle it up and stick it in the freezer to enjoy later.

Ingredients
50ml (1 &2/3oz) Blended Scotch Whisky
10ml (1/3oz) Sweet Vermouth
10ml (1/3oz) Pedro Ximenez Sherry
3 dashes Orange Bitters

Method
Combine all ingredients in a mixing glass and then stir over ice.
Next, strain into your favourite cocktail glass before finishing it off with an orange twist garnish.

MORNING GLORY FIZZ

This whisky sour variation is the quintessential hangover cure of pre-prohibition America and is very much a reflection of the lifestyle there at the time. Initially mentioned in O.H. Byron’s Modern Bartender’s Guide (1884), this scotch-based, absinthe-laced sour, is topped with soda and served without ice all in the name of knock-back-ability. While the drink was initially created as a corpse reviver, it also makes a delectable evening tipple once the recipe has been modified to be more suitable to the modern palette, and has been getting more love than it has been used to in recent years as the bartenders of today are increasingly flicking through the history books for inspiration.

Ingredients
50ml (1 &2/3oz) Blended Scotch Whisky
25ml (5/6oz) Lemon Juice
25ml (5/6oz) 1:1 Simple Syrup
20ml (2/3oz) Egg White (Can be subbed in for any vegan foamer)
4 dashes Absinthe
Top with Soda Water

Method
Combine all ingredients except soda water in a shaker with ice for 15 seconds.
Next, add ice into your tin and shake for 10 seconds. Fine strain into a highball glass and top up with soda water. Nom.

SKYE 75

This drink was made known to me during my time working in the cocktail bars of Johnnie Walker Princes Street, Edinburgh; the Skye 75 takes the classic gin number, the French 75 on a holiday to a tiny island off the West coast of Scotland, the Isle of Skye. The simple substitute of Single Malt Scotch, Talisker 10 Y.O. for London Dry Gin completely revamps the character of this summer staple. The lightly peated, maritime character of Talisker 10 pairs perfectly with the buttery orchard fruit notes of dry, crisp Champagne, and makes for a perfect cocktail as we approach the warmer months ahead.

Ingredients
35ml (1 and 1/6oz) Talisker 10 Y.O.
25ml (5/6oz) Lemon Juice
25ml (5/6oz) 1:1 Simple Syrup
Top with Champagne

Method
Combine all ingredients except Champagne in a shaker and shake, shake, shake for 10 seconds. Fine strain into your champagne flute, fill it up with fizz and finish off with a pretty lemon twist!

If all this talk of Scotch cocktails has got you drooling for one, then check out some Scotch recommendations here!

By Fowwaz Ansari

Meet Our DRINKLUSIVE Mentees!

We are absolutely delighted to introduce you to our first ever DRINKLUSIVE mentees. Over the next six months, they will embark on the first Inclusivity Mentorship of its kind in the drinks space, with the aim of giving people from all walks of life the chance to make the drinks industry their home.

Our fabulous mentees below will be learning from our industry leading DRINKLUSIVE mentors, working towards their WSET qualifications, building their personal brand and network, getting access to work experience, and creating written and social content not only here at The Three Drinkers, but also for The Independent and JancisRobinson.com.

We can’t wait for you to see more from DRINKLUSIVE and the mentees soon, but for now, here they are!

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Fowwaz Ansari

DRINKLUSIVE MENTEE

Fowwaz was born in the UK but grew up in Pakistan before returning to attend university when he was 18. It was during his studies that he grew an affinity for bartending whilst working in various pubs and bars part-time. Upon graduation, rather than going down the graduate jobs route, he opted for a career behind the stick. Since doing so, his passion for food and drinks has only increased in breadth and depth. Having sharpened his senses for the past 8 years in the industry, he is currently taking on the challenge of being head bartender at one of Edinburgh's most exciting up-and-coming independent bars; Bittersweet Leith. When coming up with signature drinks for the bar, Fowwaz very often turns his head to his heritage and the culinary culture that surrounds it for inspiration and you can often find him nose-deep in a book looking to expand his knowledge.

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Latoya Austin

DRINKLUSIVE MENTEE

Latoya grew up as a cocktail lover due to her upbringing where Caribbean cocktails such as rum punch, sorrel and rum were produced for special occasions. She was introduced to the world of wine through her studies of French at school and university and her interest grew further through her travels leading her to become a travel writer alongside her regular day job. When journeying around the world, she can often be found sampling local traditional drinks such as soju in South Korea. Latoya is particularly interested in aspects of wine tourism and during the lockdowns she took the opportunity to discover more of the local English vineyards within the burgeoning English wine scene. She’d love to learn more about the lesser-known wine regions, such as Uruguay, Bulgaria and more.

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Miley Kendrick

DRINKLUSIVE MENTEE

Miley fell head over heels for bartending the second she stepped behind a bar at the young age of eighteen, where she underwent about the most intense training possible from old school cocktail bar, Be at One. Slinging drinks is a natural fit for a musician and frontwoman, providing a stage to be herself, create, and be playful. Since making the move to independent bars in 2021, Miley has won two UK cocktail competitions and competed on a global scale in Sweden and Mexico. Everything Miley does is a means to creating the most whimsical life possible for herself; her drive to fill her world with art fuels her passion for writing, crafting cocktails, or playing guitar.

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Roberta Jerram

DRINKLUSIVE MENTEE

Robbie’s love for botanicals and mixology was inherited from the female drink-makers in her family, her Mum and Nans. She began her journey in drinks working behind the bar in local Hampshire pubs, before moving on to moonlighting as a bartender at a London hotel during her student years. Her passion for gin truly blossomed in her 20s, when she landed her dream job as a flight attendant serving G&Ts to British holidaymakers at 30,000 feet. Now in her 50s, her love for gin and botanicals has remained constant and she enjoys nothing more than sharing her knowledge and gin cocktails with her gin pals, family and friends. You can find Robbie on social media @thefairyginmother and very soon on her Gin App which will be launching in March 2024 @ginpodapp.

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Will Wong

DRINKLUSIVE MENTEE

Previously a management consultant and theatre director, Will is now a professional photographer who began shooting wine and glassware seriously during the Covid lockdowns. If wine is liquid geography or poetry, the ultimate litmus tests for him are whether the beverage takes you down memory lane, or better still, transports you to a time and place you have never been. His goal is to tell compelling stories about the people and places behind the labels. Being a certified Climate Aware Photographer, he enjoys researching how vines and winemaking are adapting to and evolving with our changing climate. When he’s not enjoying press tastings, print magazines or Formula One, you will find Will sharing his experiences of food & wine/spirits pairings on his Instagram account @fino_vino_malts.

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Zach Sapato

DRINKLUSIVE MENTEE

Zach Sapato is a bartender and intentional experience designer from the US, who now calls Scotland home. He is a US & UK National Swizzle Cocktail Champion - as well as holding four other US & UK national cocktail titles. In recognition of his efforts founding HospoHang - a hospitality community collective based in Glasgow - Zach was given the Hospitality Hero award from the Scottish Licensed Trade. He has done educational seminars at international conferences on Intentional Experience Design and Hospitality Community Building. He really likes cool pals, genuine hospitality, charity shops, tater tots, and blue drinks. You'll probably like him.

If you are interested in becoming a DRINKLUSIVE mentor then click here to find out more.