Hosting at home
How to make whisky cocktails for your dinner party
Dinner parties? They’re back on the menu. Finally!
That one party you're hosting for your friends is going to require delicious drinks and a little pre-planning. We believe drinks can be good at home with a helping hand, so we've teamed up with Scotch extraordinaire Ervin Trykowski, to round up a few tips, tricks and great recipes designed to go down a splash.
Whisky is currently having a moment, so it's likely the group of friends who are coming to your dinner party will range from whisky connoisseurs to people who are new to the spirit, and maybe some who are whisky curious.
What whisky cocktails should you put on the drinks menu?
As you'll want to make sure there's something for everyone, choose a variety of whisky drinks and cocktails.
Cocktails to impress your guests recommended by Ervin
Blackberry Whisky
INGREDIENTS
35ml Johnnie Walker Red Label whisky
15ml blackberry syrup
15ml lemon juice
Premium tonic water
Plenty of ice
GARNISH
Blackberries
METHOD
Muddle blackberries into your glass. Combine the remaining ingredients, shake everything with some ice, and serve over more ice in a rocks glass.
For those who don't love blackberries, substitute with your preferred berry.
The Sunrise Highball
INGREDIENTS
50ml Johnnie Walker Black Label whisky
100ml blood orange soda
50ml fresh orange juice
GARNISH
Orange slice
METHOD
Combine the whisky and soda in a highball glass and top with fresh OJ. Garnish with an orange slice.
Take the stress out of hosting
Batch ready-to-serve whisky cocktails before your guests arrive. That way, the drinks are made, dinner will come later, and you can pour, sip, and spend more time catching up with your guests.
Ervin's Old Fashioned Batch
(14 Serves)
INGREDIENTS
700ml bottle of whisky
300ml simple syrup (1:1 ratio)
12 dashes of orange bitters
110ml water
GARNISH
Orange peel
METHOD
Using the funnel add the whisky, simple syrup, bitters and water to a clean 1L glass bottle. Seal the bottle and give it a gentle swirl to mix all the ingredients. Keep in the fridge until ready to use.
When you're ready to serve, pour into tumbler(s), express an orange peel over each drink and then use the peel to garnish.
TOP TIP
“Make everything in advance, bottle it and take the work out of it so you can host. You don't need a cocktail shaker, but you do need a big bowl or an empty bottle that's big enough to hold your batch.”
Ervin
@scotch.boy