GLOBAL FLAVORS FOR INNOVATIVE COCKTAILS

A growing trend right now is the use of local ingredients in cocktails. As with food menus, more and more customers are wanting to see local ingredients on drink menus and try something new and exclusive to that location. We travelled the globe to find out what local ingredients top bartenders are using.

USA

Rebecca Quinonez, Diageo Global Brand Ambassador for RON ZACAPA™

I think the trend towards localization is brilliant. Using local ingredients is a way of identifying with individual cities and markets and telling the story of their culture, heritage and traditions.

In my hometown of Miami, cocktails are incredibly trendy and we’re experiencing a renaissance of the classics, paying homage to the likes of Old Fashioned, Boulevardier and the Hemingway Daiquiri, or as locals in Miami like to call Julio Cabrera’s other name “Papa Doble”

Local ingredients you use in cocktails:

Miami is a unique city with much of our gastronomy and mixology influenced by our strong Caribbean and Latin American culture. Cocktails will often incorporate ingredients inspired by Caribbean cuisine such as plantain garnishes. Tropical fruits, such as papaya and guava, are also extremely popular and are used to enhance recipes and make variations or more exotic twists on traditional cocktails like pina coladas, daiquiris and even cocktails inspired by and incorporating local Hispanic desserts, such as Dolce de Leche.

BANANA DAIQUIRI

• 1.5 oz banana rum (method below)
• 0.5 oz lime juice
• 0.5 oz rich simple syrup (2 parts sugar; 1 part water)
• Garnish: 1 fried plantain chip with dusted peanuts and/or lime wheel

Method:

• Add the banana rum, lime juice and syrup to a shaker and fill with ice.
• Shake vigorously for a full 10 seconds.
• Double strain into a chilled coupe glass and serve with garnish of choice.
• Garnish with fried plantain chip with dusted peanuts on top and/or lime wheel.

Banana Rum Recipe:

• 2 ripe bananas
• 6 oz light rum
• 6 oz RON ZACAPA™

Method:

• Peel and slice 2 ripe bananas into 1/2 inch slices.
• Add the banana and rum to a jar, seal and shake.
• Let steep for 2-3 days.

SINGAPORE

Din Hassan, Bar Owner and Brand Ambassador for SingBev

I started to use local flavors in my bar in Singapore. We started to use local flavors because these ingredients were easy to source and soon we started to see lots of bars doing it. I believe this trend will continue to grow, as more and more people want to try local flavors.

Local ingredients you use in cocktails:

Rose syrup with milk (Bandung), chocolate flavor energy drinks, chicken rice stocks and chili crab paste.

CHILI CRAB BLOODY MARIA

• 1.25 oz DON JULIO™ Reposado
• 0.25 oz port wine
• 2 dash worcestershire sauce
• 5 cherry tomatoes
• 2 stalks thyme
• 1 bar spoon chili crab sauce
• 0.75 oz fresh lemon juice
• 0.25 oz fresh orange juice
• 0.25 simple syrup
• 1 pinch salt
• 1 pinch pepper

Method:

• Muddle DON JULIO™ Reposado, port wine, worcestershire sauce, lemon juice, orange juice and the syrup together.
• Shake and strain into a highball glass.
• Rim half glass with salt and thyme.
• Garnish with a local cucumber and cherry tomato with pepper on top.

UAE

Chris Strong, Bar Manager, Dubai

In terms of cocktails the UAE is still very young and is still finding its feet in terms of a national drink, however the trend leads towards long and refreshing drinks, using heavy citrus flavors and also a lot of local fresh fruit.

Local ingredients you use in your cocktails:

Camel’s milk is one that really surprised me as an ingredient in the Middle East. It is a product that is amazing in a White Russian and adds a totally different dynamic to a Ramos Gin Fizz in terms of texture and flavor.

WHITE CAMEL’S MILK

• 1.25 oz CAPTAIN MORGAN™ White Rum
• 0.25 oz orange flavored liqueur
• 2 dashes date syrup
• 0.5 oz lemon juice
• 2 dashes sugar syrup
• 0.75 oz camel’s milk
• 1 pasteurized egg white
• candied dates and almonds

Method:

• Dry shake all the ingredients then wet shake over rock ice.
• Double strain into chilled rocks glass over ice.
• Garnish with candied dates and almonds.

UK

James Fowler, Bar owner and UK World Class winner 2014

I love seeing diversity on menus and local ingredients which really showcase new and specialist flavors. It is great to support local producers and involving them in the drinks industry. Customers also love to taste and see local influences.

Local ingredients you use in your cocktails:

The UK has some great foraged wild ingredients. Our countryside and remote areas produce some really unique ingredients. I love using seaweeds, rock samphire and wild mushrooms.

MARSH – HAUL MATTERS

• 1.25 oz BULLIET™ Rye
• 0.75 oz vermouth
• 2 dashes samphire infused JOHNNIE WALKER™ BLACK LABEL™ (small handful of samphire, muddled & infused with 1.75 oz of JOHNNIE WALKER)

Method:

• Stir all the ingredients on crisp ice.
• Pour into a chilled coupe glass.
• Garnish with a fresh samphire pegged to the side of the glass

All drink recipes within this site contain no more than 0.6 fl. oz. (14 grams) of alcohol per serving, equivalent to one standard U.S. drink.

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