Just a hint of spice makes cocktails oh-so-nice!
Spices are not only great enhancers of taste and flavour in food, but work wonders in cocktails too, as they add depth and character. Spiced infusions or spices added to syrups for cocktails, are typical ways in which bartenders and mixologists incorporate spices in drinks. Given that we are still in January, cocktails with spices are really welcome.
Tug, the ace expat barman at Wink, Vivanta by Taj President, Mumbai, says, “The fascination with spices in India and the love of all things hot and spicy here, has long intrigued me. The popularity of spices being used in cocktails over the past 2-3 years has gained serious momentum and the trend looks set to continue as bartenders are experimenting with wide range of flavours, usually reserved for cooking. Black pepper, clove, cinnamon, curry leaves, chillies, are all being used to open up a whole new world of drinking pleasure.” Tug made me try his famous Spiced Sour, with Indian spices infused in bourbon, white and apricot liqueur with touches of limejuice, sugar syrup and egg white. Quite the “palate tingler”!
Earthy, tangy, with just a hint of underlying bitterness, cardamom complements bourbon while Cointreau and lemon juice too can be used with a dash of cardamom.
The rich and warm aroma of fresh ginger with a refreshing woody note and sweet, citrus undertones is ideal for combining with coconut and limejuice and then adding to cocktails. Ginger Martini and Ginger Mary are cocktails I enjoy in this season.
I personally favour spice infusions, finding them safer to deal with. The infusion must not overpower the taste and flavour of your whisky or rum, only enhance it. White or dark chocolate and cream, I have noticed, pair well with a spice-infused whisky.
Another personal favourite is an infusion of sour cherries, fresh ginger and warm cloves with whisky. An infusion of apple cider, maple syrup, Angostura bitters with cinnamon makes for a great cocktail with whisky too. Heady, but warm. The sweetness of maple syrup complements the cinnamon flavours.
Bartenders are forever experimenting with sweet and spicy infusions. One of them treated me to a unique cocktail made with cardamom, cinnamon and cloves combined with pure maple syrup. He then added garam masala, thus adding heat and complexity to this drink. The rich, exotic flavour complemented the sweet notes of the syrup. So be creative, think out of the box and experiment with spices. Great cocktails are bound to come out of this! Mini is a food writer
