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Veteran mixologist Shaatbhi Basu stirs up some exquisite sips this World Cocktail Day

Here is the list of some most demanding cocktails

Pramita Ghosh Published 13.05.23, 04:20 PM
Shatbhi Basu is a master mixologist, beverage consultant and an author

Shatbhi Basu is a master mixologist, beverage consultant and an author Pictures: Shatbhi Basu and Nagesh Raut

On this World Cocktail Day, I am reminded of how a seemingly trivial thought, especially to those outside the sphere of my world, made such a massive impact on the way I continue to shape cocktails today.

It was about simply changing people’s perception of a drink called the Bloody Mary! Served then in a short stubby, occasionally ugly, whisky glass — it brought about a fleeting thought in my mind of calling it a Bloody John! Instead, I decided Mary deserved a makeover. I put her in a shapely glass with a super zingy flavour and gave her a wardrobe of garnishes instead of only one, tired celery stick.

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It definitely caused a few raised eyebrows from the trade but people loved the revisited Mary and that went on to change the vision of how good a cocktail could be. It confirmed my conviction that change is good if it elevates the experience of the cocktail and makes it more desirable to its audience. The rest is history.

On World Cocktail Day, here are some of my instantly loveable cocktail recipes for The Telegraph readers.

(l-r) Royal Spritz, Mango & Passion Whiskey Sour, Guava & Grapefruit Gin & Tonic

(l-r) Royal Spritz, Mango & Passion Whiskey Sour, Guava & Grapefruit Gin & Tonic

Royal Spritz

Glass: Large wine Ingredients:

  • 150ml cold sparkling wine (to top)
  • 5ml blueberry pure
  • 10ml peach syrup
  • Garnish: Jasmine flower, basil sprig
  • Method:
  • Fill the glass with ice
  • Add gently peach syrup and blueberry puree
  • Now, slowly top it with sparkling wine and stir
  • Garnish

Mango & Passion Whiskey Sour

Glass: Rocks/Old Fashioned

Ingredients:

  • 60ml bourbon whiskey
  • 20ml fresh passion fruit puree
  • 20ml mango crush
  • 1 wedge lime
  • 5 fresh curry leaves
  • 1 egg white

Garnish: Curry leaf dust (pan-dried and powdered), curry leaf sprig

Method:

  • Add all ingredients to a shaker
  • Fill shaker with ice and shake hard for 15 seconds
  • Strain and shake again without the ice
  • Pour into chilled glass
  • Garnish

Guava & Grapefruit Gin & Tonic

Glass: Wine glass

Ingredients:

  • 60ml gin
  • 5ml pink grapefruit syrup or
  • 15ml fresh grapefruit juice
  • 15ml guava juice
  • 1 lime wedge
  • Tonic water (grapefruit tonic if available)
  • Garnish: Fresh mint, edible flower

Method:

  • Fill glass with ice
  • Add grapefruit syrup/juice, guava juice & gin
  • Squeeze in a wedge of lime and drop in
  • Top with tonic water & stir
  • Garnish
(L) Date & Tamarind Sour, (middle) Deeply Citrus Negroni, (R) Kolkata Sunset

(L) Date & Tamarind Sour, (middle) Deeply Citrus Negroni, (R) Kolkata Sunset

Date & Tamarind Sour

Glass: Coupe/rocks

Ingredients:

  • 60ml dark rum
  • 15ml date syrup
  • 15ml orange juice
  • 1 bar spoon tamarind chutney
  • 1 wedge lime l ¼ spoon crushed pepper
  • Garnish: Date, orange peel/ burnt cinnamon

Method:

  • Add all ingredients to a shaker
  • Fill shaker with ice and shake hard for 15 seconds
  • Strain and shake again without the ice
  • Pour into chilled glass
  • Garnish

Deeply Citrus Negroni

Glass: Rocks

Ingredients:

  • 30ml Greater Than Gin
  • 30ml Campari
  • 15ml white wine
  • 15ml dry vermouth
  • 1 frozen orange juice sphere/ cubes with a little thyme
  • Orange/Angostura bitters
  • Garnish: Orange zest and thyme

Method:

  • Fill mixing glass with ice
  • Add all ingredients on ice
  • Stir
  • Strain the mixture over fruit ice ball in rocks glass
  • Add a dash of orange/ Angostura bitters or both
  • Garnish

Kolkata Sunset

Glass: Hurricane

Ingredients:

  • 60ml gin
  • 90ml orange juice
  • 10ml peach syrup
  • 2 lime wedges
  • 30ml red wine float
  • Garnish: Mint sprig, orange slice

Method:

  • Fill shaker with ice
  • Add all ingredients except the wine and shake
  • Pour it on ice in tall glass
  • Float the red wine
  • Garnish
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