Ditch the Expectations and Be Your Own Best Date with Dewar’s 12
Valentine’s Day, also known as Consumer Exploitation Day, has little to do with love. It’s become a day of unreasonable—and unreachable—expectations sold to us by big companies that are looking to turn a profit. It’s become an exercise of catering to the outdated, out of touch, wide-eyed animated version of Disney love (the old Disney, not the new cooler one), overspending, mediocre pris fix restaurant menus, and worst of all, forced romance. For the record, we’re not against romance, we’re just unsure why on one designated day in February, everyone focuses on love and romance ad nauseum, instead of making long-term changes that would actually allow for sustainable love. Of course, in order to love and receive love, we’ve gotta learn to love ourselves. Who knew?! (Okay, pretty much every therapist and relationship expert in the world knew that, but if you’re late to that party, welcome to self-love …)
So why not have fun at home this month instead of catering to the fake holiday and overspending?! Who’s in? (Raising our hands emphatically.)
We reached out to our wondrous friends at Dewar’s Scotch Whisky to help equip you with cocktail ideas you’ll thoroughly enjoy. Recently named Whisky Advocate’s #4 whisk(e)y of the year, the new Dewar’s 12-year-old is double-aged in hand-selected, first-fill American Oak Bourbon casks, and is a great base. The liquid has more sweetness with a robust finish of vanilla, butterscotch, and a wisp of smoke, perfect for use in both creative cocktails or on the rocks. So what did they come up with? Well, Dewar’s partnered with some of the best bartenders in the world (and we’re not even exaggerating) to put together a fine list of cocktail recipes that will have you falling in love … (quite possibly with the bartenders that created them). The list of drinks are twists on traditional cocktails but with all the playfulness we longingly crave in our lives.
Through versatility and adventure, the list of cocktail recipes below feature creations from Ben Yabrow at Double Chicken Please(the #6 bar in the world), Masa Urushido at Katana Kitten (the #9 bar in the world), Ian Alexander at Dead Rabbit, and more, with each cocktail highlighting the creative possibilities of the new bottle. From Masa’s Truffle Old Fashioned featuring Truffle Butter Fat-Washed Dewar’s 12 and shiitake porcini broth sugar to create the ultimate, savory experience, to Ben’s Banana Nut Highball, who uses banana soda and coffee butter Dewar’s 12 to create the essence of a boozy banana split, these cocktails create a unique drinking experience to kick this year into high(lands) gear.
Drink Name: Truffle Old-Fashioned
Creator: Masa Uruisho, Head Bartender at Katana Kitten – NY
INGREDIENTS
- 2 parts Truffle Butter Fat-Washed Dewar’s 12 Year Old Scotch Whisky
- .25 part Porcini-shiitake broth sugar
- 3 dashes Scrappy’s Chocolate Bitters
- 1 drop 5% truffle salt saline
INSTRUCTION
- Add all ingredients to a shaker and fill with ice. Shake, and strain into a double rocks glass filled with fresh ice.
- Glass: Old-Fashioned
- Garnish: Freshly shaved white truffle
Drink Name: Banana Nut Highball
Creator: Ben Yabrow, Head Bartender at Double Chicken Please – NY
INGREDIENTS
- 1.5 parts Coffee Butter Dewar’s 12 Year Old Scotch Whisky
- .5 part Amontillado sherry
- Banana Soda
INSTRUCTION
- Add all of the ingredients, except the Banana Soda, to a Highball glass filled with ice. Stir, and top with the Banana Soda.
- Glass: Highball
- Garnish: No Garnish
Drink Name: Argyle Affair
Creator: Joaquín Simó, Partner at Previously Pouring Ribbons – NY
INGREDIENTS
- 2 parts Dewar’s 12 Year Old Scotch Whisky
- 1 part Chai Tea-infused Dolin Rouge Sweet Vermouth
- 1 tsp St. George Pear Brandy
- 1 dash Angostura Bitters
INSTRUCTION
- Add all of the ingredients to a mixing glass and fill with ice. Stir, and strain into a chilled cocktail glass.
- Glassware: Cocktail Coupe
- Garnish: No Garnish
About Dewar’s 12
The new Dewar’s 12 Year Old is comprised of up to 40 of Scotland’s finest single malt and grain whiskies, now double aged in hand selected 1st Fill Bourbon Casks resulting in a far greater breadth and depth of flavor. Aged for a minimum of 12 years, this scotch whisky is perfectly balanced with notes of peach, red apple and lemon zest on the nose, giving way to more floral and spicy notes of white pepper and clove before concluding in an incredibly long and smooth finish.
Drink Name: Perth’s Pride
Creator: Ian Alexander, Head Bartender at Dead Rabbit – NYC
INGREDIENTS
- 2 oz Cacao Husk-Infused Dewar’s 12 Year Old Scotch Whisky
- .25 oz Gingerbread Spice Syrup
- 1 tsp Cruzan Blackstrap Rum
INSTRUCTION
- Add all of the ingredients to a mixing glass and fill with ice. Stir, and strain into an Old-Fashioned glass filled with a large ice cube. Express an orange peel over the glass and discard.
- Glass: Old-Fashioned
- Garnish: Orange peel
Drink Name: Two-Way Petting Zoo
Creator: Will Wyatt, Owner of Mister Paradise – NY
INGREDIENTS
- 1.5 parts Dewar’s 12 Year Old Scotch Whisky
- 6 parts Roasted buckwheat soda
INSTRUCTION
- Add the Scotch to a Highball glass filled with a large ice cube. Gently add the buckwheat soda. Garnish with a grapefruit twist.
- Glass: Highball
- Garnish: Grapefruit twist
Drink Name: Woodsman
Creator: Harrison Ginsberg, Bar Director at Overstory – NY
INGREDIENTS
- 1.25 parts Dewar’s 12 Year Old Scotch Whisky
- 2 dashes Saline Solution
- 1 tsp Lemon Lime Solution
- .75 part Pear Verjus
- .25 part Young Ginger Syrup
- .5 part Pommeau de Normandie
- Soda water
INSTRUCTION
- Add all ingredients, except the soda water, to a Highball glass filled with ice. Top with the soda water and garnish with an apple blossom flower or a begonia flower.
- Glass: Highball
- Garnish: Apple blossom or begonia flower
Saline Solution … In A Drink?
The first time we saw someone add saline solution into a cocktail, we wondered if they had been smoking a little too much green. Turns out it makes perfect sense when you factor in the elements of our body’s need for salt and the way a little saline brings out the flavor of just about every culinary creation ever made (even sweets). In digging a little deeper, we came across a few articles written by mixologists and cocktail writers far more versed in such things. In an Eater.com article written by Naren Young, a bartender in his own right, he recalls, “It was around this time, about five years ago, that Maldon and a myriad of other salts started to creep into my cocktail shaker. Salt was no longer solely there just to adorn the sides of cocktail glasses. There’s almost no drink in existence that doesn’t benefit from a whisper of saline. It can temper the sweetness in a Manhattan or negroni, while it can amplify the fresh citrus in a daiquiri or gimlet.” So while you peruse the Dewar’s recipes in this article, make sure to brush up on creating your own saline solution for the home cocktails you’re about to master.
Drink Name: White Winter
Creator: Mauricio Santana, Bar Manager at Clover Club – NY
INGREDIENTS
- 2 parts Dewar’s 12 Year Old Scotch Whisky
- .25 part Strega
- .25 part Giffard Caribbean Pineapple Liqueur
- .75 part Lustau Vermut White
- 1 dash Angostura Bitters
INSTRUCTION
- Add all of the ingredients to a mixing glass and fill with ice. Stir, and strain into a rocks glass filled with a large ice cube. Garnish with a lemon twist.
- Glass: Rocks
- Garnish: Lemon twist
Drink Name: Afternoon Waltz
Creator: Tsunetaka Imada, Senior Bartender at Angels Share – NY
INGREDIENTS
- 1.5 parts Walnut Oil Fat-Washed Dewar’s 12 Year Old Scotch Whisky
- 3 parts Strawberry Apple Water
- .5 part Maple syrup
- .33 part Lemon juice
- Ginger Ale
INSTRUCTION
- Add all ingredients, except the ginger ale, to a shaker and fill with ice. Shake, and strain into a Highball glass filled with fresh ice. Top with ginger ale and garnish.
- Glass: Highball
- Garnish: Dehydrated apple and cinnamon powder
Drink Name: Dry But Honest
Creator: Christine Wiseman, Bar Manager at Broken Shaker – Miami
INGREDIENTS
- 2 parts Dewar’s 12 Year Old Scotch Whisky
- .5 part Martini Riserva Speciale Ambrato Vermouth
- .25 part Chamomile Honey
- London Essence White Peach Jasmine Soda
INSTRUCTION
- Add all of the ingredients, except the London Essence White Peach Jasmine Soda to a mixing glass and fill with ice. Stir, and strain into a Colling glass filled with a long ice cube. Top with the soda.
- Glass: Highball
- Garnish: Lemon twist
Drink Name: Sweater Weather
Creator: Jeff Morgenthaler, Owner of the Sunset Room and Pacific Standard – PDX
INGREDIENTS
- 1.5 parts Dewar’s 12 Year Old Scotch Whisky
- 1.5 parts Fresh apple juice
- .5 part Averna Amaro
- 1 tsp Allspice dram
INSTRUCTION
- Add all of the ingredients to a shaker and fill with ice. Shake, and strain into an Old-Fashioned glass filled with fresh ice. Garnish with an orange twist.
- Glass: Old-Fashioned
- Garnish: Orange twist
Drink Name: Fiscal Agent
Creator: Josh Harris, Found and Owner of Bon Vivants Hospitality – San Francisco
INGREDIENTS
- 1.5 parts Dewar’s 12 Year Old Scotch Whisky
- .5 part Martini & Rossi Rubino Sweet Vermouth
- .5 oz part Green Chartreuse
- .25 part Luxardo Maraschino Liqueur
- 8 drops Cacao Tincture
INSTRUCTION
- Add all ingredients to a mixing glass and fill with ice. Stir, and strain into an Old- Fashioned glass filled with one large ice cube. Garnish with a dusting of orange zest and a piece of orange peel.
- Glass: Old-Fashioned
- Garnish: Orange zest and peel
Drink Name: Thicc with 2 Cs
Creator: Qwesha Bird, Lead Bartender at Jojo’s Beloved – Atlanta
INGREDIENTS
- 1 part Coffee-Infused Dewar’s 12 Year Old Scotch Whisky*
- .5 part Kalani Coconut Rum Liqueur
- .25 part Averna Amaro
- .75 part Coconut milk
- 1 tsp Powdered sugar
- 1 part Water
- 1 dash Saline solution
INSTRUCTION
- Add all ingredients to a shaker and fill with ice. Shake, and strain into a double rocks glass filled with fresh ice.
- Glass: Double rocks
- Garnish: Coffee beans and coconut shavings
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