A few weeks ago, Le Comptoir Irlandais (a French chain of shops selling all things Irish, including a nice selection of whiskies…) contacted me and gave me the opportunity to pick a whisk(e)y on their website to create my own cocktail recipe !
As I very much enjoyed taking part in a similar operation back in January with the Spirit of Speyside team (pssst! Check my Robert Burns-inspired creation here), I couldn’t miss the occasion to test my poor mixology skills once again 😉 CHALLENGE ACCEPTED!
Spring is now officially here, at least in my part of the world, and hot temperatures often call for other ways to enjoy a whisky than the usual “neat with a few drops of water”, and what best way to freshen up than with a long drink or a cocktail ! You probably already know by now that whisky is a very versatile drink that can be delicious in many forms… And yes, I’m one of those persons struggling with neat whisky on warm summery-like days.
Let’s get into the meat of it (my apologies to the vegan community, no offence intended…). I chose to create a cocktail around Teeling Stout Cask. Because well, I thought going for an Irish whiskey was more relevant when partnering with an Irish-themed company… But I wanted something with a twist, not your typical triple-distilled single pot still. Turns out that I’m also a huge fan of beer (sorry bikini body) and this Teeling expression was just calling my name! Who doesn’t like a great creamy stout anyway?
A bit more about Teeling Stout Cask
“Teeling Stout Cask is a mix of the two famous irish alcohols : irish whiskey and irish stout (brown beer) in collaboration with the Galway Bay Brewery. This innovative combination offers a rich small batch full of flavours and character including the bitterness of the stout beer “200 Fathoms Imperial Stout”.
This small batch whiskey has aged during 6 months in barrels that have had “200 Fathoms Imperial Stout” beer. The bottling is 46% and is non chill-filtered.”
You know I’m not necessarily the best mixologist in town, so don’t worry about a stuffy cocktail with 25488 ingredients you can’t find anywhere near you, my creation is pretty easy to make at home !
Here’s the recipe to my Teeling Summer Cooler:
Put the ice cubes in the shaker, add:
3cl Teeling Stout Cask Finish
5cl Coconut Water
the juice of a quarter of fresh orange
SHAKE SHAKE SHAKE
Strain in a half pint beer glass previously filled with crushed ice, top up with Spiced Orange Ginger Ale and garnish with a slice of fresh orange. Enjoy 😀
I wanted to combine flavours that I think would complement the Stout aromas, such as coconut and orange, but in a refreshing way, not adding too much sugar or heaviness to the drink. The ginger ale brings this nice fizz, and combined with the freshness of the coconut water and orange flavours, this cocktail instantly gives me pool-party vibes !
