Today is World Cocktail Day and so we thought it only appropriate to write about a selection of cocktails from some very different places in the world, from beautiful Lake Como in Italy and Kenya’s finest safari camp, to the luxury of the Maldives and tea trails of Sri Lanka.
World Cocktail Day is a global celebration of cocktails and marks the publication date of the first definition of a cocktail on 13th May 1806, so it is very much steeped in history.
‘ImPerfect’ mocktail by Hilton Lake Como
We start our journey in Italy with the ‘ImPerfect’ mocktail by Hilton Lake Como, which is a new-generation hotel with spectacular scenery, traditional charm and fabulous 360-degree views of the Lake Como from its gorgeous rooftop swimming pool.
The ‘ImPerfect’ mocktail has been created by Ludmila Samohin, Head Mixologist at Hilton Lake Como’s Terrazza 241 rooftop bar and is inspired by the ImPerfect Association, which is an organisation dedicated to raising awareness of breast cancer prevention and the importance of early diagnosis with a portion of the proceeds from this mocktail donated to the cause.
Creating it requires 20ml Raspberries and Blackberries, 10ml Ginger Mix, 10m Fresh Lemon Juice and 40ml Soda. You will then need to build the drink by mixing all the ingredients. Take a tumbler glass and combine the raspberries, blackberries, ginger mix, fresh lemon juice and soda. Then gently stir with a bar spoon to blend the flavours together, adding some ice cubes to chill the mixture before garnishing with delicate edible flowers and a slice of fresh ginger to add a touch of elegance.
Nightly rates at Hilton Lake Como start from €350 per night based on double occupancy with breakfast included. For more information, please visit: www.hilton.com.
‘The Last Date’ cocktail by Hilton Molino Stucky Venice
Staying in Italy, we take a boat ride to romantic Venice for the creation of ‘The Last Date’ cocktail by Hilton Molino Stucky Venice.
Created by the Skyline Bar team, the ‘The Last Date’ has been inspired by the legendary trade routes and blends rich history with modern elegance, combining deep, smoky flavours with date broth for sweetness and super lime juice and orange bitters for depth and complexity. This is a cocktail that will transport you back to Venice’s golden age.
It is a mix of 40ml Jameson Black Barrel, 40ml Date Broth, 10 ml ‘Super’ Lime Juice, 2 dash Orange Bitters and a Dehydrated Date Disk for a garnish. Simply combine all the ingredients, stir and strain into a Nick & Nora glass that mirrors the iconic Mill tower at Hilton Molino Stucky Venice and serve the drink straight up, with no ice, decorated with a dehydrated date disk for that final touch.
Nightly rates at Hilton Molino Stucky Venice start from €240 per night based on double occupancy with breakfast included. For more information, please visit: www.hilton.com.
‘Bushy but Bougie’ by Great Plains’ Mara Plains Camp
We fly all the way over to Kenya for our next cocktail, the ‘Bushy but Bougie’ by Great Plains’ Mara Plains Camp.
Located in the private 35,000-acre Olare Motorogi Conservancy, just on the border of the Maasai Mara National Reserve, the Relais & Châteaux accredited Réserve-Collection safari camp with its five guest suites, offers guests access to a total of almost 100,000 acres of private conservancy land and the world-renowned Maasai Mara, home to the Great Migration.
The Mara Plains’ ‘Bushy but Bougie’ cocktail has been created by bartender Phylide ‘Rolex’ Amondi, who was inspired by the very first cocktail she learned as a young waitress – the French 73. This particular cocktail is a twist on the original drink, featuring a very special dessert date from the balanite tree which can only be found in the Mara. This sweet and sour date that is also recognised by the Maasai community for its medicinal qualities, replaces the lime juice found in the original cocktail and is combined with local Maasai-harvested honey, Procera gin with juniper berries from Mount Kenya and topped with sparkling wine.
You will need 15ml Unripe Dessert Date Extract Syrup, 15ml Masaai Honey, 30ml Procera Gin and30ml South African Dry Sparkling Wine. Should you wish to make a non-alcoholic version you will need 30ml Unripe Dessert Date Extract Syrup, 30ml Maasai Honey, 15ml Juniper Berry Syrup and Soda Water.
To prepare the unripe dessert date extract syrup, peel the dessert dates and bring it to boil in a pot until a fine consistent liquid is formed. Then double strain and let it cool. Next, garnish the rim of a champagne glass with Procera botanical salt and chill. Then add all ingredients into a shaker apart from the sparkling wine (or soda for the non-alcoholic version) and add ice and shake 10-15 times. Finally serve in the chilled champagne flute and top with the either sparkling wine or soda.
Nightly rates at Mara Plains Camp start from $1,606 per person sharing. For more information, please visit: www.greatplainsconservation.com.
‘Nyoman Delight’ by Gili Lankanfushi
For our next cocktail we take a boat trip to Gili Lankanfushi located in the Maldives’ North Malé Atoll, just a 20 minute speedboat ride from Malé airport.
As the sun sets, the Overwater Bar is the perfect place in which to enjoy some refreshing cocktails created using local flavours and served with some light and flavoursome canapés. The Nyoman Delight is a tropical and fruity yet refreshing namesake of Balinese Bar Captain Nyoman Kusuma.
From his handcrafted syrups to his insistence on premium mixers, Nyoman believes that every great cocktail should come with a story, and he has plenty to tell. Just ask him his favourite flavour, and he’ll sing the praises of elderflower, which he calls the most underrated gem in mixology.
To create the Nyoman Delight you need 30ml White Rum, 15ml Midori, 15ml St-Germain (Elderflower Liqueur), 15ml Fresh Lemon Juice, 60ml Pineapple Juice, 3 slices Cucumber and some Bitter Lemon to top.
Simply muddle three slices of cucumber in a shaker, add rum, Midori, St-Germain, lemon juice and pineapple juice and shake well with ice. Then double strain the contents into a chilled highball glass, top up with bitter lemon and garnish with a cucumber peel twist to give a sweet, citrusy and refreshing cocktail with a tropical fruit profile and a cooling cucumber finish.
Nightly rates at Gili Lankanfushi start from £$1,440 based on two adults sharing a Villa Suite with breakfast included. For more information. please visit: www.gili-lankanfushi.com.
‘Halloow Tea Toddy’ by Uga Halloowella
For our final cocktail we travel to Sri Lanka and the recently opened Uga Halloowella, which is the sixth property from the boutique Sri Lankan hotel group Uga. Perched on a hilltop within a 252-acre tea estate in Sri Lanka’s historic central tea trails region, Uga Halloowella has six luxurious suites as well as impeccable indoor and al-fresco dining experiences, sprawling lawns and a beautiful infinity pool.
Uga Halloowella’s Halloow Tea Toddy created by Butler M. Karunanithy, is a warming cocktail crafted to be the perfect companion for the cool, crisp highland weather of Hatton. It has a rich blend of dark rum, honey and lime juice, giving a balance of sweetness and tartness but also warming spices that provide a sense of comfort during cooler evenings. The addition of smoky cinnamon bitters and a hint of ginger lemongrass tea give the cocktail depth and a soothing aroma, creating an inviting experience that’s as delightful as a cosy fireside gathering.
To create the Halloow Tea Toddy you will need 50ml Dark Rum, 20ml Honey, 15ml Lime, 3 dashes of Smoky Cinnamon Bitters, Ginger Lemongrass Teabag (5g), a Cinnamon Stick and some Cardamom Pods.
You will first need to brew the Ginger Lemongrass Tea by steeping 1 tea bag in 200ml of hot water until well-infused. To prepare, add dark rum, honey, lime juice, smoky cinnamon bitters, 1 cinnamon stick and 2 cardamom pods directly into an Irish glass. Then pour the brewed tea into the glass, mixing gently to combine all ingredients before garnishing it with 4 cardamom cloves inserted into a lime slice, cutting the lime slightly and place it on top.
Nightly rates at Uga Halloowella start from $1,125 on an all-inclusive basis. For more information, please visit: www.ugaescapes.com.
Author Bio:
Simon Burrell is a UK-based travel and motoring journalist and editor, a former member of The British Guild of Travel Writers and professional photographer.
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