With temperatures set to soar to the late-twenties over the next few days and the Olympics on television, these simple yet sophisticated home cocktails are the ideal accompaniment for your ongoing summer of sport.
So grab a glass, gather your friends, and let the games begin.
The French 75
This is a Parisian classic. Originally a gin cocktail, it was created by legendary barman Harry MacElhone at the New York Bar in Paris during the First World War. He called it the 75 because it packed the punch of a French 75mm field gun. This version replaces the gin with Cognac for an even Frencher 75.
Ingredients
£ 45ml Rémy Martin
£ 1738 Accord Royal Cognac
£ 15ml simple syrup
£ 15ml lemon juice
£ Champagne
Method
£ In a shaker, combine Cognac, simple syrup, lemon juice, and ice.
£ Shake and strain into a coupe.
£ Top with champagne.
£ Garnish with a lemon twist.
Mojito
The Olympics are a celebration of sporting excellence and our global community. Tap into the cosmopolitan carnival spirit with this thirst quenching tropical twist on the ever popular mojito.
Ingredients
£ 30ml Mount Gay Eclipse Navy
£ Strength Rum
£ 30ml fresh lime juice
£ 60ml young coconut water
£ 2tsp brown sugar
£ 10 mint leaves
Method
£ Muddle mint leaves and brown sugar in the bottom of a shaker.
£ Add rum, lime, and stir.
£ Pour into Collins or Highball glass.
£ Add coconut water, top-up with crushed ice, and garnish with mint.
Suntory -196
The 2020 Tokyo Olympics were derailed by Covid. When they finally did take place in 2021, international visitors could not attend. They could not experience Tokyo’s vibrant cocktail scene, its bustling izakayas serving whisky highballs on tap, or sample its vending machines offering an endless variety of ready to drink “chūhai” cocktails.
Fortunately, you can now make up for this missed opportunity with Suntory -196. This convenient, refreshing pre-mix is made by freezing fruit in liquid nitrogen at -196°C. The frozen fruit is crushed and macerated in vodka to extract the flavour, then strained and blended with the traditional Japanese spirit shōchū and soda water before it is canned at 6% ABV. Available in lemon or grapefruit from Co-Op, Nisa, or WH Smith. Drink it ice cold.
Old fashioned
Relive the memories of London 2012 with an east London Old Fashioned made with brandy from Walthamstow distillery, Burnt Faith. Their limited edition Bourbon cask-aged brandy is a nod to the Old Fashioned’s origins as a whiskey cocktail, and brings bags of rich, toffee apple flavour.
Ingredients
£ 45ml Burnt Faith Brandy Limited
Edition Bourbon Cask
£ 1 Sugar cube
£ Few dashes Angostura Cocoa Bitters Few dashes plain water
Method
£ Place a sugar cube in old fashioned glass and saturate with bitters.
£ Add a few dashes of plain water, and muddle until dissolved.
£ Fill the glass with ice cubes, add brandy, and stir gently.
£ Garnish with an orange slice, and a cocktail cherry.
Paloma
This features muscat wine aged in French oak barrels, and a blend of rose petals, herbs, and spices. These create a complex, floral drink with notes of rose, bay, and baking spices.
Ingredients:
£ 50ml Metaxa 5 Stars
£ 10ml lime juice
£ 1tsp honey
£ 60ml grapefruit soda
Method
£ Pour Metaxa into a Collins or highball glass.
£ Add lime juice and honey, and stir until dissolved.
£ Add ice, top up with grapefruit soda, then Garnish with a fresh grapefruit wedge.
Read more: The Olympics are about building a better world, not just muscles
Read more: Against the Olympics: Why we should stop worshipping elite sport