Burns Night Cocktails

Burns Night may well be considered a night for Scotch lovers to share a dram or two, enjoy the ceremonious supper and recite the ‘Address to the Haggis’. Yep, think bagpipes, neeps and tatties and all things “traditionally” Scottish… For those looking for something more modern on this age old heritage of Burns Night celebrations however, gin may well be your salvation.

Scotland is a Gin powerhouse and there are now dozens of gins flowing from stills both large and small from Caithness to Edinburgh. Makar Gin from Glasgow is even named after the Scots word for poet or bard… What could be more representative of a modern Scotland than raising a toast to Burns with perfectly poised Gin concoction from one of these proud regional distilleries? We certainly think so anyway.

However, the question it does raise is which gin to use and what cocktail to make? We feel Hendrick’s Gin is uniquely able to offer a peculiar twist to toast Robert Burns. Infused with rose and cucumber, Hendrick’s is distilled in the Scottish village of Girvan – a stone’s throw away from Burns’ birthplace, Alloway. It is also (in our opinion) one of the defining gins of this new renaissance and has arguably done more to place Scottish Gin making on the map than any other distillery to date.

Furthermore… It just so happens that Hendrick’s Gin’s British Brand Ambassador, Ally Martin, has handily re-interpreted some of the classic Scotch cocktails to give them a suitably unusual twist. For those of you in London, they will be served up at Hawksmoor Spitalfields Bar on the Monady 25th January so head on over while there’s still space. If not and wherever you are - if you’re raising a toast to Rabbie - here’s three tasty recipes for what to make.

RUSTY FAIL

45ml Hendrick’s Gin

10ml Drambuie

5ml Laphroaig

Stirred and strained into a small Martini glass with a lemon zest garnish

A twist of the Rusty Nail, this drink takes the sweet complexity of the original in an unusual direction.

BLOODY AMPERSAND

20ml Hendrick’s Gin

20ml Aperol

20ml Cherry Heering

Topped with Champagne

Stir and Strain into a coupe and top with Champagne

A twist on the Blood & Sand, the Bloody Ampersand is a great way to start the night, while the fizz gives it an additional sense of occasion - fit for a night of celebrations.

NORTHERN SPECIAL

40ml Hendrick’s Gin

15ml Sour Cherry and Hibiscus Syrup

15ml Manzanilla Sherry

15ml Lemon Juice

5ml Sugar Syrup

3 dashes Peychaud Bitters

Topped with Floral Tonic

Shake and Strain into a Collins glass top with Floral Tonic and garnish with Cherries, lemon slices and a rosemary sprig.

A twist on the Artist’s Special, this is a refreshing and bright cocktail that will have you ordering more in quick succession. The recipe calls for floral tonic which is based on Hawksmoor’s cocktail bar having their own floral tonic but for those looking to make this cocktail at home, Fever-Tree Elderflower or Thomas Henry Cherry Blossom Tonic are good alternatives.