Classic Cocktails With a Twist by Sarah Huang Benjamin

When deciding on what cocktail to serve for your guests, think about the time of day, the theme, the location, and the food. For a daytime party, a refreshing drink that can be made ahead for a crowd is a great option. I love using a classic sangria recipe as a template for a fun batch of cocktail. The traditional sangria is a Spanish drink made with red wine, fruit and brandy, but here in Singapore, we’re always making new flavours and dishes, so there’s no reason to limit yourself to tradition. 

White wine sangria is a great place to start when riffing on the classic, but I like finding common ground through Asian flavours when local or regional food is on the menu. My recipe for Gin Sake White Sangria totally fits the bill – dry sake is lightened up with crisp, citrusy Japanese gin, and an assortment of juicy fruit. 

Recipe (Serves 4)

Ingredients:

• 1 peach, or other stone fruit, stoned and diced

• 1/2 Fuji apple, or pear, diced

• 1 cup strawberries, hulled and diced

• 1/2 Japanese cucumber, diced

• 1/4 cup caster sugar

• 1/4 cup Masahiro Okinawa Craft Gin

• 750ml Saito Junmai Gold Sake

• Soda water, to top

Method:

1. In a large pitcher or jug, stir in gin, sake and sugar together until the sugar has dissolved.

2. Mix in the diced fruits. Set aside in the fridge for up to 3 hours, if making ahead of time.

3. Pour into serving glasses with ice, filling two-thirds of the glass. Top off each serving with soda water, and enjoy!

Suggested Snack Pairings:

This is one of those keep-it-coming cocktails, and the flavours pair perfectly well with savoury local snacks like Shermay’s keropok and sambal sauce, or salted egg potato chips from The Golden Duck. Lay out this spread and you’re guaranteed to get the party going.

For cocktail hour at home after dark, the Old-Fashioned is a sophisticated choice that feels cosy and intimate for a select group of friends. This classic cocktail is also the perfect base for playing around with flavours. Using different spirits as the base will give the drink a different character each time, so experiment with scotch, single malts, bourbons, rye whiskies, and even rum. 

Although the Old-Fashioned started as an American cocktail in the 1800s, Asian spirits and flavours work just as well in this drink making it the perfect ending note for any cuisine. In this version, I pair a Japanese whisky with a homemade Hojicha roasted syrup that’s easy to create from scratch. The slightly bitter, woody flavour of the Japanese roasted green tea brings out the personality of the whisky. Who knew sophistication could come this easily?

Recipe (Serves 1)

Ingredients:

• 1/4 cup sugar

• 60ml freshly boiled water

• 2 tablespoons Hojicha leaves

• 2 oz (60ml) Kamiki Whisky Original Blended Malt

• 1 large ice cube, to stir

• 1 large ice cube, to serve

• Orange peel, to garnish

Method:

1. First, make the Hojicha tea syrup. Place the Hojicha leaves in a small jug and pour over it with freshly boiled water. Stir and leave to brew for 5 minutes.

2. When you have a very strong tea concentrate, stir the sugar in until it has completely dissolved. Strain the Hojicha tea syrup with a fine sieve, and set it aside to cool.

3. Place 1 large ice cube in a mixing glass. Pour in the whisky and 1 teaspoon Hojicha syrup. Stir until the mixing glass feels cold and is frosty on the outside.

4. Using a strainer to hold in the ice, pour the cocktail over a large ice cube in a rocks glass.

5. Take a slice of orange peel, and pinch it together with the skin facing the drink to release essential oils over the cocktail. Drop the orange zest in, and serve.

Suggested Snack Pairings:

The Hojicha Old-Fashioned can be paired with both sweet and savoury snacks, depending on your preference. For those who prefer a local twist, barbecued bak kwa from Bee Cheng Hiang is the perfect appetizer to go with this evening drink -, its smokiness and meatiness working unexpectedly well alongside this rich, aromatic cocktail. Those with a sweet tooth can choose to pair this cocktail with some dark chocolate from FOSSA Chocolate, as the spiced notes in the chocolate helps bring out the sweetness of the cocktail.

Image credit: Sarah Huang Benjamin

Discover more spirit options to create your very own twist to classic cocktails.