Whisky cocktails with what's already in an Indian kitchen
You do not need a cocktail bar to do something good with whisky. Nimbu, pudina, sugar, gur, adrak, imli, chai patti and honey are already at home, and they cover most of what a whisky drink wants. These 15 recipes use those things, plus soda or cola from the fridge. Nothing here sends you shopping for a liqueur or a syrup. Where a classic lists bitters, they are optional. A jar with a tight lid does the job of a shaker, and a steel glass does the job of a mixing glass.
You chose mocktails only, so the drinks with alcohol are hidden here. See the mocktail guides
The drinks
cocktailWhisky Sourwhisky · lemon · sugar
cocktailNimbu Pudina Whiskywhisky · lime · mint · soda water- cocktailWhisky Smashwhisky · mint · lemon · sugar
- cocktailGud Adrak Highballwhisky · jaggery · ginger · lemon · soda water
- cocktailImli Whisky Sourwhisky · tamarind paste · jaggery · lemon
- cocktailPenicillinwhisky · honey · ginger · lemon
cocktailMasala Chai Old Fashionedwhisky · black tea · jaggery · cardamom
cocktailOld Fashionedwhisky · sugar
cocktailHot Toddywhisky · honey · lemon · cinnamon- cocktailserves 4Monsoon Scotch Chaiscotch · black tea · honey · cinnamon · cloves · cardamom · lemon · ginger
- cocktailWhisky Sodawhisky · soda water
cocktailWhisky Colawhisky · cola- cocktailCola Whisky Chilli HighballIndian whisky · cola · lime · red chilli powder · ginger
- cocktailserves 4Patiala Cola Punchwhisky · cola · lime · chaat masala · mint
- cocktailTamarind Whisky ShotIndian whisky · tamarind paste · black salt · lime · honey
Questions
Which whisky should I use?
Use the everyday whisky you already have. A few recipes name Indian whisky or scotch because that is how they were written, but any whisky will make the drink. Keep a good single malt for sipping on its own.
Can I swap nimbu and lemon, or sugar and gur?
Yes, in most of them. Lime and lemon swap one for one by the ml. Gur is less sharply sweet than sugar, so taste as you go. Grate it and stir it in a little warm water first so that it dissolves.
How much whisky do I need for friends?
A 750 ml bottle gives 12 drinks at 60 ml each, the measure in the Whisky Soda and Whisky Cola. The Patiala Cola Punch uses 240 ml of whisky and 800 ml of cola for 4 glasses, so three jugs take 720 ml of whisky and pour 12.