Sipping Seduction: Drinks for the Season
A perfect romantic rendezvous is incomplete without a flirty drink. To help you seal the deal, we asked mixologists to come up with concoctions containing aphrodisiac ingredients that light up the pleasure centres in brain and stimulate the libido.
Duchess Gulp
Aphrodisiac used: Fennel
by Ayush Awashti, Mixologist, Anya Hotel, Gurgaon
Ingredients
- Cîroc Vodka: 30 ml
- Merlot wine: 30 ml
- Fresh grape juice: 60 ml
- Lemon juice: 15 ml
- Lemon grass: 2
- Honey: 20 ml
- Charcoal smoked fennel: 5 g
- Lemon grass and frosted grapes for garnishing
Method
Muddle/shake all the ingredients together. Serve in a Coupette glass and garnish with lemon grass and frosted grapes.
Jackie Brown
Aphrodisiac used: Chocolate
by Sushil Dhanai, Mixologist, Nueva, India
Ingredients
- Espresso: 30 ml
- Vodka: 45 ml
- Galliano: 15 ml
- Homemade spiced bitter: 8 gm
- Milk chocolate: 50 gm
- Cinnamon powder, star anise and chocolate coffee beans for garnishing
Method
Add all the ingredients to a cocktail shaker with ice and shake until chilled and then strain into a chilled cocktail glass. Garnish with a dusting of cinnamon and a single star anise. Serve with chocolate coffee beans.
Saffron Old Fashioned
Aphrodisiac used: Saffron
by Padam Risme, Mixologist, Nueva, New Delhi
Ingredients
- Bourbon Whiskey: 60 ml
- Sugar cube: 1
- Saffron syrup: 10 ml
- Pinch of saffron
- Dash of Angostura bitters
- Orange wheel and cherry for garnishing
Method
Pour all the ingredients into an old fashioned glass and stir gently. Garnish with an orange wheel and cherry.
Pomegranate Martini
Aphrodisiac used: Pomegranate
by Bhanu Gupta, Director F&B Services, Radisson Blu MBD Hotel Noida
Ingredients
- Vodka: 40 ml
- Fresh pomegranate juice: 40 ml
- Orange liqueur: 15 ml
- Lime juice: 10 ml
Method
Add all ingredients in a Boston shaker, fill with ice and shake well. Strain and serve in a martini glass.
Jimmy Joos
Aphrodisiac used: Honey
by Sachin Rasal, Mixologist, Doubletree by Hilton Pune
Ingredients
- Bourbon Whiskey: 60ml
- Infused thyme and honey syrup: 15ml
- Orange juice: 30ml
- Fresh lime juice: 10ml
Method
Combine the ingredients in a cocktail shaker. Add ice, shake and strain and pour in a chilled old fashioned glass. Garnish with thyme and orange peel.
Strawberry Drizzle
Aphrodisiac used: Strawberry
by Keegan Kayne Fernandes, Mixologist, Radisson Blu, Goa
Ingredients
- Lemon wedges: 5
- Maple syrup: 2 tablespoons
- Bacardi white rum: 45 ml
- Fresh strawberries: 4
- Mint leaves for garnishing
- Beer to top up
Method
Place the strawberries, maple syrup, rum and lime into the base of a cocktail shaker and muddle. Place the lid onto the cocktail shaker and shake well. Strain the mixture into a glass. Top it up with beer and garnish with mint.
Ginseng Elderflower Spritzer
Aphrodisiac used: Ginseng
by Mahendar Mahy, Mixologist, The Drunken Botanist, Gurgaon
Ingredients
- Ginseng infused vodka: 45 ml
- Dry Vermouth: 15 ml
- Elder flower syrup: 10 ml
- Lemongrass, roughly chopped
- Ginger: 3 slices
- Lager beer: 90 ml
- Cracked ice
- Slice of ginger and half stalk lemongrass for garnish
Method
Add ice cubes, infused vodka, vermouth, chopped lemongrass and ginger syrup to cocktail shaker. Shake well. Strain into a tall pilsner glass using fine strainer. Top with cracked ice over lager beer.
Guavamary
Aphrodisiac used: Basil
by , Mixologist, Copa, Mumbai
Ingredients
- Vodka: 250 ml
- Guava juice: 1 l
- Lime juice: 2 tablespoons
- Tabasco: 3 tablespoons
- Worcestershire sauce: 1 tablespoon
- Basil leaves: handful
- Ice cubes to serve
Method
Mix guava juice with salt, lime, tabasco and Worcestershire sauce. Spike basil with vodka and mix with guava juice. Add ice cubes and serve.
Gulabo Gang
Aphrodisiac used: Rose
by Krishna, Mixologist, Dum Maaro Dum, New Delhi
Ingredients
- Gin: 60 ml
- Lemon juice: 10 ml
- Orange juice: 60 ml
- Rose petals: 8
- Mint leaves: 5
- Lemon chunks: 4
- Rose syrup: 10 ml
- Jamun: 3
- Blackberry crush: 10 ml
- Crushed ice
Method
1. Muddle rose petals, mint leaves, lemon chunks, jamun and rose syrup in a cocktail shaker.
2. Fill the shaker with ice, add gin, lemon juice, orange juice and blackberry crush.
3. Stir and pour unstrained into a brandy balloon glass.
4. Finish it off by garnishing it with rose petals and mint leaves.
From the November 2018 issue of FHM India.
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