Royal Salute 21’s “Luckiest of Dreams” Cocktail
An age statement Scotch-based drink buoyant enough for summer
For anyone wary of Scotch cocktails, Royal Salute—the superb Speyside blend aged a minimum of 21 years—offers a solution. And, uncommonly, it makes for a delightful warm weather sipper. The “Luckiest of Dreams” cocktail carries some heft with 50ml of the whisky (roughly 1.6 ounces) at its core. An aromatized apricot stock syrup (recipe also included here), however, adds levity to palate without dulling it down. The Scotch exudes notes of vanilla and toffee and is even a bit floral, while the syrup gives it an earthy, fruity edge (also with florals). Altogether, it refutes the notion that whisky shouldn’t be mixed into a drink and that Scotch might be too heavy for summer.
This cocktail debuted at this month’s 2016 Sentebale Royal Salute Polo Cup, a sporting event hosted in Palm Beach, Florida to raise awareness and funds for Prince Harry’s Sentebale charity. It seeks to provide psycho-social support and resources for children with HIV or AIDS in Lesotho.
Luckiest of Dreams
50ml Royal Salute 21
40ml Aromatized Apricot Stock Syrup
Stir on ice to chill until diluted by about 25%. Then strain into a rocks glass containing chipped ice. Garnish with a sprig of mint, verbena and geranium. Aromatize with a lemon twist—and, if possible, a spray of the base aromas.
Aromatized Apricot Stock Syrup
Place in a pan 500g of apricots that have been cut in half, along with the cracked kernels of four apricots and 500ml of water, 25ml of Fine Old Dry Oloroso Sherry and 150g of caster sugar. Bring the pan to a boil and then let simmer for 10-15 minutes. Cool and strain through a jelly bag. To aromatize, add the following food-safe aromas to the stock: .25ml geranium water, .25ml ylang ylang, .5ml yerbena water and .25ml cedar water.
Images courtesy of Royal Salute
