justcocktails.org - dedicated to better imbibing

 It is that sun drenched time of year where we increasingly take our imbibing outdoors. Need a simple cocktail that delivers complex and delightful flavor and is easily transported? We thought so. Try the Secret Beach Cocktail.

2 parts Tanqueray 10 Gin
1 part Johnnie Walker Platinum Label
1 part Strained Fresh Lemon Juice
1 part Fireweed Honey Water (1:1 dilution)
1 dash Angostura Aromatic Bitters

Combine ingredients in a stirring vessel. Add ice. Stir until well chilled and strain into a chilled cocktail coupé. Garnish with lemon oil expressed from a lemon peel and discard.

I love the flavors created by combining two primary spirits. The Chamomile flower and grapefruit peel notes of Tanqueray 10  pair absolutely perfectly with the rich caramel, honey and floral smoky tones of the Johnnie Walker Platinum scotch blend. The fireweed honey helps heighten the Whisky flavor notes with floral peppery sweetness and the lemon juice keeps it bright. Angostura adds subtle spice. 

Why Tanqueray 10 for the Secret Beach Cocktail?

Tanqueray No. Ten Gin gets its name from being made in Tanqueray’s number ten still, known as “Tiny Ten”. This small still started as an experimental/trial run still at the distillery before becoming the key still for Tanqueray 10.

“There is a misconception that Tanqueray 10 gets its name from the number of botanicals in the mix; in fact, the recipe for Tanqueray 10 has all four of the base botanicals from Tanqueray London Dry: juniper, coriander, angelica, and licorice. Tanqueray 10 adds an additional four elements to the mix, including fresh white grapefruit, fresh lime, fresh orange, and camomile flowers for a total of 8 botanicals. One of the things which makes  Tanqueray 10 unique is that it uses fresh whole citrus and not dried citrus peels. Dried peels are used in the majority of gins on the market. Very few actually use fresh fruit.” – Geoff Kleinman (DrinkSpirits.com)

Fresh fruit  and floral spice dominate the structure of the gin. Perfect on its own,outstanding in a cocktail.

 Why Johnnie Walker Platinum Label for the Secret Beach Cocktail?

Johnnie Walker Platinum Label is a blend of about 25 different single malt scotch whiskies that have a minimum age statement of 18 years.

In the Blenders own words, Platinum Label is “characterized by a sweet yet elegant Speyside style and subtle Islay smokiness. There is a waxy, fruity and sweet taste mixed with slight drying astringency and subtle smokiness.”

For a cocktail that uses a floral fruity gin as its primary and a wildflower honey as the sweetener, Platinum Label was the perfect choice. It does so many things at once that a single malt whisky wouldn’t have the range of flavors to accomplish. 

Watch: DrinkSpirits.com Johnnie Walker Platinum Label Tasting

Fun Luxury Boat Fact: For the 2014 World Cup in Rio De Janeiro, Leonardo DiCaprio has rented a £400m Yacht from billionaire Man City owner Sheikh Mansour to stay in town and watch the games in style. We think that this would be the cocktail to pair with that experience.

Like the glassware? Check out parchedpenguin.com for the best luxury barware under one roof.

Secret Beach Cocktail with Tanq10 and Platinum