Kentucky Cocktails

Get into the Kentucky mood, with these tasty cocktails (remember, drink responsibly, which means don’t forget to add Angostura bitters).

MANHATTAN

‘The King of Cocktails’, apparently, and making a strong comeback. For a sweet version, or much drier drink, vary from 1:1 or 4:1 parts bourbon: sweet vermouth. Shake with ice and strain into a jazzy glass, topped with a glazed mascherano cherry. You can also serve on the rocks in a lowball glass.

MINT JULEP

The official drink of the Kentucky Derby, with 120,000 served at Churchill Downs. It’s similar to a mojito, and usually made from four ingredients: mint, bourbon, sugar and water (Kentucky uses the local spearmint, known as the Kentucky colonel – try not to bruise the mint!). Use 3-6oz of bourbon, 4-6 sprigs of mint. Shave some ice and add sugar and mint to a glass, top off with bourbon and cover again with ice. Stir well.

THE OLD FASHIONED

Thought to be the first cocktail, so old, in fact, it has a glass named after it – the short round 8oz to 12oz Old-Fashioned tumber. Just add sugar, saturate with 2 dashes of angostura bitters, add dash of soda water. Wait until it dissolves then fill glass with ice cubes and add 40c of bourbon. Garnish with a slice of orange, a twist of lemon and two maraschino cherries.

LONG HOT NIGHT

You need 2oz bourbon, 3oz pineapple juice and 3oz cranberry juice. Place a few ice cubes in a highball glass, pour in bourbon, stir, add pineapple and cranberry juice, stir again. Simple!

ITALIAN STALLION

Not one for the faint-hearted this. Mix 1 1/2oz bourbon, 1/2oz sweet vermouth and 1/2oz Campari in a glass, add 1-2 dashes of Angostura bitters, then fill with ice. Shake and strain into glass.