Party season is upon us! And what better way to wow your Christmas party guests or ring in the New Year than with impressive home made cocktails? If you're already a fan of O'Donnell Moonshine, you'll know we do things a little differently around here. We love experimenting with flavours and creating our own weird and wonderful new cocktail creations, but that doesn't mean there isn't space in our hearts for a good, old fashioned Old Fashioned and sometimes you just can't beat a Classic Martini. Unless that is, you make it with Moonshine.
So, here's a breakdown of our favourite Classic Cocktails with an O'Donnell Moonshine Twist.
1. The "New' Old Fashioned
We couldn't make a list of cocktail classics without including the 'Old Fashioned. First developed in Louisville, Kentucky around 1880, this cocktail was one of the first widely known cocktail recipes ever, and takes it's name from people ordering the drink made the 'Old Fashioned' way.
This O'Donnell twist on a traditional Old Fashioned utilises the sweet, smooth and nutty flavours of our Macadamia and Tough Nut Moonshines, to elevate the sweetness of the mix. For a more traditional recipe, you can swap out the 30ml of rum for a bourbon or rye whiskey.
Ingredients:
Recipe:
- Place the Sugar Cube in a tumbler and dose with Angostura Bitters
- Crush the cube if not fully dissolved
- Fill the glass with ice cubes and add Macadamia, Tough Nut and Rum
- Stir everything together until fully mixed
- Garnish with an Orange Slice
2. Moonshine Colada
While the exact origins of the ever popular Piña Colada remain unknown, the drink is synonymous with the Caribbean island of Puerto Rico. So much so, that the cocktail was made the island's national drink in 1978.
A staple of any cocktail menu, this cocktail traditionally combines white rum, coconut cream and pineapple, to create a tropical mix which, according to popular rumour, Hollywood legend Joan Crawford clamed was 'better than slapping Bette Davis in the face!'
Our 'Moonshine Colada' replaces the traditional white rum for our High Proof moonshine and includes a measure of our Roasted Apple moonshine, to create a fruity and refreshing cocktail with a big moonshine kick!
Ingredients:
- 40ml High Proof
- 40ml Roasted Apple
- 40ml Pineapple juice
- 40ml Coconut milk
- 40ml Cream
Recipe:
- Pour all ingredients into a large O'Donnell Moonshine jar
- put the lid on and shake it
- Decoration: Pineapple piece, cocktail cherry (optional)
3. Pornstar Moontini
One of our more modern classics, the Pornstar Martini was first developed in the early 2000s, in London by Douglas Ankrah, the noted founder of iconic bars including LAB and Townhouse. The original recipe included a blend of passionfruit liqueur and vanilla vodka all washed down with a shot of prosecco as a palate cleanser.
Our Pornstar Moontini utilises our 2023 Passionfruit flavour of moonshine, along with High Proof and a small measure of Sticky Toffee, to give the drink its characteristic sweetness.
Ingredients:- 25ml High Proof
- 25ml Sticky Toffee
- 25ml Passionfruit Moonshine
- 12.5ml Lime juice
- 12.5ml Passionfruit syrup
- 12.5ml Foamer
- 25ml Shot of prosecco
- Add all ingredients to a cocktail shaker with ice. Shake well!
- Strain into a chilled coupe glass. Serve with the shot of prosecco as a palette cleanser.
4. Dark Manhattan
According to popular legend the Manhattan Cocktail was first developed in the Manhattan Club in New York City by Dr. Iain Marshall. He reportedly created the recipe especially for a banquet hosted by Jeanette Jerome (mother of Winston Churchill) who was hosting the banquet in support of a current presidential candidate. According to the story, the drink quickly gained popularity due to the success of the banquet. However, the validity of this story has been widely disputed, not least because Lady Churchill was in France, and pregnant at the time.
While a traditional Manhattan combines whiskey, sweet vermouth, and bitters. Our 'Dark Manhattan' is a luxurious twist on this popular classic, which blends the traditional elements of whisky and vermouth with Amaro Averna and our ever popular Wild Berry Moonshine.
Ingredients:
- 35ml Whisky
- 25ml Averna
- 35ml Wild Berry
- 25ml Red Vermouth
- 2 Dashes Angostura Bitters
Method:
The recipe for this one is as simple as the drink is delicious! Mix all the ingredients into a glass of your choosing, then all that’s left to do is enjoy!
5. The Moonshine Mule
The traditional Moscow Mule is a simple cocktail of just 3 ingredients (vodka, gingerbeer and lime juice) that was first developed in 1941, and, despite it's name, actually originated in Los Angeles, some 6000 miles away from its namesake.
Our Moonshine Mule is fairly faithful to the traditional recipe, simply exchanging the vodka for our iconic High Proof Moonshine - which we think makes for a smoother drink with a bigger kick!
Ingredients:
- 60ml High Proof
- 30ml Lime juice
- 60ml Ginger beer
- To Garnish: Cucumber
Recipe:
- Pour High Proof & lime juice into a glass and fill with ice cubes
- Stir briefly and fill up with ginger beer
- Add cucumber slices; Decoration: Cucumber in the glass looks classy and beautiful enough
A special edition of our Moonshine Mule is currently available on the cocktail menu at Las Iguanas, Manchester, Deansgate.
6. Cherry Collins
This classic cocktail, traditionally made with gin, lemon juice, sugar and carbonated water, dates back to at least 1869, when it was included in the Steward and Barkeeper's Manual of 1869 with the name of John Collins. The specific use of Old Tom gin in the 1869 recipe is likely the cause for the subsequent name change to Tom Collins. However, in contemporary practice Tom Collins has been the name used for a Collins cocktail made with whisky rather than gin.
Our 'Cherry Collins' exchanges the lemon flavour of the traditional Collins recipe for cherry, utilising our popular 'Very Cherry' Moonshine. Our sweet flavoured moonshine, paired with High Proof and tonic water, creates the perfect blend of bitter and sweet, for the ultimate refreshing drink.
Ingredients:
- 60ml Very Cherry
- 30ml High Proof
- 100ml Tonic Water
- Handful of Pitted Cherries
- 6 Sprigs of Rosemary
Recipe:
- Add Cherries, Very Cherry and High Proof to a jar
- Muddle together and then fill with ice
- Fill to top with Tonic Water and add Rosemary Sprigs, enjoy!
7. The O'Donnell White Russian
Much like the Moscow Mule, the name of the White Russian, and indeed its sister cocktail the 'Black Russian', is somewhat of a misnomer. This cocktail actually has its roots in 1940s Belgium, when Gustav Tops, bartender at the Hotel Metropole, created a cocktail in honour of Perle Mesta, the then U.S. ambassador to Luxembourg.
The 'White' version of 'The Russian' cocktail didn't emerge until much later in the 60's, when a version of the cocktail was made with the addition of cream and rebranded 'white'. The cocktail fell into obscurity towards the end of the century, but enjoyed a surge in popularity following the release of the 1998 Cohen Brothers film The Big Lebowski, where it is shown to be the drink of choice of 'The Dude'.
While the traditional recipe is a combination of vodka, Kahlúa and heavy cream, our 'O'Donnell White Russian' swaps out vodka for our High Proof Moonshine, you can also add a measure of our iconic Tough Nut Moonshine to add a sweet and nutty note.
Ingredients:
- 50ml High Proof
- 30ml Kahlua
- 30ml Cream
- 25ml Tough Nut (optional)
Recipe:
- Whip the cream until slightly stiff
- Mix ice cubes, High Proof & Kahlua in a tumbler
- Pour the whipped cream over the back of a spoon into the tumbler