Top 5 Strong Cocktails – by request

Cocktails come in a huge variety of flavours, colours, sizes, textures and serving suggestions. Cocktails also vary widely in strength and recently we have had several e-mails into Social and Cocktail Towers asking for recommendations for Strong Cocktails. Whilst Social and Cocktail always advocates responsible drinking, we also understand that some people, usually experienced drinkers, occasionally like a cocktail with an “extra kick” and hence we decided to pull together 5 of our favourite strong cocktails. The first choice was a no-brainer as when it comes to strong cocktails nothing compares to the 5-spirit mix of the Long Island Iced Tea. We also decided to throw in a couple of  Tiki cocktails, which are also famed for their potent powers.

NB: We suggest that you limit yourself to a maximum of 2 of any of these cocktails on any one night.

 

1) Long Island Iced Tea

 

The legendary Long Island Ice Tea cocktail is a powerful mixture of the “Big Five” spirits used in cocktail making: Gin, Tequila, Vodka, Rum and Triple Sec. The actual origin of this potent cocktail is debated however; the most popular story is that it was invented in 1972 by a bartender called Robert “Rosebud” Butt”, who worked at a bar on Long Island. The story goes that he invented the drink as an entry in a competition to create a new cocktail which included Triple Sec. There are now several variations of the Long Island Iced Tea, such as the Electric Iced Tea and the Long Beach Iced Tea, all of which can be filed under “strong cocktails”.

Cocktail Ingredients

12 1/2 ml Gin, 12 1/2 ml Vodka, 12 1/2 ml Tequila, 12 1/2 ml White Rum, 12 1/2 ml Triple Sec, 12 1/2 ml Lemon Juice, 12 1/2 ml Gomme Syrup, splash of Cola

How to make a Long Island Iced Tea cocktail

Begin by chilling highball glass with soda water and ice. Add all ingredients (except the cola) into a mixing tin. Add ice to tin and shake for 10 seconds. Add fresh ice to highball glass and add splash of cola. Strain the ingredients into glass. Add lemon slice and straw.

 

2) Rusty Nail

 

A Rusty Nail is a strong, classic cocktail which is simply a mix of Scotch Whisky and Drambuie Liqueur. There is a Canadian version of this cocktail which substitutes Canadian rye whisky for scotch and is known as a Donald Sutherland. The great benefit of this cocktail is that if it’s too sweet, add more Scotch, and vica versa. Eric Clapton, Ringo Starr and Steve Tyler from Aerosmith were all big fans of the Rusty Nail cocktail – back in the day!

Cocktail Ingredients

50 ml Scotch Whisky, 25 ml Whiskey Liqueur

How to make a Rusty Nail cocktail

Add whiskey and drambuie to rocks glass. Half fill with ice and give a quick stir. Add a couple more ice cubes. Serve.

 

3) Mai Tai

 

Alongside other cocktails, such as the Painkiller, Navy Grog and the Pancho Villa, the Mai Tai emerged from the Tiki-drink craze which swept Western America in the 1940s. The Mai Tai cocktail was created in Oakland in 1944 by Victor Bergron, who was better known as Trader Vic. Legend goes that the name of the drink was expressed by his bar guests, who happened to be from Tahiti, when they exclaimed “Mai Tai – Roa Ae”, which means “Out of This World” when he first presented the newly created concoction to them. Hence, the Mai Tai Cocktail was born and remains the most popular of all tiki cocktails.

Cocktail Ingredients

20 ml Dark Rum, 20 ml Light Rum, splash Demerara 20 ml Triple Sec, 20 ml Lime Juice, 10 ml Orgeat Syrup, Mint sprig, Orange wedge

How to make a Mai-Tai cocktail

Add all ingredients into mixing tin. Fill mixing tin with cubed ice. Shake very hard for 10 seconds to achieve desired dilution. Fill goblet style glass with crushed ice and strain mixture into glass. Add a short straw, mint and a splash of demerara rum.

 

4) Sidecar

The Sidecar is a deceptively strong classic cocktail, made with cognac and orange liqueur. The Sidecar has a velvety smooth taste with the Cognac and orange notes combining beautifully, masking somewhat the potency of the drink. The origins of the drink are open to debate, with some arguing that it was invented in Harry`s Bar in New York whilst others claim it was formulated in Paris during the 1920`s. A popular story has it that the creator of the drink was an American Army officer who named the drink after the motorcycle sidecar he rode in often during extended drinking sessions!

 

Cocktail Ingredients

37 1/2 ml Cognac, 12 1/2 ml Triple Sec, 20 ml Lemon Juice, dash Egg White, 5 ml Sugar Syrup, Orange peel

How to make a SideCar cocktail

Chill a coupe glass with soda water. Add all the ingredients to a mixing tin and dry shake for 10 seconds. Add ice to the tin and shake vigorously for 10 seconds. Taste. Fine strain ingredients into chilled coupe glass. Zest orange peel into the drink and place orange twist into glass.

 

5) Zombie

When trying to decide on something tasty from a list of strong cocktails, it is difficult to look past this Tiki cocktail- the legendary Zombie Cocktail. The fact that the Zombie apparently gets its name from its apparent effect on the drinker will give you a clue to its potency. The cocktail was invented by Tiki pioneer Donn “The Beachcomber” Beach” in the 1930s and features a range of 4 rums. The large quantities of alcohol are hidden beneath a mix of sweet juices and a little spice.

Cocktail Ingredients

37 1/2 ml Gold Rum, 25 ml White Rum, 25 ml Dark Rum, splash of 151 proof Rum, 12 1/2 ml Apricot Brandy, 12 1/2 ml Simple Syrup, 37 1/2 ml Pineapple Juice, 25 ml Lime Juice, Mint sprig and Orange wedge

How to make a Zombie cocktail

Mix all ingredients, other than the 151 rum, in a shaker with ice. Pour into glass and top with the high-proof rum. Garnish with mint sprig and orange wedge.