How to make the perfect long drink

As the mercury tentatively creeps up the thermometer, we ask a panel of some of spirits experts how to cool ourselves with a refreshing long cocktail.

Refreshment is the primary objective of summer drinks, something cooling and fresh to offset the heat of the day. This is where the long drink really comes into its own.

Long drinks are an art form. A perfect balance must be found between the flavours and textures of the base spirits and the mixer which will constitute anything from three to six parts of the drink.

With this in mind, we included experts in mixers on our panel this month, as they are well placed to discuss the role a mixer plays in this quintessentially summer drink.

On the panel sits Charles Rolls – co-founder of Fever-Tree, Nick Crispini – owner of Antico and creator of 214 Tonic, and Fredrik Olsson – Ballantine’s brand ambassador and owner of Kosmopol

We divide their advice into three separate sections: recipe for disaster, what to remember and how to impress.

Click through the following pages to see how to make the perfect Long cocktail.

Recipe for disaster

CR: I worry about the vodka plus energy drink combination. I care about taste. That’s a combination that may have functional benefit but tastes like a child’s confection to me.

NC: I’ve had my fair share of awful long drinks but notoriously hard to mix is Scotch. Perhaps this is because it is already a wildly complex drink that dominates the palate. Where many have tried, only a few have mastered the art of mixing with single malts.

FO: Whatever I say here I will have to eat up, as I have colleagues who believe they can turn anything edible into a decent drink. However, personally I find ‘foodie’ drinks hard to enjoy, of course with the exception of classics like the Blood Shot and the Bloody Mary.

What to remember

CR: Mixers are so important and with Fever-Tree everything is natural so you can actually taste the spirit in the drink. It is also important to use plenty of ice, a good, fresh garnish and the right glass. A good long drink is is a rum and cola. It’s one of the most widely drunk long drinks around the world.

NC: An excellent long drink for all occasions would have to be a Tom Collins. You mix gin, lemon juice and sugar over ice and top with soda. What’s so great about this drink is that you really can jazz it up: add fresh muddled raspberry to make a Raspberry Collins; swap with Bourbon to make a John Collins.

FO: Balance of flavour is the most important aspect when building the perfect long drink. The colours of the drink and garnish must be complementary and match the venue’s atmosphere. A speakeasy style bar would promote the ‘less is more’ ethos. However, a tiki bar would advocate that ‘more is more’ with glassware containing a colourful drink and a much more exotic garnish.

How to impress

CR: The gin and tonic. It’s delicious and refreshing and puts so many other long drinks to shame. All you need is four simple ingredients: premium gin, premium tonic, good ice and the peel of a lemon twisted round the glass rim. Its simplicity means that anyone can enjoy one.

NC: The classics are called the classics for a reason – the gin and tonic never fails to be refreshingly quaffable and more-ish. However, my favourite is using “214 Bermondsey’s” homemade tonic to a gin of my fancy. Combine it with your favourite gin to really taste the gin’s botanicals and experience the difference. On a hot day I like the cucumbery Martin Millers and of an evening prefer the rosemary and ginger flavours of Gin Mare.

FO: A Collins. It’s a true classic that comes in many shapes and sizes, and it really allows you to be creative when it comes to the choice of spirit and sweetener. For the sweetener, elderflower and cordials remain customer favourites, while further experimentation with homemade fruits has also proven popular. Adding a liqueur or purée is also an easy way to personalise your Collins. Personally, I would add fresh raspberries, raspberry purée, lemon juice and sugar syrup to 50ml of Ballantine’s 12 to create a Raspberry Collins. The addition of fresh raspberry complements the signature notes of Ballantine’s 12 and creates a long drink experience far beyond the customer’s expectations.