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Top 10
World-class cocktails to celebrate IWD
We’ve rounded up 10 cocktail recipes from women who have founded spirits brands or work at acclaimed bars to mark International Women’s Day (IWD).
To celebrate International Women’s Day, we’ve compiled a selection of cocktail recipes from leading women in the drinks industry.
Whether they’re behind the bar themselves, or have founded the spirits brands featured, the recipes included below are guaranteed to be flavoursome.
From Maybe Sammy’s Sarah Proietti providing her Marylin Monroe-inspired cocktail, to a recipe from alcohol-free ‘spirit’ Caleño, Ellie Webb’s brainchild, the 10-strong round-up is bound to satisfy your palate.
What better way to celebrate International Women’s Day than hosting a cocktail-making session with recipes from some of the most notable women in the industry?
Scroll on for 10 top-tier serves from women in the spirits industry.
Hapusa Burnash Hi-Ball – Aparajita Ninan, Nao Spirits
Aparajita Ninan co-founded Nao Spirits with her husband in 2016. Last year, Diageo claimed a stake in Nao Spirits.
The brand recently launched the Jay Dhawan Scholarship in memory of the company’s late distiller.
Ingredients
60ml Hapusa
30ml Hibiscus syrup
20ml Lime juice
3 drops Homemade Dalle tincture*
Soda to top
Edible flower (for garnish)
*Dalle Tincture
6 Dalle Chillis
75ml Greater Than Gin (London Dry Gin)
*Dalle Tincture method
Blend the ingredients together and freeze to remove the fat layer if any. Pass through a fine mesh strainer.
Method: Compile all the ingredients in a highball glass with ice and stir, top with soda and garnish with an edible flower.
Butter Nut Milk Punch – Liana Oster, NoMad London
The Butter Nut Milk Punch was created by Liana Oster, bars director at NoMad London. It is available at NoMad’s bar Common Decency.
Ingredients*
20ml Lemon juice
20ml Amaro Nonino
30ml 1757 Cinzano Rosso
30ml Pineapple juice
30ml Squash syrup
30ml Diplomatico Exclusiva
40ml Michters Bourbon
60ml Whole milk
Pepita sugar candy (for garnish)
*Multiple serves
Method: Combine ingredients and pour into glass. Garnish with pepita sugar candy.
Tropical Nolito – Ellie Webb, Caleño
Alcohol-free ‘spirit’ brand Caleño was founded by Ellie Webb in 2018. The brand’s portfolio comprises a Light & Zesty bottling, as well as a Dark & Spicy ‘spirit’.
Ingredients
50ml Caleño Dark & Spicy
15ml Sugar syrup
1 Fresh lime
6-8 Fresh mint leaves
Soda water
Method: Smack the mint and add into a highball glass with lime wedges before giving them a muddle. Pour in Caleño Dark & Spicy and sugar syrup, give it a stir and top with soda water. Garnish with a large sprig of mint and a wedge of lime on top.
Garden Martini – Marissa Mazzotta, The Shanty
Marissa Mazzotta is the head bartender at The Shanty, at New York Distilling Company in the US.
Ingredients
30ml Sage-infused Lillet Blanc Vermouth*
45ml Rose Petal Dorothy Parker
1 lemon twist
Two olives (for garnish)
Method: Peel and express one lemon twist into mixing glass. Stir all ingredients together (lemon too), strain into coupe glass. Garnish with two olives.
*Sage-infused Lillet Blanc: Add 110g of fresh herbs to one bottle of Lillet Blanc, let stand at room temperature overnight, then strain next day.
Mijenta La Rosa – Elise Som, Mijenta Tequila
Tequila brand Mijenta is co-owned by Elise Som, who also serves as the band’s director of sustainability. Mijenta has succeeded in becoming the first B-Corp-certified Tequila brand.
The Spirits Business is familiar with the brand, having sat down with both its ex-Bacardi CEO and Mijenta co-founder Mike Dolan and UK brand ambassador Tasha Iny.
The Mijenta team is reportedly 65% female, headed up by Som and maestra tequilera Ana Maria Romero. The brand has also pledged to support two charities dedicated to aiding women in London and Mexico.
Ingredients
60ml Mijenta Tequila Blanco
30ml Hibiscus and Raspberry syrup
30ml Lime juice
1 tsp Rosewater
Baby dry rose bud (for garnish)
Method: Shake all ingredients with plenty ice, strain into a highball glass with fresh ice and top with club soda. Garnish with a baby dry rose bud.
Vintage Coco – Lynnette Marrero, Bar Convent Brooklyn
As well as holding the position of head of education committee for Bar Convent Brooklyn (BCB), Marrero is also the co-founder of Speed Rack – an all-female bartending competition.
Ingredients
45ml Scotch (Johnnie Walker Black or Jane Walker)
60ml Coconut water
15ml Pineapple juice
60ml Fever-Tree Sparkling Lime & Yuzu
Shiso leaf or mint sprigs (for garnish)
Method: Add the coconut water, pineapple juice and Scotch to a highball glass. Fill glass with ice cubes or a Collins spear. Add Fever-Tree, and gently stir to mix. Garnish with a shiso leaf or mint sprigs.
The Deanston Junglebird – Julieann Fernandez, Deanston Distillery
Julieann Fernandez is master blender for Distell Group, which spans a number of brands: Deanston, Bunnahabhain, Tobermory, Black Bottle, Ledaig, and Scottish Leader.
Aged 31, Fernandez is considered to be one of the youngest master blenders in the world.
Ingredients
50ml Deanston Virgin Oak
25ml Campari
15ml Lime juice
100ml Pineapple juice
Ice, to serve
4 Mint sprigs (for garnish)
Method: Pour all the ingredients apart from the ice into a cocktail shaker. Shake for one minute until well combined. Pour into a coupe glass – it should settle with a nice frothy top. Garnish with mint and lime twist. Top with ice.
Spirit Animal – Amanda Phelps, Frannie & Fox
This serve has been created by Amanda Phelps, the beverage operations supervisor at Frannie & The Fox, in Charleston, South Carolina, US.
Ingredients
30ml Ilegal Joven Mezcal
30ml Barsol Quebranta Pisco
10ml Breckenridge Bitters
30ml Fresh lime juice
15ml Giffard orgeat
30ml Egg white
Method: Add all ingredients into shaker, dry shake, add ice, wet shake. Double strain into coupe glass.
Valley of the Ashes – Lidiyanah K, Atlas
Lidiyanah ‘Yana’ K become head bartender at Singapore’s acclaimed bar Atlas in 2022.
Ingredients
2 dash Hopped grapefruit bitters
1 dash Chocolate bitters
15ml Pomelo lime syrup
5ml Amaro Nonino
5ml Michter’s Bourbon
40ml Diplo Mantuano
Method: Stir together the ingredients. Serve in a rocks glass with ice.
The Prince and the Showgirl – Sarah Proietti, Maybe Sammy
The venue manager of Sydney-based Maybe Sammy has created the Prince and the Showgirl cocktail, a beverage inspired by late actress Marilyn Monroe.
It is also a riff off the classic cocktail Ramos Gin Fizz. The bar recently opened a Tequila bar in December 2022.
Ingredients
50ml Ford gin
20ml Peach wine
40ml Macadamia honey cream
20ml Champagne acid
10ml Sugar syrup
1 dash Egg white
Coconut veil (for garnish)
Method: Combine all ingredients, shake and pour into a highball glass and then top up with London Essence White Peach & Jasmine soda. Garnish with a coconut veil.