In the first in a series of columns with Glenmorangie, SLTN swings by The Gate in Glasgow to talk whisky cocktails with owner Andy Gemmell and general manager Alasdair Shaw.
Among the bar’s excellent selection of whisky cocktails are two stand-outs featuring Glenmorangie 10: Sidetracked and The Bounty Hunter.
Why choose The Gate for our first column?
Glenmorangie brand ambassador TJ Littlejohn: “The Gate is such a progressive and forward-thinking bar. Scotland is full of amazing bar and amazing pubs, but a lot of them are very traditional. I love those traditional pubs, but it’s nice to come to a venue that has such a progressive and upbeat mentality. The hospitality and the drinks are taken seriously, but the approach to the whisky is all about fun and having a good time.
“From a Glenmorangie perspective, when you look at the new positioning of Glenmorangie, our new branding, our new marketing campaign, it’s all tailored to be more fun and a lot more approachable. So Glenmorangie and The Gate really are two brands that work hand-in-hand.”
Are whisky cocktails attracting new customers to whisky?
Andy Gemmell, owner, The Gate: “The Scotch whisky industry – the young team within the Scotch whisky industry – has been talking a lot about bringing in a new demographic to whisky, and cocktails are that platform to be able to get people into it.
“Of course we want people to go on and be able to sample whiskies neat and whatever else, but it’s amazing how many people will come in here and have a whisky cocktail that haven’t tried whisky before.
“I’ve been harping on about getting new people into whisky for the last 20 years, and it’s seeing the people going to whisky shows now and looking at the demographic that comes in here. I think finally it is starting to lose that ‘pipe and slippers’ kind of reputation.”
What makes Glenmorangie so good to work with in cocktails?
Alasdair Shaw, general manager: “One of the reasons I love to work with Glenmorangie is it’s just so versatile. It really stands up but it doesn’t overpower a cocktail.
“One of the reasons the Sidetracked is one of the best-selling cocktails on our menu is that there’s a lot of people that come in here at the start of their whisky journey and this is a cocktail that we find gets them into whisky cocktails. Even people that don’t drink whisky will enjoy this cocktail, because it’s so approachable.”
Sidetracked
35mls Glenmorangie Original
20ml fig leaf liqueur
35mls acid-adjusted guava juice
Tablet syrup
Topped with grapefruit and rosehip soda
Alasdair: “It’s so peachy and delicious. We’ve got complex whisky cocktails on the menu as well, and then we’ve got ones that are more approachable, because we really want to have something for everyone. It’s just about finding that balance.”
The Bounty Hunter
Alasdair: “This is a riff on an Old Fashioned, but it’s really quite different as well. As alluded to in the name it’s a chocolate and coconut Old Fashioned.
“I think the Glenmorangie works really well in it because I find that the casks that they use give this really nice coconut flavour.”
60mls Glenmorangie Original
3 dashes house chocolate bitters
1 dash Angostura Bitters
Coconut syrup
Stir it down
Garnish with salted dark chocolate
