Drinks

The Film Maker

Citrus, chocolate, and peat define this Irish whiskey-spiked drink.

  • Serves

    serves 1

  • Time

    10 minutes

PHOTOGRAPHY BY LINDA XIAO; FOOD STYLING BY CHRISTINE ALBANO; PROP STYLING BY DAYNA SEMAN

By Oisin Kelly


Published on March 11, 2022

The peaty smoke of Connemara single malt Irish whiskey is offset by chocolate and citrus flavors in the Film Maker cocktail, a darkly sophisticated nightcap, based on a drink once enjoyed by director Alfred Hitchcock. The finished cocktail, which is adapted from one served by Oisin Kelly at Dublin’s Sidecar Bar, has a layer of crema on top, which forms when the juices froth during shaking. Garnish with a dusting of cocoa powder—Kelly prefers Cadbury’s Fairtrade Bournville.

Ingredients

For the honey-marmalade syrup:

  • Peel from 2 medium lemons, white pith removed
  • Peel from 2 medium oranges, white pith removed
  • 2 tbsp. honey
  • 2 tbsp. orange marmalade

For the cocktail:

  • 1½ oz. Grand Marnier
  • 1 oz. honey-marmalade syrup
  • 1 oz. pineapple juice
  • ¼ oz. fresh lemon juice
  • 1 tsp. peated single malt Irish whiskey, such as Connemara
  • 4 dashes chocolate bitters
  • Cocoa powder, for dusting

Instructions

Step 1

Make the honey-marmalade syrup: In a small bowl, muddle the lemon and orange peels to release their oils. Add the honey, marmalade, and ½ cup of boiling water and stir to combine. Set aside to cool to room temperature, then strain into a jar and use immediately or refrigerate for up to 1 month.

Step 2

To a cocktail shaker filled with ice, add the Grand Marnier, 1 ounce of the reserved honey-marmalade syrup, the pineapple and lemon juices, whiskey, and bitters. Shake well until chilled, then strain into a chilled Nick and Nora or martini glass. Dust the surface lightly with cocoa powder, if desired, then run the tip of a toothpick through the foam in a left-to-right motion to make a decorative flourish. Serve immediately.

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