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Like a Vietnamese iced coffee, but with a hint of fruit and a tasty tequila base.
About the cocktail
The gang’s back together. And by that, we mean us (Dan’s Daily), Matt Stirling and another vaguely named, but tasty cocktail. If you don’t know Matt, he steers the good ship Caretakers Cottage “the smallest pub in Melbourne'' (according to Matt). You can read more about him and his hospo journey here – or check out a few more of his recipes here. Long story short, Matty is a great guy and properly knows his stuff. Now that we have the intros out of the way, it's cocktail time. Meet the Aisles cocktail. It’s like a Vietnamese coffee-Espresso Martini hybrid that’s coconutty and obvs a lot of fun (Siri, play ‘Espresso’ by Sabrina Carpenter). Your base spirit here is tequila, but we highly recommend this drink as an excellent way to make the most of Australian agave spirits – our local take on tequila, which is quickly becoming a serious thing. As for the finished cocktail? “It’s decadent yet fresh at the same time,” explains Matt. “The crushed ice keeps it feeling rich on the palate, and the dilution over time tempers the sweetness.” In terms of taste, we’re looking at big rich flavours, but also some fun fruity and bitter notes. “It’s kind of like the Jean Luc Picard of cocktails – bold and adventurous,” explains Matty. And tbh, who doesn’t love Patrick Stewart in a jumpsuit? As you can imagine, this cocktail is a heavy guy with some big flavours, so drinking it with a meal feels like a chump move. “I think this is a drink to have either well before a meal or immediately after,” laughs Matt. “Its density, texture and flavour will compete with most foods, so I think giving it and your palate the room is the best way to go.” Wise words, but if you absolutely have to pair it with something then Matt reckons something small and snacky, like strawberries, blueberries or raspberries that are ripe and in season “in either a little cakey thing or by themselves”. Before you get shaking, bopping and weaving, Matt’s got some fire tips below.
Watch: How to make the Aisles cocktail
Ingredients
40mL blanco tequila
20mL orange liqueur 20mL coffee 1 tbsp condensed milk Glass: short tumbler Garnish: shaved coconut
Method
Add all ingredients to a cocktail shaker
Add one cube of ice and shake hard to “whip” your drink Shake until the ice cube has fully melted (it’ll stop making a sound) Strain into your chosen glass, and add crushed ice Sprinkle shaved coconut on top
Matt’s top tips
So, you want to make the Aisles cocktail. Excellent, strap in. It's not a particularly hard cocktail to shake up, but there are some little bits and pieces to consider. First of all, are you serving this up at a gathering? If so, Matt suggests doing some batching prior. “This is a drink you can easily multiply and prepare, so the last step is to just shake,” explains Matt. Add all ingredients to a large vessel without ice and store in the fridge until you need it. When it's time to make the drinks, just measure a full “batch pour” (the total liquid volume of all ingredients) and whip them up as you need them.” It’s also good because the sugar and alcohol content will give the batch a long shelf life, so you can keep it in the fridge for around 14 days. Now for the shake. To make the Aisles cocktail all aerated and scrummy, you need to use a “whip shake”, which is basically a dry shake with a single cube of ice (you can read more about different shakes here, too). Add one singular cube to the shaker and give it your best and hardest shake. Keep shaking until you can no longer hear the cube hitting the sides of the tin and you should be golden.
And, of course, tequila would work equally well here, but we’re all about exploring Australia’s own agave spirits right now, and we think you should be, too. Other than that, you can change the flavour of the liqueur if you choose, look to the Batida from Brazil for inspiration. All that’s left is to chuck on some sick jams – Matt suggests some Os Tincoãs, and sip that beautiful espresso-infused fruity goodness.
