Emma Cookson’s signature drink: Ricky Goes to Hollywood cocktail

While THE Drink was a source of inspiration, a signature cocktail is something a bartender can make with their eyes closed. It's a drink they’ve honed to such a degree, they've become known for it.

For Whisky & Alement’s Emma Cookson, that drink was a winning cocktail she created for the Top 25 Bartenders book, Cocktails for the Home Bartender, in 2021 – a drink she affectionately named Ricky Goes to Hollywood.

The Top 25 Bartenders is the “bartender’s bartender awards”, which means Emma was nominated by her peers. For the book, each of the 25 nominated bartenders worked with a supplier to create a delicious cocktail. That spirit for Emma was Michter’s Rye. “At first I wanted to make a riff on an Espresso Martini with the Michters, but I wanted to showcase the whiskey’s fruitiness,” Emma explains. “People don’t think that whiskey can be tropical. Whiskey seems like the opposite of tropical cocktails, right?”

To give rye whiskey some tropical flair, Emma added toasted coconut syrup. “It worked well with the other ingredients – complimenting the fruitiness of the sherry and the lime as well,” Emma explains.

But what was the inspiration for the name? “I called it  ‘Ricky Goes to Hollywood’ because it’s a kind of take on a Ricky, which is sugar, spirit, lime and soda. I’m originally from California, so coconuts just remind me so much of Venice Beach. You know, Orange County, tan lotion – all that kind of stuff.”

To taste, the cocktail is beautifully fresh and fruity. The rye is quite earthy to finish, without being overpowering, making it super sippable. If you’d like to try Emma’s Ricky Goes to Hollywood for yourself, have a squiz at her recipe and top tips below. 

The Ricky Goes to Hollywood is super easy to make and outrageously delicious, but there are a few things you need to consider when making it to get it just right. First up, Emma’s most crucial advice (which you can apply to any and every cocktail): “The more ice, the better. Whenever you are making a cocktail, add as much ice as possible – whether it is stirred or shaken or in the glass,” Emma says. It’s also important to use fresh lime juice for that extra sweet zestiness the drink needs. 

Of course, your choice of whiskey matters, too. Emma’s original version was made with Michter’s, but she suggests The Gospel for a delightfully Aussie take.

Finally, because we’re using fresh mint as a garnish, make sure it is still firm and fresh. Wilted mint doesn't look or smell good, so treat your mint nicely and don’t bruise it. All that’s left to do is place your straw next to the mint so you get a nice big fragrant whiff when you take a sip.