At the rooftop bar of the Hotel Viking in Newport, Rhode Island, assistant beverage director Christina Mercado notes that the summer cocktails they serve tend to be tall and sparkling or bright and tart, but with her In The Sand drink, she wanted to step out of that box. “I wanted this cocktail to be something to sip by the fire on a warm night,” she says. “A bright stone fruit-focused cocktail that’s elegant, spirit-forward, and served up.”
In The Sand features Clonakilty Bordeaux Cask Irish whiskey, Pimm’s No. 1 liqueur, Cointreau orange liqueur, and Giffard Crème de Pêche peach liqueur. “I chose Clonakilty Bordeaux Cask for this drink because of its profile: It’s a soft whiskey with awesome red berry notes, honey, and spice,” Mercado says. “It’s not heavy on the oak, vanilla, leather, or tannic profiles that you can see in other whiskeys; it has a soft fruitiness that plays perfectly with the other ingredients and doesn’t overpower them either. It creates a perfect balance.”
She adds that the Clonakilty pairs particularly well with the peach flavors of the Giffard and spice components of the Pimm’s. “Building this cocktail, I felt like I was almost creating the flavor profile of a peach melba,” she says.
In the Sand
Christina Mercado, assistant beverage director at Hotel Viking in Newport, Rhode Island
- 1½ oz. Clonakilty Bordeaux Cask Irish whiskey
- 1½ oz. Pimm’s No. 1 liqueur
- 3/4 oz. Cointreau orange liqueur
- 1/4 oz. Giffard Crème de Pêche peach liqueur
- Orange peel for garnish
Shake all ingredients with ice for 10-15 seconds, then double strain into a chilled Nick and Nora glass. Express an orange peel over the drink, then use as garnish.
