1 – Once upon a time…
It’s a dessert-style cocktail, lightly toasted, naturally sweet… In short, the “night” version of the oat milk latte which has invaded cafes and Instagram. However, the creation of the attractive Atholl brose dates back to… the year 1450. It was not born in a martini glass but in a drinking water well where, according to legend, the Earl of Atholl, inhabitant of the Highlands , reportedly poured a mixture of honey, oatmeal and a generous amount of whiskey.
The objective? Stifle a rebellion by getting the troop of opponents drinking drunk. A little-known story that we rediscover in a magnificent 432-page cocktail bible that Phaidon has just published and which traces six hundred years of creations in the legendary bars of the planet.
2 – Oats, modern ingredient
More natural than Get 27 liqueur, more local than coconut cream, oats, which were long reserved for livestock feed, are now everywhere: milk, porridge, granola… It’s because of its nutritional properties ( rich in fiber, zinc, copper, magnesium, and a source of selenium which protects against oxidative stress) are particularly attractive in a society which places food at the heart of its concerns.
3- Express recipe
In a saucepan, bring 360 ml of water to the boil. Add 100 g of crushed oats, remove from heat and set aside overnight. The next day, drain the oats, reserve the liquid (the brose) and discard the oats. Put 45ml of brose in a shaker with 60ml of unpeated Highland single malt, 45ml of honey syrup and 30ml of full cream. Add ice and shake for at least 20 seconds. Pour into a bowl and sprinkle with nutmeg and cinnamon.
“SIGNATURE COCKTAILS”, by Amanda Schuster, (ed. Phaidon)
