WINTER WHISKY FLEECE

Cocktails in November, warming, aromatic and a little celebratory ... thoughts are turning to Christmas afterall. The signature cocktails in The Baa at Thyme are our 'fleeces',  this month we are embracing the flavours of thyme, ginger and honey from our bees to warm up a take on the Whisky Sour. Made all the more delicious by Cotswold Distillery's brand new single malt which has rich honey notes with lots of spice. Don't be daunted by the egg white, it adds an essential smooth silky texture and is not difficult to perfect.  This thin syrup recipe also makes a lovely, restorative toddy with hot water, lemon peel and cardamom (perfect salve for a fragile head or to ward off winter colds).

For the ginger & honey syrup (makes about half litre):
Ingredients:

• 150 g ginger root

• 500 ml water

• 100 ml honey

Method:

1. Bring the water to a simmer but do not let it boil.

2. Add your ginger, peeled & thinly sliced, and simmer for 30 minutes.

3. Remove from the heat and strain.

4. Stir in the honey, but make sure you have let the ginger water cool a little before hand, this will ensure that none of the honey’s nutrients are destroyed.

5. Store in a sterilized jar* in your fridge for up to four weeks.

For the cocktail (makes two):
Ingredients:

• 100 ml Cotswolds single malt whisky

• 50 ml fresh lemon juice

• 40 ml honey & ginger syrup

• 1 egg white

• four sprigs of fresh thyme

Method:

1. Add all the ingredients to your shaker.

2. Dry shake with two thyme sprigs (if you use a hand whisk to get a fluffy egg white texture, add the thyme at step 3).

3. Fill with ice and continue to shake until chilled.

4. Double strain into two chilled coupe glasses.

5. Garnish with the remaining sprigs of thyme.

* to sterilize jars simply wash with warm soapy water, rinse & dry before putting into an oven at 110°c for 30 minutes