Even though I often wish it was cocktail hour, every hour, I’m not really one for actual cocktails. Personally I prefer a simple glass of wine, or dark liquor on the rocks. Most often I find cocktails far too sweet for my liking and tend to have allergic reactions to them due to their extremely high sugar content. It’s not an ideal combination for me.

Recently, however, while attending a Glenmorangie tasting at The Bait Shop in Toronto’s west end, I discovered a cocktail creation that I couldn’t get enough of. It was, of course, created by Blowfish‘s head mixologist, Nishan Nepulangoda, who is renowned for his unique cocktails.

You’re not just seeing things, that right there is FIRE! Every cocktail of Nishan’s really is like a work of art, and they are worth the wait for every layer of taste and effort that goes into each one. For the colder weather, Nishan created a Glenmorangie cocktail that’s perfect for the holidays. Although served cold, it reminds of a comforting hot (and spiked) cider. If you fancy busting out your torch and giving this a whirl, you can find the recipe below:

Winter in Tain

2.5 oz Glenmorangie

1.5 oz maya’s lemon juice

1 oz cloves syrup

Egg whites

Whiskey barrel bitters

Cinnamon powder

Ah yes, I should also mention here that we weren’t only there to indulge in multiple Winter in Tains from Nishan (trust me, they go down easy), we were also in attendance to try a 50 year old Glenmorangie single malt scotch whiskey! That’s right, a fifty-year-old scotch whiskey from 1963. Considering there are only 50 bottles in the world right now (and only available for special tastings such as this one) we all felt pretty darn special to get to be there.

That’s a silver metal label right there, seriously!

Nishan hard at work.

A quick pose with my girl Ashton Lawrence!

Although you may not be able to purchase the ’63 in your local LCBO, I do highly recommend considering a bottle of Glenmorangie as a gift for that special someone this holiday season, and I’m not just talking about your dad. A great scotch whiskey can be enjoyed by everyone! xo