The Lucky Cat "may" Recipe
Blended Whisky. Starts off with Bergamot orange peel, tobacco leaves and a bit of leather. On the palate, brown sugar-coated prunes are front and center, balanced with hints of green apple, black currant & vanilla custard.
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Ingredients
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Whisky Base
Aromatics & Flavor Enhancers
Fruit & Sweetness
Finish & Service
Method
Prep — Tobacco-Infused Simple Syrup & Brown Sugar-Prune Reduction
Tobacco-infused simple syrup
Make 1/2 cup to have on hand: combine 1/2 cup (120 ml) water and 1/2 cup (100 g) brown sugar in a small saucepan and warm gently until sugar dissolves. Remove from heat, add 1 tablespoon dried tobacco leaves (food-grade or culinary smoking leaf — do NOT use cigarette tobacco) and steep 10–15 minutes. Strain through a fine mesh and cool. Use 1/4 oz for the cocktail. Refrigerate leftover syrup up to 1 week.
Brown sugar-prune reduction
Combine 1/3 cup (80 g) pitted prunes and 1/4 cup (60 ml) water with 2 tablespoons (25 g) brown sugar in a small saucepan. Simmer gently, mashing prunes until softened and liquid thickens, 6–8 minutes. Remove from heat and press through a fine sieve to yield a smooth, thick syrup. Cool. Use 1/2 oz for each cocktail; refrigerate remainder up to 2 weeks.
Build the Cocktail
Chill a rocks glass or coupe by filling with ice and setting aside.
In a mixing glass add 2 oz blended whisky, 1/4 oz tobacco-infused simple syrup, 1/2 oz brown sugar-prune reduction, 1/4 oz green apple cordial (or 1/4 oz fresh pressed green apple juice for lighter apple note), and 1/4 oz blackcurrant liqueur. Add 2 dashes aromatic bitters and 2 drops vanilla tincture. Fill mixing glass with ice.
Stir gently for 25–30 seconds until well chilled and slightly diluted (aim for about 20–25% dilution by eye).
Discard ice from chilled serving glass, place one large ice cube in the glass, and strain the cocktail over the cube.
Aromatic Finish & Garnish
Express the bergamot peel over the drink: hold peel skin-side down about 3–4 inches above the surface and give a firm twist so oils spray across the cocktail. Optionally run the peel around the rim and drop it into the drink as garnish.
If using an aromatic leather/tobacco element, briefly (1–2 seconds) pass the edge of a lit cedar or leather-smoke source beneath the glass to capture a faint smoky leather aroma, or lay a single lightly toasted tobacco leaf on the glass edge (for display only). Do not burn food-unsafe materials near the drink; use culinary smoking chips if available.
Serve immediately and advise guests to inhale the bergamot/tobacco aromatics briefly before sipping to perceive the bergamot, tobacco and leather notes up front, with brown sugar-coated prune, green apple, blackcurrant and vanilla custard on the palate.