While every cocktail menu these days seems to come with a backstory, it is virtually unheard of for each drink in the selection to have its own tale. Good thing a pioneering ‘all-natural’ craft cocktail bar in the capital, featuring an eclectic selection of wines, top-shelf spirits and, of course, crafted cocktails, has a lot of inspiring stories
to narrate for each of its tipples.

Mixologist Ranjit Singh, who has many years of experience in the industry, feels that if something is considered a signature or crafted drink by an outlet, it should definitely have a unique concept. Adding a twist here and there is an old trick, and it will not work for too long, as dinners nowadays are very choosy about what they pick from the menu. And this uniqueness doesn’t only apply to the appearance of the drink, but to every aspect of the beverage.

We take a few such cocktails that have tales to tell, and highlight the reasoning behind the choice of ingredients, their historical significance and other stories from behind the counter.

— Stories and recipes shared by Ranjit Singh, mixologist at La Roca

Saffronisation

Ingredients
Saffron-infused bourbon    60ml
100% pure maple syrup     10ml
Coffee shot    20ml
Almond milk    60ml
Honey water    10ml

preparation
Glassware: Copper coupe
Garnish: Coffee beans 4%, saffron

Backstory
It symbolises ‘going back to your holy roots’. In this cocktail, we use saffron and almond milk with bourbon. These ingredients have been used since ancient times for plenty of reasons.
The cocktail pays homage to our rich and long history, and also attempts to remind us from where we come.

Scarlet

Ingredients
Strawberry- and blueberry-    45ml
infused gin  
Dry vermouth    15ml
Honey water    10ml
Hibiscus tea    60ml
Lime juice    10ml

preparation
Glassware: Brandy balloon
Garnish: 1 cucumber slice, 3-4 strawberry slices, 3-4 blueberries and 1 edible flower

Backstory
The moment you see the drink, you get to know why it’s called Scarlet. Its red-deep colour comes from hibiscus tea. It is floral, herby, citrusy and boasts a long finish of berries.

Violet

Ingredients
Lemongrass-and kaffir-lime- infused gin       45ml
Blueberry pea tea    60ml
Honey water    10ml
Peach schnapps    15ml
Lime juice    10 ml

preparation
Glassware: Chilled martini
Garnish: Half glass rimmed with coconut powder, and edible flower

Backstory
There has been the usage of ‘Butterfly: pea flower tea’ in this cocktail, which is caffeine-free herbal tea. The tea is known for many medical reasons, and also for changing its colours from deep blue to violet and, eventually, pink. It depends on how much lemon juice you put in the tea while mixing the drinks. That’s the reason it is called ‘Violet’ and, by using infused gin with kaffir leaves, lemongrass and peach schnapps, the cocktail acquires an aromatic flavour and grassy-with- tropical finish.

The Green Fairy

Ingredients
Absinthe    60ml Cream        20ml
Yakult    30ml
Fresh green apple juice     45ml

Preparation
Glassware: Copper sherry glass
Garnish: Dehydrated apple slice and star anise

Backstory
The main ingredient of the cocktail is the probiotic milk, Yakult, which has so many intestine and stomach benefits and the base spirit is absinthe, which is flavoured with wormwood, star anise and fennel. In historical literature, absinthe is called la fée verte, which translates to ‘the green fairy’.