Cameron's Kick

Steps

1. 1

   Take your shaker and pour in 30ml Irish whiskey and 30ml Scotch whisky using your jigger. Add 15ml orgeat syrup and 15ml fresh lemon juice, then dash in 2 dashes of orange bitters. The orgeat is thick, so hold the jigger at eye level to get it right.

   !Under-measuring the orgeat because it clings to the jigger — give it a second to drain fully.

2. 2

   Fill the shaker about two-thirds full with ice — enough that the ice sits above the liquid line. Cubed ice works best; crushed ice will melt too fast and water the drink down.

   !Using too little ice — the drink won't get cold enough and you'll end up shaking longer, which adds too much water.

3. 3

   Seal the shaker tight and shake hard for about 10 to 12 seconds. You want to feel the outside of the shaker go cold and frosty, and you should hear the ice rattling sharply the whole time. That's how you know it's properly chilled and diluted.

   ~12s

   !Shaking too gently — the orgeat needs a good shake to blend properly with the citrus and spirits.

4. 4

   Pop the shaker open and pour the drink through your Hawthorne strainer into the chilled coupe glass. If you have a fine strainer, hold it over the glass and pour through both strainers to catch any ice shards or bits of citrus pulp. The drink should look pale and slightly cloudy.

   !Pouring too slowly so the drink warms up in the shaker — get it into the glass promptly.

5. 5

   Take your lemon peel and hold it over the drink, colored side facing down. Give it a quick twist so a fine mist of lemon oils sprays across the surface — you'll see it catch the light. Drop the peel into the drink or rest it on the rim.

   !Squeezing the peel into the drink instead of twisting it — you want the aromatic oils on top, not the bitter pith juice inside.