It’s not a Cola

COCKTAIL INGREDIENTS:
- 37,5/40 ml Riga Black Balsam (Original)
- 45 ml Cranberry Juice (unsweetened)
- 7,5 ml Frangelico (Hazelnut liqueur)
- 7,5 ml Gum Syrup

GARNISH:
- Dehydrated Orange Wheel
- Dried Rosebud

INSTRUCTIONS:
• Combine all of the ingredients in a cocktail shaker.
• Add ice and shake until chilled.
• Strain into a cocktail glass over one large ice cube.
• Garnish with a dehydrated orange wheel and a dried rosebud.

This cocktail is my latest experiment with the classic version of Riga Black Balsam.

I wanted to create a cocktail for the transitional times of the year, autumn and sprig. Although, I believe, it is good all year around.

I started with a well-known idea of “what grows together, goes together”, looking for flavours of our local flora that would pair well with the balsam. Often Riga Black Balsam is mixed with blackcurrant juice. I did not have any at hand, so I decided to try and pair it with sour cranberry juice, which worked wonders. I tested a few different liqueur combinations and eventually settled on hazelnut notes of Frangelico. It took the cocktail into a lovely, yet unusual direction. However, Frangelico was quite potent, so I only used a touch. As a result, I needed something to help me balance the cocktail. I tried with simple syrup, but the cocktail still seemed quite thin. Then I swapped it for gum syrup and all fell into place.

Multiple bitter herbal and fruity notes of Riga Black Balsam, combining with the crisp sourness of cranberry juice and sweetness of hazelnut captures the spirit of autumn in a glass. It’s not a Cola is a simple cocktail, not too boozy, not too sour. It is just a tasty drink consisting of local flavours and ingredients.