Lithuanian Buck

COCKTAIL INGREDIENTS:
- 45 ml Starka
(Preferably Stumbras Original)
- 7,5 ml Applejack
- 7,5 ml Maple Bloom Spirit Infusion
(Maple in Bloom)
- 22,5 ml Fresh Lemon Juice
- 15 ml Honey Syrup (3:1)
- 60 ml Ginger Beer (Chilled)

GARNISH:
- Apple Fan
- Sprig of Mint

INSTRUCTIONS:
• Combine all of the ingredients except ginger beer in a cocktail shaker.
• Add ice and shake until chilled.
• Strain into a cocktail glass over fresh ice.
• Top with chilled ginger beer.
• Garnish with an apple fan and a sprig of mint.

Buck is a fantastically refreshing cocktail, be it The Irish Buck, Kentucky Buck or any other Buck, you know it will quench your thirst. That is why I wanted to give it a go and borrow the template in order to create a cocktail that would taste of home – Lithuanian Buck.

I chose Starka as a base spirit. Being the main native aged spirit to Lithuania, it folded neatly into a Buck template with notes of rye, apple and linden-tree. I chose to pair it with a small addition of applejack and maple blossom spirit infusion to help and tease out some of the subtleties of the main spirit reinforcing its herbal and fruit tones. Bright and tart lemon juice was a natural choice to go with the aged spirit for a refreshing kick and what could be better to balance that out than a touch of honey syrup. Topping all that with refreshing ginger beer lengthens the cocktail and provides a satisfying ginger bite for a well-rounded drinking experience. Garnish the drink with a sprig of mint for the cool fragrance and an apple fan for the visual appeal and the drink is ready to be enjoyed.

All in all, this is a simple cocktail with ingredients that do not seem to have been tested together before, but the end result was absolutely worth the effort. It will be a perfect sipper for the coming summer.