The name “Number 12” hints at the key spirit in this deliciously complex cocktail. Fittingly, it took me around twelve tries to perfect it, but it’s all about the journey!
The base is Balvenie’s twelve-year-old single malt, aged in a two-step “double oak” process. First, it mellows in used bourbon barrels, which lend vanilla spice to the raw spirit, and then it’s transferred to European oak sherry casks, where it picks up fruity, honeyed notes.
It’s an ideal base for a cocktail, but a scotch-loving friend threatened to hang me for heresy. I “adulterated” his favorite whisky and the question remains why and how I avoided death. Simple answer. Like any responsible jury, if you love the sip, you must acquit.
Creating Number 12
A few drams of scotch over a single rock is deeply satisfying, but for me, that’s usually a solo indulgence—a moment of quiet reflection, perhaps with a fine cigar. This time though, I wanted something more expansive, a drink to enjoy in good company.
So, I crafted a cocktail that complements and amplifies the scotch’s natural flavors rather than overpowering them. The result? A layered, luscious, and decadently complex cocktail crowned with limoncello foam and a lemon “wing”. Ready to soar with me? Mission accomplished.
Number 12
Smooth and silky 12 year old scotch enhanced with honey, ginger and limoncello foam
Ingredients
- 1–1/2 oz 12 Y.O. double oak Balvenie scotch
- 1 oz sweet vermouth
- 1/2 oz honey-ginger syrup
- 1/4 oz Campari
- 2 dashes Kings Ginger liqueur
- Limoncello foam – garnish
- Lemon peel wing – garnish
Instructions
- Combine all the liquid ingredients in a mixing glass with ice and stir until cold
- Pour over a single large rock in a double rocks glass
- Fill the remaining space above the drink with limoncello foam
- Garnish with a lemon peel wing perched on the side of the glass
Limoncello Foam
Limoncello Gelatinized Foam
- Prep Time: 5
- Cook Time: 5
- Total Time: 10 minutes
- Yield: 6 oz 1x
Ingredients
- 2.5 grams of 170 bloom gelatin sheet
- 4 oz Limoncello liqueur
- 2 oz water
Instructions
- Soften the gelatin sheet in an ice bath – about 2-3 minutes
- Heat the limoncello and water until they gently simmer, then stir the softened gelatin sheet into the liquid until it completely dissolves
- Remove from the heat and let it cool slightly, then add it to the whipping siphon
- Charge the whipping siphon with a N2O cartridge and shake vigorously to create the foam
- Refrigerate the charged whipping siphon for at least 30 minutes to stiffen and stabilize the foam
- Shake the whipping siphon immediately before using