By Amin Khairuddin

Vodka
Character: A colourless liquid whichcontains purified ethanol. It is distilled from many different natural ingredients such as grains, potatoes, soy and corn. Its taste is largely determined by the basic ingredients used in the early stages. Vodka can be classified into two main groups – clear and flavoured; the latter is usually infused with hot pepper, fruit and vanilla. Alcohol content varies between 15 and 75 per cent.
Kathy’s take: ‘It is a neutral spirit which goes really well with just about anything. Just keep it simple such as mixing it with fruits and syrups. A basic rule is clear spirits with clear liquids.’

Rum
Character: There are so many different types of rum. Some are very dry, light bodied, and they usually come from Spanish speaking countries. Good medium-bodied rums come from Barbados and Demerara. Then there are the rich, full-bodied and pungent rums which are usually produced in English speaking countries. And lastly, the lightbodied but very aromatic rums from West Indies. Like most spirits and wines, rums are blended to acquire taste and consistency.
Kathy’s take: The only way to know is to experiment and play around with it. Start with something like the classic Mojito. You can play with it by putting basil, mint, cilantro, watermelon and maybe a little bit of hot sauce to spice things up.’

Whisky
Character: Irish whiskey is often a blend of malt and corn based grain whiskey. This complex blend and the fact that the malt is dried in a closed kiln distinguish it from its close cousin, the Scotch whisky. Irish whiskey usually tastes sweet, with a toasty honey flavor.Scotch whisky has a distinct smoky flavour due to the malt drying process.
Kathy’s take: ‘I love a great Manhattan, and of course some bitters will always be nice with whisky. Like rum, because of the variety, it’s best to experiment and play around with it. Green tea, ginger ale, any dark fizzy drinks would be a simple start. Or just do a shot with a Dr. Pepper Chaser.’

Beer
Character: You can put them in two categories. Lagers, which are clean refreshing beers with light aroma and flavour, are served cold and go with a
wide choice of food. Ales, however, are complex, flavourful beers that contain rich aroma and flavour.
Kathy’s take: ‘A lot of people are creating cocktails with beer but I do agree that it’s a personal preference when it comes to a beer cocktail. Some mix it with soda, some with fruits and juices.’ Celebrity mixologist Kathy Casey recommends the best mixers for each of our favourite spirits.

Sake
Character: They can range from very dry to very sweet. Premium sake is best served chilled while the lower grades are best served warm.
Kathy’s take: ‘I love sake with cucumber; it’s very refreshing. I made this cocktail years ago called the Katana. It’s fresh lime with simple syrup with muddled cucumber in it and a splash of sake. Delicious.’

Gin
Character: Its taste comes from Juniper berries and other botanicals. You can classify gin into two types. Distilled gin, which is crafted in the traditional manner and adding other herbs and spices into it. Compound gin is made by flavouring
the neutral spirit with essences or other natural flavourings without re-distillation.
Kathy`s take: ‘I love gin. I think it’s because of the different layers of flavour thanks to the different botanicals in it. One can go really crazy with gin. Bombay Sapphire is a very complex botanical gin, and Hendricks Gin has cucumber and rose infused in it. I love gin with cucumber and gin is really good with fruits. I remember one cocktail called the Bollywood, which I made with Tanqueray Ten gin, fresh lime, a little bit of light curry syrup, mint and a tiny bit of pineapple; it was shaken, served with a float of rose coconut foam, and topped off with edible 24 gold flakes for bling bling.’

Tequila
Character: Tequila is actually a smooth and distinctive drink, just like a fine glass of single malt scotch. The taste of agave is something that can’t be described but youknow it when you taste it. There’s this rich caramel taste that lingers on the tongue for a stunning finish.
Kathy’s take: ‘I’ve made one called the Smitten. It’s made from agave syrup,fresh lime, watermelon and a little bit of tabasco. It’s really delicious. You can mix fruits juices and spices. Play around and find what goes best with the differentlabels around.’

Kathy Casey was recently in town to train the bar staff at Mandarin Oriental (www.mandarinoriental.com/kualalumpur). You can find out more tips and recipes on her website www.kathycasey.com. Her book, ‘Sips & Apps: Classic and Contemporary Recipes for Cocktails and Appetizers’ (RM75.90), is available at major bookstores.