6 peach cocktail recipes for National Peach Month

August is National Peach Month and you know the old saying: when life gives you peaches… make peach cocktails (or something like that). Not that we need a reason to drink, but here’s a list anyway, in honour of those who need the perfect pick-me-up—especially if you've been on social media hate-liking your European friends on their month-long August summer holidays—this one’s for you. 

#1: Strawberry Fields

by Three Buns Quayside

INGREDIENTS
4-5 strawberries, sliced
30ml strawberry-infused gin
10ml peach liqueur
10ml simple syrup
Tonic water, to top up
1 mint spring, for garnishing

Prepare ahead: To make the strawberry-infused gin, thinly slice four strawberries and pop them into a vacuum bag, adding in the gin before sealing it. Sous vide at 50 degrees Celsius for 15 minutes before straining it into a jug. Let cool.

DIRECTIONS

1. Build all ingredients into a highball glass filled with ice.
2. Garnish with the mint spring and remaining strawberry slices.

#2: This Charming Man

by Rob Scott from The Monarchy

INGREDIENTS
60ml Hendricks Gin and lemon milk wash
15ml black tea syrup (1:1 black tea to sugar ratio)
2.5ml peach liqueur
2 drops Dr. Adams Elmegirab's teapot bitters

Prepare ahead: To make the gin-infused milk wash, mix 4.5 parts Hendrick's with 4.5 parts full cream milk and 1 part lemon juice. Filter the mixture through a cheese cloth. Keep chilled in a fridge while straining. To make the black tea syrup, add one part black tea to one part sugar, stirring to consistency.

DIRECTIONS

1. Add the peach liqueur, teapot bitters and the gin-infused milk wash into a mixing glass filled with ice. Stir down before pouring into a china teacup.
2. Garnish with a Walkers Shortbread (and edible flowers for added panache!).

#3: Beautiful Kind of Fizz

by Don Ho Social Kitchen & Bar

INGREDIENTS
25 ml Aperol
25 ml London Dry Gin
10 ml fresh lemon juice
15 ml simple syrup
1 fresh peach, peeled
80 ml extra dry prosecco, to top up
1 large rosemary sprig, for garnishing
1 teaspoon pomegranate seeds, for garnishing
1/2 fresh peach, for garnishing

DIRECTIONS

1. Add 8 ice cubes and all ingredients except the prosecco into a  blender, blending for 12-16 seconds.
2. Pour all ingredients into a red wine glass. Top up with the prosecco, giving it a gentle stir.
3. Garnish with a rosemary sprig and give it a torch it gently.
4. Scoop the pomegranate seeds into the half peach and rest gently atop the rosemary to finish.

#4: Peaches Cardinale

by Tippling Club

INGREDIENTS
250ml Gin
100ml Campari
75ml Chambord
50ml Merlet Peach Liqueur
50ml Merlet Apricot Liqueur
25ml White Chocolate Liqueur
1 freeze-dried peach wedge
Raspberry gel (or fresh raspberries), for garnishing
Peach glass (if available), for garnishing

DIRECTIONS

1. For every 550ml batch of cocktail, use 50g of clarified butter. Prepare the clarified butter first by heating 50g of butter on low heat in a pan, until milk solids form on the top, leaving clear (clarified) butter below.
2. Skim these solids off, adding the clear butter to the alcohol. Place this in a freezer until the butter has set and separated from the mix. Strain through a muslin cloth.
3. For one portion of the drink – pour 60ml of the mix into a glass, garnish with the peach wedge, raspberry gel (or raspberries) and peach glass.

#5: Georgia Smash

by Manhattan Bar

INGREDIENTS
50ml Michter’s Bourbon
15ml Mathilde Peach Liqueur
25ml lemon juice
15ml simple syrup
10 pieces of mint leaves

DIRECTIONS

1. Combine all ingredients in a cocktail shaker.
2.  Add ice cubes and shake vigorously.
3. Fine strain into a rocks glass filled with ice cubes.
4. Garnish with mint sprigs.

#6: Pêche Don’t Kill My Vibe

by Loga Raj, from The Raffles Courtyard

INGREDIENTS
30ml Christian Drouin Calvados cognac
15ml Pierre Ferrand 1840 cognac
20ml Merlet Crème de Pêche liqueur
15ml spiced honey syrup
20ml lemon juice

Spiced Honey Syrup
225ml water
250ml honey
1 whole nutmeg
6 whole cloves
3 cinnamon sticks, broken up

Prepare ahead: Add all ingredients for the spiced honey syrup and simmer under low heat, giving it a good stir every now and then, until it thickens. Take off heat and let cool before pouring into a bottle.

DIRECTIONS

1. Pour all ingredients into a shaker and shake with ice.
2. Strain mixture finely into a coupette and garnish with some caramelised peach slices to finish.