Outlander fans rejoice! In his new book, The Cocktail Diaries: A Spirited Adventure, Scottish actor Sam Heughan (Jamie Fraser on the Outlander TV series, which is based on the books by Diana Gabaldon) takes readers on a worldwide cocktail journey, sharing his travel experiences, his appreciation of mixology and the historical context of various spirits along the way.
Heughan is the founder and co-creator of Sassenach Spirits (the name is an Outlander reference; the brand makes Scotch whisky, gin and tequila) and has written memoirs Waypoints and Clanlands and the cookbook The Scottish Kitchen. This new volume again embraces his Scottish heritage while also delving into other cultures and their local distillations, with recollections of excursions to places such as Mexico, New Orleans, Chile, Japan and Italy.
The Cocktail Diaries kicks off with Heughan’s signature cocktail, Sam’s Sazernach, made with spiced demerara syrup and his own Sassenach Blended Scotch Whisky. There’s a chapter of his top 10 cocktails, one focused on simple and timeless drinks and another on complex and conversational concoctions; the Made by Friends chapter includes recipes from mixologists and bartenders from around the world. But the book isn’t just for experts: Heughan provides recipes for cocktail syrups, a shortlist of equipment to stock and an explanation of techniques.
Some expected classics are included, such as the Manhattan (named for “a place founded on immigration, democracy and drink itself,” Heughan writes swooningly) the dry martini (“Wet, dry or dirty? It says a lot about you. A. LOT.”), the daiquiri (an example of how “the availability of ice in Europe and the Americas really kick-started the cocktail scene as we now know it”) and the gimlet (which has its roots in naval history: “I wouldn’t have minded sailing with these fellows!”). Other recipes have a twist, such as Heughan’s Oaxaca old fashioned (subbing tequila and mezcal for whiskey), a white negroni (using Suze liqueur and Lillet Blanc fortified wine instead of Campari), the Sassenach cosmopolitan (swapping the classic vodka with gin) and Sam’s Garden Appletini (inspired by an abundant harvest of his own sour green apple trees).
The Cocktail Diaries contains a generous number of photographs scattered throughout, both of Heughan and his spirits. The recipes are practically presented, helpfully listing the main spirit in both ounces and milliliters alongside the glass type, other ingredients, equipment needed and garnish. Appealing not only to those familiar with Jamie’s wavy red mane, The Cocktail Diaries will also interest anyone who enjoys learning about distillation and mixology and how they relate to various world cultures.
