Classics turn orange

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Adam Devermann, star mixologist of Grand Marnier, took the orange-flavoured liqueur and gave his own twist to two cocktail classics — margarita and mojito. “These, amongst some of the most other popular cocktails in the world, have just a few ingredients that are familiar to most of us and both drinks are refreshing.

It is something that someone can mix at home with little difficulty or they can go out into a bar and know what the final drink will taste like,” says Devermann, while discussing why he chose to experiment with them.
For Devermann, the use of lime and mint work very well with the orange flavour that the Grand Marnier adds to the margarita and the mojito. “They both use agricultural ingredients; lime and mint, which can be highly seasonal and taste completely different grown in different parts of the world. For example, when I came to India and tasted the ‘limes’ for the first time I was blown away by the tartness of the fruit. The other part is that taste is highly subjective. Some people prefer sweet and some tart, so as a cocktail moves through the world it becomes adjusted to suit the flavours of the bars, bartenders, and patrons.”
As with any drink, and as the famed author and bartender Gary Regan says about cocktails, “Nothing is written in stone.” Devermann feels, “You might find the drinks too tart or too sweet for your palate and adjust accordingly. It is okay to do this and I would encourage this type of experimentation.”