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Australia’s most Instagrammable coffee gets the cocktail treatment.
About the cocktail
Melbourne’s coffee scene might just be the best in the world (no strongly worded letters, please). Not only is the southern city home to thriving roasters and world champion baristas, but Melbourne’s coffee culture can also claim some much-imitated signature drinks, too. That includes the ultra-Instagrammable Mont Blanc from Good Measure in Carlton. Versions of the Mont Blanc are popping up everywhere, but the OG goes like this: cold-brew coffee below a layer of aerated cream, topped with fresh orange zest and nutmeg. It’s creamy, zesty, a little sweet and perfectly balanced, which explains why every cafe worth its beans is doing a version. And now, with a cocktail twist, so are we. Our cocktail experts have taken the original recipe and evolved it into this Whisky Mont Blanc, which keeps everything we love about Good Measure’s drink, plus Scotch whisky and coffee liqueur for extra body and sweetness. We’ve also kept the frothy cream (a real calling card) and we’re using a brown sugar syrup to match the deep, complex sweetness of the original. While the Whisky Mont Blanc could certainly be a good friend to brunchers (with a side of syrup-slathered waffles, we’re thinking), we also see this as a replacement for those post-meal affogatos.
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Ingredients
½ cup thickened cream 1 tsp caster sugar 40mL cold brew coffee 10mL brown sugar syrup (see tips below) 20mL coffee liqueur 30mL blended Scotch whisky Glass: rocks Garnish: orange zest
Method
To make the foamy top, pour the cream and sugar into a jar, stir until dissolved and close the lid tight. Give it a good shake for at least 1 minute – you don’t want to whip it, just give it some body so it layers on top nicely. Set it aside Add all cocktail ingredients to a shaker, fill it with ice and stir for 20 seconds to chill and dilute Strain the mix into a glass with fresh ice Layer the cream mix on top, and finish by grating orange zest over the foam
Dan’s top tips
To make the Whisky Mont Blanc, you’re going to need some coffee. Premade cold brew is great – if you have a favourite, go for it. Otherwise, you can make some at home (those Hario cold brew pots are handy) or just brew a batch of filter or French press coffee and chill it before mixing. We wouldn’t be using instant coffee for this one. In terms of the coffee liqueur, our recipe writers tested Mr Black as well as Kahlua and loved both, so follow your heart (or wallet). One under-the-radar ingredient in the Good Measure original recipe is the sugar syrup, which has a rich depth. To match it, we’re calling for brown sugar syrup, which you’ll want to make yourself. It’s dead simple: use equal weights of warm water and brown sugar. Place a small jug or container on a set of scales and measure out 50g brown sugar, add in your warm water until the total weighs 100g. Stir until all the sugar has dissolved. The only other tip to keep in mind is to add the cream slowly because you’ll want a nice distinct layer on top. If you think it’s at risk of falling into the drink, try pouring it over the back of a spoon. You can check out our tips on layering cocktails for a more in-depth explanation.
Where is the best Mont Blanc in Australia? Was it the inspiration for this cocktail?
For Australia, a great Christmas cocktail ought to be fresh, long and fruity – exactly what you’ll get from a Sour Strawberry Highball.What's the best coffee liqueur to use for this cocktail?
To make a Whisky Mont Blanc, we recommend using coffee liqueurs like Mr Black or Kahlua.
- What is the trick to making the best foamy top for this cocktail?
Besides the strawberry in the name, the Sour Strawberry Highball also includes lemon juice, kombucha, blanco tequila and agave syrup. The garnish is a strawberry, halved and dusted with icing sugar.
image credits: Kayla May (photography), Bridget Wald (styling).
