When you get asked to come by for a personal mixology lesson at a downtown restaurant and local, you whole heartedly say: 'Yes! A thousand times, yes!'. So obviously when local hot spot Brassaii asked us to do exactly that, we went on over immediately to see what they had in store for us. 

They did not disappoint. Brassaii's mixologist, Simon Desilva-Naimji was on hand to show us three great cocktails. With ingredients like cranberry, apple cider and chestnut you'll be wanting to make these right away! 
 
Cranberry and Mint Smash


1oz of St. Germain Elderflower
0.5oz Absolut Elyx Vodka
0.5oz simple syrup
0.5oz lime juice
Perrier Jouet Champagne
Mint
3-5 whole cranberries


Muddle the whole cranberries and mint. Add remaining ingredients (less Champagne) to a shaker filled with ice and shake for 10-15 seconds. Fine strain into an ice filled highball glass and top up with Champagne. Garnish with 2 cranberries.

12 Year Old Apple Orchard


1.5oz Chivas 12 Year Old
1.5oz Fresh apple cider
1 slice of apple
.5oz chestnut syrup
dash of bitters

Muddle the apple slice in a mixing glass. Add Scotch, apple cider and .5oz of chestnut syrup to the same glass containing the muddled apple. Add a dash of bitters and fill with ice. Shake in a martini shaker for 10-15 seconds and strain into a rocks glass filled with ice. Garnish with a freshly cut apple slice.

Chestnut and Vanilla Bourbon Sour


1.5oz Maker's Mark
2oz Chestnut and vanilla puree
1oz chestnut syrup
2oz lemon/lime
1 egg white

Combine all ingredients in a shaker and dry shake (no ice) hard for about 15 seconds. Add ice and shake again. Strain into a rocks glass over ice and garnish with a sliver of fresh vanilla pod.

Which one of these cocktails would you like to try?