Chivas 12 whisky, coffee liqueur, chai syrup & egg white — Colonel Saab London
The Colonel Saab cocktail is described as 'the Colonel's favourite' — built on Chivas 12 Year Old Scotch (one of the great blended Scotch whiskies, made at the Strathisla distillery in Speyside since 1801) with the warmth of coffee liqueur (Kahlúa or similar) and house chai syrup. Chai in India is not just spiced tea — it is an entire cultural institution, the drink that accompanies every conversation from 5am street-side stalls to boardrooms. The chai syrup at Colonel Saab uses cinnamon, ginger, cardamom, cloves, and black pepper — the same spices that warm the body and the soul. The egg white (or aquafaba) rounds the cocktail into a silky sour with a beautiful foam that holds a dusting of chai spice. This is the drink that announces what Colonel Saab is about.
Mr Black Cold Brew Coffee Liqueur is a more complex, less sweet alternative to Kahlúa — it is worth using here as it pairs better with whisky. The chai syrup can be made in large batches (keeps 2 weeks refrigerated). Chivas 12 is widely available at all UK supermarkets and off-licences. The Trafalgar Square version uses Paul John Nirvana (Indian single malt) instead of Chivas — an excellent alternative.
The Trafalgar Square location uses Paul John Nirvana Indian whisky instead of Chivas — substituting Indian single malt gives the cocktail a more tropical, less peated character.
An elegant homage to the era of the Indian Army officer — refined North and Central Indian cuisine in a handsome Holborn dining room. Colonel Saab's bar programme is built on house-spiced spirits and techniques drawn from both the subcontinent and the British raj era, producing some of London's most inventive Indian cocktails.
Visit colonelsaab.co.uk