Thriller Cocktail
Shake ∙ 3 min ∙ 23.6% ABV ∙
A Thriller is a shaken whisky sour that blends Scotch whisky with gin, fresh orange juice, and sugar syrup, served up in a Martini glass. Scotch's malty warmth leads, gin adding a dry juniper edge before fresh orange sweetness and a citrus-oil finish soften the pour.
Ingredients
1
Servings
Garnish
Instructions for 1 serving
- Pre-chill a glass
- Shake all ingredients with ice: Blended Scotch whisky 45 mlLondon dry gin 25 mlOrange juice 25 mlSugar syrup 10 ml
- Fine strain into the chilled glass
- Express an orange twist over the cocktail and use as garnish
Tips
- Chill the Martini glass well before straining — a warm glass dulls the aromatics from the expressed orange twist.
- Use fresh-squeezed orange juice rather than carton juice; its brighter acidity balances the Scotch and gin better.
- Shake hard and fine-strain to strip out any pulp, keeping the finished drink clear and silky in the glass.
History
The Thriller Cocktail is a modern creation traced to Oporto, a bar in Leeds, England, where it was noted in 2003. Its name references the "Thriller in Manila," the nickname given to the 1975 heavyweight boxing bout between Muhammad Ali and Joe Frazier. Beyond this venue and date, no further documented history of the drink's creator or original recipe has surfaced.
FAQ
What is in a Thriller cocktail?
Blended Scotch whisky, London dry gin, fresh orange juice, and sugar syrup, shaken with ice and fine-strained into a chilled Martini glass with an orange twist. It is a vegan, vegetarian, and lactose-free drink at roughly 205 calories per serving.
