Three Drink Favorites from Copenhagen

As this year’s “Country of Honour”, Denmark will hold a special place at BCB. I recently had the opportunity to visit Copenhagen for a guest shift with Wax On, and my experience there has only made me even more excited to experience Danish cocktail culture with you in October! As a fairly small capital city, the bar community is quite close-knit and supportive. There is a real sense of camaraderie, which in turn leads to a high level of innovation.

Here are some of the most impressive drinks I had in Copenhagen, with the recipes kindly provided by the bars themselves:

1.    “What’s Up Doc?” - Pulp Bar

·         40ml Geranium gin

·         10ml Carrot cordial

·         10ml Sherry Oloroso

·         10ml Sherry fino

·         5ml Fernet Branca

·         15ml Fresh lemon juice

·         10ml Sugar

·         Shiso leaf

This drink contains Geranium Gin, whose recipe was developed in Denmark. Fresh and herbal – the “What's Up Doc?” has it all and is an absolute banger!

2. “The Fairground” - Ruby

(For one batch)

·         600ml brown butter and miso washed “Stauning Rye”

·         300ml Malus Danica

·         300ml Hampden 8 rum

·         200ml apple rock candy syrup

·         100ml lactic acid solution

·         100ml lemon juice

·         900ml milk

Malus Danica is an apple ice wine made in Denmark. It’s made from frozen apple must and rested in barrels for a minimum of five months. This cocktail is round and delicate – a certified banger.

3. “Across the Equator” - Duck and Cover

·         30ml Linie Aquavit

·         30ml Madeira (Leadcocks Saint John Full)

·         1 bsp Pernod Absinthe

·         1 bsp sugar syrup (1,75:1)

Winner of the Bartenders Choice Awards for Best Signature Cocktail in 2019, this drink encapsulates the Scandinavian scene perfectly: it’s complex and subtle and doesn’t waste time with a thousand complicated ingredients.