Colour, In Theory
Presented by NIKKA Whisky Distilling Co. | Recipes by Kim Xie
For our ‘One Bottle Three Ways’ series, we’re changing things up in this edition. Instead of building multiple drinks around a single bottle, we explored the full Nikka Coffey range, asking pro-bartender Kim Xie from Calgary, Alberta, to create a cocktail inspired by the colour of each label.
The challenge was intentionally abstract. Blue, green, yellow, and red are not flavours in the traditional sense, but they carry powerful associations with aroma, mood, and memory. The result is a set of four cocktails that translate colour into flavour.
Blue becomes oceanic and saline. Green leans toward tea, florals, and calm. Yellow evokes orchard fruit and autumn warmth. Red turns up the heat with spice and intensity.
It is part flavour exercise, part creative constraint, and a reminder that sometimes the most interesting drinks start with a strange question like: What does colour taste like?
Coffey-Flavoured Cocktails?
Despite the name, Nikka’s Coffey range has nothing to do with coffee-flavoured spirits. The term refers to the Coffey still, a type of continuous column still invented in 1830 by Irish engineer Aeneas Coffey.
While many modern distilleries use highly efficient industrial columns, Nikka continues to operate traditional Coffey stills at the Miyagikyo Distillery, which produce a spirit with more weight, texture, and flavour than typical column-distilled spirits.
The Coffey range highlights how versatile this still can be. In other words, “Coffey” is not a flavour. It is the distillation method that gives the spirits their signature richness and silky texture.
Both, in Theory
Kim: I wanted this one to feel calm and reflective. Green tea, soft florals, and that quiet sense of tranquility.
Ingredients:
0.75 oz Nikka Coffey Gin
0.75 oz Lillet Blanc
0.75 oz Genmaicha-infused Elderflower Liqueur*
2 dashes Orange Bitters
Garnish: Matcha Dust
Method:
Combine everything into a shaker and throw the cocktail. Served up in a small coupe glass.
Preparation(s):
Genmaicha infused Elderflower Liqueur
3 g Genmaicha tea
500 ml Elderflower Liqueur
Combine ingredients in a jar and lightly swirl to wet the tea leaves. Let it sit at room temperature for about 12-20 minutes. Depending how much of the flavour you want. Strain out tea leaves before use.
A Measured Burn
Kim: Red had to bring heat. Spicy, warming, and a little bold, something that slowly builds on the palate.
Ingredients:
1.25 oz Nikka Coffey Grain
0.5 oz Chili oil-infused Benedictine*
0.25 oz Orange Liqueur
0.5 oz Honey Syrup (2:1)
0.75 oz Fresh Lemon Juice
Garnish: Charred lemon peel & chili oil drops (optional)
Method:
Combine everything in a shaker with ice. Shake until chilled and diluted. Strain over a large cube in a rocks glass & garnish.
Preparation(s):
Chili Oil-Infused Benedictine
30 g Chili Oil
500 ml Benedictine
Combine in a sealable jar and gently invert to mix. Let it sit at room temperature for 45-60 minutes. Strain out solids, freeze overnight. Remove fat cap; if there wasn’t one, fine strain 2-3 times.
Dratini
Kim: Blue immediately makes me think of the ocean, so this cocktail leans into saline, seaweed, and clean coastal freshness.
Ingredients:
1.25 oz Nikka Coffey Vodka
0.5 oz Seaweed-infused Dry Vermouth
0.25 oz Blue Curaçao
1 barspoon Honey Syrup (2:1)
Pinch of Spirulina
Garnish: Lemon Peel
Method:
Combine everything into a shaker. Shake and serve in a chilled martini glass or coupe. Garnish with lemon oils.
Preparation(s):
Seaweed Infused Dry Vermouth
1 g of Dry Wakame
500 ml Dry Vermouth
Quick rinse the wakame to remove excess salt and any miscellaneous impurities. Add ingredients into a sealable container and shake. Taste every 10 minutes until desired intensity is achieved. Fine strain out the wakame & keep refrigerated.
Apple of My Eye
Kim: Yellow brought me straight to apple orchard season. Crisp fruit, golden honey, and the colours of leaves beginning to change.
Ingredients:
1.5 oz Nikka Coffey Malt
0.5 oz Calvados
0.25 oz Amaro Montenegro
0.25 oz Honey Apple Syrup*
2 dashes Orange Bitters
Garnish: Apple slices
Method:
Combine everything in a mixing glass with ice. Stir until chilled and diluted. Strain over a large cube in a rocks glass & garnish.
Preparation(s):
Honey Apple Syrup
240 ml Honey
120 ml Water
2 Apples cored & thinly sliced
*Suggested apple to use: Gala, Honeycrisp, Fuji, or Pink Lady
Add apples and water to a saucepan on low heat. Light steam, no simmering or bubbles. Cook it here for 10-15 minutes. Remove from heat and stir in the honey. Cover and let it steep for 20-30 minutes. Strain, cool, and refrigerate. Lasts about 2-3 weeks in the refrigerator.