Glossary

Welcome to the glossary.

Walnut-Infused Whiskey

To create walnut-infused whiskey:
500ml Bushmills Original Irish Whiskey
100g walnuts

1. Add ingredients to a plastic or metal bowl covered with cling film and leave overnight.
2. Strain walnuts through a sieve or cloth into a clean glass or plastic bottle.
Alternatively, instead of walnut-infused whiskey, you can use Hazelnut liqueur.

Wedge

Tapered slice of fruit (typically lemons, limes or oranges) used to garnish a drink.

How to cut a wedge of fruit
Wedges are used for aroma, flavour and garnish. Select whole, ripe fruit that’s at room temperature, so that it’s juicier. Place on a cutting board and slice each end off the fruit so you’re reducing the amount of pith in the final wedges – keeping the main body of flesh in the centre. Then slice the fruit in half lengthways using a small sharp knife. Slice again into quarters lengthways and slice once again lengthways so that you are left with small wedges. Use the tip of the knife to sweep any pips away. As a rule, wedges tend to be used in shorter drinks where more of the flavour is required for the drink such as a gin and tonic, whereas wheels tend to be placed on the rim of longer, more tropical drinks.

Wet

A description of a drink or cocktail, such as the martini, that takes on more dilution. Here the ‘wet’ effect is achieved by leaving spirit and vermouth on ice after stirring, to taste.

Wheels

Garnishes (usually lemons, limes or oranges) cut into circular shapes. Wheels typically adorn tropical drinks.

How to cut a wheel of fruit
Carefully using a sharp knife, and with your knuckles jutting out to prevent cutting your fingers, cut small circles at around 0.5cm thickness down through the width of the fruit. Fruit is easier to cut if it’s both cold and fresh. If you wish to garnish using one side of the glass, cut another small slit into the flesh. Remove any pips using the end of the knife.

Here’s a video on how you can cut a perfect wheel of fruit

Whipped cream

Unlike some whipped cream products used in desserts, whipped cream for cocktails is unsweetened and less dense.

Whisk(e)y

Made from grain, yeast and water, whisky is a dark spirit from a number of different countries. Single malt Scotch whisky is the most renowned, along with premium blended Scottish whisky. Ireland also produces highly regarded whiskey – spelt with an ‘e’, as are Canadian versions. The US also produces whisky, spelt sometimes with the ‘e’, and sometimes without.