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Drink up me hearties! The head barman of Edinburgh’s The Register Club takes us back in time with four cocktails inspired by the piracy era

Looking to craft the ultimate cocktail menu? Ruben Goncalvez, head barman at Edinburgh’s The Register Club, is your man, writes Rosie Morton. The multi-lingual mixologist, who hails from the Algarve in Portugal and lived in Spain, France, Italy and London before moving to Auld Reekie in 2017, can create cocktails that not only taste good, but also have a story to tell. ‘I tend to take inspiration from people’s stories, from my personal experiences, and from places I’ve been travelling,’ says Ruben. Inspired by tales of discovery during the piracy era, Ruben’s recipes will speak to your inner Jack Sparrow....

OUTRE-MER

Name inspired by French overseas territories, many of which were involved in piracy in the Caribbean. Mainly French ingredients used.

SERVE IN: Highball glass

40ml cognac 15ml peach liqueur 20ml banana oleo saccharum 20ml lime juice Top up with soda water

METHOD: Shake all ingredients, apart from the soda, and strain over ice in a highball glass and top with soda. Garnish with some sliced lemongrass.

GETTING PREPARED...

FOR THE BANANA OLEO Use a ratio of 200g banana peels to 200g sugar

METHOD: Let it rest overnight, strain the syrup the following day.

FOR THE COCONUT WATER SYRUP 200ml coconut water 200g caster sugar

METHOD: Add the coconut water to equal parts of caster sugar. Stir to dissolve. FOR THE STRAWBERRY SYRUP 200g sliced strawberries 200g sugar

METHOD: Strain the syrup the following day. Keep and reuse the same sliced strawberries for garnish. Spread them on a baking tray and simply place them in the oven at lowest temperature for around 3 hours. (Check on them often as temperatures and times may vary according to the oven used).

NELSON’S FOLLY

The name is 19th-century naval slang for ‘rum’.

SERVE IN: Vintage cocktail glass

30ml dark rum 20ml Amontillado sherry 10ml Aperol 20ml strawberry syrup 15ml verjuice

METHOD: Stir all ingredients over ice for 30 seconds minimum and serve up (no ice) in a vintage cocktail glass.

NEW WORLD

This expression pertains to the newly discovered countries during the golden age of piracy. The cocktail name was chosen due to the mix of ingredients coming from either ends of the world.

SERVE IN: Old Fashioned glass

50ml Tequila 20ml coconut water syrup 20ml yuzu juice

METHOD: Shake all ingredients and strain over ice into a rock glass (Old Fashioned Glass). Garnish with some grated nutmeg.

*Syrups can be made in bigger or smaller quantities if needed by following the same ratios.

ROYAL FORTUNE

This was the name of the ship of the famous Bartholomew Roberts who was an English pirate. It was chosen to place emphasis on the provenance of the spirit used, gin.

SERVE IN: Coupette cocktail glass

40ml of gin 20ml falernum 15ml lime juice 15ml coconut water syrup 50ml pineapple juice Dash of angostura bitters

METHOD: Shake ingredients and strain in a coupette cocktail glass. No ice. Garnish with some coconut flakes or grated lime zest.

Ruben’s Top Tip: If you want to elevate your cocktails even further, try using fresh ingredients to make as many components as possible from scratch (e.g. strawberry syrup). Investing the extra time goes a long way and packs a punch with flavour! Find out more about The Register Club at www.theregister club.com, follow them on Instagram @theregisterclub, or look at Ruben’s page @rubengoncalvesg