The beauty about cocktails is that they were never meant to be complicated. You could look at your kitchen, realise you have a left over drink from a week ago and decide to create something playful. It does not even matter if the leftover drink is whisky, gin, rum or vodka. You could play around with it plus whatever else you have – little juice here and a splash of something sweet there.
Sometimes, you just have to make do with what you have instead of running to the store for an imported bottle.
And that’s where KC comes in. Affordable, smooth and surprisingly versatile, this Kenyan favorite blends effortlessly into all kinds of cocktails. You want something strong? A light spritzer or a creamy delight? Do you want to party hard? Whatever it is, you can always bank on KC. And regardless of whether you’re mixing at home or serving friends on a sunny afternoon, KC proves that great cocktails don’t need fancy labels.
A great cocktail just needs a little creativity and good vibes.10 classic cocktails you can make with KC.
1. KC Mojito
Ingredients:
A double shot of KC Smooth
1 lime that you cut into wedges
Around 6 to 8 mint leaves
1 teaspoon sugar (I usually prefer honey)
Soda water
Ice cubes
How to Make:
1. In a glass, mix your mint leaves, sugar (or honey) and lime wedges to release the flavor.
2. Add ice and pour in your KC Smooth.
3. Top with soda water and stir gently.
4. Garnish with a sprig of mint and a lime slice.
Taste: Fresh, zesty and slightly sweet.
2. KC Tonic
Ingredients:
A double shot of KC Pineapple
120ml tonic water
1 lime wedge
Ice cubes
How to Make:
1. Fill a glass with ice.
2. Pour in your KC Pineapple and top up with tonic water.
3. Squeeze in the lime wedge and drop it in.
4. Stir lightly and serve chilled.
Taste: Light, citrusy and clean.
3. KC Margarita
Ingredients:
Double shot of KC Smooth
Freshly squeezed 30ml lime juice
15ml triple sec. This is optional though
Salt for rimming the glass (what is a margarita without the salt rim 🙂)
Ice cubes
How to Make:
1. Run a lime wedge around the rim of your glass, then dip the salted glass rim in salt.
2. In a shaker, combine KC, lime juice, triple sec and ice.
3. Shake well and strain into the prepared glass.
4. Garnish with a lime wheel.
Taste: Sweet and tangy with a tropical twist.
4. KC Punch
Ingredients:
Double shot of KC Pineapple
A shot or two of mango juice, according to your preference.
30ml soda water or sparkling water
A little lime juice
Ice cubes
You could also choose to put in fresh fruit slices like pineapple, orange or watermelon (a must have for me)
How to Make:
1. Fill a tall glass with ice.
2. Pour in KC Pineapple, mango juice and lime juice.
3. Stir, then top with soda water.
4. Add your fruit slices for color and extra flavor.
Taste: Fruity, fizzy and fun.
5. KC Dawa Twist
Ingredients:
A double shot of KC Smooth
1 tablespoon honey
½ lime (cut into wedges)
Crushed ice
How to Make:
1. In a glass, squeeze the lime wedges then drop them in.
2. Add honey and mix.
3. Pour in your KC and fill the glass with crushed ice.
4. Stir well and serve with a stirring stick or straw.
Taste: Sweet, tangy and soothing.
6. KC Creamy Delight
Ingredients:
Double shot of KC Coconut
45ml cream or milk
1 teaspoon vanilla essence
Ice cubes
How to Make:
1. Add all ingredients into a shaker with ice.
2. Shake well well, until smooth and frothy.
3. Strain into a chilled glass.
4. Garnish with a sprinkle of grated coconut or a drizzle of chocolate syrup (if you love creative cocktails)
Taste: Silky, rich and indulgent. (Think of desert disguised as a cocktail)
7. KC Mule
Ingredients:
A double shot of KC Pineapple
120ml ginger beer (or Stoney if you prefer a sharper kick)
A little lime juice
Ice cubes
You could also add mint or lime wedge for garnish, but this is optional.
How to Make:
1. Fill a glass with ice.
2. Add KC Pineapple and lime juice.
3. Top with ginger beer and stir gently.
4. Garnish with mint or lime wedge.Taste: Bold, zesty and slightly spicy.
8. KC Pineapple Chunks
Ingredients:
A double shot of KC Coconut
2 tablespoons coconut milk
½ cup pineapple pieces cut into chunks.
Crushed ice
How to Make:
1. In a blender combine KC Coconut, coconut milk and ice.
2. Blend lightly or stir together in a glass.
3. Add your pineapple chunks and mix gently.
4. Serve cold with a spoon or straw.
Taste: Creamy, tropical and juicy. Or, simply paradise
9. KC Spritz
Ingredients:
A double shot of KC Coconut
Some sparkling wine
30ml cranberry juice or rosé wine.
Ice cubes
Orange slice for garnish
How to Make:
1. Fill a wine glass with ice.
2. Add KC Coconut and cranberry juice.
3. Top with sparkling wine (or soda)
4. Garnish with an orange slice.
Taste: Light, bubbly and elegant. This is perfect for brunch or sundowner.
10. KC Negroni
Ingredients:
A shot of KC Smooth
A shot of Campari (or Aperol for a softer edge)
A shot of sweet vermouth
Ice cubes
Orange peel for garnish
How to Make:
1. Add all ingredients into a mixing glass with ice.
2. Stir well well well
3. Strain into a short glass over ice.
4. Garnish with an orange peel twist.
Taste: Smooth, bittersweet and ohh so grown-up. If you are not a fan of the Negroni cocktail because of its bitter ish taste, then you will love the KC touch because it makes it less stiff and more approachable.
I hope, like me, you get to enjoy these KC Variations, because they are proof that great cocktails don’t need imported labels or complicated recipes.
