Cynar

[FrogPrincesse]

Frog - I'm enjoying your pictures and recipes, but I'd be even more interested to hear your tasting notes and thoughts about the cocktails!

Thanks!

The Bensonhurst was not a hit initially because at first it tasted like a dry Manhattan with a syrupy quality contributed by the maraschino. I had it side by side with another Brooklyn variation that we liked immediately, the Bushwick, and the Bensonhurst seemed quite sweet in comparison. For a moment I thought that maybe I had forgotten the Cynar, so I took a sip from my measuring cup to confirm that it had been included.

The Cynar is there, but mostly at the end, and gives a nice herbal finish to the drink (which my husband did not care for, but he is not a Cynar fan by any means). It the end this cocktail really grew on me. It is quite subtle and intriguing, not what I expected based on its description as a “tough-guy drink”. I entered it in my notebook so I will be making it again.

I saw two versions of it online. The one I tried was actually the second one.

Oh Gosh! version

2 oz rye, 1 oz dry vermouth, 1/3 oz maraschino, 1 barspoon Cynar (~ 1/6 oz)

Diffords version

2 oz rye, 1 oz dry vermouth, 1/4 oz maraschino, 1/8 oz Cynar

For references purposes, here is my go-to Brooklyn recipe (from Vintage Spirits and Forgotten Cocktails)

2 oz rye, 3/4 oz dry vermouth, 2 tsp (~1/3 oz) maraschino, 2 tsp (~1/3 oz) Amer Picon

The version from Oh Gosh! contains more maraschino and Cynar compared to the version I tried last night, so it's possible that the Cynar is more noticeable with these ratios. I would be tempted to try it again with the Brooklyn ratios, just substituting the Cynar for the Amer Picon.

Edited March 13, 2012 by FrogPrincesse (log)

[FrogPrincesse]

Does Babbo have the Cyn Cin as shaken or stirred? I read shaken elsewhere, but I'd guess that was because of the unauthentic addition of the OJ. Thanks for your help. It's tough to get to the bottom of an authentic recipe sometimes.

Shaken, but it makes much more sense to me to build it directly in the glass, similar to a Negroni.

[EvergreenDan]

3/4 oz gin

3/4 oz aquavit (Linie)

3/4 oz Cynar

3/4 oz grapefruit juice

Shake, strain, rocks.

Very nice. Enough boughs and seeds to stand up to the choke.

[FrogPrincesse]

Tonight I settled on Sam Ross' Too Soon? in preparation for this event on Sunday.

1 oz gin (Beefeater was specified but I was out and substituted Junipero)

1 oz Cynar

0.75 lemon juice

0.5 simple syrup

2 orange wedges (I used Cara Cara oranges)

Hard shake, strain

It is very balanced and complex despite the relative simplicity. It reminded me of the Bronx a little, but I liked it better. It would be a good introduction cocktail to Cynar.

Edited April 11, 2012 by FrogPrincesse (log)

[sbumgarner]

Here is a cocktail on the spring list at The Violet Hour. It is the work of a very talented bartender there who goes by Kyle.

The Art of Choke

1 oz Appleton White

1 oz Cynar

.25 oz Green Chartreuse

.25 oz Fresh Lime Juice

.25 oz Simple Syrup

3 Mint Sprig

Glass: Rocks

Garnish: 2 Mint Sprigs

Ice: Chunk

Muddle 1 mint sprig dry. Add rest of the ingredients. Stir. Strain. Serve over fresh ice.

Not for the faint of heart. But if you like Cynar already this cocktail is mindblowing.

Toby

After years of reading about this drink I finally made The Art of Choke cocktail last night, mindblowing indeed. The new Beta Cocktails book lists the lime juice and syrup at 1/8 oz which seemed like the perfect balance to me (although they specified 2:1 demerara which may explain the discrepancy here). If you haven't tried this yet run to your nearest mixing glass.

[EvergreenDan]

@sbumgarner: Yes, Kyle Davidson is a magician. My mint is coming up. I know what tomorrow's cocktail will be. I omit the syrup entirely, and he specifies a fat quarter of Chartreuse, which I figure is about 3/8 oz.

Here's The Art of Choke as he posted it on Kindred Cocktails.

[EvergreenDan]

Yup, The Art of Choke is fantastic. If you love Cynar and have access to mint, you really must try this. Has anyone experimented with other rums? Smith & Cross or J Wray, maybe?

[sbumgarner]

Yup, The Art of Choke is fantastic. If you love Cynar and have access to mint, you really must try this. Has anyone experimented with other rums? Smith & Cross or J Wray, maybe?

I haven't yet but I could see a less-funky, aged agricole working in this drink, maybe I'll give that a try over the weekend.

[FrogPrincesse]

I tried Sam Ross' Chin Up a couple of nights ago (from the Bartender's Choice app).

Gin, cynar, dry vermouth, muddled cucumber.

It can be described as a dry martini with a touch of Cynar and cucumber. First I thought that the dry vermouth tasted too syrupy in combination with the Cynar. For a moment I thought that my vermouth was bad, but this is was a recently opened bottle - maybe Noilly Prat would be a better choice than Dolin for this cocktail. Overall, the cocktail felt a little out of balance for me.

I could not enjoy it on its own but realized that it was much better in combination with a very pungent goat cheese such as Humboldt Fog. With the cheese it became great, the strong herbal aromas in the cocktail were a good match.

[Paulo Freitas]

Recipe for the cocktail that won the Brazilian qualifying for the DIAGEO World Class 2012.

Choke Me Softly

50ml Tanqueray nº10 (7/4oz)

50ml Cynar (7/4oz)

5ml Soho Lychee Liqueur (1/4oz)

2 dashes Fernet (from an Angostura bottle)

Stir & Strain in a coupe glass, garnish with a grapefuit zest and a rose petal.

[EvergreenDan]

@Paolo - is that creation yours? The combination of artichoke and lychee is certainly unexpected. Maybe the mint/menthol from the Fernet (which seems to go with both) is a bridge?

BTW, 5ml is almost exactly 1 tsp, which is a pretty common measurement here in the US.

[Paulo Freitas]

Maybe the mint/menthol from the Fernet (which seems to go with both) is a bridge?

Yes, you nailed it right Dan, I used the Fernet for its minty properties to make this apparently train wreck work. Its a riff on the Martinez, where the Cynar works as the Red Vermouth and the lychee liqueuer as the Marasquino.

I made it thinking about mother-in-laws and theirs sweet/bitter dualities. The lychee comes as subtle perfume, in the best possible way.

It's my creation and you can feel free to add it to Kindred Cocktails if you want.

[KD1191]

This is a variant of the Teenage Riot from Beta Cocktails, which calls for both Dry Vermouth and Dry Amontillado Sherry. I replaced both with the vin jaune I had picked up earlier in the week. The 'Shortcut to a Teenage Riot' turned out really well. This combination was better at equal parts than the original ratio.

[sbumgarner]

Yup, The Art of Choke is fantastic. If you love Cynar and have access to mint, you really must try this. Has anyone experimented with other rums? Smith & Cross or J Wray, maybe?

I haven't yet but I could see a less-funky, aged agricole working in this drink, maybe I'll give that a try over the weekend.

I finally tried the Art of Choke with some aged agricole (Depaz) last night. Not as clean as the white rum version but some fruity notes jumped out with the agricole version that I don't remember in the white rum version. I still prefer the original but this was definitely an interesting variation worth trying.

[Chris Hennes]

One thing I discovered about the Art of Choke this past week is that it works pretty well as a bottled cocktail, if you leave the mint out and muddle it in at service time. I wasn't sure how it would hold up given that it has lime juice in it (I don't usually like bottled cocktails that have citrus in them) but I think because there is so little it manages to survive more-or-less intact.

[Anna N]

This week's Cocktailian column by Gary Regan includes a Cynar cocktail from Restaurant Eugene is Atlanta. Sounds tasty!

Order a Scorched Earth cocktail and watch sparks fly

Ingredients are: 1 1/2 oz Cognac, 1/2 ounce sweet vermouth, 1/2 oz Cynar. Stir, garnish with flamed lemon twist.

Sipping on one of these now. Quite like it but prefer the Cyn-Cin.

[FrogPrincesse]

I tried this cocktail last night which reminded me of the Little Italy.

Slippery Slope (Tona Palomino)

2½ oz rye whiskey

3/4 oz cherry liqueur

1/2 oz cynar

There is an illusion of sweet vermouth in the drink with the cherry and cynar combo (I used Luxardo's cherry liqueur). It's just the right amount of bitterness/bite for me.

[Iheartnegronis]

I tried this cocktail last night which reminded me of the Little Italy.

Slippery Slope (Tona Palomino)

2½ oz rye whiskey

3/4 oz cherry liqueur

1/2 oz cynar

There is an illusion of sweet vermouth in the drink with the cherry and cynar combo (I used Luxardo's cherry liqueur). It's just the right amount of bitterness/bite for me.

Nice choice of Rye...one of my favorites right now...

Here are two of my favorite Cyner Recipes:

1.5 oz rye whiskey

½ oz maple syrup

½ oz cynar

½ orange juice

2 oz tequila (blanco usually)

1/2 oz cynar

1/2 oz lime juice

1/4 simple syrup

3 dashes rhubarb bitters

a few drops of orange flower water

[FrogPrincesse]

After the Cynar What I Mean (royal edition)...

... I was inspired to look for another cocktail that combined cynar and maraschino. I found this one in the Kindred database:

Maloney No. 2
by John Durr of the Hawthorn Beverage Group in Louisville
1 1/2 oz Bourbon (Original recipe specifies bonded)
1 1/2 oz Sweet vermouth, Cocchi Vermouth di Torino
3/4 oz Cynar
1/2 oz Maraschino Liqueur

Stir with ice and strain into a rocks glass with ice; garnish with an orange peel twist

I served it up. I was delicious. The bitter herbs of the cynar seem to have a great affinity for maraschino liqueur. It did not taste overly bitter so I thought I might convert my husband to cynar, but he decided he did not care for it.

Edited May 20, 2013 by FrogPrincesse (log)

[Rafa]

I love the Cynar/Maraschino combination. You might also like it with gin in Death & Co's Grand Street, with bourbon and celery bitters in The Sanny, with rye and cherry liqueur in my Eyetalian Cocktail, and with Batavia Arrack and Bonal in The Original Dirty Liver.

[FrogPrincesse]

I love the Cynar/Maraschino combination. You might also like it with gin in Death & Co's Grand Street, with bourbon and celery bitters in The Sanny, with rye and cherry liqueur in my Eyetalian Cocktail, and with Batavia Arrack and Bonal in The Original Dirty Liver.

All added to my cocktail book for future inspiration. Thanks Rafa.

[Adam George]

Our leading cocktail on our summer list is a Cynar Maraschino number.

Roman Holiday

3oz Prosecco

1.25oz Cynar

1.25oz Martini Rosso

.25oz Luxardo Maraschino

Build in order in goblet/Pinot Noir glass.

Fill with cubed ice

Garnish with orange slice.

Edited May 20, 2013 by Adam George (log)

[Rafa]

Our leading cocktail on our summer list is a Cynar Maraschino number.

Roman Holiday

3oz Prosecco

1.25oz Cynar

1.25oz Martini Rosso

.25oz Luxardo Maraschino

Build in order in goblet/Pinot Noir glass.

Fill with cubed ice

Garnish with orange slice.

Thanks for putting the measurements in American. Dan can breathe easy now.

Edited May 20, 2013 by Rafa (log)

[Adam George]

Our leading cocktail on our summer list is a Cynar Maraschino number.

Roman Holiday

3oz Prosecco

1.25oz Cynar

1.25oz Martini Rosso

.25oz Luxardo Maraschino

Build in order in goblet/Pinot Noir glass.

Fill with cubed ice

Garnish with orange slice.

Thanks for putting the measurements in American. Dan can breathe easy now.

This was a conscious decision with you lot in mind.

[olmoelisa]

Some Italian cocktails with Cynar:

Cynar is an Italian traditional bitter liqueur.

Drink on the rocks with an orange zest or use it in cocktails.

Shake 1 part of Artichoke Liqueur (Cynar), 1 part of Curacao, 1 part of Cherry Ratafià, 3 parts of orange juice.

Pour the Cynar in a frozen flute and add 2 parts of dry white wine.

A typical Venetian aperitif: shake 1 part of Artichoke Liqueur, 1 part of Aperol (or Red Vermouth), 1 part of Dry Gin.

Pour over ice in a highball glass.

My recipe to make Artichoke Liqueur (Cynar):

Ingredients:

1 liter of alcohol at 95º

30 tender leaves of artichoke

1 lemon

5 artichoke stems

1 flowering tops of yarrow

2 cloves

1/2 liter of water

1 cups of sugar

1/2 liter of dry white wine

Wash the artichoke leaves in water and lemon.

Peel the stems and cut them in little cubes.

Put the spices, the artichoke stems and leaves and the alcohol in an airtight jar.

Let soak for 3 weeks.

Filter.

Make a syrup with the sugar and the water.

If you prefer a very bitter taste use only ¼ cup of sugar.

Add the syrup and the wine to the alcohol.

Bottle and let rest for 4 months.