[slkinsey]

Interesting, Dave. So, for an approximation of a mid-century Old Tom replica, perhaps a mixture of juniper-forward London dry gin and oude genever?

Do you have any sense for how many of the recipes calling for Old Tom gin actually originate from the later 19th and early 20th century? One of the things that's tricky is that plenty of recipes in books such as the Savoy are that they're actually cribbed versions of much older recipes (which is a roundabout way of saying that just because a book published a recipe with Old Tom in the early 20th century doesn't mean that the recipe doesn't actually come from the middle 19th, and therefore be more appropriate with the earlier style of Old Tom).

[eje]

thirtyoneknots, on May 14 2008, 12:43 AM, said:

Not to get off-topic, but I'm not quite sure where else to ask this: is St. George the distilling operation related to St. George the winery in any way?

I didn't think so, but didn't know for sure, so sent them a note this AM.

They replied within a few minutes. I guess it must be a question they get pretty often.

No, there's no connection between Domaine St. George Wines and St. George Spirits.

[jmfangio]

eje, on May 13 2008, 01:44 PM, said:

“Hoots Mon” Cocktail

1/4 Kina Lillet. (1/2 oz Cocchi Americano)
1/4 Italian Vermouth. (1/2 oz Carpano Antica)
1/2 Scotch Whisky. (1 oz Famous Grouse)

Stir well in ice and strain.

This might have been my favorite cocktail of the evening.  Just an all around fantastic brown liquor cocktail.  The quinine in the Americano combines fabulously with the Grouse.  If someone could guarantee a proper supply of Kina Lillet, or something like it, I think this cocktail would take its place with the Bobby Burns, Rob Roy, and Affinity.

Just made one of these - same ingredients as above - and it's fabulous. And may I suggest an orange twist, as it plays nicely with the Cocchi.

[eje]

Before the last time I was out East, I got a note fro LeNell's saying that they'd managed to find an Americano of some sort. It was Red, in some sense, unlike the Cocchi Americano.

But given recent Hercules information, it still seemed interesting.



On its own the flavor is nice, if you like this sort of thing. Somewhere between Barolo Chinatos I've tried and Byrrh. To be honest I'm not entirely sure if it is a white wine or red wine base. Still, probably closer in bitterness to Barolo Chinato than Byrrh.

So when you've learned that Hercules was, "a cross between an aperitif and a bitters," this Americano seems like a good idea!



Health Cocktail

1/3 Brandy. (1 oz Cerbois VSOP Armangac)
2/3 Hercules. (2 oz Americano of some sort)

Stir slightly in ice and strain.

Quote

Any desired spirit can be used instead of Brandy.

So, yeah, the idea of using this Americano, for this cocktail, seems pretty random, but on the other hand, like I've been led to do it.

Definitely enjoyable!

Interestingly, this Americano seems sweeter and less bitter after being mixed with the Armangac than before.

[BlairF27]

Based on my research, it appears that Old Tom was basically a bootleg gin appearing shortly after the Gin Act of 1736. Supposedly it was sold by Thomas Norris in Covent Garden in quantities less than government regulation, and named after Thomas Chamberlin; a prominent distiller of the day. It appears to have been barrel aged (how long is matter of question), giving it a coloured appearance.

[Splificator]

BlairF27, on May 15 2008, 06:41 AM, said:

Based on my research, it appears that Old Tom was basically a bootleg gin appearing shortly after the Gin Act of 1736.  Supposedly it was sold by Thomas Norris in Covent Garden in quantities less than government regulation, and named after Thomas Chamberlin; a prominent distiller of the day.  It appears to have been barrel aged (how long is matter of question), giving it a coloured appearance.

These are two different Toms here--the 1730s one was a brand, if we can use that word, for gin bought at the sign of the cat; it later was appropriated by one of the makers of Old Tom-style gin, but much later.

Thomas Norris was, according to "Notes and Queries," the owner of a Covent Garden gin palace in the early 19th century who featured the reserve/extra-special "cordial" gin made by "Old Tom" Chamberlin, master distiller at Hodges' distillery in Millbank (in central London); Hodges' was the iconic gin brand of the Regency and reign of George the IV. This is the Old Tom that, according to people at the time, gave high-quality English gin its generic name.

According to G. B. Wilson's Alcohol and the Nation (1940), between 1830 and 1840 half the distillers in England had switched to continuous distillation for their raw spirit; by 1850, all of them had, but many (all the good ones) still used pot stills for rectifying the spirit with the botanicals. So for an early Old Tom, I think it would be very much like a jonge genever; for a later one, it all depends on the efficiency of the column distillation and the degree of neutrality of the spirit. If you could get an unaged grain whisky from Scotland and redistill it in a pot with botanicals, touch it with sugar and age it for a while in used oak, you'd pretty much be there.

[eje]

Hell Cocktail
(6 People)

Shake (or stir, what does it matter?) 3 glasses of Cognac (1 1/2 oz Cerbois VSOP Armangnac) and 3 glasses of Green Crème de Menthe (1/2 oz Brizard White Creme de Menthe). Serve with a pinch of red pepper (Cayenne Pepper) on each glass.

Glasses are, of course, 2 ounces. 12 ounces, total, for 6 people, makes it 2 oz per serving.

A half an ounce of Creme de Menthe seemed like plenty to me so I upped the Brandy.

I put it in a liqueur glass, because, frankly, this is a shooter.

[JAZ]

eje, on May 13 2008, 04:44 PM, said:

Honey-Moon Cocktail

The Juice of 1/2 Lemon*
3 Dashes Curacao. (Scant barspoon Cointreau)
1/2 Benedictine.  (1 oz Benedictine)
1/2 Apple Brandy. (1 oz Occidental Road Gravenstein Brandy)

Shake well and strain into cocktail glass.

Quote

*Some sensitive bartenders think it more tactful to substitute orange juice.

Licking our wounds after that first cocktail, this one seemed like a sure thing. Indeed, this is a pretty fantastic cocktail. I hadn't been familiar with this particular Apple Brandy, but I guess it was a contract distillation by St. George for some folks that own a Gravenstein Apple Orchard in Sonoma.

I made one of these last night (using Laird's Applejack, because that's what I had). Nice nightcap -- I liked it enough to make another tonight. It's amazing how a drink with no honey in it can taste this much like honey.

[brinza]

JAZ, on May 15 2008, 11:26 PM, said:

eje, on May 13 2008, 04:44 PM, said:

Honey-Moon Cocktail

The Juice of 1/2 Lemon*
3 Dashes Curacao. (Scant barspoon Cointreau)
1/2 Benedictine.  (1 oz Benedictine)
1/2 Apple Brandy. (1 oz Occidental Road Gravenstein Brandy)

Shake well and strain into cocktail glass.

Quote

*Some sensitive bartenders think it more tactful to substitute orange juice.

Licking our wounds after that first cocktail, this one seemed like a sure thing. Indeed, this is a pretty fantastic cocktail. I hadn't been familiar with this particular Apple Brandy, but I guess it was a contract distillation by St. George for some folks that own a Gravenstein Apple Orchard in Sonoma.

I made one of these last night (using Laird's Applejack, because that's what I had). Nice nightcap -- I liked it enough to make another tonight. It's amazing how a drink with no honey in it can taste this much like honey.

Doesn't Benedictine have honey in it?

[slkinsey]

As far as I know, the ingredients of Bénédictine are not known. Some people may think that it has honey flavors, but that doesn't necessarily mean it contains honey as an ingredient.

[eje]

Yeah, as far as I know, too, the ingredients in Benedictine are a closely guarded secret.

You might be thinking of Drambuie, which regularly advertises that it contains honey.

[eje]

Hesitation Cocktail

1 Dash Lemon Juice.
1/4 Canadian Club Whisky. (1/2 oz 40 Creek Barrel Select)
3/4 Swedish Punch. (1 1/2 oz Arrack Punch, homemade)

Shake well and strain into cocktail glass.

As I mentioned when discussing apricot liqueur vs. brandy question with the Havana cocktail, this one is the same proportions. Same amount of liqueur, same amount of spirits, same "1 Dash Lemon Juice".

As with the Havana with apricot liqueur, this is pretty sweet. If you go a bit long on the Lemon and are using the likely less sweet homemade arrack punch, not undrinkably so.

Still, I think both the Boomerang and Havana are more interesting.

[mkayahara]

Recently, while eje and I were discussing our respective copies of the Savoy book, we happened across a recipe that's in my copy but not his, and he encouraged me to make it. So I hereby present the...



Habitant Cocktail

2/3 Rye Whisky (1 oz. 40 Creek Barrel Select)
1/6 Dry Vermouth (1/4 oz. Noilly Prat)
1/6 Maple Syrup
1 dash Angostura bitters

Shake well and strain into cocktail glass.

From Wikipedia:

Quote

Habitant is the name used to refer to both the French settlers and the inhabitants of French origin who farmed the land along the two shores of the St. Lawrence Gulf and River in what is the present-day Province of Quebec in Canada.

Between the flavours in the drink and the origins of the name, I decided that Canadian whisky would be a better fit than an American straight rye. Also, because I've never used maple syrup in a drink before, I wasn't sure how easily it would dissolve, so I went with shaking rather than stirring. Shoulda fine strained it, though.

The drink was perfectly pleasant, if a little sweet. The whisky choice was a good one, as it allowed all the flavours to come through nicely, where they would have been completely overpowered by straight rye. A flavourful maple syrup is important here, lest it get lost in the mix. (Even with Canadian whisky.) I can see myself making this again, especially if I'm looking for a way to feature maple syrup in a drink. And I'll definitely try it again substituting Sortilege (a whisky-based maple syrup liqueur) for the pure maple syrup.

Oh, and please excuse my poor photography skills!

[eje]

Hoffman House Cocktail

2 Dashes Orange Bitters. (1 dash Fee's Orange Bitters, 1 dash Regan's Orange)
1/3 French Vermouth. (3/4 oz Dolin Dry Vermouth)
2/3 Plymouth Gin. (1 1/2 oz Plymouth Gin)

Shake (stir, please) well and strain into cocktail glass. Squeeze lemon peel on top.

I can't really think of anything interesting to say about the Hoffman House, other than, maybe, if you don't like this you may need to adjust your perception of what constitutes a proper cocktail.

Sorry if that seems harsh, but this is pretty close to the platonic ideal, at least for me, of the Martini type cocktail.

"Slip out of these wet clothes..."

[eje]

Homestead Cocktail

1 Slice Orange.
2/3 Dry Gin. (1 1/2 oz Broker's Gin)
1/3 Italian Vermouth. (3/4 oz Carpano Antica)

Shake well and strain into cocktail glass. (Orange Peel.)

Quote

Note: Although this delightful drink is nowadays known as a Cocktail, it was known in the old homesteads of the Southern States long before the name Cocktail was coined.

The whole "1 Slice Orange" is a bit obscure. I just cut a horizontal mid-section out of a valencia orange, quartered it, and threw it in the tin.

I have to admit I kind of preferred it to the usual Bronx.

There's definitely the bitter orange thing from the peel going on.

[eje]

mkayahara, on May 20 2008, 07:54 PM, said:

Recently, while eje and I were discussing our respective copies of the Savoy book, we happened across a recipe that's in my copy but not his, and he encouraged me to make it. So I hereby present the...

Habitant Cocktail

2/3 Rye Whisky (1 oz. 40 Creek Barrel Select)
1/6 Dry Vermouth (1/4 oz. Noilly Prat)
1/6 Maple Syrup
1 dash Angostura bitters

Shake well and strain into cocktail glass.
[...]

Thanks for posting, Matt!

Now you have me curious about what version of the Savoy you have and what other cocktails might be in it!

[eje]

Honolulu Cocktail (No. 1)

1 Dash Angostura Bitters.
1 Dash Orange Juice. (1/2 tsp Orange Juice)
1 Dash Pineapple Juice. (1/2 tsp Pineapple Juice)
1 Dash Lemon Juice. (1/2 tsp Lemon Juice)
1 Glass Dry Gin. (2 oz Broker's Gin)
A little Powdered Sugar. (1/4 tsp Caster Sugar)

Shake well and strain into cocktail glass. (Orange Peel.)

A bit like the Harrovian, this seems to be a style of cocktail that has not survived to the 21st Century.

Sort of a vaguely exotic tasting glass of cold gin, it's kind of puzzling and enjoyable at the same time.

[eje]

Honolulu Cocktail (No. 2)

1/3 Maraschino. (3/4 oz Luxardo Maraschino)
1/3 Gin. (3/4 oz Tanqueray)
1/3 Benedictine. (3/4 oz Benedictine)

Shake (stir, please) well and strain into cocktail glass.

I suppose that is what it should be.

I just couldn't quite face that cocktail. Thinking about the Maraschino and Benedictine, Oude Genever occurred to me.



Yes, indeed that seems like a good idea!



Honolulu Cocktail (No. 2)

1/3 Maraschino. (1/2 oz Luxardo Maraschino)
1/3 Gin. (1 oz Van Wees Oude Genever)
1/3 Benedictine. (1/2 oz Benedictine)

Shake (stir, please) well and strain into cocktail glass. (Lemon Peel.)

Tweaked the proportions slightly, but didn't want to just turn it into an Improved Holland Gin Cocktail. Still quite sweet, but really, really tasty. 1 1/2 oz Oude Genever, 1/4 oz Luxardo, 1/4 oz Benedictine, maybe some bitters, and this would rock. Probably have to think up a different name... Kailua Cocktail? Diamond Head Cocktail? Why is this a Hawaii themed Cocktail name anyway? I could see No. 1 being Hawaii-esque, since it had Pineapple juice. But Gin, Maraschino, and Benedictine?

This post has been edited by eje: 24 May 2008 - 09:56 AM

[eje]

“Hoop La!” Cocktail

1/4 Lemon Juice. (3/4 oz Lemon Juice)
1/4 Kina Lillet. (3/4 oz Cocchi Americano)
1/4 Cointreau. (3/4 oz Cointreau)
1/4 Brandy. (3/4 oz Cerbois VSOP Armangac)

Shake well and strain into cocktail glass. (Lemon Peel.)

Well, this is exactly the same as the Frank Sullivan Cocktail, and I'm making it with the same ingredients. Not much too exciting there. Still, an enjoyable cocktail, and I don't mind at all repeating it. Though, my fast dwindling bottle of Cocchi Americano makes me a bit sad...

[eje]

Hop Toad Cocktail

1/4 Lemon Juice. (1/2 oz Lemon Juice)
3/4 Apricot Brandy. (1 1/2 oz Zwack Barack Palinka)

Shake well and strain into cocktail glass. (Lemon Peel.)

I have to admit I've always been a bit curious about this cocktail, but never really quite had the courage to make it for myself.

Mr. David Wondrich has pointed out in his books and the esquire drinks database that the proper base spirit for this is absolutely not apricot liqueur, but instead an apricot eau-de-vie, like the fiery Hungarian Zwack Barack Palinka.

To quote Mr. Wondrich from his amusing esquire writeup.

Quote

Weighing all the evidence, though, the philosophy of the Hop Toad seems to be to allow the lime juice to fall tart on the tongue, without making the result so sour as to be undrinkable. To create, in other words, a state of dynamic tension by placing the drink in a condition of carefully calibrated imbalance. What that has to do with amphibians, we don't know.

Definitely in the unsweetened school of the Bennett or Bronx Terrace, the Hop Toad is more of a restorative tonic than what folks now consider a cocktail. Make it small, shake it well, and drink it while it is still very cold. It will wake up your taste buds and get the blood flowing to your brain again.

[eje]

Hot Deck Cocktail

1 Dash Jamaica Ginger. (6 drops Eclectic Institute Ginger Herbal Extract)
1/4 Italian Vermouth. (1/2 oz Carpano Antica Vermouth)
3/4 Canadian Club Whisky. (1 1/2 oz 40 Creek Barrel Select Whiskey)

Shake well and strain into cocktail glass. (Lemon Peel.)

Another use of "Jake", which is quite exciting. You kind of hope some of these cocktails will be on offer at Jake Walk in Brooklyn!

In any case, the Ginger Extract ends up being a bit more subtle in this one. Just a touch of bite in this Manhattan variation.

[eje]

Houla-Houla Cocktail

1 Dash Curacao. (1/2 tsp. Luxardo Triplum)
1/3 Orange Juice. (3/4 oz Orange Juice)
2/3 Dry Gin. (1 1/2 oz Broker's Gin)

Shake well and strain into cocktail glass.

A perfectly fine and refreshing beverage, if nothing earth shattering.

I'm lucky to have some particularly tasty early season valencia oranges which are pretty sour around the house, giving this some added zest.

I'm new to Broker's Gin, but so far it seems pretty good to me. Nice strong Juniper flavor and not too harsh base spirit.

Still liking the Triplum as a Curacao substitute. Its strong bitter orange character (it sometimes actually louches in cocktails, it has so much orange oil) and sweetness sort of makes it almost sensible in dash proportions, where many other orange liqueurs just fade into the background.

I sometimes see this cocktail name spelled "Hula-Hula" but am not sure which spelling is correct. According to sources, this cocktail first crops up in one of Harry McElhone's pre-Savoy guides.

[eje]

The Hundred Per Cent Cocktail

1/6 Orange Juice. (1/2 of 3/4 oz Orange Juice)
1/6 Lemon Juice. (1/2 of 3/4 oz Lemon Juice)
2/3 Swedish Punch. (1 1/2 oz Homemade Arrack Punch)
2 Dashes Grenadine. (1/2 teaspoon Fee's American Beauty Grenadine)

Shake well and strain into cocktail glass.

I was kind of afraid this would be way too sweet. Fortunately, my oranges are pretty tart, so this sort of works out OK. Pretty intense, though. Reminds me of the sort of balance often struck in modern cocktails, where the sweetness and tartness are both pushed out.

Nice Arrack flavor, though, so you won't be mistaking it for a Cosmo, despite the similar color.

[eje]

The Hurricane Cocktail

1/3 Whisky.
1/3 Gin.
1/3 Crème de Menthe.
The Juice of 2 Lemons.

Shake well and strain into cocktail glass.

Another cocktail ripped from the pages of Judge Jr.'s "Here's How". And like the Crow Cocktail before it, one which makes no sense as transcribed in the Savoy.

Fortunately, the original recipe is a tad more sensible, not to mention the fact that it is across the page from the similarly natural disaster themed "Earthquake" cocktail.

Quote

This concoction is all that the name implies and should be mixed in a cyclone cellar: 1/3 pint Johnny Walker; 1/3 pint of Gordon Water; 1/3 pint of Crème de menthe; the juice of two lemons.

Too bad the Savoy transcribers dropped those "pint" measures, eh? So, it's a bottled cocktail, with the juice of two lemons up against a pint of spirits and liqueurs.



3/4 oz Famous Grouse.
3/4 oz Broker's Gin.
3/4 oz Brizard Creme de Menthe.
A little less than 3/4 oz Lemon Juice.

Well, it's not, strictly speaking, entirely awful. Kind of refreshing, I suppose.

Still, not anywhere near the top 10, or likely, top 100 Savoy Cocktails.

[perfumekev]

Hey Erik

Just a thought

have you tried any of the Canaidian Club 12 year or Wiser's 18 year for your Canadian whiskies. I find them to work very well in the recepies in the Savoy that call for Canadian Whisky.

I came across a couple of bottles of Seagram's V.O. that were from 1959, and I have to say the falvor of these bottles are closer in taste to the above canadians than 40 creek. or the Seagram's VO that is made now. It is amazing how week the flavor of VO is now.


You Can order Wiser's From Binnys in Chicago

where did you get your vanWees from?

thanx again
Kev

[eje]

perfumekev, on Jun 3 2008, 01:37 PM, said:

[...]
have you tried any of the Canaidian Club 12 year or Wiser's 18 year for your Canadian whiskies.  I find them to work very well in the recepies in the Savoy that call for Canadian Whisky. 
[...]
You Can order Wiser's From Binnys in Chicago

where did you get your vanWees from?
[...]

I toted the Van Wees back from our last trip to England, so Gerry's Wine and Spirits, actually.

Sorry!

I'm getting pretty low on the 40 Creek, so I will have to address a new bottle of Canadian pretty soon. Thanks for the suggestions! Unfortunately, I don't think either are available here in CA. I'll have to see about ordering them from Binny's or Sam's. Could use to pick up a bottle of that tasty new Sirene Absinthe from North Shore Distilling and maybe their Aquavit at the same time.

[eje]

"H" was another pretty short letter, with only a few cocktails.

Started with a promising Martinez-like cocktail called the Hakam Cocktail.

Continued with more vermouth discussion and the delicious H&H Cocktail.

There was a bit of Hanky Panky, but nothing too serious.

The H.P.W. Cocktail was yet another Martinez variation, this one made with Malacca thanks to Mike and Jenny.

The Harry's Pick-Me-Up Cocktail was a French 75 type thing with a bit of a blush.

A not surprisingly tasty Harvard Cocktail.

Some discussion of Gum Syrup along with the Hasty Cocktail.

I cheated and used Apricot Eau-de-Vie for the Havana Cocktail and found it strangely appealing.

Met up with Thad Vogler at Beretta, here in San Francisco for a few cocktails.

More discussion of Old-Tom Gin.

Mkayahara contributed the mysterious Habitant Cocktail.

Who can complain about a Hoffman House Cocktail?

Finally braved and sort of enjoyed the Hop Toad.

And that's it.

Of to I-Land.

[eje]

I.B.F. Pick-Me-Up Cocktail

In a wineglass place one lump of Ice, 3 dashes of Fernet Branca (1 tsp. Fernet), 3 dashes of Curacao (1 tsp. Luxardo Triplum), one liqueur glass of Brandy (1 1/2 oz Cerbois VSOP Armangac), fill remainder with Champagne (Louis Bouillot Cremant de Bourgogne Brut). Stir and squeeze lemon peel on cocktail glass.

According to their Blog (!) the...

Quote

International Bar Fly (IBF) was founded in 1924 by O. O. McIntyre at Harry's New York Bar in Paris, France. Our members, known as International Bar Flies, have included Ernest Hemingway, Scott Fitzgerald, George Gershwin, Sinclair Lewis, Franklin Roosevelt, Gene Kelly, Noel Coward, Burt Lancaster, Thornton Wilder, Marlene Dietrich, Michele Morgan, Elsa Maxwell, and many more. The organization is devoted to the uplift and downfall of serious drinkers. New members are welcome.

In any case, it is a fine, fine cocktail and a proper restorative for the drinker who may have imbibed a bit too seriously the night before. Depending on your feelings about Fernet, the I.B.F. may or may not benefit from a slightly generous hand with the teaspoon of that substance. I kind of thought it needed a little more...

[eje]

I continue on my bizarrely Wisconsinite struggle to define my ideal Cognac/Brandy. I've discarded some early predilections (Korbel VSOP, E&J, etc.) and tried to move things a bit more cosmopolitan. I can't say my early flirtations with California Brandies have been entirely successful. Germain-Robin's alembic brandy seeming a bit tedious after drinking a whole bottle. The French. There's some sort of French Chortling sound here. Oh, the French. I do like Pierre Ferrand Cognac and Cerbois Armangac. Ah, but the exchange rate. It seems like they go up $5 every month!

So here we are today.

Osocalis have been distilling brandy for about 10 years. They released their first brandy in 2006. I'm just getting around to tasting it now, and it is pretty darn OK. I'm no expert, but I like that there is a bit of the flavor of the wine in the spirit. It's a bit tart and, well, winey. Definitely on the young and feisty side, which is OK by me.

To get around to Savoy Cocktails...



Ichbien Cocktail

The Yolk of 1 Egg.
1 Port-wine Glass Milk. (2 oz Half and Half)
1/4 Orange Curacao. (1/4 oz Luxardo Triplum)
3/4 Brandy. (1 1/2 oz Osocalis Brandy)

Shake well and strain into medium size glass, with nutmeg on top.

I'm not normally a big milk cocktail fan, but I liked, and finished, this.

I guess if it were Scotch instead of Brandy, it would be "Auld Man's Milk". Thanks! Old man eje says, "Lovely and perfect."

[Dave the Cook]

Any idea where the name of the cocktail comes from, Erik? Is it just a contraction of pidgin German? Or French?