86 replies to this topic

[evo-lution]

Here's another of mine;



B.F.G
Winning Rusty Nail twist created for the Drambuie UK Cocktail Competition - January 2010

40ml Drambuie
25ml Noilly Prat Rouge
10ml Laphroaig 10 year old
2 Dashes Dr. Adam Elmegirab's Boker's Bitters

Method: Add all ingredients to mixing glass fill with cubed ice and stir for 15-20 seconds.
Glass: Two small cocktail glasses
Garnish: Fresh lemon zest
Ice: N/A

Edited by evo-lution, 31 July 2010 - 04:21 AM.

[Chris Amirault]

Robert Burns tonight for me and the mother-in-law:

2 oz Jura Superstition
3/4 oz Carpano Antica Formula
dash Regan's bitters
dash Angostura bitters
dash Marteau absinthe

[db_campbell]

Robert Burns tonight for me and the mother-in-law:

2 oz Jura Superstition
3/4 oz Carpano Antica Formula
dash Regan's bitters
dash Angostura bitters
dash Marteau absinthe

I'm curious to hear your opinion of how well the Angostura worked in this drink. I've taken to combining Regan's & Peychaud's in my Bobbys, since the latter just seems to play better with Scotch to my palate.

[brinza]

2 oz Jura Superstition

This is a simply delicious malt that you don't hear about very much. Very cocktail friendly as well.

ETA: Whoops. I see that it is in fact being talked about right now!
http://forums.egullet.org/index.php?/topic/115867-scotch-whisky-the-topic/page__view__findpost__p__1754200

Edited by brinza, 09 August 2010 - 12:20 PM.

[Chris Amirault]

Robert Burns tonight for me and the mother-in-law:

2 oz Jura Superstition
3/4 oz Carpano Antica Formula
dash Regan's bitters
dash Angostura bitters
dash Marteau absinthe

I'm curious to hear your opinion of how well the Angostura worked in this drink. I've taken to combining Regan's & Peychaud's in my Bobbys, since the latter just seems to play better with Scotch to my palate.

Very interesting. Perhaps that's tonight's drink....

[ChrisTaylor]

Here's another of mine;



B.F.G
Winning Rusty Nail twist created for the Drambuie UK Cocktail Competition - January 2010

40ml Drambuie
25ml Noilly Prat Rouge
10ml Laphroaig 10 year old
2 Dashes Dr. Adam Elmegirab's Boker's Bitters

Method: Add all ingredients to mixing glass fill with cubed ice and stir for 15-20 seconds.
Glass: Two small cocktail glasses
Garnish: Fresh lemon zest
Ice: N/A

This I mostly like. I think I might make another with a bit more scotch in it--it's ever-so-slightly too sweet for my tastes.

[ChrisTaylor]

Inspired by Erik's excursion in the Savoy Affinity Cocktail (click), when I saw a bottle of the Compass Box Asyla scotch, I snapped it up. I made a few Affinity Cocktails and haven't been swept away.

However, today I snooped around www.cocktaildb.com and found The Bairn, a fine simple cocktail with scotch, Cointreau, and orange bitters. The first, which was lovely, was with Regan's bitters; the second just now, which was utterly transcendent, was with Fee Brothers -- particularly with an orange twist that's a bit fatter than it ought to be.

It got me to thinking that there are probably some fine scotch cocktails out there that get short shrift because of the overwhelming tendency to drink scotch neat. Others?

Just tried this one, too. I don't have any blended scotch at the moment (keep forgetting to pick up a bottle of Monkey Shoulder, say) so I went with Glenfarclas 15. I liked this a whole lot more than I thought I would ... which is odd, really, as I have no reason to imagine it being shit. I like Speyside. I like orange. Nice find.

EDIT

While we're on the topic, I really like a Blood & Sand with Talisker or gutsy Islay. I like the 'Cherry Ripe dipped in an ash tray' quality of it. For about two seconds I thought this was my idea then I went to some cocktail bar in Melbourne and spotted a B&S variation that had, among other changes to the standard recipe, Laphroaig 10 instead of the more usual blend.

I do find the use of blends in cocktails interesting. I get why, on some level, it's done, but the standard 'oh, use a blend' line rarely, if ever, talks about what kind of blend to use. Johnny Green is not Monkey Shoulder is not Peat Monster. They're three blends that, off the top of my head, are very different animals--varied and unique in character, as distinct from each other as Glenfiddich is from anCroc is from anything from the Isle of Jura. I use single malts in cocktails, not that I make many scotch cocktails, purely because that's what I have on hand.

Do you use blends or single malts? If so, what blend/single malt do you favour (ignoring the cocktails that specify the use of, say, Oban 14 or Laphroaig 10)?

Edited by ChrisTaylor, 25 April 2012 - 03:25 AM.

[ChrisTaylor]

I was at No. 9 Park last week, and Ted made me a Scotland the Brave, which I thought was a big, brash keeper:

2 1/2 (not a typo) oz Talisker
3/4 oz Fernet Branca
3/4 oz Cinzano rosso
1/2 oz Mathilde Orange XO

This is a really interesting drink. Really interesting. It took me a few careful, considered sips before I even decided I liked it. Perfect drink for a quiet and cold winter night.

[ChrisTaylor]

I'm enjoying a Hoots Mon (or a Hoots Mon Cocktail -- I never know when to add or drop the suffix) and wondering why I've never made one before. I have all the ingredients on hand regularly:

1 1/2 oz scotch (Asyla)
3/4 oz Lillet blanc
3/4 oz sweet vermouth (Punt e Mes)

Lillet now lacks the bitterness of Kina Lillet, of course, so I thought that the Punt e Mes would work better than Martini & Rossi rosso: good call.

I made this with Abelour cask-strength, purely because it's my favourite Speyside (altho' I did initially reach for the Glenfarclas 15). It's okay--I didn't like the first sip but it's growing on me.

[ZombieAddict]

Audrey Sanders Dreamy Dorini Smoking Martini is pretty good too. They make it for you at the Dorrance if you go armed with the recipe

Dreamy Dorini Smoking Martini
INGREDIENTS

2 ounces Grey Goose vodka
1/2 ounce Laphroaig 10-year-old single malt scotch
2 to 3 drops Pernod
1 lemon twist, for garnish

INSTRUCTIONS

Stir all of the ingredients over ice for 20 to 30 seconds.
Strain into a chilled cocktail glass and add the garnish.
Serves 1

[FrogPrincesse]

I made a Penicillin the other day with the ratios from the Bartender's Choice app, which are a little odd by the way (eighths of an ounce? A little difficult to measure but that's what I used). I used Canton ginger liqueur instead of the sweetened ginger syrup, with no ill effects. Also my lemon was a Meyer lemon. It was very good.

2 oz scotch
3/4 oz lemon juice
3/8 oz honey syrup
3/8 oz sweetened ginger juice
1/4 Islay scotch
Shake, strain into rocks glass

[EvergreenDan]

@frogprincesse: Try King's Ginger if you can find it. I find it has more fresh ginger bite than Canton.

King's Ginger : Canton = ginger beer : ginger ale

I feel a slight infection coming on myself.

[FrogPrincesse]

Thanks Dan, I will keep that in mind (although I am not really in the market for another ginger liqueur - I am already running out of space!).

[EvergreenDan]

The Penicillin recipe in Kindred Cocktails calls for 3/4 oz of honey-ginger syrup. I suspect that's where the odd 3/8 oz measurements come from. I made this with King's Ginger and Balvenie Doublewood and thought it was very nice. I also made a tequila version (anejo with mezcal) and liked that too. It is surprisingly accessible for the non-Scotch lover.

[Dan Perrigan]

I made a Penicillin the other day with the ratios from the Bartender's Choice app, which are a little odd by the way (eighths of an ounce? A little difficult to measure but that's what I used). I used Canton ginger liqueur instead of the sweetened ginger syrup, with no ill effects. Also my lemon was a Meyer lemon. It was very good.

2 oz scotch
3/4 oz lemon juice
3/8 oz honey syrup
3/8 oz sweetened ginger juice
1/4 Islay scotch
Shake, strain into rocks glass

Hi FrogPrincesse. The first time I made this I used the recipe that calls for three slices of fresh ginger to be muddled in the shaker (and 3/4 oz honey syrup and no extra ginger liqueur/juice). I've made it several times since then, searching for an "easy" way -- Canton, ginger syrup, etc -- and none have the same ginger bite as using fresh ginger. Without the fresh ginger, it just falls flat.

I may need to run out and buy some today because this is sounding like an excellent choice for tonight...

Dan

[EvergreenDan]

Dan- I haven't tried actual fresh ginger, and I don't doubt that it's best, but King's Ginger has much more ginger bite and heat than Canton. If you're feeling lazy...

[Steamtrain]

This is the adaptation of the Penicillin that I make at home. I think I picked this up from a post by slkinsey in another thread.

3 Ginger Slice(fresh) each about the size of a quarter
1 oz Honey Syrup(1:1)
*Muddle
2 oz Scotch(Famous Grouse)
3/4 oz Lemon Juice
*Shake with ice in a mixing glass
*Double strain in to rocks glass with fresh large ice cube
1/4 oz float Scotch Islay
1 Lemon Twist garnish

[FrogPrincesse]

This is the adaptation of the Penicillin that I make at home. I think I picked this up from a post by slkinsey in another thread.

3 Ginger Slice(fresh) each about the size of a quarter
1 oz Honey Syrup(1:1)
*Muddle
2 oz Scotch(Famous Grouse)
3/4 oz Lemon Juice
*Shake with ice in a mixing glass
*Double strain in to rocks glass with fresh large ice cube
1/4 oz float Scotch Islay
1 Lemon Twist garnish

This is similar to the version that was published in the LA Times Magazine. The only difference that I see is that they specify 3/4 oz of a 3:1 honey syrup which is quite concentrated.

Also the garnish he uses is a piece of candied ginger (photo here).

[FrogPrincesse]

I tried my first Blood and Sand this weekend. I had high expectations but this was not what I was expecting. It felt a little "thin"/dilute and had more in common with a variation on vermouth than a scotch-based cocktail per se. The scotch was really getting lost in the drink. I was using a fairly non-descript Glenfiddich that I use for mixing. It allowed me however to taste the cherry liqueur in combination with vermouth and I liked the taste. Once I had recalibrated my expectations to just a nice pleasant aperitif cocktail, I enjoyed the drink. In general I have to say though that most orange cocktails are a let down. There seems to be too much sweetness in regular oranges to make these drinks "pop" and something seems to be missing in the end.

[FrogPrincesse]

After the (relative) disappointment of the Blood and Sand, I decided to take a risk with the Broadmoor (Andreas Noren). The name was evocative of the British moorlands which made sense because of the greenish color of the drink and the fact that it is Scotch-based. I later found out that this was actually the name of a high-security mental institution... which also makes sense because on paper this drink does not make any (sense). Scotch whisky, green Chartreuse, simple syrup, and orange bitters. I was concerned that it would be quite sweet and had a hard time imagining the interaction between Scotch whisky and Chartreuse. There was only one way to find out...

As opposed to the Blood and Sand, it is a very strong cocktail that is best sipped slowly. It is also very harmonious and complex. The herbal notes from the Chartreuse complement the smoke from the Scotch. The orange bitters add an element of brightness that is welcome. This is a really nice cocktail (in small doses as it is very potent!).

[ChrisTaylor]

Try a B&S with a meatier scotch such as Talisker.

[FrogPrincesse]

Try a B&S with a meatier scotch such as Talisker.

Sounds like a plan! Do you recommend changing the ratios as well (I used equal parts)?

[EvergreenDan]

@Chris -- The problem with mixing with something like Talisker is that it raises the bar for the cocktail: it needs to beat a glass of Talisker neat. Bowmore Legend, maybe?

[FrogPrincesse]

@Chris -- The problem with mixing with something like Talisker is that it raises the bar for the cocktail: it needs to beat a glass of Talisker neat. Bowmore Legend, maybe?

I checked and don't have Talisker anyway. I don't have too many options for mixing - other than Glenfiddich 12, I have Glenlivet 12 and 15 and that's about it. I also have Bunnahabhain and Lagavulin but we prefer to drink them neat.

The Bowmore Legend looks interesting - I will keep my eyes open for it!

[tanstaafl2]

@Chris -- The problem with mixing with something like Talisker is that it raises the bar for the cocktail: it needs to beat a glass of Talisker neat. Bowmore Legend, maybe?

I checked and don't have Talisker anyway. I don't have too many options for mixing - other than Glenfiddich 12, I have Glenlivet 12 and 15 and that's about it. I also have Bunnahabhain and Lagavulin but we prefer to drink them neat.

The Bowmore Legend looks interesting - I will keep my eyes open for it!

Dump the scotch and go with a nice smokey mezcal instead. Sombra is a good place to start. Chris Carlsson recommends it as an "authentic" Blood and Sand. I found it to work quite well.

Maybe cut back the OJ a bit or make it a bit less sweet by using Luxardo Maraschino instead of Cherry Heering which is almost cough syrup sweet. Not familair with the Luxardo Cherry liqueur but i would guess that is pretty sweet as well.

Maybe make up a bit for the lost OJ with an orange liqueur. Never used it in this drink but Solerno Blood Orange liqueur comes to mind as an interesting option.

Edited by tanstaafl2, 11 December 2012 - 11:45 AM.

[Will]

@Chris -- The problem with mixing with something like Talisker is that it raises the bar for the cocktail: it needs to beat a glass of Talisker neat. Bowmore Legend, maybe?

I checked and don't have Talisker anyway. I don't have too many options for mixing - other than Glenfiddich 12, I have Glenlivet 12 and 15 and that's about it. I also have Bunnahabhain and Lagavulin but we prefer to drink them neat.

The Bowmore Legend looks interesting - I will keep my eyes open for it!

Dump the scotch and go with a nice smokey mezcal instead. Sombra is a good place to start. Chris Carlsson recommends it as an "authentic" Blood and Sand. I found it to work quite well.

Maybe cut back the OJ a bit or make it a bit less sweet by using Luxardo Maraschino instead of Cherry Heering which is almost cough syrup sweet. Not familair with the Luxardo Cherry liqueur but i would guess that is pretty sweet as well.

Based on the color, maybe just back off on the amount of Heering? I know part of the color comes from the vermouth, but it looks a bit redder than I usually see (it's been quite a while since I've made one, though). Are you using equal parts of everything? I like the classic (equal parts) method, but one online recipe suggests doing 1 oz each scotch and orange juice, and .75 oz each of the heering and sweet vermouth.

It comes down to personal preference (I know some people like the flecks of ice), but I would also suggest double-straining or dry-shaking some more after straining (a technique I saw just recently which works really well) to get rid of those bits of ice.

I made a twist with Seville (bitter) orange juice instead of the orange and rye instead of scotch called The Catcher in the Rye, which is quite good.

Edited by Will, 11 December 2012 - 12:54 PM.

[FrogPrincesse]

Based on the color, maybe just back off on the amount of Heering? I know part of the color comes from the vermouth, but it looks a bit redder than I usually see (it's been quite a while since I've made one, though). Are you using equal parts of everything? I like the classic (equal parts) method, but one online recipe suggests doing 1 oz each scotch and orange juice, and .75 oz each of the heering and sweet vermouth.

It comes down to personal preference (I know some people like the flecks of ice), but I would also suggest double-straining or dry-shaking some more after straining (a technique I saw just recently which works really well) to get rid of those bits of ice.

I made a twist with Seville (bitter) orange juice instead of the orange and rye instead of scotch called The Catcher in the Rye, which is quite good.

This was equal parts. Luxardo Sangue Morlacco has a deep ruby color (sangue = blood, which seemed appropriate).

Re: double straining, you are right and the small crystals bothered me for a second or two, but they had melted by the time I had finished posting the photo... and at that point I was more concerned about not finding the cocktail to my taste.