FrogPrincesse

It's funny. I just got grapefruit in my CSA last week and that is what inspired me to make a Daiquiri No. 3 and then the Zombie last night. It was so fresh that its taste was more pronounced than usual in the cocktail, which was pretty great.

I stockpiled a while ago. I have enough for a few years.

Feeling like a Zombie tonight... (Don the Beachcomber, 1934) Plantation Barbados 5 years, Appleton 12 years Jamaican rum, Lemon Hart 151 demerara rum, lime juice, Don's mix (oro blanco grapefruit + homemade cinnamon syrup), falernum, Angostura bitters, grenadine, St George absinthe.

I think it's easier to balance things with a sugar syrup compared to neat sugar, which may not dissolve completely when you make the drink....

Pretty! Last night I made Creole Cocktails for a crowd with Prichard's rye whiskey, Martini Gran Lusso vermouth, Picon biere, Benedictine, Angostura bitters, orange peel garnish (Bartender's Choice app ratios). Nice and warming; that combination worked really well (I love the slightly bitter notes of that vermouth, they make everything else pop). Of course I forgot to take pictures!

Yeah, a few things got lost in the upgrade! Below are the specs for the Nourishment. Also, you had asked about mezcal instead of tequila, and I had responded that a grassy non-smoky one might work. The cocktail is essentially about clean vegetal flavors, so I would try to keep it in that direction. 1 oz tequila 1 oz dry vermouth 2 tsp lime juice 2 tsp lemon juice 1 oz violette mix* (reduced to 1/2 oz) 6 dashes absinthe *violette mix = 2 parts violet liqueur, 1 part simple syrup.

Roasted butternut squash soup with ras el hanout and baratte/churned butter. There is also a bit of heavy cream in there.

Has anybody tried this yet? It is quite delicious. Fernet Francisco, barrel-aged edition.

French brandied guinettes (a type of griotte cherry), made in Perigord. Which, in my opinion, blow Luxardo maraschino cherries out of the water.

This looks very much like the bourbon version of a classic rye cocktail called the Preakness.

From the book Absinthe Cocktails, the Fifth Avenue (Jim Romdall) with Tanqueray London dry gin, Dolin blanc vermouth, yellow Chartreuse, St. George absinthe. It's a very nice Martini/Tuxedo variation. You cannot really go wrong with this kind of flavor combination.

And then, this bitter riff on a Vieux Carré, the Windsor Knot (Richard Yarnall) with High West Double Rye! straight rye whiskey, Pierre Ferrand 1840, Noilly extra dry vermouth, Cynar, Benedictine. It was supposed to be on the rocks but I did it up like a Manhattan.

From last week, a Vieux Carré (Walter Bergeron) with Pierre Ferrand 1840 cognac, High West Double Rye! straight rye whiskey, Martini Gran Lusso vermouth, Benedictine, Angostura bitters, Peychaud's bitters.

You are probably right. There was also this article in the Guardian a few months ago, and this one in the New York Times last year.

Interesting article about issues associated with the production of Flor de Caña in Nicaragua, most specifically the impact on the health of sugar cane workers.

Walnut Old Fashioned (Johnny Swet) with High West American Prairie bourbon, Charbay black walnut liqueur, Regan/Fee/Angostura orange bitters. I went easy on the walnut liqueur and it was still a bit sweet. I think a couple of barspoons is all you need to get the full walnut effect.

This one was good too, super savory with the aquavit. The green olive garnish makes complete sense given the flavor profile, but sadly I didn't have one. Bikers Grove (Jen Riley) with Ocho tequila plata, Krogstad aquavit, Luxardo maraschino liqueur, Boy Drinks World grapefruit bitters.

Transatlantic Connection (Stefano Censi via Gaz Regan*) with Ocho tequila plata, Luxardo cherry liqueur, lime juice, vanilla pod. This was nice. The cocktail let the tequila shine, which was a good thing. There was a touch of orange and vanilla in the background. (*) This is in the 101 Best New Cocktails app but I cannot find it on the website for some reason

You got it right. The cocktail was created with a white vermouth, Dolin blanc. There was a typo in the app so it called for dry vermouth instead.

From last night, a Corpse Reviver No. 1 (Harry Craddock with the ratio from the Bartender's Choice app) with Pierre Ferrand 1840 cognac, Daron XO calvados, Martini Gran Lusso vermouth, Angostura bitters, brandied griotte cherry. The Little Red Door in Paris made me fall in love with that cocktail last year. It is perfect for fall/winter and has a great Manhattan vibe with grape & apple notes. It's nice with a slightly bitter vermouth like the Gran Lusso.

Third up is the Nourishment, on paper a weird mix of tequila, dry vermouth, violet and citrus. It felt like the right thing though. I have a gorgeous bottle of Ocho plata that is super aromatic, and I was in the mood for a sour, for a change. The drink is described as a Corpse Reviver No. 2 relative (it is in its structure, for sure) but its taste is actually more reminiscent of an Aviation to me. I've had tequila-based Aviations in the past (where you just substitute tequila for the gin) and they are not that great. But here the dry vermouth closes the gap between the tequila and the violet; it was very harmonious and even the absinthe blended in instead of standing out like a sore thumb. There is some commonality with a very nice drink from PDT which also scuccessfully pairs violet and Tequila, the Aguila Azteca. Nourishment with 2014 Ocho blanco tequila, Noilly Prat extra dry vermouth, lime, lemon, R&W violette liqueur, St. George absinthe.

I know what you mean. I am not a huge rum drinker, yet rum is the most abundant spirit in my collection! I somehow managed to amass more than 30 bottles. Oops. I try to use the tail end of bottles in punch or falernum etc.

You are very welcome. Out of curiosity, what is the alcohol content of the white JM that you have? It comes in 40%, 50%, and even 55% if I remember correctly.

I like Adam Elmegirab's recipe. From Craig's list I would use a mix of agricole with with some overproof/151.

Chris - What do you use for the blood orange liqueur?