Barolo Chinato Cocchi

[weinoo]

I picked up a bottle Barolo Chinato at Warehouse the other day. Other than serving as a dessert wine, can it be used for cocktails, and if so, what would you suggest?

[marty mccabe]

Hi Weinoo,

I've never actually tried this recipe, but your post range a bell, so, from, "The Art of the Bar":

Bob-tailed Nag

2 oz. Michter's single-barrel straight rye whiskey

1/2 oz. Cocchi Barolo Chinato

3 dashes mint bitters

lemon twist for garnish

Combine all the liquid ingredients in an ice-filled cocktail shaker. Stir gently for 20 to 30 seconds, until cold, and then strain into a chilled cocktail glass. Garnish with the lemon twist.

Hope it's good!

Marty

[eje]

The Bob-Tailed Nag is good. FYI, I prefer it with either Fee's Aromatic Bitters or The Bitter Truth Aromatic Bitters to the Fee's Mint Bitters.

If you wanted to stick with mint/menthol flavor profile, maybe try a dash of Fernet Branca instead. Probably be more interesting.

I tend to stick with sipping it on its own after dinner; but, if you're intent on mixing it, you could probably use it in almost any recipe that calls for Dubonnet or Italian Vermouth. I would just dial down the amount of Barolo Chinato vs. Vermouth and probably leave out the bitters.

Make an awesome Martinez.

It didn't go very well with port poached pears and ice cream last night.

I have been thinking cherries would go nicely, though. Maybe something with Cherry Heering?

[divina]

here in Italy it is served with chocolates, great combo.. especially giandujia

[slkinsey]

I believe Jim Meehan uses barolo chinato (albeit a substantially more expensive brand) in his Van Brunt cocktail:

3 oz : rye whiskey (Michter's US1 specified, but I've used Rittenhouse to good effect)

1 oz : dry vermouth (Noilly Prat)

0.5 oz : Barolo Chinato (Cappellano)

0.5 oz: Maraschino liqueur (Luxardo)

Stir/strain into an Old Fashioned glass. Garnish with cherries (I think Jim used kirsch-soaked cherries -- I've had good results with Luxardo cherries).

This is a big drink. I usually use the same formula and split it into two servings in small coupes.

Edited July 23, 2007 by slkinsey (log)

[Mayur]

Isn't Michter's US 1 just "American whiskey" rather than rye (not that I can figure out the difference for anything)?

And in general: The Chinato (I have the Cocchi and Cappellano) mixes crazy-well with everything. Sub it in for sweet vermouth at every opportunity and see what you get. A dash or two added to a Fancy Free is what I'm drinking now, and it is a damn fine drink.

Edited July 23, 2007 by Mayur (log)

[slkinsey]

There is Michter's US 1 Straight Rye Whiskey and Michter's US 1 American Whiskey. I'm not sure what the grain bill is for the American Whiskey, but am led to believe it might be considered a rye whiskey mash and is called "American whiskey" because it is aged in used bourbon barrels and not charred new oak barrels.

[Mayur]

Heh. Just looked back at the Michter's bottles again. Of course. US 1 is just what they call all their baseline whiskeys (rye, bourbon, "American whiskey"). Only noticed it on the American whiskey because it didn't have one of the easier identifying descriptors (to my eyes) of "rye" or "bourbon".

[eje]

3/4 oz Cocchi Barolo Chinato

3/4 oz Cointreau

1 1/2 oz Bombay Gin

Stir well and strain into cocktail glass.

This cocktail, semi-based on the Cota cocktail, was quite nice.

I had a more direct negroni-like cocktail with Barolo Chinato the other day, and it didn't quite dance for me. I think maybe the mixer should have dialed down the Chinato just a touch. Others who tasted it thought it was too bitter and some of the flavors reminded them of bubblegum. They didn't like it at all.

[FrogPrincesse]

Darkside (Adam Bernbach): 2.5 oz Plymouth gin, 0.75 oz Cocchi barolo chinato, 2 dashes Peychaud's bitters, brandied cherry.

 

Disappointed. The cocktail highlighted the cherry taste of the barolo chinato, but I did not find it very interesting.

 

 

I will have to explore the other options from this (old) thread. I like the barolo chinato very much actually. I've had it in various Manhattan variations at Noble Experiment where I was introduced to this ingredient, and recently in the excellent Negroni variation by Chris Bostik, the Nice Legs.

[bostonapothecary]

Darkside (Adam Bernbach): 2.5 oz Plymouth gin, 0.75 oz Cocchi barolo chinato, 2 dashes Peychaud's bitters, brandied cherry.

 

Disappointed. The cocktail highlighted the cherry taste of the barolo chinato, but I did not find it very interesting.

 

 

I will have to explore the other options from this (old) thread. I like the barolo chinato very much actually. I've had it in various Manhattan variations at Noble Experiment where I was introduced to this ingredient, and recently in the excellent Negroni variation by Chris Bostik, the Nice Legs.

 

I don't know if sour orange is available to you but I've really enjoyed making a bronx with borolo chinato in the past. I've also been so taken by it as a pairing for deserts that I haven't had much left for cocktails.