Best cocktails of the decade

[Rafa]

Difford's Guide just released a list of 30 of the best cocktails invented since 2000, featuring several of the ones mentioned so far in this thread, and a few no one's mentioned.

[FrogPrincesse]

Here is the list. I've added a few links for recipes in addition to the ones that were already provided.

1 Art of Choke by Kyle Davidson, The Violet Hour, Chicago.

2 Benton's Old Fashioned (2008) by Don Lee at PDT.

3 Bloomsbury Fizz by Giuseppe Santamaria

4 Chartreuse Swizzle by Marco Dionysos at Tres Agaves, San Francisco.

5 Christmas Pudding Martini by Josh Powell for Brewhouse, Cardiff.

6 Death Flip by Chris Hysted at Melbourne's Black Pearl.

7 Dopo Cena by Adrian Gomes, 10 Dollar Shake, Aberdeen, Scotland.

8 Earl Grey Mar-TEA-ni (2000) by Audrey Saunders at Bemelmans Bar at the Carlyle, New York City.

9 French Maid -Jim Meehan from PDT, New York.

10 Garden, Grain & Grape Mal Spence, Blythswood Square Hotel.

11 Irish Mermaid by Max La Rocca at Ohla Boutique Bar-Barcelona.

12 Gin Gin Mule (2004) by Audrey Saunders, New York City, USA.

13 Gingerbread Man (2006) by Simon Gilbert in 1812 bar, Bournemouth.

14 Green Park by Erik Lorincz at American Bar, The Savoy, London.

15 Green Basil Smash (2008) by Joerg Meyer, Le Lion, Bar de Paris

16 Gunshop Fizz by Kirk Estopinal and Maksym Pazuniak from Cure, New Orleans.

17 Kiss the Skye by Esther Medina Cuesta, Roux at Parliament Square, London.

18 Maid in Cuba by Tom Walker for Bacardi Legacy Competition, 2013.

19 Malecon by Erik Lorincz, from American Bar, The Savoy, London

20 Mulata Daisy (2008) by Ago Perrone at The Connaught, London, England. This drink won the 2009 Bacardi Legacy Final.

21 Nuclear Daiquiri (2005) by Gregor de Gruyther at LAB bar, London, England.

22 Oaxaca Old Fashioned (2007) by Philip Ward at Death & Co., New York City, USA

23 Penicillin (2005) by Sam Ross at Milk & Honey, New York City, USA.

24 Perfect Host by Nelson Bernardes from Good Godfrey's Bar at The Waldorf Hilton Hotel.

25 Pop It by Lukas Motejzik for Bacardi Legacy 2012

26 Rapscallion by Adeline Shepard & Craig Harper, Ruby, Copenhagen.

27 Shaky Pete's Ginger brew by Pete Jeary (aka Shaky Pete), head bartender at the Hawksmoor Seven Dials.

28 Spiced Symphony

29 Trinidad Sour by Giuseppe Gonzalez

30 Two-One-Two (212) (2008) by Willy Shine at Contemporary Cocktails Inc. in New York City.

[Rafa]

Thank you FrogPrincesse. Some interesting choices. I'm a fan of the refreshing, flavorful 212, but I'm not sure I would have otherwise considered it for a list like this one. I wonder what the Spiced Symphony is...

ETA: Bacardi contests seem to be a big deal in Europe. I may be Puerto Rican, but I find it hard to believe that so many of the decade's best cocktails contain some amount of Bacardi rum.

Edited July 17, 2013 by Rafa (log)

[FrogPrincesse]

Thank you FrogPrincesse. Some interesting choices. I'm a fan of the refreshing, flavorful 212, but I'm not sure I would have otherwise considered it for a list like this one. I wonder what the Spiced Symphony is...

No idea about the Spiced Symphony, and I don't feel too sad not having found the recipe for the Christmas Pudding Martini. I am only familiar with about a third of the list. I realize that I am much more familiar with the latest American creations than what is going on in Europe.

[Rafa]

Thank you FrogPrincesse. Some interesting choices. I'm a fan of the refreshing, flavorful 212, but I'm not sure I would have otherwise considered it for a list like this one. I wonder what the Spiced Symphony is...

No idea about the Spiced Symphony, and I don't feel too sad not having found the recipe for the Christmas Pudding Martini. I am only familiar with about a third of the list. I realize that I am much more familiar with the latest American creations than what is going on in Europe.

Me too. And with due respect to the many excellent European bartenders making inventive and delicious drinks (including the ones who post in this forum), I find myself more drawn to the American entries in this list.

[Adam George]

A lot of pandering on that list.

-A European Bartender

[haresfur]

ETA: Bacardi contests seem to be a big deal in Europe. I may be Puerto Rican, but I find it hard to believe that so many of the decade's best cocktails contain some amount of Bacardi rum.

Maybe if you substitute Cuban rum

[Rafa]

No one's mentioned it yet, but I think Julie Reiner's Gin Blossom deserves a place:

Gin Blossom

by Julie Reiner, Clover Club, Brooklyn, NY.

1 1/2 oz Gin, Plymouth

3/4 oz Dry apricot brandy

3/4 oz Bianco Vermouth, Martini & Rossi

2 ds Orange bitters

Stir, strain, up, lemon twist.

--

Kindred Cocktails | Craft + Collect + Concoct + Categorize + Community

Also one of the best names in drinks.

[FrogPrincesse]

No one's mentioned it yet, but I think Julie Reiner's Gin Blossom deserves a place:

Gin Blossom

by Julie Reiner, Clover Club, Brooklyn, NY.

1 1/2 oz Gin, Plymouth

3/4 oz Dry apricot brandy

3/4 oz Bianco Vermouth, Martini & Rossi

2 ds Orange bitters

Stir, strain, up, lemon twist.

--

Kindred Cocktails | Craft + Collect + Concoct + Categorize + Community

Also one of the best names in drinks.

Dry apricot brandy = apricot eau-de-vie, right? (not the liqueur)

[Rafa]

Yes. Blume Marillen or equivalent. That's just how KC saves that particular ingredient.

[FrogPrincesse]

I wonder if another eau-de-vie could work. I have a "small plum" eau de vie from Switzerland (Pflümli) that I could use (I also have pear and cherry/kirsch, but I don't think they would work as well).

[Plantes Vertes]

Only one way to find out.

[FrogPrincesse]

That's right. I think I've only used eau-de-vie once before in a cocktail which was Toby Maloney's Poor Lisa if my memory is correct. It was pretty good but eau-de-vie is so expensive that I tend to limit my experiments with it.

[tanstaafl2]

The Irish Mermaid sounded intriguing so I took a run a that one last night. No brandied cherries reduced in Cherry Heering available (just used a luxardo cherry) but otherwise as written. Not the best at throwing a drink but I managed without making too much of a mess. B.G. Reynolds for orgeat and The Irishman 70 for my "quality" Irish whiskey.

Pretty darned tasty! Will likely make this again and share with friends.

[Rafa]

I couldn't find the specs for Jim Meehan's French Maid online, so I wrote them up here:

French Maid

by Jim Meehan, PDT, NYC.

1 1/2 oz Cognac, Hine

1 oz Ginger beer

3/4 oz Lime juice

3/4 oz Simple syrup

1/4 oz Falernum, Velvet Falernum

4 sli Cucumber

8 lf Mint (6-8)

1 spg Mint (as garnish)

Muddle cukes and mint in simple, then combine all, shake, and strain. Garnish with a mint sprig through a cucumber wheel.