Need drink ideas

[skbohler]

So, I've got to create a cocktail for an annual contest and the theme this year is the "Wild, Wild, West"

I'm a little stuck on creative ideas, other than taking a whiskey sour and embellishing it with some chipotle orange syrup, whiskey barrel bitters.

Any suggestions on some ingredients that fit the theme that would work well in a whiskey-based cocktail?

Thanks,

Steve

[Tri2Cook]

I can't think of a cocktail I've heard of, tasted or read about that would say "wild, wild, west" to me more than Eben Freemen's The Waylon... but that one already exists. I'm pretty knew to this cocktail thing though, so I'll leave the creations to those who know what they're doing for now.

[Chris Amirault]

Wondrich's Tombstone leaps to mind.

[Lisa Shock]

I'd look at other western ingredients like agave syrup and prickly pear, sorry, both sweet.

Santa Fe does everything with roasted green chile, and pine nuts are a local flavor there.

I live in Phoenix now, my favorite paletas are cucumber with just a hint of sugar, coated in chile powder. They are kind of melon-like.

My goofy, off the wall answer would be to incorporate beef jerky and cheap whiskey to match the wild west of the movies. Even though I just finished reading a book about the food of the westward expansion, and discovered that people ate a lot of gourmet foods and expensive wines back then. The most common of foods on restaurant menus were oysters, which had a well developed delivery route system by the mid-1800's from California to places like Denver and Santa Fe.

[thayes1c]

How about something (and I can't believe I'm saying this) based around BBQ sauce? Smoky, spicy and a little sweet, maybe with a bitter undercurrent? Sounds disgusting but maybe it can be done right.

[KD1191]

The most common of foods on restaurant menus were oysters, which had a well developed delivery route system by the mid-1800's from California to places like Denver

Ah, yes, I've always been fond of Rocky Mountain oysters...

But, seriously, it's probably a given that most contestants would select whiskey for such a theme. Perhaps tequila or mezcal and a southwestern vibe are the way to go. The New Mexico green chile idea, in particular, sounds like a start.

[skbohler]

Thanks very much for the ideas.

I think I'll experiment with some wood-smoked ingredients as well as with mezcal/tequila blend.

Thanks again!

Steve