Drinks! (2012, part 2)

[Keith Orr]

1 oz. ransom old tom gin

1 oz. byrrh

1 oz. intorcia marsala "dry dessert wine"

bar spoonful of maracuja do ezekial (azorean passion fruit liqueur!)

extraordinary stuff. i will readily make this again. the drink is somewhat inspired by the sanru with byrrh taking place of dubonnet, dry marsala for dry sherry, and passion fruit liqueur for cherry heering. i almost grabbed sloe gin, but i didn't want to risk overshadowing the byrrh. i will have to award to points to byrrh in this round. even with a dry marsala handicap deliciousness was found.

I can't lay my hands on any Azorean Passion Fruit Liqueur - would the same amount of passion fruit syrup suffice?

[bostonapothecary]

1 oz. ransom old tom gin

1 oz. byrrh

1 oz. intorcia marsala "dry dessert wine"

bar spoonful of maracuja do ezekial (azorean passion fruit liqueur!)

extraordinary stuff. i will readily make this again. the drink is somewhat inspired by the sanru with byrrh taking place of dubonnet, dry marsala for dry sherry, and passion fruit liqueur for cherry heering. i almost grabbed sloe gin, but i didn't want to risk overshadowing the byrrh. i will have to award to points to byrrh in this round. even with a dry marsala handicap deliciousness was found.

I can't lay my hands on any Azorean Passion Fruit Liqueur - would the same amount of passion fruit syrup suffice?

i'd imagine it would work out nicely.

the spoonful of liqueur looks to bump the sugar content into a certain direction and nudge aromatic tonality ever so slightly.

what brand of marsala are you going to try?

[Keith Orr]

1 oz. ransom old tom gin

1 oz. byrrh

1 oz. intorcia marsala "dry dessert wine"

bar spoonful of maracuja do ezekial (azorean passion fruit liqueur!)

extraordinary stuff. i will readily make this again. the drink is somewhat inspired by the sanru with byrrh taking place of dubonnet, dry marsala for dry sherry, and passion fruit liqueur for cherry heering. i almost grabbed sloe gin, but i didn't want to risk overshadowing the byrrh. i will have to award to points to byrrh in this round. even with a dry marsala handicap deliciousness was found.

I can't lay my hands on any Azorean Passion Fruit Liqueur - would the same amount of passion fruit syrup suffice?

i'd imagine it would work out nicely.

the spoonful of liqueur looks to bump the sugar content into a certain direction and nudge aromatic tonality ever so slightly.

what brand of marsala are you going to try?

It will most likely be the brand that Trader Joe's has, which I think is the same brand you used.

Thanks for the prompt reply!

[ChrisTaylor]

Stumbled on a bottle of Habanero Shrub by chance, really. Slim chance. As, I mean, I don't know of anyone, anywhere that sells it in this part of the world. So. Yeah. Here's my starting point.

Two glasses--rinse one w/ Monte Alban mezcal then dump a single v large ice cube in it. Set it aside. Build, in the other glass, the following: barspoon-ish brown sugar, 2 dashes each chocolate mole and grapefruit bitters (still debating whether I should go with this or all citrus--I mean, if I had lime or coriander bitters, they'd be fun), 5 drops Habanero Shrub (purely because that's the amount I've seen used somewhere else in an OF variant) and 2 oz aged tequila (Herradura). Pour this into the chilled glass. Garnish w/ lemon zest, if that's all you have on hand. I guess grapefruit zest makes more sense.

EDIT

Some thoughts:

• needs less shrub. I mean, it's not a hot drink, but the shrub dominates, I think.
  
• the chocolate actually pops up, all subtle like, on the tail end--a keeper.
  
• really wish I could get a mezcal that's actually nice--when I bought the Monte Alban it was a choice between a couple of reasonably priced, readily avaliable mezcals (of which the Monte Alban was one) and some hard-to-find, really expensive ones. and, too, it'll be years before I finish that lone bottle, and it's not like I enjoy even tequila enough to justify buying more. this isn't bourbon.
  

Edited October 5, 2012 by ChrisTaylor (log)

[FrogPrincesse]

Gin Gin Mule with Beefeater and Bundaberg ginger beer.

[bostonapothecary]

raymond newton cocktail from the savoy

1 oz. gin (cascade mountain gin)

1 oz. dry vermouth (m&r)

1 oz. hercules (rendering from may, 2008)

here i changed up the proportions a little. the savoy listed it as 2:1:1, but i wanted to amp up the hercules.

yesterday i was cleaning out some shelves of experiments and came across some bottles of hercules that were made more than four years ago. i planned on dumping them, but i thought i should taste them first. pretty darn tasty! for this rendering i even made the wine base myself. the botanicals were menthe, mate, yarrow flowers, and aniseed. i think the amount of botanicals i used per liter followed guidelines from Amerine's Technology of Winemaking. the origional had the alcohol ringing in at 24% and a sugar content of about 165 g/l.

the aroma of the rendering has a solid core of gorgeous fruit akin to byrrh. then there are the contrasting aroma of menthe which is the most attentional followed by the foresty mate. the anise much be subliminal or overshadowed by the fruit aroma. aging must have really pulled it all together.

[haresfur]

Sort of a toned-down Oaxaca Old Fashioned

1 1/2 oz reposado tequila (or anejo. I used Sauza)

1/2 tsp agave syrup

6 drops Xocolatl Mole Bitters

Mezcal rinse

lime twist

Build like a Sazarac.

I added a touch more mezcal just to see what that would be like and found I liked it much more with just the rinse (then again I have very cheap Mezcal (gotta filter that worm out).

I suppose it should be called a Sauzarac.

[elix]

I just oops'ed and lost a large post I was working on. It probably should have been shorter anyway, so here's a condensed version:

I did my first dry vermouth comparison a few minutes ago. What's weird is that while I still prefer Martini and Rossi in my martini(with Beefeater or Plymouth, at a 2-2.5:1 ratio), by itself, cold from the fridge in a copita/spirits glass, I found it intolerably gross. I didn't spit it out because I was tasting wines, but because I didn't want it in my mouth anymore. Noilly Prat(original French dry), was delicious on its own. I was surprised by this because I don't like it as much in martinis(except with Plymouth), and because I drank a glass a few days ago on ice with a lemon twist and didn't really care for that. Alone: delicious. Boissiere and Dolin I thought were OK, but I don't care for either in a martini(except a fitty-fitty I made with Plymouth and Dolin, otherwise, too weak in a martini). Maybe I would compare Boissiere to Sprite, maybe.

But the shocker is that while I still prefer M&R in my martini, at a relatively "wet" 2:1 ratio, I think it's absolutely vile on its own.

Does anyone else want to throw their two cents in? Similar/dissimilar experience?

[Yojimbo]

Fall has hit in Brooklyn, and I'm finding that Cardamaro hits all the right autumn taste triggers:

1 oz. rye (Rittenhouse)

1 oz. apple brandy (Laird's BIB)

1 oz. Cardamaro

juice of 1/2 lemon, more or less

I added a dash of Fee's Barrel Aged bitters -- I loved the root beer nose when I first tried it, but anything more than a dash tends to be overpowering.

Build in a rocks glass w/ice.

[EvergreenDan]

1 oz. rye (Rittenhouse)

1 oz. apple brandy (Laird's BIB)

1 oz. Cardamaro

juice of 1/2 lemon, more or less

(1 dash Fee WBA bitters)

Wow, that sounds great. My Cardamaro is gone, but I bet my (newly-discovered) bottle of Rucola would work.

[EvergreenDan]

@Yojimbo -- I tried your drink with Rucola and it was very nice. I can't quite recall the brix of Cardamaro, but I'd guess that going up to 3/4 oz of amaro with a 1/2 oz of lemon would be about right. (Or go down on the lemon to 3/8 oz maybe).

A very nice drink for fall. The lemon keeps it out of the Manhattan camp, which is nice when you're not in the mood for something like that. I will definitely revisit this the next time I have Cardamaro open. I'd be happy to have this posted on Kindred Cocktails if you come up with a name.

[Yojimbo]

KC, glad you liked it!

Given the ingredients, I think Thorn Apple is appropriate, if it's not already been appropriated? I haven't tried Rucola (yet) but I'm willing to tinker with the basic formula to find the best ratios, and I'm curious to hear what you think when you try it with Cardamaro.

Cheers!

[haresfur]

Continuing tequila variations on other cocktails:

Qui' Punch

1 1/2 oz Anejo Tequilla (Kirkland - not having much to compare to, it seems pretty decent)

1 tsp agave syrup (cut in half next time)

a thin slice of lime (one of the interesting yellow sweet limes available at this time of year)

Build in OF glass with 1 ice cube.

I could down these pretty quickly.

Edited October 15, 2012 by haresfur (log)

[ChrisTaylor]

American Trilogy

-- 1 oz each rye (Wild Turkey) and applejack, 2 dashes each Fee's and Regan's orange bitters, a barspoon of sugar and an orange twist. Constructed much like an Old Fashioned.

Brilliant.

EDIT

Next time you're down here, haresfur, I'll build you an Old Fashioned w/ Herrdura anejo. Nice tequila, that.

Edited October 15, 2012 by ChrisTaylor (log)

[rod rock]

Continuing tequila variations on other cocktails:

Qui' Punch

1 1/2 oz Anejo Tequilla (Kirkland - not having much to compare to, it seems pretty decent)

1 tsp agave syrup (cut in half next time)

a thin slice of lime (one of the interesting yellow sweet limes available at this time of year)

Build in OF glass with 1 ice cube.

I could down these pretty quickly.

This punch seems interesting, got to try this one.

[Chris Amirault]

I love this PF dry curacao so much I can barely stand it. Tonight's libation:

2 oz Ransom OT gin

1/2 oz Pierre Ferrand dry curacao

1/2 oz Russo nocino

dash Gary Regan's #6 orange bitters

Stir, strain, up, no garnish. Really changes as it warms. A long, delicious nightcap.

[ChrisTaylor]

Warm-ish weather, altho' it's fading now--evening--but it's time for barbecue and a Mai Tai. And, too, I finally got my hands on Smith & Cross. Friend ordered some stuff from Whisky Exchange, a UK-based site, and included in the order (in addition to some agricole) was a bottle of what many eGers seem to regard as a sort of holy grail.

First step: Mai Tai based on that 'doing it wrong' Chowhound video--stumbled on that formula a while ago and haven't shifted. 1 oz each Appleton 12 and Smith & Cross plus .75 of lime, .5 of curacao and .25 each of orgeat and simple. I'm still using fake orgeat, this Italian bottled stuff, but I changed my brand and the new one is far less overdone than the old. I sex it up with a tiny tiny tiny teensy wee tiny drop each of orange blossom water and rose water. Fake it until you make it, I guess. Until I really do get around to just knocking together some DIY orgeat. And I should. Despite what the Starks say, summer is coming.

But, yeah, S&C is a game changer for the Mai Tai. Love it.

[ChrisTaylor]

No idea of a starting point--aside from what would've been more logical: straight, I guess--for the La Favorite agricole so I went with a daiquiri. 2:1:.5 on the rhum:lime:simple front. It's okay. What an interesting rum, tho', to keep the lime juice--and, really, 2:1 rum:lime isn't fucking around--in its place.

[tanstaafl2]

No idea of a starting point--aside from what would've been more logical: straight, I guess--for the La Favorite agricole so I went with a daiquiri. 2:1:.5 on the rhum:lime:simple front. It's okay. What an interesting rum, tho', to keep the lime juice--and, really, 2:1 rum:lime isn't fucking around--in its place.

I suppose the "typical" libation for agricole is the Ti punch as much as it is a daquiri. But that requires cane sugar syrup if you have access to that.

The recipe is a bit loose in terms of ingredients. I have tried about 1/4 teaspoon sugar cane syrup (or 1/2 teaspoon of raw sugar if cane syrup isn't available), a light squeeze of lime from a thin lime slice and then drop it in followed by 1.5 to 2 ounces of rhum agricole according to your own taste.

Ed Hamilton told me that traditionally they don't use any ice in Martinique but that he likes a bit of crushed ice and then swizzle the drink to combine the flavors well. In any case ice is optional.

[ChrisTaylor]

The PDT version of Hemingway's diabetic Daiquiri. They suggest Banks 5 Island rum. I don't have this rum and, so far as I know, I can't get it (I looked on Whisky Exchange when I ordered the agricole and S&C). So ... to Google. Flavour profile ... funky. Ended up mixing 1 oz each of Smith & Cross and a Cuban white. Plus the usual .75 of lime (was a bit short on this front, actually, the lime only gave up about .6 of an ounce worth of juice) and .5 each of grapefruit juice (went a little heavy to make up for the lime) and maraschino. Nice. Prefer it to the one I made last night.

[EvergreenDan]

Assuming you like Campari, may I recommend a Bitter Mai Tai for that bottle of S&C? It takes a minute to get your head around tropical + bitter, but its a favorite of mine. Plus it doesn't use THAT much rum per drink, helping to slow the depletion of your new bottle.

[KD1191]

1.5 oz George T. Stagg (Fall 2012 Release)

1.5 oz Punt e Mes

1.5 oz Dolin Dry

18 drops Bittercube Barrel Aged Blood Orange Bitters

I set out to make a straight Stagghattan with Punt e Mes, but when I tasted it in the mixing glass it was powerfully sweet. Switching things up to a Reverse-Perfect formulation produced a very nice balance. I find the 2012 Stagg to be an improvement over last year's pure oak-bomb...there's a bit of nuance to this beast. However, it does not reach the heights of the 2009 or 2010 offerings.

Edited October 22, 2012 by KD1191 (log)

[Tri2Cook]

Assuming you like Campari, may I recommend a Bitter Mai Tai for that bottle of S&C? It takes a minute to get your head around tropical + bitter, but its a favorite of mine. Plus it doesn't use THAT much rum per drink, helping to slow the depletion of your new bottle.

I haven't tried that one yet but it's looking hopeful, the LCBO has brought in a "limited quantities available" run of Smith & Cross. If I do get my hands on a bottle or two, I'll check that one out. There are a few drinks I put in the tropical category that have a bitter side that I've enjoyed (the Montegomatica and Davy Jones' Locker both with Fernet Branca and the Jungle Bird with Campari) and I do love a good Mai Tai so it seems like an obvious choice.

[FrogPrincesse]

Made this kind-of-a Manhattan variation the other night for my husband: Home on the Range (found on Bartender's Choice): rye, sweet vermouth, Cointreau, Angostura bitters. Very nice!

[elix]

I just made a Jack Rose with Johnnie Walker black instead of applejack. It's pretty good, really. An orange twist doesn't do any harm, but is totally optional. I enjoyed half of it before I did the twist. Yes. Yes, I am naming this. Yes, it actually started with the name, and was then tried as a drink: the Peat Rose. #charliehustle

Next up is the same thing with aged agricole. No clever name, but the grassy funkiness of agricole reminds me of apples, so I think this will be good.

Still working on my other clever name idea: the Dry Gin Martinique, a martini with white agricole. I've tried several ratios, and while I haven't got it quite right, I honestly don't think I'm just being an idiot here. Try it out, put a dash or two of La Favorite in your favorite gin/vermouth combo and go from there. The appley, winey taste of the agricole is not totally out of place.

The Peat Rose I just gulped down (my first) was 2oz JW black, .75 each lime and grenadine. My homemade grenadine is, for now, .75 each POM juice and sugar, with .25 Cortas pomegranate molasses and 4-5 drops orange blossom water. Maybe not 100% right, but tweakable with a quarter ounce here or there.