Drinks (2009–2011)

[eje]

A few days ago I tried the Tinton cocktail from Savoy, via eje's blog using the end of my Laird's 12 yr apple brandy and Widbey Island port. It was ok. Then I decided to turn it into a fizzy drink with Henry of Harcort Duck and Bull (hard) cider made from a combination of pink lady and traditional cider apples. I think it would have worked better mixed than using the port as a sink since it was hard to judge the right proportions.

So what would this be? Not really a sangaree or a fizz or a shandy. Surely it must have been done before.

Hm, sorry that the Tinton didn't work out. I have to admit I did enjoy it with Calvados, though by this point my tastes are so warped I really am not much of a judge...

[eje]

Test driving cocktails last night for a gathering of friends I'm having over tonight, I hit upon the Up-to-Date in the Savoy: half sherry, half Bourbon, with two dashes each of Grand Marnier and bitters. I made it last night thusly:

1.5 oz. Amontillado

1.5 oz. Woodford Reserve

1 tsp. Grand Marnier

2 dashes homemade "Hess House Bitters"

The front is all Bourbon and the considerable tail is all sherry. Delightful and highly recommended.

Bourbon? I thought he recipe called for CANADIAN CLUB!

(it is a tasty cocktail, I just made it last week with 40 Creek Three Grain and Solear Manzanilla.)

[mkayahara]

Bourbon? I thought he recipe called for CANADIAN CLUB!

(it is a tasty cocktail, I just made it last week with 40 Creek Three Grain and Solear Manzanilla.)

Ha! You're exactly right, of course. I don't know how I interpolated Bourbon into that, other than that I was desperate to find a Bourbon and sherry cocktail. Worked fine, I'd say; I guess I need to try it with Canadian whisky and rye, too.

I know next to nothing about sherries; what's Manzanilla like? Compared to Amontillado?

[eje]

[...]

I know next to nothing about sherries; what's Manzanilla like? Compared to Amontillado?

Manzanillas are generally lighter than Amontillados, though the Solear is pretty full flavored for the category.

Edited September 10, 2010 by eje (log)

[haresfur]

Hm, sorry that the Tinton didn't work out. I have to admit I did enjoy it with Calvados, though by this point my tastes are so warped I really am not much of a judge...

I would try the Tinton again, probably with Calvados. Perhaps some extra stirring because I wasn't quite prepared for the initial sock of the nearly pure brandy, even though I wasn't using bonded. So I suspect the skill of the bartender matters for this one.

[bostonapothecary]

1 oz. overholt rye

1 oz. amontillado (bodegas dios baco)

.5 oz. cynar

.5 oz. almond liqueur ("algarvinha" from the portugeuse producer vice rei)

i eventually ran out of cynar so i reconfigured it as

1 oz. mezcal (del maguey vida)

1 oz. amontillado (bodegas dios baco)

.5 oz. averna

.5 oz. almond liqueur ("algarvinha" from the portugeuse producer vice rei)

both versions are excellent but i think the rye version is most exciting. the drink is really driven by the aromas of the sherry and the almond liqueur.

the liqueur is interesting stuff. 8.99 retail. but i can't tell from translating the writing on the back whether it is all natural or not. the tonal expression of almond aroma certainly is excellent. the producer also interprets the almond aroma with a curious color. its very pale unlike the very dark luxardo and amaretto.

[mkayahara]

1 oz. overholt rye

1 oz. amontillado (bodegas dios baco)

.5 oz. cynar

.5 oz. almond liqueur ("algarvinha" from the portugeuse producer vice rei)

[...]

the liqueur is interesting stuff. 8.99 retail. but i can't tell from translating the writing on the back whether it is all natural or not. the tonal expression of almond aroma certainly is excellent. the producer also interprets the almond aroma with a curious color. its very pale unlike the very dark luxardo and amaretto.

This sounds interesting, and I can probably fake it up with stuff I have on hand. Obviously, I don't have the almond liqueur... how would amaretto compare? Or creme de prunelle, maybe?

[vice]

Interesting, how close is it to orgeat (in flavor, if not proof)?

edit: I see I'm not the only one intrigued, just the only one to get distracted for half an hour in the middle of a reply.

Edited September 20, 2010 by vice (log)

[haresfur]

I reported on my adventure with the SanRu here. Today I tried it, substituting Polish mead for the sherry:

1 1/4 oz gin (Seagram's up a little from the original)

1 oz Dubonnet

1 oz Kurpiowski mead

build over ice

As I did previously, I tasted then added a small lime wedge. This was really spectacular without the lime. After adding lime and finding no improvement (well perhaps a twist would have worked) I added a splash more mead. Yum.

[bostonapothecary]

1 oz. overholt rye

1 oz. amontillado (bodegas dios baco)

.5 oz. cynar

.5 oz. almond liqueur ("algarvinha" from the portugeuse producer vice rei)

[...]

the liqueur is interesting stuff. 8.99 retail. but i can't tell from translating the writing on the back whether it is all natural or not. the tonal expression of almond aroma certainly is excellent. the producer also interprets the almond aroma with a curious color. its very pale unlike the very dark luxardo and amaretto.

This sounds interesting, and I can probably fake it up with stuff I have on hand. Obviously, I don't have the almond liqueur... how would amaretto compare? Or creme de prunelle, maybe?

the liqueur has a 20% alcohol level. which is near the minimum of preservation.

i tried making the drink at work with amaretto and didn't enjoy the results as much. amaretto feels like it has more aroma so it didn't seem to contrast the other aromas well with the same proportions. it mostly overshadowed the whiskey and sherry.

i don't have a lot of experience with orgeat to differentiate the tonality of the aroma from this stuff. most syrups as opposed to liqueurs have sugar contents near 400g/l so i only like to use them in high acid drinks. a change to orgeat would effect the structure of the drink because these liqueurs are probably in the low 300's of sugar. home made syrups also vary a lot in the amount of dissolved aroma and restraint in this case seems to be key here for an elegant drink.

this drink is funny because i don't like drinks with strange proportions so i try to always use fairly even measurements which is limiting, but i also don't like brand-static recipes and this drink seems to rely on this brand of almond liqueur. good thing its cheap enough.

i'd try the creme de prunelle before the amaretto. i'm on a budget, but i wish i had over proof rye for the drink.

[Vieux Carré]

Being the first day of autumn I was thinking of making a good fall drink. Perhaps something with applejack. But after stepping outside into the mid-nineties temperature I realized that I must have gotten my calendar mixed up so I reached for my copy of Beachbum Berry Remixed and just in case the earth has been flipped I made a Tasman Sea. Tasty and a great tiki drink for the first day of summer!

[thirtyoneknots]

After nearly four years I worked my last shift at Veritas last night, a great time with good turnout. And while my head this morning is telling me that perhaps I should have skipped a few of those Bourbons afterwards, I definitely don't regret the Sazerac made with some of my precious 06 Handy Rye and Jade Edouard, shared with the other few cocktail enthusiasts in town. Quite memorable, even through the haze.

[Kohai]

Been lovin' on fino sherry this fall. Makes sweetness magically unsweet.

Now You Know

2 oz. Flor de Caña Gold

1.25 oz. Tio Pepe fino sherry

1 oz. Cynar

.5 oz. Licor 43

3 dashes Peychaud's

Stir/strain. Grapefruit coin zest.

Stockholm Syndrome

2 oz. Aalborg Aquavit

1 oz. Tio Pepe

.75 oz. lemon

.5 oz. simple

lingonberry syrup

Shake/strain everything but lingonberry. Drizzle lingonberry into the drink so that it creates a fade effect. Mix it all up before drinking.

[mkayahara]

i'd try the creme de prunelle before the amaretto. i'm on a budget, but i wish i had over proof rye for the drink.

Verdict: success! Tried it with the prunelle last night (and Rittenhouse bonded for the rye), and it seemed to work very nicely. I wouldn't be surprised to learn that the Portuguese almond liqueur you've been using has a little less sugar than this prunelle, but the aromas were all in the right places. I could see how amaretto would be far too overpowering. Will drink this again. Does it have a name?

[bostonapothecary]

Been lovin' on fino sherry this fall. Makes sweetness magically unsweet.

right on!

Verdict: success! Tried it with the prunelle last night (and Rittenhouse bonded for the rye), and it seemed to work very nicely. I wouldn't be surprised to learn that the Portuguese almond liqueur you've been using has a little less sugar than this prunelle, but the aromas were all in the right places. I could see how amaretto would be far too overpowering. Will drink this again. Does it have a name?

i wish i could steal the "now you know". i used to fear the almond. i always felt like a woman was trying to poison me with arsenic. it was in no way a relaxing aroma. but symbolism changes, we acquire acquired tastes, and now i'm mixing up a 750 of portugeuse almond liqueur a week...

last night i subbed macallan cask strength for the rye. pretty serious.

[12BottleBar]

I did a quick search and didn't see this one mentioned:

Small Dinger (from Bar La Florida, 1935)

1 part Light Rum

1 part Dry Gin

1/2 part Lemon Juice

1/2 part Grenadine

Brilliant drink.

[Chris Amirault]

Very interesting. What rum & gin are you using?

Tonight's libation is a variation of the Jakewalk, a drink designed by Dave Wondrich (member Splificator) for the Brooklyn bar of the same name. It's a popular staple at Cook & Brown Public House, where I tend bar and consult:

3/4 oz reposado tequila

3/4 oz white rum

3/4 oz St. Germain

3/4 oz lime

2 dashes Peychaud's

Shake; strain; orange twist.

It's a great drink, but I rarely have reposado tequila at the house. So I wondered: what would happen if the tequila weren't aged but the rum was?

3/4 oz Appleton 12

3/4 oz Milagro blanco

3/4 oz St. Germain

3/4 oz lime

2 dashes Peychaud's

Answer: it's delicious.

[bostonapothecary]

2 oz. pisco cesar

1 oz. lime juice (with a fraction of sour orange)

bar spoon of sugar

pineapple foam (left over form using my centrifugal juicer to make pineapple juice

angostura bitters

shake and double strain the first three ingredients then layer over top the foam and dab on top a few small drops of angostura bitters

i only added the foam because it was there in front of me and was going to get tossed. the foam is really stiff like a meringue and is the product of forcing air into the juice as the centrifuge spins. if you pour the juice back through the juicer you will keep making more foam. it takes about a half our to collapse.

the particular pisco makes the drink. it seems to be more pungent and penetrating than others brands. more akin to tequila. my theory as to why is that they make their muscat wine like you would a red as opposed to a white (press the grapes after fermentation). all the extra skin contact would increase the pungent aromas and the resultant distillate is closer to what muscat grappa is like, but somehow avoiding all those higher alcohol kerosene sort of aromas.

can't say for sure but its the best guess i've got. and it sure is delicious.

[bostonapothecary]

1 oz. espolon reposado tequila

1 oz. cynar

1 oz. martini rossi rosato

1 oz. lime juice

dash peychaud's

i've had mixed success bringing significant bitterness to high acid drinks. yet i really enjoy this (after a while).

the initial sip seemed sorta dissonant (inharmonious), but as i spaced out a bit and perception changed from an analytical to synthetic strategy, pleasantly sour-bitter structured experiences came to mind like a pithy grapefruit. harmonious!

[Kohai]

Another favorite this fall is aquavit. I guess this is a riff on an Improved Aquavit Cocktail?

Cold Comfort

1.5 oz. Linie Aquavit

1.5 oz. Rye (prefer RH100, of course)

~1 tsp. Luxardo Maraschino

dash Peychaud's

dash Regan's Orange

black pepper-infused sambuca (rinse)

Stir, serve in stemless wine glass rinsed with black pepper 'buca.

[EvergreenDan]

1 oz. espolon reposado tequila

1 oz. cynar

1 oz. martini rossi rosato

1 oz. lime juice

dash peychaud's

Fabulous. Must. Have. Name. Please.

Used 50/50 Carpano Antica and M&R Bianco.

[KD1191]

The 2010 George T. Stagg (diluted 2:1 with water...straight out of the bottle, it's 143 proof even)...one of the most beautiful things I've ever tasted.

Tobacco & leather one moment, lavender the next. Caramel and vanilla, of course. Entirely worth the 5-hour drive to Frankfort and scouring of a half-dozen liquor stores.

Edited October 27, 2010 by KD1191 (log)

[Stephen D]

The 2010 George T. Stagg (diluted 2:1 with water...straight out of the bottle, it's 143 proof even)...one of the most beautiful things I've ever tasted.

Tobacco & leather one moment, lavender the next. Caramel and vanilla, of course. Entirely worth the 5-hour drive to Frankfort and scouring of a half-dozen liquor stores.

Nice!

[Chris Amirault]

What'd you pay for the 2010 Stagg, if I may ask? Saving me pennies..

[KD1191]

What'd you pay for the 2010 Stagg, if I may ask? Saving me pennies..

The various Antique Collection bottlings ranged from $69 - $75 at the several stores I visited in Kentucky. I'm pretty sure the Stagg was acquired at the lower end of that range...though I got it more or less by chance. The proprietress of the store had to "check in the back" and came out with a bottle she said had been put aside for someone who had not come to claim it. It's worth noting that I did not see the Sazerac 18 or Eagle Rare 17 anywhere...store personal mentioned selling out before they could even get the boxes unloaded onto the shelves. However, Thomas Handy Rye was plentiful most places. The one store where I found William Larue Weller had a decent stock of it, but I'm glad I picked it up there, because I did not see it again on the trip. All of this was within 1-3 days of the product being released locally...so, plan accordingly.

Edited October 27, 2010 by KD1191 (log)