Drinks! 2014 (Part 2)

[EvergreenDan]

We to Giulia in Cambridge MA and had the bartender make up two drinks:

 

"Something with Sibilia" was mostly tequila, 1/2 oz Sibilia, about 1/2 oz CAF, and a couple of dashes of homemade coffee bitters. Coffee dominated, so I wouldn't do that again, but the rest is promising. Might try again with Gin. I would also up the Sibilia because I ain't afeared of it.

 

"A Cynar sour and I'm not afraid of egg". Not sure what was in this other than Cynar, lemon, and egg white. I might add some high proof rye in a small amount. It was pretty tart, so I doubt there was simple in it. Absolutely. Fucking. Fabulous. Bartender said that he would be make lots of these from now on. I should have gotten the exact recipe. A perfect low-alcohol drink, too, if you stick to the original non-rye concept.

[KD1191]

Peaches are finally starting to taste right, so I made an old favorite:

 

2 oz Elijah Craig

3/4 oz lemon

-1/2 oz simple

1/2 a small peach

2 sprigs mint

 

Muddle all but the mint. Add leaves from one mint sprig, ice and shake gently. Pour (no strainer) into frosty glass, add 2nd mint sprig & julep straw.

[ChrisTaylor]

Made a couple of Manhattans. 2:1, of course, using what is almost the last of my Wild Turkey 101 and Punt e Mes. Basement Bitters Bitter Frost.

[Hassouni]

Pisco sour using the egg white left over from making mayonnaise.

 

2 oz Alto del Carmen reservado

.75 oz lemon

.25 oz white SS

egg white

dry shake, then wet shake, finished with drops of Angostura

 

That, and more Caipirinhas...

[KD1191]

Had a very nice, summery cocktail at The Catbird Seat last night, which was an outstanding pairing with a dish of heirloom tomato slices topped with a bit of tomato stalk broth & charred country ham bone scrapings. It was described as:

 

Lillet Rosé, Watermelon, Lemon, Blanco Tequila, Laird's Bonded

 

 

 

[JoNorvelleWalker]

Started with Mississippi punch, as sake is planned for dinner.  If the connection is not clear, Mississippi punch as I make it includes arrack, which is made from rice.  The punch was atypically unsatisfying, although it is a favorite beverage.  I may have measured something wrong, or it may have to do with the fact I did not wash out the shaker from last night.

 

Anyhow I switched to mai tais.  Hope I can make it to dinner and the sake.

[Yojimbo]

1 1/2 each of Ransom Old Tom,  Martelletti vermouth, and Cappelletti, stirred, with an orange twist.  Doesn't get much simpler, or better.

 

 

And on a side note, Hassouni, since I followed your and Rafa's recommendation on W & N to jet-propelled happiness, what's your take on Alto del Carmen?

 

I bought a bottle on Spliflicator's recommendation in Imbibe, and while it does offer bang for your buck, I wasn't rocked.  Time to revive a Pisco thread?

[lesliec]

Last night, The Persecuted Gentleman (speculation as to why I chose that one would probably be pointless).  Very nice, and to me reminiscent of Rafa's famous The Man Comes Around.  Probably something to do with the Cynar and Fernet, although the Gentleman has rye to the Man's Mezcal, and one or two, or three, other differences.  However, those who have taken any notice at all of my posts in the Drinks topics will appreciate that the comparison represents high praise.

 

The creator suggests dropping back the Fernet if the menthol is too strong.  I liked the specified half ounce but knowing Wifey's views on Fernet I gave her a modified version and received no complaints.

[Hassouni]

1 1/2 each of Ransom Old Tom,  Martelletti vermouth, and Cappelletti, stirred, with an orange twist.  Doesn't get much simpler, or better.

 

 

And on a side note, Hassouni, since I followed your and Rafa's recommendation on W & N to jet-propelled happiness, what's your take on Alto del Carmen?

 

I bought a bottle on Spliflicator's recommendation in Imbibe, and while it does offer bang for your buck, I wasn't rocked.  Time to revive a Pisco thread?

 

Alto del Carmen is my default pisco, because I can get it locally for quite a decent price. I haven't tried too many piscos to compare it to, but it works fine in mixed drinks and is a great complement to my Turkish coffee liqueur in making my signature Turcs Noirs....

[ChrisTaylor]

Last night, The Persecuted Gentleman (speculation as to why I chose that one would probably be pointless).  Very nice, and to me reminiscent of Rafa's famous The Man Comes Around.  Probably something to do with the Cynar and Fernet, although the Gentleman has rye to the Man's Mezcal, and one or two, or three, other differences.  However, those who have taken any notice at all of my posts in the Drinks topics will appreciate that the comparison represents high praise.

 

The creator suggests dropping back the Fernet if the menthol is too strong.  I liked the specified half ounce but knowing Wifey's views on Fernet I gave her a modified version and received no complaints.

 

I just made this using almost the last of my Wild Turkey 101 and some KWV 10. It's a beast.

[Czequershuus]

I have been playing around with my bottle of Pelinkovac over the past few evenings. It is quite bitter and fairly dry, and I wanted to play around with something a bit Negroni like, but not on the exact template. Because the Pelinkovac is less sweet than Campari, I switched out the Sweet Vermouth for a liqueur. I had plenty of Cointreau, and the orange flavor worked well with the Pelinkovac, so I went with that. 

 

For each drink I went with the formula of equal parts spirit, Pelinkovac, Cointreau (1/2 oz each part)

 

I tried it with Gin(Beefeater, Dry Rye), White Whiskey (Buffalo Trace), and Brandy (Ansac VS Cognac)

 

The clear winner was, rather surprisingly, Brandy. The richness worked well with the bitter Croatian liqueur. The London Dry gin was the least pleasant, something in the botanicals clashed to much. 

[JoNorvelleWalker]

Long hard day.  Hot.  Margaritas tonight.  2013 Ocho los Fresnos plata/Cointreau/fresh lime 2:1:1.  Lovely.

[KD1191]

Picked up a bottle of Lillet Rosé today. Been experimenting with it and RinQuinQuin a la Pêche...they play nicely modified with a splash of lemonade or sparkling water. A delicious way to spend an afternoon.

[JoNorvelleWalker]

Is it just me, or is the problem with margaritas that it doesn't seem like one has had anything to drink?  The Ocho margaritas were very good.  I then switched to Patron anejo.  In comparison the Patron is a little bit too smooth, and at 2:1:1 I think Ocho plata works better.

 

Baking bread and thus dinner won't be ready for a while, so switching back to Ocho in the meantime.  Thankful for little peanuts.

[Katie Meadow]

Trying to use my plum shrub up as well as some ice tea since I am leaving town for a few days, so I made a Bourbon Black Tea Shrub Cocktail. Don't remember where I got the recipe--I didn't make it up. Never have bourbon but always have rye, so this is my recipe:

 

1.5 oz rye

1.5 oz black tea

1 oz Cocchi Americano  (I used what I had, which is Torino)

1/2 oz shrub

squirt of lime juice

 

I liked it, husband not so much, but then I drink a lot of black tea and he doesn't. Coulda maybe used a teeny bit more shrub and maybe even a little simple syrup. Then it would be a Rye Sweet Tea Shrub Cocktail. Awfully klutzy names for a drink.

 

Never heard of Rinquinquin before. Isn't that a German Shepherd? 

[KD1191]

Never heard of Rinquinquin before. Isn't that a German Shepherd? 

 

It's an aperitif from Provence, made from peaches and their leaves with a white wine base. It's bottled at 15% ABV and I've found it can be used like a vermouth, but works best where you might be looking for a fruitier result.

[tanstaafl2]

It's an aperitif from Provence, made from peaches and their leaves with a white wine base. It's bottled at 15% ABV and I've found it can be used like a vermouth, but works best where you might be looking for a fruitier result.

 

It often seems to get placed in the"Vin de Liqueur" category that includes fun things like Pineau des Charentes, Floc de Gascogne, Ratafia de Champagne, Cartagène de Languedoc and Macvin du Jura but the addition of the peach components makes it sound a bit different and rather interesting.

 

Unfortunately I have never seen it in the US and as a vin de liqueur fan I have looked!

Edited July 14, 2014 by tanstaafl2 (log)

[KD1191]

Unfortunately I have never seen it in the US and as a vin de liqueur fan I have looked!

 

I'll be no help here, as mine came from the Fauchon near Madeleine in Paris.

[FrogPrincesse]

Fauchon - nice.

 

Last night, the Noah Calhoun cocktail (apparently another Ryan Gosling reference, although I haven't seen the movie in question) by John Mayer & co, courtesy of cocktail virgin slut: equal parts bourbon (Blanton's single barrel), cognac (Pierre Ferrand 1840), amaro Montenegro, with a dash of Bittercube cherry bark vanilla bitters.

 

The Montenegro contributed a lot of spice and fruit, mostly orange and mandarin peel. Very likeable.

 

 

 

 

[FrogPrincesse]

From the long weekend a couple of weeks ago.

A perfect Gin and Tonic with Sipsmith London dry gin and Fever-Tree tonic water.

 

 

A Queen's Park Swizzle with El Dorado 8 demerara rum, lime juice, demerara syrup, mint, Peychaud's and Angostura bitters.

 

It was my first time trying the El Dorado 8 (I have tried the 3, 5, and the 12). I picked that up when I realized it was actually cheaper than the 5 ($18 vs. $19). It makes a great swizzle. Neat, it's infinitely better than the 5. I don't think the 5 makes a good sipping rum although I like it for mixing. With the 8 you are getting there with some really nice caramel and raisin notes, and it does not seem to get lost in mixed drinks like the 12. Tiare has a detailed review of this rum on her blog from a few years ago.

 

 

 

[Hassouni]

That swizzle is one of my all-time favorite drinks. Cheers!

[Hassouni]

Is it just me, or is the problem with margaritas that it doesn't seem like one has had anything to drink?  

 

Try a 4 oz pour

[Rafa]

That swizzle is one of my all-time favorite drinks. Cheers!

 

Ditto, and so sexy-looking when made right. Also a good transitional drink for people looking to expand their boundaries beyond Mojitos. 

[Hassouni]

Hey now, ain't nuffin wrong with a well-made mojito!

[Rafa]

Nothing at all. One of my favorite summer drinks. But it's good to introduce people to equally delicious/accessible drinks that they haven't heard of  .