Cynar

[FrogPrincesse]

My cocktail last night was the Bitter Giuseppe. Less bitter than I remembered. This is the version published earlier this year in Imbibe magazine, which differs from the one in beta cocktails with an increased amount of sweet vermouth (1 oz vs. 3/4 oz), orange bitters (6 dashes vs. 2), and lemon juice (1/4 oz). This updated version is also included in the Art of Shim.

Stephen Cole uses Carpano Antica Formula, but it's very good too with Cocchi vermouth di Torino, which plays well with the chocolate notes in Cynar.

[FrogPrincesse]

As one Does, I found myself in the mood for something bitter again last night after a long day at work, so I went for this Joaquin Simó creation found in the Kindred Cocktails database. Cynar, blanco tequila, Fernet-Branca, mole bitters, mint. It's a low-alcohol drink that goes down easily. The bitterness is very apparent at first, but then the accent ingredients pull all the other notes from the Cynar.

 

 

[Tri2Cook]

As one Does, I found myself in the mood for something bitter again last night after a long day at work, so I went for this Joaquin Simó creation found in the Kindred Cocktails database. Cynar, blanco tequila, Fernet-Branca, mole bitters, mint. It's a low-alcohol drink that goes down easily. The bitterness is very apparent at first, but then the accent ingredients pull all the other notes from the Cynar.

That sounds tasty. Unfortunately, no mint in the house and I'm feeling way too lazy to go to the store tonight. Definitely adding it to the list though.

 

[Czequershuus]

I was looking for a nice egg white cocktail the other day, and my eye landed on the Cynar heavy Two from L.A.

 

Two from L.A. (Link)

2 Oz Cynar

1 Oz No. 3 Dry Gin (Beefeater)

0.5 Oz Green Chartreuse

2 ds Orange Bitters (Reagan's)

1 Egg White

Dry shake then shake with ice, strain into a rocks glass and garnish with an orange twist.

 

Exactly what I wanted. The Cynar is dominant, with the Chartreuse adding a pleasantly spicy tinge, and the Gin drying the whole thing out. The orange bitters are noticeable mostly on the nose. A smooth, creamy, bitter way to enjoy ones day off.

[Czequershuus]

Found this very interesting Cynar drink on Cocktail Virgin Slut. 

 

Joan Miro (Link)

1.5 Oz Cynar

1.5 Oz Dry Vermouth

0.5 Oz St. Germain

0.5 Oz Lime Juice

1 inch piece of Celery

Muddle celery, add other ingredients and shake with ice. Strain over fresh ice into a rocks glass rimmed with celery salt ginger honey crystals(omitted, because who had time to make something that specific. Although it does sound yummy)

 

I love this drink. The muddle celery really come through in the aroma. It fades into the back ground on the sip, where the Cynar takes over, though it is muted by the dry vermout. It is a very well balanced drink.

Edited March 29, 2014 by Czequershuus (log)

[FrogPrincesse]

Martinez variation with Cynar, the Grand Street from Death & Co (mentioned upthread). Which, I just realized, is more or less the same thing as Chris Hannah's Amertinez.

 

Gin (Beefeater), sweet vermouth (Punt e Mes), Cynar, maraschino liqueur, grapefruit twist.

 

Ratios for the Grand Street (which will have to be confirmed once the book comes out): 2 / 0.5 / 0.25 / 0.25

Ratios for the Amertinez: 1.25 / 0.67 / 0.67 / 0.25. So it's much lighter on the gin, plus it has the orange bitters & orange twist.

 

I liked it too, at least I am consistent. I tasted grapefruit followed by bitter caramel undertones from the Cynar.

 

 

 

Edited May 23, 2014 by FrogPrincesse (log)

[Hassouni]

That looks awesome for a warm day like today!

[FrogPrincesse]

To Hell with Spain (Ira Koplowitz and Nicholas Kosevich): Cynar, cherry liqueur (Luxardo), rye (Rittenhouse bottled in bond - bottle is nearly empty, the horror..), lemon juice, cherry bark vanilla bitters (Bittercube), absinthe (St. George). (Thanks Rafa for having already added it to the database! You're fast.)

 

 

Like a slightly bitter maraschino cherry. It's a lighter/aperitif version of Remember the Maine with Cynar as the main player. Good stuff.

[mkayahara]

I get really annoyed by recipes that call for only 1/4 oz. of lemon juice... it's fine if you're a bar, since you've probably pre-juiced your citrus and stored it in bottles before service anyway, but at home, the smallest amount I can reasonably juice is half a lemon, which yields way more than 1/4 oz. I rarely drink more than one cocktail a night these days, which means the rest of the juice just goes to waste.

 

Still, it sounds like a good drink, and I'll probably try it.

[Rafa]

To Hell with Spain (Ira Koplowitz and Nicholas Kosevich): Cynar, cherry liqueur (Luxardo), rye (Rittenhouse bottled in bond - bottle is nearly empty, the horror..), lemon juice, cherry bark vanilla bitters (Bittercube), absinthe (St. George). (Thanks Rafa for having already added it to the database! You're fast.)

 

 

Like a slightly bitter maraschino cherry. It's a lighter/aperitif version of Remember the Maine with Cynar as the main player. Good stuff.

 

I actually made this independently after trying the same pair's Suze Bramble, and I agree with your notes. Along with the Remember the Maine it reminded me a bit of a Little Giuseppe, albeit with fairly different ingredients.

[FrogPrincesse]

Great minds...

[FrogPrincesse]

I get really annoyed by recipes that call for only 1/4 oz. of lemon juice... it's fine if you're a bar, since you've probably pre-juiced your citrus and stored it in bottles before service anyway, but at home, the smallest amount I can reasonably juice is half a lemon, which yields way more than 1/4 oz. I rarely drink more than one cocktail a night these days, which means the rest of the juice just goes to waste.

 

Still, it sounds like a good drink, and I'll probably try it.

This was a 1/2 recipe, so it ended up being just a little squeeze of lemon. That does not bother me - I just wrap the lemon in plastic wrap and I use it in another cocktail the next day, or in some dish that I am cooking.

[Hassouni]

I on the other hand, If I'm not planning to make another drink, drink the remaining juice of the lemon half neat....

[Rafa]

Pfft. Show off. 

 

Be right back, I'm off to shoot an equal parts shot of lemon juice and Angostura, or a "Hassouni," as it's known in the biz.

[Plantes Vertes]

I just eat the lemon, skin and all. Then I neck the rest of the bottle and punch through a wall.

 

Or, I cut a 1/4 lemon to squeeze and store the rest in the fridge.

 

It depends on my mood

[Tri2Cook]

Be right back, I'm off to shoot an equal parts shot of lemon juice and Angostura, or a "Hassouni," as it's known in the biz.

Is it wrong that that actually sounds kinda tasty to me?

Edited to add: Well, maybe with a touch of simple as well.

 

Edited June 2, 2014 by Tri2Cook (log)

[Rafa]

You're welcome to make one and report back. Alternative name is the Zellweger.

[Hassouni]

Lemon, Ango, and simple sounds divine. Except to really be a Hassouni it would have to be my proprietary Arabian Bitters (still under experimentation...)

 

Honestly the problem with cutting quarter lemons is that sometimes that isn't enough, and then you have a weird 270º (but spherical...how does that work) lemon to wrap, which never holds.

Edited June 3, 2014 by Hassouni (log)

[Rafa]

I actually like a Rickey with half an ounce of the gin replaced with Angostura and a ton of soda, no simple required. Toss a couple of cucumber slices into the tin while you're shaking and you're gold.

 

Oh, and a bunch of Cynar, just to stay on topic. 

Edited June 3, 2014 by Rafa (log)

[EvergreenDan]

Matthew, I buy small lemons at Trader Joe's. I can cut off just what I think I'll need and squeeze that, including just 1/4 oz. What you juice doesn't have to be a nice half. Alternatively, put the rest in a tumber, add seltzer, and enjoy with dinner?

 

What I hate is having to buy a 750ml bottle of something that's a lifetime supply (like Violette, since 1/2 tsp is about all I can take in an Aviation).

[FrogPrincesse]

Cynar That Time We Last Drank Manhattans? - from the Drinks thread.

 

Cynar That Time We Last Drank Manhattans?

2.0oz Cynar
1.5oz Punt e Mes
1.0oz High Rye Bourbon, I used Benchmark by Buffalo Trace
0.5oz Maraschino Luxardo
3 hearty dashes of Bitter Truth chocolate (very full bottle)

Stirred and served on rock.

Actually, I'm not sure if this is even an original recipe and don't really care. Either way, it's a punchy drink that isn't as boozy as you'd think by drinking it.

 

 

The entry is sweet and chocolatey and not just from the bitters; the combination highlights the cocoa notes in the Cynar. Then the bourbon takes the stage, together with a very pleasant crisp refreshing taste from the Punt & maraschino. The Son of a Bourye from High West, which is a blend of bourbon & rye, was a good fit. The finish of the drink has a bitter edge that makes you go back for another sip. My kind of drink, totally.

 

As far as the drink being an original recipe, the closest thing I could find is Toby Maloney’s Maloney No. 2, but it’s much lighter on the Cynar with the vermouth as Cocchi VdT and no mole bitters, therefore a different result overall.

 

Well done for an apéritif-style cocktail. These are not easy to get right.

[FrogPrincesse]

All this talk about Fernet just makes me crave it more. This cocktail only has a touch of it but you can definitely taste it in the finish. I doubled the amount that was called for, because I wanted to make sure to feel it.

 

 

None More Black: bourbon (Buffalo trace), Cynar, Aperol, Fernet-Branca, chocolate bitters (Bitter Truth xocolatl mole), coffee.

 

It tastes like very strong coffee in booze form. I need to try this on my friends who still drink espresso martinis, although the bitterness may surprise them. It's pretty Fernet-light to my taste buds though; I think I am practically ready for Fernet shots at this point.

Edited August 29, 2014 by FrogPrincesse (log)

[FrogPrincesse]

Casino Soul (Mike Treffehn): demerara rum (El Dorado 12), cynar, white vermouth (Dolin). At first it was too sweet, but it grew on me. The name is a bit confusing because the cocktail bears no resemblance to a Casino Cocktail. It seems related to the Right Hand, the Negroni twist with aged rum.

 

 

[KD1191]

All this talk about Fernet just makes me crave it more. This cocktail only has a touch of it but you can definitely taste it in the finish. I doubled the amount that was called for, because I wanted to make sure to feel it.

 

 

None More Black: bourbon (Buffalo trace), Cynar, Aperol, Fernet-Branca, chocolate bitters (Bitter Truth xocolatl mole), coffee.

 

It tastes like very strong coffee in booze form. I need to try this on my friends who still drink espresso martinis, although the bitterness may surprise them. It's pretty Fernet-light to my taste buds though; I think I am practically ready for Fernet shots at this point.

This is really delicious. I used 'espresso' off the AeroPress for the coffee, Elmer T. Lee bourbon, Gran Classico in lieu of Aperol (I'm out), and Mozart Chocolate Bitters. The best coffee cocktail I've had in years.

[FrogPrincesse]

Glad you enjoyed it!

 

Tonight I had a Choke Artist with Cynar, añejo tequila (Siete Leguas), fino sherry (Lustau Jarana), orange bitters (Regan's). It starts slightly salty and bitter, continues with some wood and pepper from the tequila. The finish is surprising - very long and dry, with even more bitterness. Some drinks with Cynar can be a tad heavy/sweet, but this one was really light and interesting.