This Manhattan combines the spice of good Bourbon, the rich, earthy Carpano Antica’s tastes of herbs, spice, and slight bitterness, with the added touch of sweetness from the Grand Marnier… all enhanced with the warming notes of Doc Elliott’s Mixology^TM Walnut Bitters.  If this is a bit too sweet on the finish for your taste, add 1 – 2 drops Doc Elliott’s Mixology^TM Actually Bitter Orange Bitters.

Ingredients

• 2 oz Bourbon
• 1 oz Carpano Antica
• ¼ oz Grand Marnier
• 2 dashes Doc Elliott’s Mixology^TM Walnut Bitters
• 1 – 2 Drops Doc Elliott’s Mixology^TM Actually Bitter Orange Bitters (Optional to taste)
• Brandied Cherry for garnish
• Orange peel for garnish

Instructions

1. Chill a cocktail glass with ice and water
2. Combine all ingredients, except the garnishes, in a mixing glass with ice and stir to combine and chill
3. Double strain into chilled cocktail glass
4. Add the cherry, express the orange peel over the drink and float the peel

Cheers!

A low alcohol treat….the fruity richness of Carpano with spicy rye and a touch of coffee, pecans & chocolate.  Perfect on a crisp Autumn evening!

• 2 oz. Italian Vermouth such as Carpano Antica
• 1 oz. Rye Whiskey
• 1 Bar spoon Coffee Liqueur
• 1 Dash Doc Elliott’s Coffee Pecan Bitters
• Maraschino cherry for garnish

1. Chill a cocktail glass with ice and water
2. Combine first 3 ingredients in a mixing glass with ice & stir to chill
3. Strain into chilled glass
4. Garnish with the maraschino cherry

Cheers!

Even if you do not play the Pipes or wear a kilt, Burn’s Night is another good reason to raise a glass.  Here are two Scotch cocktails to help celebrate the Baird.

Blood, Smoke and Sand

This cocktail is simply a Blood and Sand with a little smokey twist.  According to an article by Gary Regan, the Blood and Sand first appeared in Harry Craddock’s The Savoy Cocktail Book and was probably named after the 1922 silent movie.  History aside, the Blood and Sand is an elegantly simple cocktail.  It is equal parts scotch, Cherry Herring, sweet vermouth, and orange juice, shaken and served straight up.  You can change the flavor of this drink a little by switching around different types of vermouth but the key ingredient is scotch.  I prefer a Highland Single Malt or a smooth blend for this cocktail.  The complexities of a Speyside are lost in this drink and an Islay can be over powering, but a touch of smoke is a great addition.  This version of a Blood and Sand gets that smokey twist from a mist of Laphroig as a garnish.  Just fill an atomizer with Laphroaig and you’re good to go.

• 3/4 oz. Monkey Shoulder Blended Scotch
• 3/4 oz. Cherry Herring
• 3/4 oz. Carpano Antica Sweet Vermouth
• 3/4 oz. Fresh Orange Juice
• Mist of Laphroaig Single Malt Scotch
• Orange peel for garnish

1. Chill a cocktail glass with ice and water
2. Combine first 4 ingredients in a shaker with ice and shake to chill
3. Double strain in to the chilled cocktail glass
4. Express the orange peel over the drink and float the peel
5. Apply 2 or 3 mists of Laphroaig from the atomizer over the drink
6. Serve immediately

The Rusty Nail

I have seen Rusty Nail recipes use anywhere from 4:1 Scotch:Drambuie to 1:1.  Since the exact ratio is variable, you should get a decent cocktail even from an inexperienced bartender.  In addition, you can add bitters and/or a twist of lemon.  Muddle a lemon peel and bitters in an old-fashioned glass, and then builds the drink  adding ice, Scotch and Drambuie.  This is my version of this cocktail:

• 1 1/2 oz. Monkey Shoulder Blended Scotch
• 3/4 oz. Drambuie
• 1 dash Dale DeGroff’s Pimento Bitters – optional
• 1 lemon peel – optional

1. Chill an Old Fashioned Glass with ice and water
2. Combine the Scotch, Drambuie and bitters (if using) in a mixing glass with ice and stir to chill
3. Strain into chilled glass over a large fresh ice cube
4. Express the lemon peel over the cocktail and discard the peel.

I like adding the bitters.  They decrease the sweetness of the Drambuie without detracting from its flavors.  The lemon peel adds further complexity.

So, a fresh glass, a chunk of ice, some Scotch and a little Drambuie – you’re good to go!!

The Smokin’ Nail

For a twist on the Rusty Nail, try smoking the cocktail with Chai Tea.  The smoked chai tea really plays along with the background Drambuie. In addition, your guests will be impressed!  This requires a Smoke Gun.

Smokin’ Nail

• 2 ozs. Scotch
• 1/2 ozs. Drambuie
• 1 lemon zest
• 1 dash Jerry Thomas Bitters – sub Angostura
• 1 tsp. Chai tea

1. Smoke tea in gun with the tube placed in a lidded decanter.  When decanter is full of smoke, remove smoke tube and seal.
2. Chill a single old fashioned glass with ice and water.
3. In a mixing glass, muddle lemon zest with the Drambuie and bitters
4. Add Scotch and ice.  Stir to chill.  Strain into smoke filled bottle and reseal.  Give the drink a few good shakes in the smokey bottle.
5. Pour drink over fresh ice in the chilled old fashioned glass.
6. You can use the smokey bottle for 2 or 3 drinks.

Cheers!

This is a rich, bittersweet version of an Irish coffee.  I’ve used coffee syrup, which is easy to make and works much better than hot brewed coffee in cold cocktails.  The flavors are coffee first with a background of bittersweet and a creamy texture.

• 2 oz. Cold brewed coffee syrup – see below
• 1 oz Irish whiskey – I used Tullamore Dew Special Reserve 12 yr.
• 1 oz. Licor 43
• 1/2 oz Montenegro
• 1/2 oz 2:1 Simple syrup
• 1/2 oz Cream
• Coffee beans for garnish

1. Chill a large Coup with ice and water
2. Combine all ingredients, except garnish, in a cocktail shaker with ice
3. Shake to chill
4. Double strain into chilled glass
5. Allow the foam to rise to the top for 15-20 seconds then carefully drop three coffee beans on top for garnish

Cheers!

Bourbon goes with many things, but apples, cinnamon and chocolate top my pairings list.   For the bourbon in this cocktail, I used Ranger Creek’s .36 Texas Straight Bourbon Whiskey which gently nips but doesn’t bite.  It brings the flavors of vanilla, cinnamon and a touch of oak.  If you choose a different bourbon, I suggest something that isn’t overly smooth.  I used Bigallet China-China Amer as a modifier.  Alone, this liqueur tastes of bitter orange, citrus, and cherries with an earthy, root touch similar to cola, (think bourbon and coke).  I added the bitters for complexity and to introduce chocolate, additional cinnamon and a bit of dried fruit from the fig bitters.

John Dandy

The nose of this Manhattan-esque cocktail is bright orange, fruit, vanilla and cinnamon.  The initial flavors are apple, vanilla with a touch of oak, followed by chocolate, dried fruit and a bit of spice.  The earthy tone comes late and the finish is fruit, spice, cinnamon and vanilla.  As noted below, don’t get this cocktail too sweet.

• 1 oz. Bourbon
• 1 oz. Laird’s Applejack
• 1/4 oz. Bigallet China-China Amer
• 1-2 dashes 2:1 Demerara simple syrup – depending on the sweetness of your maraschino cherries
• 1 dash Fees Brothers Aztec Chocolate Bitters
• 1 dash Brooklyn Hemispherical Black Mission Fig Bitters
• Orange peel for garnish
• Maraschino cherry for garnish

1. Chill a coup or other stemmed cocktail glass with ice and water
2. Combine all of the ingredients except the garnishes in a mixing glass with ice
3. Stir to chill and strain into chilled glass
4. Express orange peel and discard
5. Add cherry

Cheers!

Mixology Monday

Slán, in Gaelic, roughly translates to “goodby”.  That is the theme for this Month’s Mixology Monday.  It’s over.  It’s done.  Kaput.  So now is goodby to the World’s Best Online Cocktail Party. Hosted by our leader and fearless cat herder, Frederic Yarm of the Cocktail Virgin Slut blog, the actual theme for the final Mixology Monday is the Irish Wake.  A most appropriate way to say, “Slán”

Wow! Mixology Monday I, April, 2006.  Almost 11 years ago.  Back then, you probably had a Motorola RAZR with 5 MB of memory and a VGA camera.  Trendy people had a Nokia Chocolate.  Or, if you were into taking pictures, you might have had a Sony Erickson with a whopping 3.0 megapixel camera!  You listened to music on your iPod but there were no iPhones.  No. 9 Park, Milk & Honey, Employees Only and Bourbon & Branch were cranking out the cocktails we love, but they weren’t using St. Germain.  It would be a year before that was introduced.  How things change.

It would be interesting to know how many cocktails were posted and how many individuals participated in the 115 Mixology Mondays since April, 2006.  I’ve participated for only a little over 2 years.  I’ve always looked forward to it and had the privilege of hosting twice.  I will miss Mixology Monday.

For me, toasting to someone’s memory calls for a shot. Unfortunately, I have raised a glass for several family members and friends that left us.  Some were far too young.  The one Mixology Monday I missed over the past two years was when a close friend died and I wasn’t feeling too creative.  But an essential part of a wake is to celebrate the life that’s ended.

I find that creating a new shot is a bit difficult.  While you can sip a shot, they are by nature made to be downed quickly.  This means that you’re not going to savor the flavors.  So subtlety is out the window.  Plus, shots are generally not served cold.  This means that sweet, sour and salt are dramatically different.

I usually try not to get too esoteric or or use a bunch of ingredients in my cocktails.  This time I’ve done both.  The Slán combines Irish whiskey, fernet, blood orange liqueur, Pineau des Charentes and Punt e Mes infused with coffee and roasted cocoa nibs.  The infusion only took an hour, but it does need to be made in advance.  When you offer someone a shot, it matters how much effort you put into its preparation.

Slán

All of these ingredients are very good as stand alone drinks.  I think that Jameson has developed some really amazing whiskeys and their Black Barrel is one of the best.  The Luxardo Fernet is one of my favorites.  It is a touch sweeter than most.  I had to mess with the Punt e Mes adding coffee and a touch of chocolate.  I’ve only recently started using Solerno, but I’m intrigued with the blood orange.  The Penau des Charence adds a touch of sweetness and richness from the cognac.

Even though this is a shot and goes down quickly, there is a lot going on.  The nose is Irish Whiskey, with the distinct caramel and malt of the Black Barrel, there is also vanilla and herbs.  The taste is caramel and toffee from the Jameson with sweetness from the Penau with a background of bitterness from the Punt e Mes and the Fernet.  There is also coffee, orange and touch of woodiness from the Jameson and the Fernet, especially on the finish.  Here’s the recipe:

• 1 1/2 oz. Jameson Black Barrel Irish Whiskey
• 1/4 oz. Coffee & Roasted Cocoa Nib Infused Punt e Mes – see below
• 1/4 oz. Penau des Charence
• 1/8 oz. Luxardo Fernet
• 1/8 oz. Solerno Blood Orange Liqueur

1. Combine all ingredients in a mixing glass with 1 or 2 ice cubes.
2. Stir to chill slightly
3. Strain into 2 shot glasses

Punt e Mes Infused with Coffee and Roasted Cocoa Nibs

• 250 ml (8 oz) Punt e Mes plus more for diluting
• 30 gm Cracked Black Coffee Beans
• 3 Tbl Cocoa Nibs

1. Heat the oven to 325
2. Line a sheet pan with aluminum foil and scatter the cocoa nibs across the pan.
3. Roast in the oven until they smell like fresh brownies – about 10 min
4. Crack the coffee beans in a mortar and pestle or a baggie and rolling pin
5. In a lidded glass jar, combine all of the ingredients and allow to infuse for 1 hr.
6. Strain through a metal coffee filter and then through a paper coffee filter
7. Taste and dilute with additional Punt e Mes to taste.  I added an additional 1/2 by volume.
8. Keeps refrigerated for a few weeks.

So here is to all of those who followed or contributed to this and all of the Mixology Mondays past:

May the road rise up to meet you, and the wind be at your back.

May the best of your past be the worst of your future.

Sláinte!

Mixology Monday

I love bitter!  So, naturally, I love this theme! I think the amari and other digestifs add an amazing complexity to any style of cocktail, (well, I haven’t tried it with Tiki drinks – yet!)  This month we have two cocktails to offer.  We obviously have the Holidays in mind as these are both rich and creamy drinks!

Danny Boy

This is a rich, bittersweet version of an Irish coffee.  I’ve used coffee syrup, which is easy to make and works much better than hot brewed coffee in cold cocktails.  The flavors are coffee first with a background of bittersweet and a creamy texture.

• 2 oz. Cold brewed coffee syrup – see below
• 1 oz Irish whiskey – I used Tullamore Dew Special Reserve 12 yr.
• 1 oz. Licor 43
• 1/2 oz Montenegro
• 1/2 oz 2:1 Simple syrup
• 1/2 oz Cream
• Coffee beans for garnish

1. Chill a large Coup with ice and water
2. Combine all ingredients, except garnish, in a cocktail shaker with ice
3. Shake to chill
4. Double strain into chilled glass
5. Allow the foam to rise to the top for 15-20 seconds then carefully drop three coffee beans on top for garnish

Coffee Amaro Flip

I think that Flips, in all of their forms, are an interesting type of cocktail.  This drink is kind of a grownup eggnog – rich and creamy but not cloyingly sweet, with a bittersweet component which creates an intricate cocktail that speaks rum, coffee and the deep, earthy flavors of Amaro Nino.

• 2 oz White rum – I used Treaty Oak
• 1 oz. Amaro Nino
• 3/4 oz Cream
• 1/2 oz 2:1 Simple Syrup
• 1/2 oz Coffee Liqueur – I used Starbucks
• 1 Lg Egg

1. Chill a large Coup with ice and water
2. Combine all ingredients in a shaker without ice and dry shake for 30 seconds (Make 4 of these and you can have an extra slice of pie!)
3. Add ice to the shaker and shake to chill
4. Double strain into chilled glass
5. Allow the foam to rise to the top for 15-20 seconds then grate a little nutmeg on the top.

Cold Brewed Coffee Syrup

Making a cold syrup concentrates the flavors of the coffee.  Definitely use a coffee you like to drink!  We use a dark roast from Starbucks.

• 3 1/2 cups coarsely ground coffee
• 5 cups water

1. Combine coffee and water in a container stir well and let sit for 12 hours at room temperature.
2. Strain, first through a fine mesh filter, then through a paper filter
3. Keeps refrigerated for 1-2 weeks

Cheers!

Mixology Monday

It’s already Mixology Monday for October!  This Month we are hosted by Frederic of the  Cocktail Virgin and the theme is “Mashups.”  The challenge is to combine 2 cocktails into one Monster.  I started thinking of Scotch drinks, but nothing seemed to be anything special.  Looking at the Blood and Sand, a cocktail made with equal parts Scotch, Cherry Heering, Sweet Vermouth and Orange Juice, I was reminded of several other equal parts cocktails.  These included the Last Word, the Negroni, the Corpse Reviver,  the Vieux Carré (sort of) and the Blood and Sand.   I played around a bit and settled on “Monster Mashing” the Corpse Reviver (No 2) and the Blood and Sand.

As noted above the Blood and Sand, which was named after the popular movie of 1922, is made with equal parts Scotch, Cherry Heering, Sweet Vermouth and Orange Juice.  The Corpse Reviver (No 2), which dates back to Harry Craddock, is made with equal parts gin, maraschino liqueur, Lillet, and lemon juice with a dash or wash of Chartreuse.  My initial attempt was to use the Blood and Sand recipe and substitute gin for the Scotch and lemon juice for the orange juice.  so the drink was:

• Gin
• Cherry Heering
• Sweet Vermouth
• Lemon Juice

This drink was good but was pretty much Cherry Heering with citrus and some other background flavors.  So I decided to use maraschino liqueur rather than the Cherry Heering.  This works very well.  The herbals of the gin and vermouth are allowed to come through, but it’s really just a Corpse Reviver with sweet vermouth instead of Lillet.  So I decided to bring back the Scotch.  I did this with a Scotch wash and a shot back.  Now the Scotch plays along in the background bringing back the Blood and Sand like that other voice in the monster’s head!  Serving the Scotch along on the side re-enforces it’s presence as you enjoy the cocktail.

The Corpse in the Sand (No 2)

• 3/4 oz. London Dry Gin
• 3/4 oz. Luxardo Maraschino Liqueur
• 3/4 oz. Sweet Vermouth – I used Dolin
• 3/4 oz. Fresh lemon juice
• 1 – 1 1/2 oz. Single Malt Scotch – I used Cragganmore a Speyside Scotch.  I wouldn’t suggest anything too peaty or smokey.

1. Chill a cocktail glass with ice and water
2. Pour the Scotch into a Shaker tin with enough ice to chill the whole cocktail.  Stir briefly to coat the ice and slightly chill and dilute the Scotch.
3. Strain the scotch into a whiskey or shot glass and set aside
4. Add the remaining ingredients to the shaker and shake to chill.
5. Double strain into the chilled cocktail glass.
6. Serve the cocktail with the Scotch along side.

Cheers!

Mixology Monday

It’s Mixology Monday May 2016!  This month’s theme, hosted by Nick of the Booze Barn, is “Dry.”  Around here, we like dry, (maybe why we live in South Texas)!    The idea this month is to make a cocktail using a dry base spirit with no more than 10% sweetener/juice and 10% fortified wine, or no sweetener and 20% fortified wine.  The word “Dry” immediately brought to mind a local distillery here, but I’ll come back to that in moment.  I’m going to start with an Old Fashioned.

Speaking of preferring dry cocktails, I make Old Fashioneds bitters forward with minimal sweetener.  After reading the requirements for this theme, I got to thinking about how often I have difficulty making drinks sweet enough for some people.  The classic Old Fashioned is a bit sweet.  Most of my Old Fashioned recipes call for 1/4 – 1/2 tsp sweetener such as simple or honey syrup or agave in a 2 ounce pour with 2-3 dashes of bitters.  This is less than half of the above requirements for this theme.  So here is one of my favorites, the Apple Old Fashioned:

Apple Old Fashioned

This cocktail combines spicy Rye with a hint of apple from the bitters.  Add to that a touch of smooth honey syrup and you have a drink that is light on the tongue but still bitters forward.  You may want to adjust the ratio of bitters to syrup depending on your taste, but this month keep it dry!

Notice that this is essentially a built cocktail.  I stir it in a mixing glass without ice to combine the ingredients prior to pouring it over a large ice cube in an un-chilled single old fashioned.  Similar to scotch on the rocks.  Initially the flavors will be strong with very little dilution.  As you sip the cocktail and gently swirl it, the drink will chill and dilute.

• 2 oz. Rye whiskey such as Templeton or Sazarac
• 1 generous dash of Bar Keep Apple Bitters
• 1/2 tsp of honey syrup (1 part honey, 1 part water)
• Lemon peel for garnish

1. Combine the rye, bitters and honey syrup in a mixing glass without ice.  Stir to combine.
2. Pour over a large ice cube in an un-chilled single old fashioned.
3. Express the oil from the lemon peel and drop it into the drink.

Desert Kiss

When I’m thinking of combining a base spirit, especially gin, with a liqueur, I usually go first to the ‘Golden Ratio’ of 1 1/2 spirit: 3/4 fortified wine: 1/4 liqueur.  With the requirements for this month’s MxMo, I decided to mess with one of my favorites: Gin, Bianco vermouth and Chartreuse.  Reducing both the vermouth and Chartreuse really alters the drink in a very good way.  There is London Dry Gin, the unmistakably qualities of the vermouth and the herbal notes of the Chartreuse.  Add a little lemon oil and the fragrance of sage and it’s all good!

• 1 1/2 oz. London Dry Gin
• 1/4 oz. Carpano Bianco Vermouth
• 1 tsp Chartreuse
• Lemon peel and fresh sage leaf for garnish

1. Chill a cocktail glass with ice and water
2. Combine the gin, vermouth and Chartreuse in a mixing glass with ice and stir to chill
3. Strain into chilled glass
4. Express the lemon peel over the drink and discard
5. Spank the sage leaf in your palms and float it on the drink

Now, back to my comment above that the word “Dry” immediately brought to mind a local distillery here in San Antonio.  Dorçol Distillery, located in Southtown has been making an apricot brandy or ‘Rakia.’  The nose on their Kinsman Rakia is, as you would expect, sweet and fruity just like a brandy should be.  But, it is bone dry.  I even measure the brix and it came in between vodka and London Dry gin.  I obviously like their product.  Added to that, is my appreciation for what these guys are doing with the community, helping to revitalize an historic part of the City.  They have a small bar at their distillery which is quickly becoming a serious attraction.  Among the many offerings is a Rakia Martini:

Rakia Martini

This cocktail has the dry fruity apricot flavor of the rakia which is enhanced by the herbal notes of Lillet.

• 2 oz. Kinsman Rakia
• 1/2 oz. Lillet

1. Chill a cocktail glass with ice and water
2. Combine the Rakia and Lillet in a mixing glass with ice and stir to chill
3. Strain into chilled glass
4. Ask your liquor store to order some Kinsman Rakia

Cheers!