Two At The Most

Today I had the pleasure to learn about Armagnac from some of the world’s foremost experts, and more importantly, taste several excellent examples.

Dale DeGroff was the moderator, and kept the session fun and on track. Alain Royer started off with a brief overview of how Armagnac is made. Cognac is known for being highly influenced by the chalky soils of its region. Bas-Armagnac has clay-sand soils that lead to light, fruity brandies. Armagnac-Ténarèze has clay and limestone soils which leads to more … Continue Reading

While the production of brandy in the Armagnac region of France precedes that of Cognac, it is barely known outside of its home country. On July 23rd, moderator Dale DeGroff and panelists will help bridge that gap at Tales of the Cocktail in the seminar Armagnac, France’s First Brandy.

Alain Royer, a native of Cognac, is the founder and former owner of A. de Fussigny, and now brings the Armagnacs of Château du Busca to the United States. He will explain the long history of the original brandy.

Philippe Gironi is a roving distiller, and this … Continue Reading

Mixology Monday is here again, and this month is being hosted by one of my favorite Seattle bartenders, Kevin Langmack.1 Kevin has given us the theme of Money Drinks. We had two directions we could go. First:
A “Money” drink is something you can put in front of anyone, regardless … Continue Reading

Fall is closing in fast, but October refuses to leave until we honor it with a Mixology Monday. Over at Cocktailians, Vidiot is hosting a most excellent theme, Vermouth. He bids us:
Your challenge, should you choose to accept it, is to present a delectable vermouth cocktail for us all to drool over. Sweet/Italian or dry/French vermouth are fair game of course, as are quinquina, aperitif wines like Pineau des Charentes, or for … Continue Reading

The following list comes to us from Bobby Heugel of Anvil Bar and Refuge in Houston. The List is one hundred “libations we feel you should try at least once in your life … for better or worse.”

By my count, I’ve already tried 83 of these, and will use this as a reference to try the other 17. It’s a very fine list. How many have you tried?

Here’s another drink I stumbled upon in Barflies and Cocktails.

Welcome Stranger

Welcome Stranger Cocktail

0.5 ounce gin
0.5 ounce brandy
0.5 ounce Swedish punsch
0.5 ounce lemon juice
0.5 ounce orange juice
0.5 ounce grenadine

Shake until good and cold, double strain into cocktail glass.

This was one of those recipes I couldn’t quite guess how it would taste, much less if I would like it. But it was invented by Harry McElhone himself, and the man who gave us the Monkey … Continue Reading

I was paging through the delightful Barflies and Cocktails by Harry McElhone, one of the wonderful reprints by Mud Puddle Books. Amongst all the wonderful illustrations by Wynn Holcomb, I found a variation on the martini that was new to me.

Gloom Raiser

Gloom Raiser

1.5 ounces London dry gin
0.75 ounces dry vermouth
2 dashes absinthe (I prefer a white over verte here)
2 dashes grenadine

stir and strain into cocktail glass, garnish with lemon twist.

This is a great variation … Continue Reading

I just registered for BarSmarts Wired.

I’ve always heard great things about Pernod Ricard’s BarSmarts Advanced Program, but have never had a chance to participate.

Now they have created an online version, and are running it through September for the very low price of $45.

The BarSmarts Wired program consists of 16 hours of online reading and videos to prepare you for four 25 question tests and finally a virtual cocktail building test where you must prepare five of seven classic cocktails correctly, … Continue Reading

Tequila por mi amante1 is a wonderful combination of tequila and ripe strawberries.

There Will Be Deliciousness

This is my second year making tequila por mi amante, and this year’s result was far superior to last. I pretty slavishly followed Chuck Taggart’s recipe.

Tequila por mi amante

750 ml resposado tequila (Sauza Hornitos)
3 pints fresh ripe strawberries, hulled and quartered (my store … Continue Reading

I found this lovely little cocktail when revisting the cocktails listed in the back of Wayne Curtis’ And a Bottle of Rum.

MacArthur Cocktail

MacArthur Cocktail

1.5 ounces light rum
1 barspoon dark rum
0.75 ounces triple sec
dash of egg white (Cointreau)

I made this with Appleton white rum and Zacapa Centenario. The result was very light and refreshing, and surprisingly not as sweet as I expected with such a relatively high dose of liqueur to liquor.

I presume the drink was named in … Continue Reading