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Red Wood Road Cocktail

Stevi — Tue, 26 Oct 2010 04:44:58 +0000

This past week was the first annual Portland Cocktail Week, and the CSOWG decided to hold Drink.Write 2010 in conjunction with the festivities. And since many of us were in Portland together, it was only natural to hold a live Thursday Drink Night.

Thanks to the valiant efforts of Lush Life Productions, we had a wide selection of spirits and a camera crew on hand to record the shenanigans. Jacob Grier emceed as several of gave it our best shot.

Giving a quick scan of the table, I discovered a bottle of Woodinville Whiskey‘s Headlong White Dog. I had my first taste of this product just the weekend before at their grand opening event, and was pretty excited with what I tasted.

I also saw a bottle of Dimmi, an Italian herbal liqueur I first tasted at Tales of the Cocktail 2009. It brings the sweetness of nebbiolo grappa with a rich blend of herbs.

Blending the two, I felt not much more was needed. I found some Scrappy’s grapefruit bitters completed the picture, and my drink was done.

Red Wood Road

2 oz Woodinville Whiskey Headlong White Dog
0.5 oz Dimmi Liquore di Milano
4 dashes Scrappy’s Grapefruit bitters

I named this strong, boozy drink with lots of flavor after the road I drive between Redmond and Woodinville. This was popular enough when I passed it around that it was voted best drink of the night.

My prize? I had a spot in the semi-finals for the Portland Cocktail Invitational. And that’s a story I will save for the next post.

Pisaq Cocktail and the PDX Cocktail Invitational

MxMo XLIV: Money Drinks — Vanilla Whiskey Royale

Stevi — Tue, 15 Dec 2009 04:59:13 +0000

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 of tastes or distastes about the spirits involved. Come up with a drink or a list based on spirits about drinks that would appeal to anyone. example: turning someone onto a Corpse Reviver #2 when they like lemon drops.

And second:

Drinks that you upgrade to the ne plus ultra: cocktails that for whatever reason (holiday, birthday, old friends come to visit, or just because you feel like it) you upgrade to superior; for example, taking your normal Sazerac with Rittenhouse and Herbsaint and, for a special occasion, turning it into a supreme-o Sazerac by breaking out the Thomas Handy Rye and the Jade Edouard absinthe. Due to the higher cost involved, and the spectacular results that should (hopefully) be found in the glass, this could also qualify as a “Money Drink”.

Vanilla Whiskey Royale

I hate it when the MxMo announcement post names the drink I’d most want to use, and in this case, Kevin hit my first choice for both versions. I have seen more than one “gin hater” realize the beauty of the spirit upon their first sip of a well-made Corpse Reviver #2. And one of my favorite recent indulgent cocktails was a Staggerac – a Sazerac made with George T. Stagg whiskey.

The path of the ne plus ultra appealed more to me. We spirit geeks will often declaim that some expressions are just too precious to mix with. And then we give in, and make an old fashioned with a great sipping rum like Zaya Gran Reserva. After all, a drink is only as good as its constituent parts.

I had the good fortune to time my first ever trip to Portland this past weekend during the annual House Spirits Booze Bazaar, and got to taste their three whiskeys. I couldn’t resist picking up a bottle of the whiskey in both the full cask strength (56.79% ABV/113.58 proof) and the subtler 44.99% ABV/89.86 proof version.² I’ll be saving the cask strength for sipping, but couldn’t wait to mix with the whiskey.

When I think of luxe drinks, champagne immediately comes to mind. Sparkling wine can make a simple combination like white wine and creme de cassis into a great sip like the kir royale. And while the Seelbach is the current newly rediscovered classic whiskey and champagne cocktail, I wanted to try something that let the whiskey express itself directly.

I ran across a recipe that called for a bourbon champagne cocktail that replaces the sugar and Angostura bitters of the classic with vanilla syrup. But why use syrup? I decided to try Navan vanilla liqueur instead.

I tried various combinations of too clever by half names, but decided to go with the most simple.

Vanilla Whiskey Royale

1 ounce whiskey (House Spirits Whiskey)
1/2 ounce Navan vanilla liqueur
champagne

pour whiskey and Navan in champagne flute, top with champagne. Sip contentedly in front of a fire with purring cat on lap.

This drink has the advantage of being incredibly delicious while being super easy to make. And so very luxurious.

Thanks to Kevin for a great topic. Be sure to check out Beers in the Shower for the round up post!

[1] despite the fact that to date, I haven’t actually had him make me a drink yet. Must remedy that. Off to Tavern Law…or Spur…or Sun…the man can be found at some great bars!
[2] I realized after getting through the whole line and getting outside that I failed to buy the white dog as well.

MxMo XLIII: Vermouth — The Visconti

Stevi — Tue, 27 Oct 2009 03:12:28 +0000

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 that matter any fortified, aromatized wine such as Lillet (red or white), or Dubonnet (ditto.)

Vermouth is a true workhorse of the classic cocktail world. Without it, a martini is just be cold gin. Fortified wines are among my favorite mixers, and my refrigerator is bulging with various bottles of Lillet, Punt e Mes, sweet, blanc, and dry vermouth.¹

Visconti

One of my favorite ways to change up a drink is simply to switch the vermouth used. Like a martini with dry vermouth? I bet it willl be great with Lillet blanc! Can’t decide between a martini and a martinez? Make a perfect martini with equal parts of each!

Another favorite drink of mine is the Negroni, with equal parts London dry gin, Campari, and sweet vermouth. This is a great base to experiment with, as I have show several times here at Two at the Most. One of my most successful substitutions so far was the Rumgroni, simply using rum instead of gin.

Last time I was in the mood for a Rumgroni, my eye was caught by my bottle of Amaro Ramazzotti. I’ve covered Ramazzotti several times, because it’s a fantastic amaro. I decided to give it a whirl in place of the Campari. While the initial taste was great, to my surprise going full equal parts on the Ramazzotti seemed to make it too dominant — surprising to me since I think of it as much more mild than Campari.

Visconti

1 ounce Jamaican run (Appleton V/X)
0.75 ounces Amaro Ramazzotti
1 ounce sweet vermouth

Stir over ice until well chilled and strain into rocks glass with one piece of ice. Garnish with flamed orange peel.

Dialing the Ramazzotti back to 3/4 ounce and adding a flamed orange twist garnish made for a great balance. This is another drink that will go into rotation in my home bar. Full and rich, yet easy to sip, and made all the better because of the sweet vermouth. I decided to call it the Visconti after the House of Visconti, long time rulers of the Duchy of Milan. Since it’s a take on the Negroni, named after another duke, it seemed apt.

Thanks, Vidiot, for a great topic. Be sure to check out Cocktailians for the wrap-up!

[1] Please tell me you already know to keep your open vermouth in the fridge to make it last longer!

MxMo XLII: Dizzy Dairy — Kávé

Stevi — Tue, 29 Sep 2009 03:57:22 +0000

It may barely still be September, but it is definitely Monday, so it must be time for Mixology Monday! This month, we are hosted by the kind folk over at eGullet. Chris Amirault has chosen the topic of “Dizzy Dairy,” declaring:

Any drink using a dairy product is fair game: milk, cream, eggs, butter, cheese, yogurt, curds, you name it. Given the importance of dairy products in drinks dating back centuries, there are lots of opportunities for digging through vintage receipts for a taste of the past, and as always innovation is highly encouraged.

It’s been a while since I’ve featured an original drink at Two at the Most, so this seemed like an excellent time to try something new.

Kávé

Aside from the occasional Ramos Gin Fizz, I rarely use milk products in cocktails, although I frequently use egg whites! I do have a favorite nightcap, which is an ever-changing combination of rum, milk, and creme de cacao.

For MxMo, I wanted to experiment with that idea, but create something a little more complex. I have been enjoying the bottle of Kahlúa Cream I received as a sample, and have enjoyed it with rum as well, so I used that as a base.

I haven’t worked too much with the bottle of Zwack I also received to sample, although I greatly enjoyed the lunch the brand sponsored for Drink.Write 2009. When I added it to my rum and Kahlúa Cream, I was surprised at how well it worked. I added my current favorite bitters, Bittermens Xocalatl, to add an additional layer of flavor, and was really pleased with the result.

Kávé

0.75 ounces dark Jamaican rum (Appleton V/X)
0.75 ounces Zwack
0.75 ounces Kahlúa Cream
2 dashes Bittermens Xocalatl mole bitters

Shake over ice until well chilled, then strain into ice-filled old fashioned glass.

The bitter herbal Zwack keeps the sweetness of the Kahlúa Cream in check, and the rich dark rums rounds out and ties the flavors together. I can also imagine trying these flavors together with warm milk for a nice winter drink.

What is your favorite way to use cream liqueurs?

Thanks to eGullet for this fun theme. Be sure to check the forum to see everybody who has participated!

Port of Barcelona Gin

Stevi — Fri, 28 Aug 2009 01:00:53 +0000

I usually want a gin that plays well with others, one I can use in all sorts of different drinks.

Elderflower Royale

Some gins are more particular though, getting along famously with some and acting aloof and standoffish with others.

Port of Barcelona gin is one of those gins. It is produced in the Kingdom of Spain by Esmeralda Distillery, the same people who bring us the delightful Obsello Absinthe. The botanicals listed are wild juniper, sweet almonds, hazelnuts, lemon zest, star anise, allium cepa, orange peels, coriander seeds, chebub seeds, black cardamom, orris root, ginger root, nutmeg, and cubeb root. The gin is distilled three times, the final time in the same copper alembic stills used for Obsello.

The label tells us it’s a distilled malt gin, and I do sense some malt on the nose and the palate. The scent is more reminiscent of a genever than a London dry gin. I also smell a faint hint of juniper under the coriander, mild citrus, cardamom, and nut.

On the tongue, I taste the peppery cubeb root and oniony allium cepa, as well as the start anise, citrus, and nuts. It has a softer mouthfeel, once again similar to a genever.

Port of Barcelona does have a unique list of flavors, and to my taste, they are flavors that do not work well in a martini. I made a 4:1 martini, and it was possibly the least enjoyable martini I’ve ever made. The gin and the vermouth seemed to be at war with one another, and the drink never settled down.

On the other hand, the Port of Barcelona makes what is currently my favorite gin and tonic. I have tried it with both Stirrings and Schwepp’s tonics, both with great success. The tonic really opens up the different flavors. The result is a fascinating, delicious drink. Granted, I do like a good gin and tonic, but these were so good I had a hard time resisting the urge to finish the review bottle I was sent making more.

I did want to experiment, however. Given that tonic worked so well, I thought I’d give champagne a shot, and maybe add a little more sweetness. I can’t believe the following isn’t a standard marketing drink for St. Germain, as it’s the way I most commonly use it, but I can’t find it on their site, so I’m going to give it my own name.

Elderflower Royale

1 ounce St. Germain Elderflower liqueur
1 ounce gin (Port of Barcelona)
dry sparkling wine to top

Pour liqueur and gin into champagne flute, top with sparkling wine.

This is another flavor combination that works well. The Port of Barcelona flavors seem to clash with the flavors of vermouth, but the mildness of a dry sparkling wine acts more like the tonic, to open them up and let them play. The St. Germain plays a pleasant backnote, bringing the flavors together.

You won’t catch me ever making another martini or other vermouth based drink with Port of Barcelona. But I plan to keep some on hand for making truly outstanding gin and tonics. Sometimes you have to appreciate that some liquors are just more particular, and treat them accordingly. They may show you their secrets!

Monteleone Cocktail

Stevi — Tue, 19 May 2009 03:29:56 +0000

Here’s my entry for the Monteleone Cocktail contest.

Monteleone Cocktail

Monteleone Cocktail

1 ounce 100 proof rye whiskey
1 ounce cognac
1 tablespoon Domain de Canton ginger liqueur
2 dashes Peychaud’s bitters
4 ounces extra dry sparkling wine (Domaine Ste. Michelle)
1 spring mint for garnish

Shake all ingredients except mint and sparkling wine, and strain into champagne flute. Top with sparkling wine. Slap mint and garnish glass.

This is my first cocktail contest outside of TDN. My inspiration clearly comes from the sazerac. I wanted to create a drink that was lighter, but still redolent of the flavors I associate with New Orleans cocktails.

What flavors do you associate with New Orleans?

24 Toddy

Stevi — Fri, 01 May 2009 02:10:16 +0000

Here it is, Thursday Drink Night, sponsored by Beefeater 24, no less, and I have a wretchedly sore throat.¹

24 Toddy

While not in the frame of mind to taste cocktails tonight, my condition lead me to come up with a drink to contribute.

24 Toddy

1.5 oz Beefeater 24 London dry gin
6 ounces ginger lemon tisane²
honey to taste
slice lemon

Make tisane. Add gin. Stir in honey to taste. Garnish with slice of lemon. Enjoy soothing on throat.

This is my basic hot toddy recipe, although I usually use black tea and 2 ounces of rum. I chose to use 1.5 ounces of the gin because of the stronger proof of the Beefeater 24.

I think the ginger and 24 make an excellent pairing. This is probably the first gin toddy I’ve made, and I’ll definitely be making more of these in the future. I do hope I won’t be sick, just wanting something warming.

What’s your favorite hot toddy recipe?

[1] No, I do not have Swine Flu. No, you are not the first person to ask.
[2] Herbal tea. Who me, pedantic?

Beefeater 24

MxMo XXXVIII: Superior Twists — The Rumgroni

Stevi — Tue, 14 Apr 2009 02:29:45 +0000

This month’s Mixology Monday is being hosted by Tristan at The Wild Drink Blog. He’s put forth the following challenge:

This month’s Mixology Monday is all about twists on classic cocktails, that for one reason or another do an even better job than the drinks upon which they are based.

This could be as simple as a classic Margarita with a dash with a special touch that completes it, or maybe as complicated as a deconstructed Hemingway Daiquiri with a homemade rum foam/caviar/jus/trifle. It might be taking a classic like a Manhattan and using Tequila instead of Bourbon?

This was a difficult theme for me. Not because it is hard, but because in some ways it is too easy. Creating a new drink by subbing one ingredient for another is how I, like countless others, began my journey into inventing my own drinks.

Rumgroni

Usually I found that my greated substitutions had been discovered long before I tried them. I’ve even reversed engineered a classic or two by starting with the twist, not knowing it was a twist, and figuring out what the drink started as.

I was tempted to write up the Black River Sidecar, a drink of mine that won an early TDN. I had linked to Rick’s great writeup of the drink when he posted it (my prize for winning), but had never posted the recipe here. But I realized I’d never be able to match his funky garnish, and decided I wanted to try something new.

A drink I’m finding remarkably versatile is the Negroni. Initially it seemed to me that this combination of Campari, sweet vermouth, and gin would be hard to tinker with, working largely on its marriage of specific flavors.

Many experiments with it involve subbing another amaro, such as Aperol, for the Campari, or a different aromatized wine, such as Punt e Mes, for the sweet vermouth.

Then I discovered the Agavoni, which trades the gin for tequila, and creates an equally delicious, if very different drink.

Since I was able to participate in TDN Mount Gay XO at Vessel, I still have a fair amount of my bottle left. I realized that it, too, might have the strength to stand up to Campari and sweet vermouth. And so it did. And so I give you the Rumgroni.

Rumgroni

1 oz dark rum (Mount Gay Extra Old)
1 oz Campari
1 oz sweet vermouth

Build over ice.

The molasses and oak from the MGXO are surprisingly dominant on the nose. This is a much drier drink than either the Negroni or the Agavoni. I might be tempted to add a little honey mix next time.

What’s your favorite variation on a cocktail classic? Check out the roundup of the opinions of this months Mixology Monday partipants over at The Wild Drink Blog!

Mount Gay Extra Old Rum

Stevi — Wed, 08 Apr 2009 03:32:28 +0000

This Thursday, April 9, Thursday Drink Night will be sponsored by Mount Gay Extra Old Rum, and I received a sample bottle to prepare for the event.

Milanese Sailor

Mount Gay Distilleries holds the distinction of being the oldest rum in the world, with documentation of rum production at the Mount Gay estate dating to February 20, 1703.

The Extra Old is perhaps the most distinguished product of Mount Gay Rums. The rum is blended from the distillery’s aged spirits reserve, and has a maturity of 12-17 years. The rums have been aged in 200 liter charred oak barrels. By using smaller barrels, there is more surface area relative to the rum, and there is a marked oak flavor in the finished product.

On the nose, Extra Old is redolent and rich of oak and molasses, with a hint of cocoa. Straight, it is far more dry than I expected given the nose. The oakiness is there, and the chocolate, as well as some coffee notes. This rum is 86 proof (43% ABV), but the extra alcohol doesn’t provide any extra sting.

I had read that a lot of people enjoy this as a sipping rum, so I was expecting a bit more body to this. For me, while a fine, flavorful rum, this won’t edge out Ron Zacapa Centenario or Ron Zaya in my heart when it comes to sipping.

But while I am loathe to mix with either of those Guatemalan beauties, to me the Mount Gay Extra Old begs to be mixed with.

I’m certain I could happily stick with mai tais and daiquiris and never regret a single drop, but I need to get into the mood for TDN.

What first came to mind was bringing out that chocolate flavor by adding some crème de cacao. But I didn’t want to create a heavy, sweet dessert drink.

On a hunch, I picked up the Amaro Ramazzotti. Ramazzotti is one of my favorite amari. I think it blends well with the MGXO.

Given that Ramazzotti is from Milan, and Mount Gay has a long association with sailing, I dubbed the drink the Milanese Sailor.

Milanese Sailor

1.5 oz Mount Gay Extra Old
0.75 oz Amaro Ramazzotti
0.25 oz crème de cacao

Stir over ice and strain into rocks filled ice glass. Would also be great as a swizzle.

Think you can do better? Be sure to join us for TDN this week and submit your new cocktail featuring Mount Gay Extra Old.

Metaxa Seven Star and the Moschaton Cocktail

Stevi — Thu, 02 Apr 2009 05:03:23 +0000

When I was 10, I won a trip to Greece.¹ My dad and I went on a two week tour of the country, and I learned I did not like ouzo.²

The Author, age 10

I also learned that Metaxa is a Greek liquor that my dad wanted, and it was important he get the seven star. That I did not get to taste. It wasn’t until a bottle of the seven star arrived in preparation for Thursday Drink Night (TDN) that I finally could put a flavor to the memory.

Metaxa was created by Spyros Metaxas in 1888. It has an astonishingly complex production process. Various wines, mainly Savatiano and Rhoditis, are distilled and then aged in limousine oak barrels. The stars (3, 5, 7, and 12) on the label represent how many years the distillates have been aged.

Wine is matured separately in used Metaxa barrels for two years . Then the brandy and wines are mixed with a secret blend of herbs and spices, including rose petals. This mixture is aged for another 6 months before being chilled and filtered prior to bottling.

Moschaton Cocktail

The rose scent is evident on the nose. I was expecting the taste to be somewhat sweet from the additional wine, similar to pineau des Charentes, but it’s really more in line with most brandies I’ve tasted. In retrospect, this shouln’t have surprised me, given that it’s 80 proof (40% ABV). The general spices are well blended, with the rose bringing an interesting floral note that I quite like. There’s some honey and vanilla notes, and a hint of cinnamon as well, with an oakiness throughout. The spices linger longest on the tongue.

Now it’s time to try mixing. I wanted to start with some complimentary flavors. Since Metaxa already brings wine and brandy, I thought it would be fun to add some tartness with green grapes. Greece also makes me think of baklava, dripping with honey, so I added some for a little sweetness and roundness. I didn’t want to add a liqueur, so I went with some gin instead to open up the Metaxa flavors without diluting it too much.

Moschaton Cocktail

1.5 oz Metaxa 7 Star
1 oz London dry gin
0.5 teaspoon honey
6 green grapes

Muddle the grapes and honey in a mixing tin. Fill with ice, add Metaxa and gin, and stir for at least 30 seconds. Double strain into cocktail glass and garnish with additional grapes.

Join us at the Mixoloseum for TDN with your bottle of Metaxa 7 star and join in the fun. And as an extra incentive, the person who submits the best Metaxa cocktail will receive a bottle of blueberry bitters and will be entered into Imbibe’s Ultimate Metaxa Cocktail Competition and get the chance to win his or her own trip to Greece!

[1] Actually, I won a free round trip on TWA to any place they flew. I was obsessed with Greek mythology, so Greece it was.

[2] A story I’ll tell if I ever get a bottle to reevaluate my traumatic childhood memory against.