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Browsing Tag: rye
Here’s another Manhattan riff from the team at Liquor.com. The Longshoreman drops the Angostura bitters and adds Averna Amaro from Sicily. The update is a welcome one as Averna Amaro is a wonderful sipper all on its own. The slightly sweet, slightly bitter herbal notes from the Averna coupled with the raisin-forward syrupy Punt e Mes cuts through and tames the 100 proof spicy-sweet rye whiskey just enough to balance everything out. I like this riff on my old favorite the Manhattan… and I think you will too! Save Print Longshoreman Prep time: 5 mins Total time: 5 mins Serves: 1 Ingredients 2 oz Rye whiskey 1⁄2 oz Averna amaro 1⁄2 oz Punt e Mes Orange…
With the temperature dropping in late Fall, I turn to amaro as a regular sipper – it just seems so right. And tonight’s cocktail features Amaro Montenegro, a unique amaro with loads of herbaceous flavors and perfect hint of sweetness. This amaro shines when paired with whiskey and really pops with tonight’s rye. This beauty is mainly amaro – whiskey plays a supporting role – and these two are well-matched like Bogie and Bacall, Nikc and Nora, Fred and Ginger, and a host of other famous pairings. So, don’t be bashful, mix up this interesting and unique cocktail with your favorite half and make your pairing as special as those aforementioned couples! Save Print Full Monte Prep time: 5 mins…
I must give a hearty thanks to Liquor.com for showcasing this cocktail in their email today. This Manhattan-esque tipple is easy to make, but yields complex flavors and nuances that are simply divine. Adding the herbaceous Benedictine and anise-forward Absinthe is pure genius to take the simple Manhattan to new heights. Regularly described as a cross between a Vieux Carre and a Sazerac, this cocktail has a long history in New Orleans, starting as the house cocktail for La Louisiane which opened in 1881. It is a relative newcomer on the classic cocktail resurgence, probably due to absinthe not being legal in the United States until 2007. Well, A La Louisiane, your arrival in my Inbox is timely indeed and I feel like I have…
Let’s get back to a Friday happy hour cocktail this last Friday of July. On the cusp of the longest lasting lunar eclipse of the century, let’s enjoy a red drink to celebrate. The red comes from our old friend Campari – that beautiful Italian aperitivo that is the mainstay of the Negroni. Tonight let’s pair it with rye whiskey and dry vermouth to create the subtle Old Pal, a lighter version of the delicious Boulevardier. Lighter is good in this case since we are enjoying a heatwave here in the Pacific Northwest. On the historical note, I found that the Old Pal and the Boulevardier share the same creator, Harry MacElhone, of Harry’s New York Bar in Paris. Well…
Happy Friday the 13th! For all you triskaidekaphobics out there, put your worries about the 13th away and try this happy hour delight. Hot on the tail of the last week’s Old Fashioned cocktail post comes this variant. Do I sense a new theme here? Well, this variant will tickle your taste buds as I am substituting the sugar with St. Germain – that lovely elderflower liqueur that powered such favorites as St. Germain Spritz, Agave Bloom, Elderflower Thistle, Citadelle Germain, Next to the Last Word, and Holiday Spritz. And this cocktail really delivers. Part Old Fashioned, part Negroni in flavor, I like it. It is different, yet simple… and who doesn’t like that! Give it a try yourself and let me know…
During a recent conversation with friends about cocktails, specifically the old fashioned, a quick search of the blog from my phone left me quite embarrassed. I could not believe I have posted several variations of this classic, but never celebrated the original. Well, it is time to rectify that oversight tonight! This cocktail is considered one of the six basic drinks documented in David A. Embury’s The Fine Art of Mixing Drinks. It’s earliest reference is in an 1806 response to a letter as the definition of a ‘cocktail’ – to wit – a potent concoction of spirits, bitters, water, and sugar. That is the very definition of the classic Old Fashioned, which really explains how this tipple received its name. I…
Well, I am back from Chicago and ready to update the blog. Here is a picture of our booth (www.vestaprecision.com) at the International Home + Housewares Show. The show was amazing – huge and energetic – and I met so many nice people that I want to thank for visiting us. I also enjoyed fabulous food and cocktails in the Windy City and can think of nothing more apropos than to share this intensely flavorful cocktail with everyone. It’s a luxurious beauty befitting of its royal name – the Crimson King Cocktail. This deep red tipple balances spicy rye, sweet cherries, bitter herbs, and rich coffee flavors. As a variant of the Boulevardier, I knew I would like this drink. And I do! Enjoy this…
While researching last week’s cocktail, Remember the Maine, I came across this one. The golden hue and the combination of ingredients had me immediately intrigued. And wow, what a deliciously complex cocktail! This beauty is over 100 years old, comes in various forms and is actually a tweak of a tweak on the venerable Manhattan. The original tweak is the Red Hook – rye, sweet vermouth and maraschino and this one swaps out the sweet vermouth for dry and amaro for the bitters while retaining the maraschino for sweetness. This cocktail has layers of flavors and I have to admit in many ways it is superior to the Manhattan. Now… don’t go interrupting my Friday night happy hour by giving me a Bronx…
In honor and remembrance of the 120th anniversary of the disastrous USS Maine incident on February 15th, 1898, tonight’s cocktail is also reminder that ‘fake news’ is nothing new (regardless of your views and beliefs). In the aftermath of this terrible incident in which 260 men died, two high powered publishers used their influence to inflame the situation and foster an atmosphere that resulted in the Spanish-American War. This cocktail is another variation on the venerable Manhattan. Originally documented in 1939 in Charles H. Baker, Jr’s The Gentlemen’s Companion after a raucous trip to Havana in 1933 during Batista’s coup, it is reported Baker served this cocktail with the advice “Treat this one with the respect…
Tonight’s cocktail is another riff on one of my favorite drinks – the Manhattan. This twist on the classic could actually be better as it’s flavors are deep and reflective. Created in San Francisco’s Bourbon & Branch by Todd Smith, this simple substitution of Averno for sweet vermouth really changes this cocktail’s taste profile. This beauty is perfect for a rowdy happy hour or quiet, intimate moments; it can be the life of the party or the epitome of relaxed style. For me, I am choosing the latter – relaxed at home enjoying this wonderful cocktail! Happy Friday everyone! Save Print Black Manhattan Prep time: 5 mins Total time: 5 mins Serves: 1 Ingredients 3 oz…