October 7, 2014
I’ve had a couple Cocktail Talk posts with quotes from Peter Lovesey books, though neither books feature his Bath, UK detective Peter Diamond – who is one of my favorite fictional police detectives, both for his rotundness and his crime-solving acuity. Sadly, he’s not much of a drinker, outside of the beer. But Mr. Lovesey also writes shorter fiction, and I recently picked up his collection Do Not Exceed the Stated Dose, which feature a whole host of good whodunits and other such tales, including the one this quote is from (said quote being ideal for here due to the whiskey. But I also like the “meat raffle.”)
He lowered his face until it was inches from hers. Not even nine in the morning and she could smell sweet whiskey on his breath. “I won it, didn’t I?” he said, daring her to disbelieve. “A meat raffle in The Valiant Trooper last night.”
–Peter Lovesey, The Proof of the Pudding
September 26, 2014
In an earlier post, I talked about football, football season, and having better drinks at your football parties. My suggestion there was that you call an audible over your past party selections and serve an Audible cocktail. It’s a good plan. However, the Audible (drink) is a strong mix, and after a couple, you may need to go on the defensive, so you make it until the end of the fourth quarter, and overtime, perhaps. With that in mind, at some point when the emotion is high, move to The Defensive Formation, which will refresh and perhaps balance things out. It still has a strong kick, but it’s mellowed some — but it could still hit the game-winning field goal from 45 out as time ticks down. Don’t think that it can’t.
The Defensive Formation
Cracked ice
2 ounces Woodinville Whiskey bourbon
1/2 ounce Letterpress limoncello
3/4 ounce orange juice
2 dashes Scrappy’s orange bitters
Ice cubes
3 ounces chilled soda water
1. Fill a cocktail shaker or mixing glass halfway full with cracked ice. Add the bourbon, limoncello, orange juice, and bitters. Stir well.
2. Fill a highball or other comparable glass three-quarters up with ice cubes. Strain the mix from Step 1 through a fine strainer over the ice and into the glass.
3. Fill the glass almost to the top with the club soda. Stir to combine. Drink and cheer, drink and cheer.
Tags: bourbon, cocktail recipe, Cocktail Recipes, football drinks, Friday Night Cocktail, Letterpress limoncello, limoncello, Scrappy’s orange bitters, Seahawks, tailgating drinkgs, The Audible, The Defensive Formation, What I'm Drinking, Woodinville Whiskey bourbon
Posted in: bitters, Cocktail Recipes, Italy, Liqueurs, Recipes, What I'm Drinking, Whiskey
August 22, 2014
Sometimes, in summer, it’s too hot for me to even write up a new, clever, headnote (anyone who shakes their head at “clever” please leave the room). And sometimes, I read another headnote from a book and just think, well, that says it all, really. This is one of those times.
In his famous eighteenth sonnet, when he lays down the immortal line “and summer’s lease hath all too short a date,” Shakespeare perhaps wasn’t exactly referring to a coquetry that happened in those hotter months between him and a fair lady, an ardent connection that slid smoothly past light flirtation into something a trace more serious, a Mercury-rising affaire d’amour that—for at least as long as those months lasted—seemed more important than the sun. As these adoring concerns are, sadly, like this drink, over much too soon, his line does hit the romantic nail on the head, though—showing again why Will S. was the master.
Summer Dream, from Dark Spirits, Serves 2 (because of reasons mentioned above)
3 orange slices
2 peach slices
Ice cubes
4 ounces bourbon
2 ounces Campari
1 ounce Simple Syrup
1 ounce freshly squeezed lemon juice
1. Add the orange and peach slices to a cocktail shaker. Using a muddler or wooden spoon, muddle well.
2. Fill the cocktail shaker halfway full with ice cubes. Add the bourbon, Campari, simple syrup, and lemon juice. Shake really well, if a little wistfully, for at least 15 seconds.
3. Strain the dream through a fine strainer equally into two cocktail glasses.
A Variation: Want a more cluttered drink? After step 2, instead of straining into cocktail glasses, pour the whole shebang, ice and fruit and every sad last word, into two large goblets. Rename it the Disordered Dream.
Tags: bourbon, Campari, Champagne, cocktail recipe, Cocktail Recipes, Dark Spirits, Friday Night Cocktail, orange, peach, Summer Dream cocktail, What I'm Drinking
Posted in: Campari, Cocktail Recipes, Dark Spirits, Recipes, What I'm Drinking, Whiskey
July 11, 2014
When I began to write this post, I was looking at a calendar for June. And so I thought today was going to be Friday, July 13th. When it’s actually Friday, July 11th. I’d planned to warn you, friends, to not walk under a ladder today, cuddle a black cat, or forget to toss a whole handful of salt over your shoulder. And tell you to instead have one of these drinks, too, as it’s a very lucky drink. Now, it’s not Friday the 13th. But I still think you should have one of these, because everyone needs a bit of luck every day. And, as I said, this is a lucky drink.
Why, you might ask? Well, first it has apples in it, and apples are the luckiest form of produce. You might think clover, but that’s a myth. It’s apples that are healthy, patriotic, and crunchy – all lucky things. And, also lucky, in this drink I’m using Tree Top fresh pressed apple juice. See, Tree Top is a company from up here in Washington State, in Selah to be specific, that has been here for 50 years supporting the state’s fruit growers – over 1,000 apple and pear growers to be specific, and all their juices are made from 100% USA-grown fruit. That is lucky on all sides.
Also, this drink features 3 Howls single malt whiskey. If you didn’t know, 3 Howls is a distillery in Seattle itself, and they’ve managed to put out 12 different spirits in just one year! Including this whiskey, whose caramel and vanilla hints go smoothly here, is also lucky. And if that wasn’t enough, the third core ingredient is Averna, a nice amaro that brings just the right amount of herbalness.
And this drink is of the super-refreshing variety and, as it’s summer, the mercury has risen for most and us, and a super-refreshing drink is needed. So, this Friday, the 11th, is a great day for this lucky drink.
The Lucky Apple
Ice cubes
1-1/2 ounces 3 Howls single malt whiskey
3/4 ounce Averna
4 ounces Tree Top Fresh Pressed 3 Blend apple cider
Mint sprig, for garnish
1. Fill a highball or comparable glass three-quarters up with ice cubes. Add the whiskey and Averna. Stir a bit.
2. Top the glass off with the apple cider. Stir a bit more. Garnish with the mint. Feel lucky.
Tags: 3 Howls single malt whiskey, an apple a day, apple juice cocktail, Averna, cocktail recipe, Cocktail Recipes, Friday Night Cocktail, The Lucky Apple, Tree Top, What’s I’m Drinking
Posted in: Cocktail Recipes, Recipes, What I'm Drinking, Whiskey
July 8, 2014
If you know me (and you must, right?), you know I love local distilleries here in Washington. There’s such a range, both of types of distilleries and products and events around both. It’s a fantastic time to live here! As example A, take the fun smoky stuff happening at the awesome Westland Distillery this week. See, they bring in 150,000 pounds (wow, right?) of peated malt to the distillery every year, and then mash, ferment, and distill it to make whiskey that makes angels sing. This year, and this week, they’re celebrating the peated malt’s arrival with a week of free tours, single cask tastings, and extended hours, all culminating in a giant not-to-be-missed release party (you’ll need tickets for that one) on Saturday, the 12th –two peated single cask bottlings are being release. So, get on down to the distillery this week (and if you’re reading this from a locale outside of WA State, then get some tickets and fly on it). Learn even more at: www.peatweek.com.
May 27, 2014
Death Elects a Mayor is a book from 1939, so a big of an older read. And, to be completely honest, I picked it up (wherever it was – book sale of some sort) because the spine (I have the hardback) has a sweet picture of a skeleton. But as a read it turned out awfully fine, a sort-of combination of old skool political backdealings combined with hospital intrigue combined with murder. That’s a good drink right there. And it contains the below quote, which I think is fine, in a 1939 way:
The three men were drinking highballs mixed from a bottle of the mayor’s whiskey standing on a bedside table, and cracking smutty stories while they laid plans for the coming campaign. From their happy expressions the machine must have given signs of functioning smoothly. Most of what they said concerned what they were going to after the election.
—Death Elects a Mayor, James G. Edwards, MD
March 28, 2014
It’s sad that people only remember St. Patrick on March the 17th – and that people only tend to really get enthusiastic about Irish contributions to cocktail culture then (sadly, I myself may fall into that a bit. Forgive me). But we, friends, can get together and drive these oversights out, much like St. Patrick himself drove the snakes out of Ireland. But to do it, we’ll need a serious drink – this drink, right here!
It’s highlighted by two great Irish products, Clontarf 1014 Irish whiskey (which I talked about in the Dublin 8 recipe post), and Celtic Honey liqueur. The latter is inspired by an ancient recipe (as many good things are) and is supposed to bring you luck when drinking. I can’t say for sure on that, but can say that the liqueur’s combination of local Irish honey, spring water, Irish whiskey, and secret herbs is tasty.
The Snake Banisher
Cracked ice
2 ounces Clontarf 1014 Irish whiskey
3/4 ounce Celtic Honey liqueur
1/4 ounce Punt e’ Mes
2 dashes Scrappy’s Saville Orange bitters
1. Fill a cocktail shaker or mixing glass halfway full with cracked ice. Add everything. Stir well.
2. Strain into a cocktail glass. Start banishing snakes.
A Note: You could use another orange bitters instead of Scrappy’s Saville Orange bitters (which is otherworldly good). But you might want to have some snake anti-venom on hand.
Tags: Celtic Honey liqueur, Clontarf 1014 Irish Whiskey, cocktail recipe, Cocktail Recipes, Friday Night Cocktail, Irish drinks, Punt e' Mes, Scrappy’s Saville Orange bitters, The Snake Banisher Cocktail, What I'm Drinking
Posted in: Cocktail Recipes, Liqueurs, Recipes, vermouth, What I'm Drinking, Whiskey
March 21, 2014
I found this beast (in the best way) of a drink in David Embury’s classic The Fine Art of Mixing Drinks. However, he doesn’t say where the name is from, and I’ve never managed to track it down in Bible, Talmud, Blake, Milton, Hobbes, or other spot (those all seemed like they could have a Leviathan 477). Where the name comes from is a secret that Mr. Embury may have taken to the big bar in the sky.
One thing on our side, though, that Mr. Embury sadly missed, is Westland Distillery’s new First Peated American single malt whiskey. And probably so will most others (hah) as it’s a limited release. But, the distiller’s regular peated whiskey is soon to follow, and I’ll bet it will also be amazing in this drink. The First Peated has a deep smoky peatedness, but also an underlying chocolate, leather, shortbread mix with little hints of citrus and cherry. It’s a fine whiskey, and one that is delicious solo. You might not even think of it as a spirit to have in cocktails, but let me tell you, mixed into the below it shines and helps deliver a drink worthy of the monstrous name (in the best way, of course).
The Leviathan 477, from Good Spirits
Ice cubes
2 ounces Westland First Peated American single malt whiskey
1 ounce freshly squeezed lemon juice
1 ounce freshly squeezed orange juice
1/2 ounce simple syrup
1. Fill a cocktail shaker halfway full with ice cubes. Add the remaining ingredients. Shake smoothly.
2. Strain into a cocktail glass. Sip. Sip. Sip.
Tags: cocktail recipe, Cocktail Recipes, Friday Night Cocktail, Good Spirits, The Leviathan 477 cocktail, Westland Distillery, Westland First Peated American Single Malt Whiskey, What I'm Drinking, Whiskey
Posted in: Cocktail Recipes, Good Spirits, Recipes, Whiskey
