posted on 23 June 2009 by tony
For all of those who pay attention to such things, it is officially summer. This means balmy days, trips to the beach and sunset slowly but surely getting a little earlier every day. It also means even more drinking, especially if you’re among the lucky group of people who doesn’t have to work over the season. While many people favor an ice cold brewdog or a chilled glass of white\rosè, there is also a large group of drinkers who prefer a perfectly poured (alliteration!) cocktail on a hot summer night. If you’ve been following this column for any length of time, you have surmised I fall into the latter group. You’ve probably also noticed I’ve been trying to throw some summer drinking at you lately, and this is no exception. The Negroni is a quintessential summer cocktail, as Jeff so eloquently stated “a summer cocktail with hair on it’s chest”. I’m not entirely sure if this is to say that it’s a cocktail for a more “manly” demeanor, or if he’s just mocking Italians, but one way or the other, he is in fact correct.
The Negroni is a rare event: a sequel that is greater than the original. The Negroni was derived from the Americano in the early 1900s in Florence, Italy. As the story is told, Count Camillo Negroni, a member of the Florentine aristocracy, was a fan of the Americano, but needed something with a little more kick. His wise bartender tossed out the one non-alcoholic ingredient of the Americano and added gin. In that moment, the Count had a new favorite cocktail, and a modern classic was born. The Negroni, obviously named for the Count, has endured from that moment on, and it can live on in your home with very little effort. Here’s what you’ll need:
1 oz. Campari
1 oz. gin
1 oz. sweet vermouth
Traditionally, this cocktail is shaken with ice, poured into an ice filled old fashioned glass and garnished with an orange twist. The more modern and American style has it poured into a chilled cocktail glass, but retains the orange garnish. Either way, this is the sort of drink you can while away any number of warm afternoons with. I myself am going to acquire a hammock and see if Lupec wants to spend some quality time relaxing in the sun and sipping this icy classic.
-Out.
Tags: campari, drink recipes, gin, vermouth
Category: Cocktail Recipes | Comments (0)
posted on 4 June 2009 by tony
Gin and I had a rocky relationship for a very long time. The first time I drank it, at the tender age of (information deleted), we kicked it plastic jug style. Now, as anyone who drinks gin knows, good gin is great, but bad gin is like drinking death. Sadly, when I was a novice, I thought bad gin was representative of all gin. This led me to avoid the spirit for years. However, in the last two years I’ve learned to appreciate and in fact love gin for all that it can be. I like to think that notion is captured in Whitley Neill.
Whitley Neill is a relatively young gin, having only first hit the scene in 2 double aught 4. Inspired by the botanicals of South Africa (you may have read my review of Amarula Cream, also South African in origin), it is a traditional London Dry. London Drys, instead of being what are essentially juniper flavored vodkas, are distilled using various botanicals for aroma and flavor. Whitley Neill adds the essential oils from nine separate botanicals to their copper pot still during the distillation process to give the product it’s unique flavor. I had thought the list would be difficult to unearth, but a little searching led me to the following list: baobab fruit, cape gooseberries, juniper berries, coriander seeds, lemon peel, orange peel, angelica root, cassia bark and orris root powder. These various ingredients are drawn from the world over to produce what we’re drinking today.
Whitley Neill presents a lot of juniper and citrus in the nose, not presenting a lot of alcohol. The flavor profile follows suit, with an even more pronounced citrus taste with a generous taste of juniper in the back end. The finish is smooth, with no real alcohol burn to speak of. Speaking from experience, I will tell you that Whitley Neill makes a serious gin and tonic. I personally believe that this could be the next big gin, following in the foot steps of Hendricks’s. You know what, I’m calling it now. You heard it here first. Whitley Neill is going to be huge. Buy it and try it. You’ll see.
-Out.
Tags: botanical, gin, reviews, south africa
Category: Spirit Reviews | Comments (3)
posted on 16 April 2009 by tony
Last night, I went out drinking with my old crew. Good times were had, many cocktails were consumed and I spent more than I responsibly should have. Anyway, while I’m out, I end up at an establishment that I probably shouldn’t call out by name, but can allude to. So this bar, named for the mythic home of the Norse pantheon, has a spirits list that I’m attempting to select a gin from. After I settled on Hendrick’s, I continued to peruse the list, as I like to know what bars are offering what spirits. I like to think of this as field research.
As always, my eyes are swiftly drawn to the dismally short bourbon list. And, wouldn’t you know, this bar has decided to list both Jack Daniel’s and Southern Comfort as bourbon. Now, I can almost understand the mistake with Jack. At least it’s whiskey. But Southern Comfort is a liqueur, saying so right on the bottle. I mean, seriously, bourbon deserves a level of respect higher than this. To top it all off, they had a separate, “small batch” list which was the list of higher end bourbons they carry. Now, the term small batch was invented by Jim Beam as a marketing strategy to differentiate the Small Batch collection from other whiskeys, especially single barrel. Before that, it had no actual meaning.
Personally, I am outraged and offended, and I hope at least someone else out there will be too. Please, visit or call this place, purportedly where Valhalla is located, and tell them that bourbon is bourbon and to keep Tennessee whiskey and liqueurs on a different list. There are rules man, and I feel they should be observed.
-Out.
Tags: bourbon, daily thoughts, gin, whiskey
Category: The Liquor Blog | Comments (1)
posted on 15 April 2009 by tony
Until yesterday, I had never heard of this particular cocktail. A lady I happen to do business with was firing questions to me about gin, and proceeded to explain to me that she wished to concoct a French 75 at her home. She also filled me in on it’s origins, and I thought it was a pretty cool cocktail with a pretty cool story. Legend states a Franco-American pilot during WWI by the name of Raoul Lufbery loved champagne, but needed something with a bit more of a kick. Thus was born this cocktail. Some folk beileve cognac was the original additive to champagne, but we’re going with the classic gin version, which became popular round these parts around 1919. You’ll need the following:
2 ounces london dry gin (I prefer Whitley Neill)
1 teaspoon superfine sugar
1/2 ounce of lemon juice
5 ounces Brut champagne
Some places say to drink this in a Collins glass, others a champagne flute. Either way, throw the gin, lemon juice and sugar into a shaker full of ice and give it a good shake. Pour the champagne into the glass of your choice, and then strain the contents of the shaker into that. Voila! Garnish with a cherry if that’s your style. If you substitute vodka for gin, you’ve got a French 76 and if you switch it out with cognac, you’ve got a King’s Peg. The rumor is these will get you housed, so I’m hoping Lupec will be able to drive home after we down some of these.
-Out.
Tags: champagne, cognac, drink recipes, gin
Category: Cocktail Recipes, Uncategorized | Comments (1)
