June 30-Key West Hurricane
We come to the end of another month this summer. And with thwat comes a happy day for me and my family as we get to celebrate a close friend of ours. This man has been there for me since kindergarten and I couldnm’t think of anyone better to have a whole day this summer to celebrate. For privacy reasons we will call him E. E is the father of someone who I didn’t always realise, but was always there for me growing up, and E has been just as volatile in making me the man I am today. The amount of life lessons this man taught me would make him a prophet in the past and hopefully future once this world gets it together. This man was muchg more of a mentor than I deserve and he is a high ranking business man at a local rum company about an hour from where I live. Therefore to celebrate him I am using a cocktail from that company’s website today.
The Key West Hurricane is a cocktail found on the Papa’s Pilar website that doesn’t give much in terms of its creation or creator. TYhis drink is super tiki in essence with a lot of ingredients and a sweet palate needed to enjoy it. I actually used passion fruit puree instead of juice for the main reason of, it’s what I had in my hands but it is still a fantastic product to work with. This did give the cocktail more body as well, buit I learnt to use halof the amount they recommend since this stuff is stronger than the juice. THis will also make it fit more easily in your shaker and final glass.
Full judging here: https://docs.google.com/document/d/1WkzYmb0ottaekV52KDMoRSYXv-zxecjvdj06gvkBAeI/edit?tab=t.0 .
Happy Birthday E.
June 29-Boulevardier
The Negroni is widely seen as one of if noit the most refreshing cocktails there are. This is a bourbon take on that. This inherently takes away from that refreshing factor as bourbon is heavier than gin, but the same flavour pairing of campari and sweet vermouth is still present. This lightens up the bourbon a little, but you can’t deny that the average refresh factor is hurt big time by the bourbon. Bourbon drinks can still be refreshing and this is considered one of the more refreshing ones, but they will never ever be as refreshing as something with vodka or gin.
the other thing holding this drink from being as refreshing as a negroni is the lower amount of what makes the drink great in the first place. The Negroni is equal parts all ingredients while the Boulevardier is mostly bourbon with the bourbon itself being equal to both other components combined. There is 1 1/2 oz bourbon and 3/4 oz of campari and sweet vermouth.
Full judging here: https://docs.google.com/document/d/1qfzaEB9IKpjVcH8vJd_tz-l6rpjeCKEW5FxVFDruC0I/edit?tab=t.0
June 28-Hemingway Special
Ernest Hemingway has always meant a lot in my life. Not only am I a fan of him as a person, but a great friend of mine, who we will talk about in a later post, works for a company who uses Hemingway himself as a mascot of sorts for their liquor which includes rum and a rye. This cocktail was altered sp[ecifically for Hemingway when he tried one cocktail at EL Floridita and requested “double the rum and no sugar”. Hemingway was famous for having his daiquiris as essentially shaken rum with a splash of lime.
I of course had to use the rum I talked about earlier in this cocktail due to the association with Hemingway himself but you can use any you like, Bacardi is great in this cocktail. The grapefruit and maraschino is also a brilliant combination in this drink.
Full judging here: https://docs.google.com/document/d/1FWkdbJm4SM_VE1cfcIsu-BBPMTlPR6bpACCsIn8ClT0/edit?tab=t.0
June 27-Milano-Torino
Today we feature the precursor to the negroni, the Milano-Torino. I would actually argue that this cocktail is the most Italian one we will talk about. You might argue for the negroni to take this spot, but the gin that is the main drawing point to that drink isn’t even Italian. Meanwhile the Milano-Torino is completely Italian in its make. This cocktail also has a brilliant name since the Camnpari is from Milan and the Vermouth is from Turin. Combine these 2 and you get a brilliant cocktail.
Sorry about the shorter post, but this is a simpler cocktail that I really don’t have much more to say about.
Full judging here: https://docs.google.com/document/d/1MXHn9LVIezXo2-t_7_fGEhEedc8sBkJbd4DpHgb8Njw/edit?tab=t.0
June 26-Vesper
Ian Fleming’s famous flagship cocktail, the Vesper is a brilliant martini variation. This cocktail has a split base of vodka and gin which is the main draw into it. It takes the benefits of both versions. You get the botanicals of the gin version and the dryness of the vodka. This is a very dry and boozy cocktail making it not for everyone, but it’s my personal favourite of any cocktail I’ve tried.
As stated before this cocktail was created by Ian Fleming, writer of James Bond, THis is actually the famous cocktail mentioned when he states, “Shaken not stirred” . This nis actually in my opinion the wrong way of doing this cocktail as you actually get the drink colder stirring and there isn’t any citrus juice to shake.
Full judging here: https://docs.google.com/document/d/1oYwbZadW1NRPypFtOtLyfBTZty6EMrCn-WGRxuJ2h6E/edit?tab=t.0
June 25-White Negroni
If there is one thing I am not, it’s a liar. So when I say this cocktail is not for everyone, I urge you to believe me. This cocktail is very boozy and strong flavoured. The taste of gentian is not for everyone. It is bitter beyond belief, I don’t mean lime bitter or grapefruit bitter I mean nintendo switch cartridge bitter. FOr thoise who don’t know, switch cartridges have a chemical on them called bitrex which is purely meant to tatse extremely bitter.
This cocktail was created by Wayne Collins fopr the then brand director of Plymouth Gin Nick Blacknell while they were in Bordeaux France for the French Wine Convention. Since he was in France he decided to make a Negroni completely out of French ingredients and Plymouth Gin.
Full judging here:
June 24-Zombie
No this isn’t the hit song by the Cranberries, this is one of the more popular tiki cocktails out there. This cocktail might remind you of the one we talked about yesterday due to the amount of ingredients, but here it actually works. Let’s start with the fact that it’s not a vodka cocktail but actually rum. This spirit has a lot more proprietary tastes with different brands. I could go into a whole tangent about rum types but just know that the variety comes in clutch when it comes to making rum blends and this cocktail has quite a good one. Gold rum with aged rum and jamaican is pure bliss in my opinion.
The blend of citrus juices is also interesting, you get the bitterness form the lime and grapefruit but both are also a little sweet. And the bitterness of both is counteracted by the grenadine. The grenadine also gives this cocktail a beautiful colour.
Full judging here: https://docs.google.com/document/d/1KU2hJn2u51xR5pWmGMvUw8gXcPDwXo1dVkyp6toBmYE/edit?tab=t.0 .
June 23-Sloe Comfortable Screw Against The Wall
The cocktail with the longest name this summer is also one of my lesser liked cocktails we will talk about. I understand it is a classic highball that many people love, but to me this cocktail is a cluster of too many ingredients to really be cohesive. The fact that the main spirit is technically vodka doesn’t help its case. I’ve gone on a tangent in a recent post about my opinion on vodka in cocktails so I’ll keep it brief.
Vodka is an ingredient with a more neutral taste making it easy to get lost in the mess of other ingredients in a cocktail. The only thing you really taste is the ethanol, and even that isn’t a taste as much as a feel. I like vodka on its own but I would much rather use gin in a cocktail as it will do the same thing as vodka but with added botanicals. And look at me again I typed the same rant after saying I’d keep it short.
Full judging here: https://docs.google.com/document/d/1428DJRrOmrYF4MNPwC5Xym9yQ5ezZIkIRIlV2y9V9_Y/edit?tab=t.0
June 22-Rum Sour
You thought the last 2 posts were short, this cocktail literally doesn’t have a history section on Difford’s. What I can tell you is that it is a combination of a stone sour and a daiquiri. This pretty much classifies it as a daiquiri sweetened with orange juice as well as syrup. It can be debated whether an orange gives sweetness our sourness but I say it depends on the orange. In this cocktail howvever I would use a sweeter orange like a navel.
Full judging here:https://docs.google.com/document/d/1plTz3uM67-7EsAfLbH0GCoC6YhHTvNeFH8O7hA9cSEg/edit?tab=t.0
June 21-Caipirinha
Today we feature the national drink of Brazil, the Caipirinha. This is a drink that features a spirit that isn’t seen very often outside of Brazil. This spirit is Cachaca. It is essentially a Brazillian rum. Well that’s not technically accurate but it’s the easiest way to explain it in Layman’s terms for people that aren’t as well versed in mixology. Cachaca is really its own thing however and I’m sure that my Brtazilian friend will read that statement and disown me.
The name of this drink translates to ‘Little Country Girl’ and that is about the most I can say about this drink.
Full judging here: https://docs.google.com/document/d/1f8fIfYSGgFKLcV9art7EO9_hp8gDUIh_l9QRuvdJiLo/edit?tab=t.0
June 20-Godfather
Seen as an ‘Old Fashioned with attitude’ the Godfather is named after the novel by Mario Puzo as well as the film starring Marlon Brando. The phrase comes from the fact that this cocktail uses a liqueur rather than a syrup. This cocktail was featured oin Stan Jones’s book. Jones’s Complete Barguide. All this cocktail is is just Scotch and Amaretto. Which I’m not a huge fan off, especially Disaronno Amaretto. I know this liqueur is supoer popular, but to me it just tastes artificial. and my judge today agreed.
Full judging here: https://docs.google.com/document/d/16obWXHGK88DkX0qjjnYZ3n13kKQY8IpjFv1HgV_hzWM/edit?tab=t.0
June 19-Mint Julep
It is Juneteenth and I am celebrating it by giving you today one of the most famous cocktails by one of the most famous black bartenders, Jerry Thomas. Today we are talking about the mint julep. Not only was this made by Thomas, but here is lore behind this cocktail of black bartenders learning how to make the perfect Mint Julep. This is of course also the offcial drink of the Kentucky Derby and it is said that bif you say the phrase “I do declare” you must be holding a mint julep.
This is a super satisfying drink that combines the freshness of mint, with the warmth of bourbon and the funk of Jamaican Rum. This is a really simple one too. Muddle mint into simple syrup top with bourbon and crushed ice and finish with a float of Jamaican Rum.
Full judging here: https://docs.google.com/document/d/1wyAj4ktZR8BCrqvLkVRI_D0xvNDR7jTsaZJKs42Rz3M/edit?tab=t.0
June 18-Champs-Elysees
When you are named after a French avenue, you know that this cocktail is going to be French as ever. This cocktail is just that. This cocktail features Green Chartreuse and cognac. The only thing that would make it more French would be a croissant served on the side. This cocktail also features angostura bitters which doesn’t seem too French as they are more island driven flavoured, but then you realize that the island in question is a main trade partner with France.
This cocktail was featured in Nina Toye and Arthur Adair’s 1925b work Drinks Long and Short.
Full judging here: https://docs.google.com/document/d/1KNPx0tjGccerZQNZnVSU7fwsudNzoiZWtqRSQ-1iIOE/edit?tab=t.0 .
June 17-Sazerac
I feel like i’ve mentioned many a time already that a cocktail is a true New Orleans classic. This howvwer along with the Vieux Carre are the true NOLA classic brothers. They made use of a purely creole product in Peychaud’s bitters. In these you donm’t really have a true flavour like other bitters, they are more like if you turned a creole spice blend into a cocktail ingredient.
Once again it is debated who and when made this cocktail. This was however believed to be a bottled whiskey cocktail created by the Sazerac company. We today like to make our own despite this history.
Full judging here:
June 16-Pina Colada
I’m surprised that this cocktail isn’t higher considering its popularity around the world. I would gamble that more people know this cocktail over ones we will see later. This cocktail was made by Ramon ‘Monchito’ Marerra at the Caribe Hilton Hotel in Puerto Rico. This version I treid was servicible. It was cloyingly sweet, but so are most Pina Coladas. I liked the addition of Cachaca but that is where the interest falters. Presentation wise, even my pineapple hating mother admitted it was beautiful. I would say that this version was all style little substance and my judge today agreed.
We all know what goes in this cocktail, it’s become a flavour outside of the cocktail itself. Anything pineapple and coconut is declared pina colada flavoured, add rum and you get one of the most popular cocktails this generation has. I was actually was working at a bar at a Country Club recently and for dessert one night they did exactly that with a tart. Speaking of cocktails as dessert they also did a strawberry daiquiri bread pudding.
Full judging here: https://docs.google.com/document/d/1ccSGqp5NlWFaM8nb247pYMx4uuVWFykd7sdBv_iLQ8I/edit?tab=t.0 .
June 15-Frozen Strawberry Daiquiri
This drink really reminds me and a lot of other bartenders of the kind of drink you find at TGI Fridays or Ground Round. I actually love this cocktail all the way from when I was a kid sipping virgin versions poolside at hotels. I found the best version of this cocktail I could find in order to truly celebrate Father’s Day for my dad and his second favourite cocktail. This is a blender drink, which is hated by many a bartender for the use of the blender itself, but I like blender drinks, they have more texture than you can get in a shaken drink and it is also much colder than any cocktail deserves to be.
This daiquiri was made by Josh Jancewicz which I will not try to pronounce. It includes a topping of sweetened cream and a homemade strawberry puree. I originally found this recipe from a video on the Educated Barfly channel on Youtube.
Full judging here: https://docs.google.com/document/d/1oaMoeS5OLmfTHz107m4QaGTSQxg18ciFcxv8thP5IqI/edit?tab=t.0 .
June 14-Air Mail
This cocktail was descriobed as a potent one despite it being less than 1 standard drink. Granted it is from the 40s, so they might not have had as strong drinks. It is said that this cocktail got its name from it being the quickest way to get properly sozzled since airmail was the quickest way to get a letter from A to B. This cocktail is essentially a honey daiquiri diluted with prosecco. Not really diluted with alcohol percent, but definitely dilutes the flavour.
I don’t think the prosecco adds much, even though I usually like cocktails with prosecco as I like the effervescence and flavour it gives, but here I found it to be purely a diluter. This is a shame as I like the cocktail without it and I think if it was just scaled up, this could be incredible.
Full judging here: https://docs.google.com/document/d/1HayWUJficWWhhXDDIpcR_N2ZjFMWRTKt0FeYY0lKdZQ/edit?tab=t.0
June 13-Gimlet
When I say to use a good gin for this recipe, I mean it. When I say do not order this at a bar you don’t trust completely to use fresh lime juice, I mean it. I will fopr this cocktail recommend a specific gin to use in this cocktail. I would use CItadelle gin.This is a cleaner gin than something like Beefeater, and this is nothing against Beefeater as it’s still my go to martini gin, but Citadelle is just a higher quality. My judges say the same since they never get a gimlet they like more than mine.
I am also begging you with tears in my eyes, use fresh lime juice. Traditionally, Gimalets use Rose’s sweetened lime juice, but it’s so much better with fresh. I actually did something I tried not to do with the list this summer, I did ,my recipe for a gimlet instead of Difford’s recipe. The reason I did that is because I wanted to go traditional for this cocktail. The Gimlet is one of my favourites and I had to do it justice.
Full judging here: https://docs.google.com/document/d/1l7H55ngtwMsoWFsDpFwxaGD4mwLAeo27bx_6wmXpbI0/edit?tab=t.0
June 12-Blue Lagoon
The Blue Lagoon was described as my mom as “A hangover waiting to happen”. After she tried it though, she though it wasn’t bad. And if you are going to make cocktails as the son of Harry MacElhone, the legendary bartender, it should be good. Maybe I’m being too hard onm Andy MacElhone, I don;'‘t know if Harry taught him or not, maybe I’m seeing this like we see sons of former NFL players and expect them to go off immediately.
In all seriousness this was not a bad first impression to Andy’s work. I’m usually not a huge fan of blue curacao but it kind of works here aesthetically. I still think this cocktail would be more appealing with regular dry curacao, but it wouldn’t look as tropical or appetizing. I also think that the sprite in this cocktail works as it adds a necessary sweetness and dilutes the strength of the drink to make it more appetizing to the casual drinker.
Full judging here: https://docs.google.com/document/d/1tba-rRZ0y-OKDBWyzV6uQyw5sI24c58c_aTPUANIoMk/edit?tab=t.0
June 11-Sidecar
The Sidecar was a problematic recipe when it first was released, that’s why the one on Difford’s is a more modern take That is a good thing since this more modern take is an absolutely brilliant cocktail. Some might say that this cocktail is derivative of other cocktails like the Lemon Drop, but I say this is the definitive cognac cocktail. This cocktail is probably one of the first you think of when it comes to cognac, maybe next to the Brandy Alexander.
The story of this cocktail comes from Harry’s New York bar in Paris. This was named after the vehicle a captain would often go to the bar in. Why a captain was riding in a sidecar to begin with, I don’t know. Also why this drink doesn’t include a sidexar of like prosecco or something I also don’t know.
Full judging here: https://docs.google.com/document/d/1YEUZSsvz5RFikLLQ6wi0NO13ieAWFUem5vhOQRb200M/edit?tab=t.0