Caorunn is distilled at the Balmenach Distillery which dates back to 1824. It was one of the first distilleries in Scotland to be licensed to product Scotch. Simon Buley oversees every step of the distillation process. Caorunn’s recipe includes six … Continue reading
Often when people hear the words milk punch, their minds immediately jump to that quintessential creamy drink made famous in New Orleans. I want to introduce to you a wholly different animal: the clear English Milk Punch. Yes, it involves … Continue reading
Cana Brava is the work of The 86 Co. which is made up of Simon Ford, Dushan Zaric & Jason Kosmos (founders of Employees Only), Malte Barnekow, and Kris Roth. Cana Brava is a 3 year old aged rum from … Continue reading
In today’s interview we sit down with Troy Sidle of Pouring Ribbons which recently opened in NYC. In just a short time it has become one of my favorite bars in due to its welcoming atmosphere coupled with exceptional drinks. … Continue reading
The Harvey Wallbanger is not a terrible drink, but it lacks complexity, and the nuances of the Galliano are totally drowned out by the OJ. I wanted my updated version to highlight the Galliano and make it stand out the … Continue reading
While craft cocktails and long lost spirits have seen a resurgence in recent times, flavored vodka continues to be the fastest growing niche in the spirits industry.
Every other week there seems to be a new flavor to hit the market. Some flavors like Fruit Loops, Peanut Butter & Jelly, Swedish Fish, Whip Cream, and Cake are designed to appeal to our childhood memories. Who hasn’t wondered what it would be like to drink Peanut Butter and Jelly. Other flavors like Bacon, Smoked Salmon, and Skorpion are intriguing and often pique our curiosity. Personally I have no desire to drink smoked salmon but hey to each his own.
To combat this endless stream of “normal” flavors Oddka has released Electricity Vodka. Huh? You read that correctly, I said Electricity Flavored Vodka. I don’t know about you, but I didn’t even know Electricity was a flavor. What can I even compare it to? Should I stick my tongue in a socket? Hmmmm…decisions, decisions, decisions.
But if the concept of drinking Electricity is too shocking for you, you can always channel your inner herbivore and try Oddka’s Freshly Cut Grass Vodka.
There are a number of species that are often sold as cinnamon. They all have similar yet different flavor profiles and textures. Ceylon cinnamon is the “true cinnamon” and has a more aromatic and delicate flavor than Cassia or Chinese … Continue reading
Grenadine is supposed to be a pomegranate syrup. In order to reduce production costs the fruit juice has been replaced with artificial ingredients. Most commercial grenadines are now just high fructose corn syrup and Red #40 and Blue #1 – … Continue reading
This drink is an original creation of Matt “Rumdood” Robold a bartender at 320Main and creator of the Rumdood.com blog. When it comes to rum, his blog is my go to source for answers and from the limited interaction I’ve had with him on the web he seems like a really down to earth guy.
Look Normal
2 oz White Rum
.75 oz Lime Juice
.5 oz Orgeat
2 tsp Absinthe
1 tsp Maraschino
1 tsp Simple Syrup
Shake with ice, strain into an Old Fashioned glass over crushed ice. Garnish with a cherry and an orange twist.
Notes:
Despite the small amounts of Maraschino and Absinthe they both make their presence known and add extra complexity while the orgeat adds a smooth and rich goodness. You will notice that the directions for making the drink are slightly different then the ones that Rumdood wrote about on his blog. He says to shake with both cubed and crushed ice. After speaking with him he stated that it was something that he picked up after reading a book by Wayne Curtis. It was a pain to do and it didn’t really add anything different to the drink. For this reason I shook mine with cubed ice and strained over crushed ice.
After mixing up the Look Normal I went searching for another daiquiri variation that contained orgeat because I love the silky richness that it adds to a drink. I came across the Freshman Daiquiri which incorporated both falernum and orgeat, created by Theo Lieberman of Lantern’s Keep and Milk and Honey in NYC. How could it go wrong? 
Freshman Daiquiri
4 oz. White Rum (10 cane)
1.5 oz. Lime Juice
.75 oz. Orgeat
.75 oz. Velvet Falernum
2 fresh orange wedges
Combine all ingredients, shake with ice, strain into two chilled glasses and garnish with a lime wheel
Notes:
The orgeat smooths out the drink with the falernum adding its trademark spice. The orange wedge adds hints of orange flavor in the background and a touch of bitterness in the finish.
Tomorrow is the last day for the series, 7 Daiquiris in 7 Days. The last cocktail is the Airmail.
If you missed yesterdays post: Royal Daiquiri
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The original drink appears in Trader Vic’s Bartenders Guide from 1972 and is sometimes referred to as the Floridita Cocktail. The La Florida Cocktail is the creation of Constantine Ribailagualt and was one of the signature drinks of the La Florida bar in Havana, Cuba.
It’s name is strikingly similar to the Floridita Daiquiri but they are two different drinks. The daiquiri contains maraschino liqueur while the cocktail uses crème de cacao, sweet vermouth, and grenadine as the sweeteners. This particular version of the drink appears in the PDT cocktail book and is the creation of Jack McGarry.
La Florida Cocktail
2 oz Banks 5 Island Rum
.75 oz Lime Juice
.5 oz Crème de Cacao (Marie Brizard)
.25 oz Sweet Vermouth (Cinzano)
1 barspoon Grenadine (Hibiscus Grenadine)
Shake with ice and strain into a chilled cocktail glass. Garnish with a lime wheel and enjoy.
Notes:
The drink is well put together and despite the .5 oz of Crème de Cacao the chocolate flavor is still subtle and interwoven with the herbal qualities of the vermouth. The final flavor is not one you would except but its delicious and well worth exploring.
7 Daiquiri’s in 7 Days continues tomorrow with the: Royal Daiquiri
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