They say that Queen Elizabeth keeps a flask of London Dry Gin and Dubonnet in her coach so that she can have her favorite cocktail, the Dubonnet Cocktail on demand. Refreshing and well-balanced, I can clearly see why the longest-reining British monarch keeps this fine libation within easy reach.

So how does one improve on a classic? Find a way to add a complimentary layer of complexity with Luxardo Maraschino Liqueur. Slightly floral with subtle nutty overtones, Maraschino Liqueur lurks in the background teasing and exciting one’s palate.

Presumably, the authors of the handy drinks book called 365 Days of Cocktails, christened this drink to celebrate the opening night of Madam Butterfly in 1904. I guess that is as good a reason as any to roll this lovely flower of a drink.

So, I present The Opera…

2 oz. London Dry Gin

2 oz. Dubonnet

1/4 oz. Maraschino Liqueur

3 dashes Orange Bitters

Shake with crushed ice and strain into a coupe

Cin-Cin!

Almost twenty-nine years ago I tasted my first Los Vascos Cabernet. It was one of the first Chilean wines I had ever experienced, and frankly I was seriously impressed. It doesn’t hurt that the winery is owned by Lafite Rotchild, the famous first growth from Pauillac in Bordeaux, masters of fine wine.

Hugh Johnson has written that Chile may be the most perfect place on Earth to grow Cabernet Sauvignon. With ideal climate and vineyards that never experienced the scourge of phylloxera, Chile has incredible potential, which is why Lafite has chosen to invest so heavily in Los Vascos.

Back in the late 80’s, I put the 1988 Los Vascos in many flights, blind, against fairly credible Bordeaux. Time and again, the Los Vascos was picked as everyone’s favorite. Back then, the wine sold for just under $5.00/bottle. Pretty incredible…

Today I picked up the 2017 vintage and the wine is wonderful. Fruity with nice complexity and elegant structure. Well-balanced with a nice, long finish. Not built for long term aging, the wine does have enough structure to improve for the next 7-10 years.

Here’s the best part… I paid a discounted $7.50/bottle… Los Vascos is offering a $36 mail-in rebate for a case purchase. You do the math… that translates to $4.50/bottle… that is cheaper than what I paid for the 1988 vintage almost 29 years ago… that is incredible…

I recommend you run to buy this wine. The rebate is for purchases made before 12/31/2018, with claims filed by 1/31/2019.

Cheers!

There are supposed to have been four variations of this “hair-of-the-dog” hangover cure. The #2 is perhaps the most popular and the only one that survived prohibition in tact. I’m not even sure that reliable recipes exist for #3 and #4, despite finding a few on the Internet. A conventional search of my drinks library turned up nothing verifiable.

I was able to find a recipe on Liquor.com that claims to be the “verified” recipe for the Corpse Reviver #1, so we gave it a roll. The ingredients are in line with a cocktail of this variety, but I feel it is lacking a souring/refreshing component like lemon juice. Next version we will play with that idea and see how we fair…

Until then, you will have to suffer along with the “verified” recipe from Liquor.com…

Corpse Reviver #1

1oz. Cognac

1oz. Calvados

1/2oz. Sweet Vermouth (Carpano Antico)

Shake with crushed ice and strain into a cocktail glass or coupe.

Cin-Cin!

Appassimento is a traditional Italian wine-making method that involves drying the grapes on straw mats prior to fermentation. The drying process concentrates the sugar and intensifies the complexity of the flavors in the grapes. The resulting wine is powerful, rich and redolent of spice, raisins and cooked fruit.

This method is used in the famous wines of Valpolicella Della Amarone, producing ageless wines of infinite complexity and smoothness.

In lesser regions, the process creates potent, fruit-bombs that are quaffable and delicious.

The 2017 Lupi Reali is a Montepulciano-based red wine from Abruzzo. The use of the appassimento process creates a wonderfully pleasing wine that is both sippable and food-friendly. Fruit-forward with supple, well-integrated tannin, the wine is drinking wonderfully now and should add complexity as it gains time in the bottle.

Cheers!

Obsessed… some have called me this and they would not be wrong… I think of myself as a purist… that person who seeks out real, authentic product that is a testament to the Craft.

Octomore, produced by Bruichladdich Distillery on Islay, is for purists… or those obsessed.

I am relatively new to the Octomore fan club, having only just joined with the 6.3 bottling. Since my first taste, I have wended my way through the 7.1 and 8.3 bottles, finding that with each intense treatment, I am left wanting more. Recently, I have been scouring the market in search of the 8.1, a veritable unicorn for Octomore in the US.

Much to my pleasure, my friends at the Whisky Exchange had the 8.1 in stock and but one ocean away… so, throwing care to the wind, the order was placed and the wait began. Fortunately, I have had remarkable luck with the WE, and the 8.1 arrived, lovingly packed and ready to sip.

The Octomore are cask strength monsters that pay homage to the gods of Islay. If you thought Laphroaig and Lagavulin were impactful as Islay malts, then you need to taste the Octomore. Without a doubt, Octomore redefines Islay and sets the bar very high for Peat and Smoke.

Comparatively, the 8.1 is “lighter” than the 8.3 and is more like the 6.3 in balance and flavor. Massive peat and smoke dominate the palate with a hint of honey, vanilla and violets on the finish. A trifle hot, with a few drops of mineral water, the whisky explodes and at the same time, tames itself nicely.

Contemplative is the word I would use to best describe the experience of sipping an Octomore… and if you close your eyes, you are transported to Islay, where the mix of peat, smoke and sea salt tempt your nostrils and conjure an ancient time when whisky was first born…

Slainte!

In 1805, Napoleon Bonaparte anxiously planned the invasion of England. Having neutralized the continent of Europe, Napoleon looked to solidify his position of power by invading France’s long term enemy. What stood between Napoleon and victory was the English Fleet, led by Admiral Horatio Nelson. In what would become one of history’s greatest sea battles, Lord Nelson stemmed the tide of Napoleon’s quest, by defeating the combined French and Spanish Navies off the west coast of Trafalgar. Nelson would receive a mortal wound during the battle. His body was rumored to be transported back to England in a cask of Rum, which led to the spirit’s nickname, Nelson’s Blood.

In celebration of a true naval hero, I present Nelson’s Blood…

2 oz. Pusser’s Naval Rum

2 oz. Ruby Port

Shake with crushed ice and strain into a cocktail glass.

Cheers!

In the beginning of 1944, the allies were being kept from capturing Rome by German army elements holding the Rapido-Gari, Liri, and Garigliano valleys. Monte Cassino, a Benedictine Abbey founded in 529AD dominated the landscape and was believed to be serving as a German lookout post. The allies dropped thousands of pounds of ordinance on the abbey in an attempt to neutralize its use. The bombing proved fruitless and actually allowed German paratroopers to set up an almost impregnable defensive position in the rubble of the monastery.

For four months the allies assaulted Monte Cassino in an attempt to remove the German blockade. Finally, on May 18, 1944, Monte Cassino fell and the flag of Poland was raised above the ruins – Poland providing the unit that finally lodged the Germans from their positions.

In tribute to the many lives that were lost in the capturing of this iconic landmark, thus enabling the allies to finally take Rome from the Nazis, I present the Monte Cassino cocktail*:

1oz. Rye Whiskey

1oz. Benedictine

1oz. Yellow Chartreuse

1oz. Lemon Juice

3/4oz. Cold Water

Shake the ingredients with crushed ice, strain and serve with a lemon twist

Cin-Cin!

*(from “365 Days of Cocktails…”)

Despite the snowfall today (April 6th), it is time to jump start Spring with a refreshing and fruity cocktail that just oozes sunshine!

The Spencer Cocktail is originally from Harry Craddock’s The Savoy Cocktail Book, which is one of the definitive cocktail collections from the 1930’s.

The cocktail is well-balanced with a charmingly fruity personality, perfect to welcome Spring.

I present the Spencer Cocktail…

2oz. London Dry Gin

1oz. Apricot Liqueur

1/4oz. Orange Juice

Dash of bitters (Orange was my preference)

Shake with crushed ice and strain into a coupe. Garnish with a cherry.

Cheers!

Chilean Cabernet is so often forgettable. Not terrible, but not memorable either. Every so often the stars align and a Chilean producer comes up with a serious, memorable wine. This wine is truly wonderful. Solid structure, ample fruit and a melange of beautiful flavors on the finish. Moderate aging potential. The best thing? You get all this for a nudge over $10 per bottle… very solid value!

Cheers!

This Prohibition-era cocktail borrows it’s name from the slang phrase at the time meaning “the best.”

Like most cocktails during this era, the design was more about concealing the poor quality of available spirits, especially “bath tub” gin.

This cocktail was unusual, in that it used honey as the primary sweetener, as opposed to sugar or simple syrup. The result is actually quite pleasant, with the unctuous quality of the honey lurking in the background.

The use of honey is a bit challenging, as shaking the drink with crushed ice makes the honey tough to fully integrate due to its thickening viscosity.

Refreshing and crisp, the Bee’s Knees is a welcome addition to one’s cocktail repertoire.

2 oz. London Dry Gin

3/4 oz. Lemon Juice

3/4 oz. Honey

Shake with crushed ice and strain into a coupe glass. Lemon twist garnish.