Cocktails

Drinking in Charleston

/ / Bourbon, Cocktails, Irish Whiskey, Richard's Blog, Scottish Whisky

One of the best things about Atlanta is how easy it is to get to great vacation destinations from here. Atlanta’s Hartsfield-Jackson International Airport is arguable the busiest in the country and you can fly to almost anywhere from here. Another attraction is the central location in the south. I took advantage of this last weekend and drove over to Charleston, South Carolina with my wife and friends, Sam and Sandra.

My wife’s mother is from Charleston and our friends have been there many times, however it was my first visit. Charleston is a wonderful old southern town. It’s beautiful. The people are friendly. There are plenty of great things to see, do, and eat. We did all of those and packed as much fun into a three day weekend as we could. But what about drinking?

For a beer lover there’s plenty to enjoy. Irish pubs populate a number of streets in Charleston with good selections. The locally made Palmetto Amber is a nice one if you want to go local. Whiskey can be a bit more fickle. There are a lot of 4J bars around the city but there is hope. We found a few bastions of whiskey in the arid sea of beer and cocktails!

First, there are those with small but well chosen selections. These tended to be in the bars of restaurants. High Cotton on East Bay Street and Pearlz Oyster Bar jumped first to mind. Both have great food (High Cotton was hands down the best meal I had in Charleston) and they have a small but well selected whiskey menu.

Second, there is the multitude of Irish pubs all over Charleston. Most are big on beer, light on whiskey. When you go into Tommy Condon’s over on Church St. it looks much the same. However, the secret is to ask what they’ve got behind the bar. Tommy Condon’s has a very respectable selection of Irish whiskey but you can’t see it. It includes favorites from Powers, Paddy’s, Jameson, and even Redbreast. Just ask your server or bartender.

Lastly, if you want to seriously get your drink on there are only two places I found. There is Club Havana on Meeting St. and Husk on Queen St. Husk has a fantastic selection of bourbon, rye, and American whiskey but you will pay for it. They have far and away the highest markup on their liquor. You’ve been warned. For everything else there’s Club Havana. They have a very nice selection of scotch, bourbon, and rums at not astronomical prices. They sit above a Tinder Box and you can bring up the cigars you buy downstairs and smoke up in the bar and lounge. Colleen at the bar was a great bartender and if you want to adventure out beyond the whiskey, give their rum flight a try. It’s a really cool place I wish we had in Atlanta.

That’s my Charleston report. I had a great time and if you go you probably will too.

Drink wisely my friends,

Richard

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Good Times, Great Friends, and Greater Whiskey

/ / Bourbon, Cocktails, Richard's Blog, Scottish Whisky

This past weekend I had the distinct honor of having Mr. & Mrs. Matt down in Atlanta for a visit.  I don’t really get to see them that often and the distance between NYC and Atlanta seems much farther upon their departure than the two hour flight it entails.  We had BBQ, good conversations and a considerable amount of great whiskey. 

So what does all this mean for our readers?  Well of course we were working during this visit too.   I’ll get the reviews of that lovely 30 Year Old Highland Park I got for my birthday posted soon.  We also did a great single malt comparison for the Gateway series that is soon to come. 

Why am I just telling you about it all instead of posting it?  I don’t know.  Lazy I guess.  To make up for the delay let me give you something that is just too good not to pass along.  Sometime between BBQ and bourbon we came across a great milkshake recipe that we all agreed must be posted for the greater good.  This recipe is for Bourbon Ball Milkshakes.  The recipe was created by Lynn’s Paradise Cafe in Louisville, KY.  It was recently printed in Martha Stewart Living.

Bourbon Ball Milkshakes (makes 4)

12 large scoops (about a 1/2 gallon) vanilla ice cream

4 ounces (1/2 cup) bourbon, preferably Woodford Reserve

2 tablespoons heavy cream, plus 1/4 cup, whipped, for serving

1 cup walnut halves, plus more chopped for serving

1/2 cup semisweet chocolate chips

Puree ice cream, bourbon, heavy cream, walnuts, and chocolate chips in a blender. Divide among four 16-ounce glasses.

Top with whipped cream. Garnish with walnuts and chocolate chips.

I didn’t have any Woodford Reserve on hand (gasp!) or walnuts so we made it with Basil Hayden’s but its was still fantastic.  Go ahead and whip up a batch, you won’t be sorry.  And I promise to get those reviews posted soon.

– Richard

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It’s Derby Time

/ / Bourbon, Cocktails, Matt's Blog

The Kentucky Derby is this weekend. You know what that means… Mint Juleps. This year, Early Times Mint Julep is the official drink of the Kentucky Derby (even though Woodford Reserve is the official bourbon). There are a few Mint Julep recipes out there. The ingredients are all the same, but the mixing and ratios often vary. The ingredients are bourbon (of course), sugar, water (some recipes use simple syrup instead of sugar and water), mint and ice. I’m going to break down a few methods for you.

Advanced:
The official Early Times Mint Julep calls for 2oz. Bourbon, 1 tbsp simple syrup, 1 tbsp water, mint sprigs and crushed ice. What makes this one ‘advanced’ is the simple syrup is infused with mint. To make the simple syrup, boil 1 cup of sugar with 1 cup of water for 5 minutes. Pour the simple syrup mixture over a bunch of of mint leaves. Gently crush the leaves into the mixture. Chill, strain, and chill some more.

Crush mint leaves into the bottom of an 8 oz glass. Fill the glass with crushed ice. Add 1 tbsp water, 1 tbsp simple syrup (our mint infusion), 2 oz. bourbon and stir until frost forms on the glass. Garnish with mint.

A little easier:
If you can’t be bothered to make your own simple syrup, you can also muddle 2 tsp water with 2 tsp sugar and 6-8 mint sprigs. Add bourbon and ice and you are good to go.

For the truly lazy:
Early Times makes a premixed Mint Julep Cocktail. Serve it over ice with a mint garnish.

Some Trader Joe’s stores also carry simple syrup for a hybrid of the recipes above.

I’m not a big fan of Early Times bourbon, so I’ll be making my Juleps with Buffalo Trace this year. I recommend using something good but not very expensive. The flavors of the sugar and the mint complement the bourbon, but they do cover up some things. Do not waste the last of your Woodford Reserve Four Grain on one of these.

Drink well. Drink responsibly.
-Matt

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Spirited Swine

/ / Bourbon, Cocktails, Matt's Blog, Other Whisk(e)ys

Tonight I experienced the melding of two of mankind’s greatest inventions, distilled spirits and cured meat. Astor Center (the event space for Astor Wines & Spirits in NYC) hosted the Bacon & Bourbon Expo. Mr. Cutlet (Josh Ozersky) played host to the event, where I had the opportunity to pair some of my favorite American whiskeys with a sampling of artisanal smoked meats. The title was a bit of a misnomer. There were nearly as many assorted American whiskeys as true bourbons. I assume the title was for alliteration and because Bacon & Assorted American Whiskey Expo did not roll off the tongue half as well.

I envisioned a semi-guided tour where meat masters conferred with spirit sommeliers to determine pairings of specialty bacons with complimentary whiskeys. Perhaps an applewood smoked bacon with Bernheim’s Wheat Whiskey or something of that nature. However, it was a bit of free-for-all. There were plates stacked with bacon and thick cut pork belly, containers of ham sticks, and a handful of distilleries represented (each with a small selection of their line – about 20 whiskeys in total). There was a long lapse between courses of bacon as the plates emptied, but the event was great fun and I got plenty of bacon and some really great whiskey.

The stand-out whiskey favorites were the Parker’s Heritage 2nd Edition 27 Year Old and the Rittenhouse Very Rare 23 Year Old 100 Proof Rye. As always, the Tuthilltown table was packed as Ralph Erenzo worked his charm on the gathered bourbon enthusiasts. He makes great whiskey, but I’ve got to give this one to Heaven Hill (they make both Parker’s and Rittenhouse).

Even at 96 proof, the Parker’s is dangerously drinkable. One would expect a 27 year old bourbon to be overly woody and a 96 proof bourbon to burn your nose and your throat. This edition of the Parker’s Heritage collection is surprisingly balanced with notes of spice, vanilla, and marzipan. I’m going to give this a ‘Must Try,’ but, at $200, it is out of my price range.

The Rittenhouse is intense, smooth, sweet and spicy. There was a time when I shied away from rye whiskey. After trying some really good ryes (like Sazerac), rye became part of my regular drink list. The Rittenhouse is unique and far smoother than any rye has a right to be. Its price point is higher than the 18yo Sazerac by $20-50 depending on the source and I am not sure that it is worth the difference. Definitely worth a try though.

The bacon list was not as extensive as the whiskey list, but it was quality. My favorites were D’Artagnan’s Hickory Smoked Wild Boar Bacon and the pork belly from RUB (a NYC bar-be-que joint). I can honestly say that I could subsist entirely on pork belly and bourbon.

The big surprise of the evening was the Bacon-Infused Old Fashions being served up by PDT (go here for the recipe). It is even better than it sounds.

As I type this, my throat is raw from talking about whiskey all night and my fingers still smell of smoked pork fat. I think I should go eat a salad.

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Whisk(e)y And The Weaker(?) Sex

/ / Cocktails, Matt's Blog

*NOTE: The title is only for alliteration not misogyny. Please, do not flood me with hate mail.

I have noticed a wonderful trend of late. Women who like whiskey. I personally have several female friends who can appreciate a good dram as much as anyone. Unfortunately, my wife is not one of them. Traditionally, whiskey is a harder sell than other hard liquor for women (if you have a significant other who likes beer, brats, and single malt Scotch you can quit reading). Once they try it, women are just as likely as men to enjoy whiskey. They are just less likely to give it a chance. So, how do you share your love of whiskey with your lady friend(s) if they are hesitant or uninitiated? It may sound sexist, but it is simple… cocktails (a topic that seems more than appropriate given Richard’s last blog).

Currently, the only way I can get my wife to drink whiskey is in a high ball (bourbon & ginger ale). I’ve tried making it with cheap stuff, but she prefers Four Roses Small Batch. What can I say? The lady knows good whiskey.

Unfortunately, it seems the art of whiskey cocktails has been lost to most bartenders (see the Jameson Whiskey Martini). Whiskey cocktails should compliment not disguise the whiskey. Instead of ordering a Jack and Coke, try an Old Fashioned (bourbon, sugar, bitters, an orange slice, and a cherry), a Whiskey Sour (the hard way or with a mix), or a Mint Julep (bourbon, sugar, and mint). If you have a savvy bar keep, you may be able to get a New Yorker (bourbon muddled w/ lime & a dash of grenadine) or Rusty Nail (Scotch, Drambuie & a lemon twist). If you find a cocktail you like, try it with different whiskeys.

The other way to introduce whiskey to any neophyte (regardless of sex) is to demonstrate the ritual of tasting (see FAQs for details). If they know that it is acceptable to add a little bit of water to temper the burn, they may be more willing to take the plunge.

Introducing whiskey to someone can be a challenge, but is usually very rewarding. Why else would we be whiskey apostles?

-Matt

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