Nick, Author at First Pour Cocktails

Un Poco Coco Loco

Posted on July 13, 2022July 14, 2022 by Nick

Pardon the hiatus, we’ve been busy getting married! Following our long awaited ceremony, we took a trip to the happiest (and perhaps one of the most expensive) place(s) on earth, Disney World! Inspired by their film Coco and its additions around Mexico in EPCOT, plus our love of tiki drinks, we present the original mocktail, Un Poco Coco Loco.

Un Poco Coco Loco

3 oz

Foco Roasted Coconut Juice

3 oz

Gosling’s Ginger Beer

¾ oz

Lime Juice

½ oz

Orgeat

¼ oz

Rich Demerara Syrup

5 Drops

Tiki Bitters

Combine all ingredients except ginger beer in a shaker. Add ice and shake. Separate the tin and add ginger beer. Strain into a Collins glass filled with fresh cubed or pellet ice. Garnish with a cherry lime flag.

Un Poco Coco Loco is fresh, toasty, lightly spiced, and refreshing. The roasted toasty notes of the coconut bounce off the fresh lime and sweet almond notes. The demerara adds some richness and touches of caramel. With a pop of ginger the whole drink rounds out delightfully. The light spicing and subtle tropical fruit elements give it a mystique, and the rich texture hides the lack of alcohol in it.

Drink Notes & Recommendations

Un Poco Coco Loco is designed to give the feel of a Tiki drink for the non-alcoholic crowd. The use of multiple sugars and mixture of the lime and coconut help it build a mystique, while ginger beer and bitters add spice.

Foco Roasted Coconut Juice – Foco Roasted Coconut Juice is somewhat unique, and has a caramelized roasted coconut flavor mixed with a fresh coconut flavor. There are pieces of coconut in the juice. The most common place we’ve obtained ours is at Asian markets, but it is occasionally available at Walmart or online at retailers like Amazon*.
Ginger Beer – We used Goslings, which is our go to ginger beer. It’s usually available in the locally grocery store, but can be also found at Amazon*.
Lime Juice – For best results use fresh squeezed. If using Lime Super Juice, use ½ oz in place of ¾ oz.
Orgeat – Most applications we recommend something natural like Small Hand Foods Orgeat*, however in this case you can feel free to reach for something more candy almond like Ferrara Orzata Almond Syrup* (which we used here). Monin would also be a recommended substitute.
Rich Demerara Syrup – Demerara syrup adds a nicely caramelized sugar note to the mix, helping to cover some of the rum notes.
- To Make: Combine 2 parts Demerara Sugar to 1 part water and bring to a simmer stirring over high heat. Remove from heat once the sugar has completely dissolved. Allow to cool and bottle. Refrigerate. The high sugar content will work to inhibit bacterial growth for an extended duration – throw out if any clouding or mold develop.
Tiki Bitters – We use Bitterman’s ‘Elemakule Tiki Bitters* in our recipes that call for Tiki bitters. While these are not strictly non-alcoholic, the amount of alcohol is minimal. Even at 5 drops, and 7.26 oz of total volume before dilution, the ABV will be under 0.1% by volume.

* – This post contains affiliate links that help us keep the lights on. The affiliate links may result in us receiving a commission.

Elijah Craig Toasted Barrel

Posted on July 11, 2022July 14, 2022 by Nick

Elijah Craig Toasted Barrel is a relatively new product from Heaven Hill. Starting with Elijah Craig Small Batch, the bourbon is then finished again in a new specially toasted oak barrel. Similar to their Small Batch, there’s no aged statement here, and the site doesn’t suggest how long it’s in the barrel. The idea is that the new finishing step will add chocolate and baking spice flavors to compliment the oakiness. It also adds another $20 to the price, so does it justify the cost?

Elijah Craig Toasted Barrel

Sight: Burnished Chestnut / Sherry

Smell: The nose is an explosion of freshly made caramel, butterscotch, and stewed cherries. Confectioner sugar, fresh candy store fudge, and almonds follow things up. Traditional notes of oak and spice come through with some additional fresh red fruit and plum (albeit slightly heading toward fermenting). There’s a hint of heat to the nose as well, and a little bit of corn or grain.

Sip: The body is on the light to medium side. There’s a strong influence of oak that leads things off with vanilla and caramel notes. Spice and plum skin start to pick up with a bit of dried cherry. There are touches of butterscotch, more oak, cigar box, and almost a confectioner sugar / artificial vanillin. There’s a touch of heat, but the flavor profile isn’t overly clear or aggressive.

Savor: The ending hits on a deep undercurrent of oak, with flavors of charred oak giving way to vanilla and unripe cherries. There’s a touch of nutty toffee and a little heat. The char begins to lean bitter over time.

Elijah Craig Toasted Barrel packs a solid amount of oak into a turned up version of their standing offering. The result is something that gives the vanilla and oak a forefront, but doesn’t appear to give a lot of room to many other flavors. The result is a tasty bourbon with an extra step of finishing that doesn’t add a whole lot of extra complexity.

In Cocktails

In a Manhattan Elijah Craig Toasted Barrel brings a lot of oak and caramel to the party. The result is a spicy and caramel ladened sip with some peaks of red fruit, which is followed by a literal battering of oak. The oak is so strong it leads to bittering and tannic notes on the back end of the palate. Which is amazing, because Carpano Antica is one of the most aggressive vermouths on the market (to the point where some cocktail groups will even recommend avoiding it for certain bourbons). Elijah Craig Toasted just steamrolls it.

In Review – Elijah Craig Toasted Barrel

Elijah Craig Toasted Barrel is oaked. Really oaked. In the wine world, we’d complain when a wine was oaked to the point where the actual grape got lost in a mess of vanilla, wood notes, and caramel flavors. Toasted Barrel is fringing into this territory. If you happen to find the flavor of oak to be the thing you want to focus on, this is a potential winner for you. For everyone else, $55 plus territory is going to be expensive, chased after by bourbon lovers, and outshined by other more balanced bottles.

Old Overholt Straight Rye

Posted on June 24, 2022June 1, 2022 by Nick

Few whiskeys have the prevalence or brand lineage of Old Overholt Straight Rye. Take a close look at the rail of almost any bar, and you’re likely to see a bottle of Old Overholt hiding somewhere. The reasons for the prominence are multiple, including it being one of the oldest rye brands in the country. Not only did it survive prohibition, but it also managed to endure the decline of whiskey in the U.S. post World War II. The easiest reasons to note today are the price (typically at under $20 a bottle) and the ownership by Beam Suntory since 1987. The rye in the bottle is young, aged only 3 years, but is non-chill filtered and comes in at 86 proof.

Old Overholt Straight Rye

Sight: A chestnut oloroso sherry – deeper than expected.

Smell: The nose starts off with some elements of cigar box and peppery spice. Peach blossoms and touches of baked cherry Danish join in. There’s a slight touch of mint and a healthy dose of orange marmalade round things out. There’s also a bit of a burn.

Sip: The mouthfeel is thin and it’s slightly hot. The flavors of pepper, oak, and orange zest come through sloppily. Other touches of burnt caramel and touches of floral elements hang around the edges.

Savor: The finish picks up a cracker / cereal like note laced with spice and a bit of heat. The ending grows increasingly oaky with touches of rye.

Old Overholt Straight Rye is more inviting in the nose than on the palate. The palate isn’t necessarily muddled, but it works harder than the nose implies it would. The finish is also slightly more one note than might be expected. The fact of the matter though, is that you don’t buy this bottle for sipping. So how does it do at making cocktails?

In Cocktails

In a Manhattan Old Overholt Straight Rye produces a surprisingly balanced Manhattan. The oak and orange flavors join up with the spice notes from the vermouth and balance sweetly. There’s a good moderate weight to it, and just a hint of heat. The finish maintains that cereal linger note after showing just a few fruitier elements.

In Review – Old Overholt Straight Rye

Old Overholt Straight Rye is certainly serviceable if not the most interesting rye in the world. While not as complex as Rittenhouse Rye, it also doesn’t lean heavily into some of the green notes that rye can produce (like Elijah Craig). Given the price differential (typically sold around $15), it’s also significantly cheaper. If you’re only looking to add a rye to your bar, and really don’t want to want spend the extra, there’s nothing wrong with Old Overholt, but for a few dollars more, you can enjoy the wonderful flavors of Rittenhouse.

Tiki Classics: Mai Tai

Posted on June 13, 2022December 19, 2022 by Nick

Let’s get something out of the way to start, the Mai Tai’s history and composition are complicated. If you look at the notes for the Mai Tai in Martin Cate’s seminal book, Smuggler’s Cove*, they span over three full pages. Just on one cocktail! The reasons are plentiful (and the full books is worth buying if you’re serious about Tiki drinks), but the long and short of it gets to two essential issues that hamstring Mai Tais:

The definition of a Mai Tai (from a government standpoint) is inadequate. Combined with a lack of knowledge or care, this has lead to a raft of bastardized cocktails that are essentially a bunch of rum with whatever juices are around.
The original rum for the Mai Tai (Wray & Nephew 17) was discontinued or in short supply, so it was replaced with Wray & Nephew 15. This replacement resulted in another replacement when the 15 was discontinued. After that, a Martinique rhum was called for, but the style of Martinique rhum at the time wasn’t explanative of how the drink turned out, and resulted in a whole sale change of the character of the drink.

So, without further ado, here’s how to make a Mai Tai!

Mai Tai

2 oz

Jamaican Aged Rum

¾ oz

Lime Juice

½ oz

Dry Curacao

½ oz

Orgeat

¼ oz

Simple Syrup

Squeeze limes to remove juice without fully inverting the shell (if using a hand squeezer). Reserve the shell for garnish. Combine all ingredients in a shaking vessel with crushed ice. Shake until frost develops on the outside of the tin. Pour into a chilled a double rocks glass and garnish with the reserved lime peel side up and a sprig of mint.

The Mai Tai is bright, smooth, and features it’s rum with a straightforward poise. The slight Jamaican funk and tropical fruit notes come together with a slight nuttiness and brown sugar. The lime gives it a wonderful pop of brightness. There is a hint of sweetness, but it’s balanced out with the brightness and finishes slightly drier.

Drink Notes & Recommendations

The Mai Tai is subject to a number of variations due to the shifting of the foundational ingredients that underpinned it. As a result, recipes that call for Jamaican rums are the most original, and Martinique rhums are the evolution of this. The most important element is the rum, which will primarily decide the character of the finished cocktail.

Rum – In this cocktail we used Appleton Estate Reserve, a Jamaican rum, which gave it a distinct funk and wonderful caramelized tropical fruit note. There are a lot of variations of Mai Tais, and the rum is going to be the driver. For example, to get a grassier more citrus forward Mai Tai, you can use a rhum agricole like Rhum J.M. Although not canon, you can also use a Barbados rum like Doorly’s X.O for a more spice forward variant. As previously mentioned, you can also split the rum between Jamaican rums and rhum agricoles for a new, more complex experience.
Curacao – We used Pierre Ferrand Dry Curacao here, but many variations call for regular curacao like Cointreau. Normal curacao is going to add a bit more sweetness, while dry curacao will add more complexity.
Demerara Syrup – You could use regular simple syrup, but we recommend you go with demerara here. It’ll add more depth of flavor, and you can use it in other tiki drinks.
- To Make: Combine 2 parts Demerara Sugar to 1 part water and bring to a simmer stirring over high heat. Remove from heat once the sugar has completely dissolved. Allow to cool and bottle. Refrigerate. The high sugar content will work to inhibit bacterial growth for an extended duration – throw out if any clouding or mold develop.
Orgeat – Earlier this year we tried everything from Fee Brothers to Small Hand Foods orgeats when making Cameron’s Kick and found a surprising amount of variation. We can – with some confidence, inform you that you should completely avoid Fee Brothers Orgeat here. It’s artificial tasting, and rather unpleasant. The best in our testing were Ferrera Orgeat and Small Hand Foods. While Small Hand is more expensive, there’s a true nuttiness here (although it is more subtle). Ferrara also includes real almonds, but has a slightly cherry like artificial note that flirts around the edges. However, you get more Ferrera (almost triple) for about half the cost of Small Hands. In our Mai Tai, we used Small Hands Foods.
Lime Juice – For best results, use fresh squeezed

What About the Float?

You might have seen a Mai Tai with a float of rum. This wasn’t the original style, but had become popular as the Mai Tai evolved and the rums changed. While this isn’t part of the original drink, some drinkers still enjoy it, and it can be added. Occasionally, this is referred to as “Old Style”. Referencing the customers, not the drink.

*- This post contains affiliate links that may result in some minor amount of compensation to First Pour Cocktails. We run this site at a loss, so really, you’re helping to keep our server slightly paid – we’re not buying fancy pants yachts and sports cars, just more booze to help you make informed decisions.

Pikesville Rye

Posted on June 10, 2022June 9, 2022 by Nick

Pikesville Rye was originally distilled in Maryland and is now owned by Heaven Hill. Despite this, it holds the distinction of being one of the last remaining Maryland rye brands. Reportedly, the mashbill reflects it’s new Kentucky origin, and sits at a required minimum 51% rye. Coming in at $50, it almost doubles Heaven Hill’s slightly younger Rittenhouse Rye (coming in at 4 years). So is it worth it?

Pikesville Rye

Age: 6 Years
Proof: 110
Mashbill (Unverified): 51% Rye, 39% Corn, 10% Malted Barley

Sight: Between amber and tawny.

Smell: Buckwheat honey and caramelized sugar come through with deep baking spices and notes of dark chocolate. Mint, slight herb, malt, and touches of graham cracker join in. Undertones of forest floor and a robust nuttiness join in. There’s also just a touch of floral. The overall nose is sweet and relatively complicated with lots of earthy and baking notes – especially chocolate and nutty notes.

Sip: The body starts off with a moderate to heavy weight and is smooth. It quickly opens up with a barrage of caramel laden rye spices echoing things from clove to burnt cinnamon. Earthy notes make an underlayer here, giving a forest floor, cocoa, and slight dried mushroom underpinning. Buckwheat honey and slight blackberry notes come in. There’s also some mint and cereal. Hold it too long, and the smoothness gives way to alcohol.

Savor: The ending carries forward notes of cocoa, caramel, rye, and a hint of earthiness. The finish lingers – giving way to more rye spices and 100% cocoa as it lingers.

Pikesville Rye is delightfully complex and doesn’t impart quite as much wood as you might expect for a minimum 6 year release. The flavors are deep, complex, and layered. The earthiness bumping up against the chocolate notes with a hint of minty herbs is a beautiful combination. It invites the imbiber to continue to seek out new flavors in each sip. On it’s own, it’s a wonderfully layered and complex rye.

In Cocktails

In a Manhattan the earthy flavors manage to pull off this interesting background note where notes of dark cocoa powder, forest floor, and a slight grilled portabella mushroom umami play background. In the forefront is a great amount of caramel and latent rye spice. The more minty and buckwheat notes are present, but more minimal, subdued by some of the vermouth notes. The bitterness on the finish is more prominent, as the background note of unsweetened chocolate and forest floor come more to the fore with hints of burnt marshmallow.

In Review – Pikesville Rye

Pikesville Rye has incredibly deep and complex earthy notes. It’s important to note here that those looking for sweet flavors are going to find this more on the savory side. It does these savory flavors really well, giving depth and robust character to each sip. As a result, drinks made with Pikesville end up more taught and brooding than some younger more herbal – fruity ryes. There’s a ton of things to love here though, and at around $50, this is good value that you might want to try before you buy.

Tiki Classics: Suffering Bastard

Posted on June 8, 2022 by Nick

Welcome back for the second year of our Tiki Classics. The weather is nice again, and what better way to soak in the sun than with a taste of tropical lands. This year we’ll be covering a mix of tiki drinks, but starting with the Suffering Bastard, a tiki drink without rum.

A tiki drink without rum you might say? Going back to it’s foundations, you’ll see that the Suffering Bastard actually started it’s life in Cairo, Egypt in the 1940s. The desert environment was home to the allied forces fighting Rommel and the Nazis. If it’s refreshing enough for them, perhaps the rum is unnecessary.

Suffering Bastard

1 oz

London Dry Gin

1 oz

Brandy

½ oz

Lime Juice

¼ oz

Demerara Syrup

2 Dashes

Angostura Bitters

4 oz

Ginger Beer

Combine all ingredients except ginger beer in a shaking tin. Add ice and shake. Strain into a Collins or Highball, add ginger beer and stir. Add crushed or cubed ice, garnish with a mint spring.

The Suffering Bastard is a beautiful and well balanced mix of flavors that give off a tropical vibe without the need for rum. The nice pop of sweetness from the ginger beer that gets backed up by the well rounded flavor of brandy and demerara syrup. The gin adds a nice herbal note, and the angostura binds it all together. Overall, it’s a well balanced and easy to sip tropical drink that can offer something to both gin and brandy fans.

Drink Notes & Recommendations

There’s a bunch of little tweaks you can make to make the Suffering Bastard stand out. Most of them are going to be ingredient shifts that give slight twists to the tone, more than actual whole sale change of the drink. The drink is also somewhat hands off in terms of glassware, calling for either a collins or highball.

London Dry Gin – The Suffering Bastard calls for London Dry Gin, and for the most classic rendition, we recommend you go with one on your first try. We used Tanqueray, but we also recommend Beefeater or Bombay Sapphire. If you want to bring some spice to it, try a modern gin like Aviation or Bluecoat to add some citrus.
Brandy – Brandy is adding richness, dark fruit, and some brown sugar raisin notes. As there are so many components here, you could use something cheaper like Christian Brothers, but we recommend you step up and grab your Lustau Brandy de Jerez. If you really want to splurge, reach for the Pierre Ferrand 1840.
Demerara Syrup – You could use regular rich simple syrup, but we recommend you go with demerara here. It’ll add more depth of flavor, and you can use it in other tiki drinks.
- To Make: Combine 2 parts Demerara Sugar to 1 part water and bring to a simmer stirring over high heat. Remove from heat once the sugar has completely dissolved. Allow to cool and bottle. Refrigerate. The high sugar content will work to inhibit bacterial growth for an extended duration – throw out if any clouding or mold develop.
Ginger Beer – Our go to is Goslings Ginger Beer, which offers a crisp, bright ginger note. Ginger ale will not work here, stick to ginger beer like Goslings or Fever Tree.
Lime Juice – For best results, use fresh squeezed.
Angostura Bitters – These are the classic bitters for most cocktails, and we recommend you keep a bottle on hand.

Old Forester 1897

Posted on June 3, 2022April 18, 2022 by Nick

Old Forester 1897 is a bottled-in-bond offering from Old Forester / Brown Forman. This means it’s held in a government warehouse for 4 years and is distilled in one season. The end result is a 100 proof offering that comes in at about $50. If this sounds like there’s not a lot of info, that’s because there isn’t. For a product that comes in double the price of their Signature offering, and at the same proof, the basic difference appears to be the bonding and label (and minimum 4 year age). So is it worth over double?

Old Forester 1897

Sight: Chestnut / Oloroso Sherry

Smell: There’s a softness to the nose that gives way to a caramelized brown sugar and maple syrup nose. Notes of bananas and fresh cherries creep in before a dose of spices pop in. There’s a surprising amount of heat to the nose, and the fruit gradually grows in strength with just a hint of acetone or floral elements.

Sip: The palate is warm and full of brown sugar and spices. Clove and cinnamon jump out with a bit of cigar box and charred oak. Roasted banana and cherry jam come in, before giving up a bit of tobacco. There’s a slight mocha cream going on as well. It is a touch hot.

Savor: The finish is more of the light brown sugar and charred oak. It lingers with a hint of burnt marshmallow.

Old Forester 1897 is fine, with a nice nose and pleasant palate. The nose is rich, if slightly on the easier side, but it doesn’t ever quite elevate to captivating. The taste follows suit. It has a lot of nice elements, and it seems to fringe into refined, but then falls short. It almost seems like it misses a little bit of a punch, but it certainly isn’t bad.

In Cocktails

In a Manhattan, Old Forester 1897 is balanced and inviting. It lets loose some of it’s tobacco, spice, and brown sugar while giving the vermouth space to work. Then it adds in some brown sugar before it works into the background. The overall drink is actually quite bright. Overall it’s nice, but doesn’t seem like a $50 bottle Manhattan.

In Review – Old Forester 1897

Old Forester 1897 is underwhelming for $50. There are better options in the same price point that offer more complexity, more flavor, and more versatility. That might be the worst of it, until you consider that Old Forester already makes a 100 proof offering at less than half the price. In a side by side there’s an increase in heat, especially on the finish, but the flavors are more defined on the palate, and the noses are comparable. This is a problem, because Old Forester Signature 100 Proof Bourbon is within easy striking distance of it’s bigger cousin. For the purposes of your bar, this one is a hard pass, and Old Forester Signature 100 Proof Bourbon should get the nod instead.

The Classics: Fancy Free

Posted on May 31, 2022February 1, 2023 by Nick

An Old Fashioned relative, the Fancy Free eschews bourbon for rye, plain syrup for maraschino liqueur, and adds another dash of bitters. The result is a drier, earthier Old Fashioned that really drives home where rye can shine. The fruitiness and ease of construction means this drink can easily work as a regular staple in your home bar.

Fancy Free

2 oz

Rye

½ oz

Maraschino Liqueur

1 Dash

Angostura Bitters

1 Dash

Orange Bitters

Combine all ingredients in a mixing vessel. Add ice and stir. Double strain into rocks glass over a large cube. Garnish with an orange twist expressed over the top. Run the twist around the edge of the glass, and then place in the drink.

The Fancy Free manages to delivery the spicy cherry punch of maraschino with an amplified kick of rye spice and bitters. The result is a sweet and balanced drink that explodes with notes of spice, herbs, cherries, oranges, touches of oak. The finish is equally balanced, leaning heavily into orange and spice, with in this case, a little bit of vanilla from the Dickel Rye.

Drink Notes & Recommendations

This one was a stunner of a good time. While I typically go for old fashioned riffs, this one works particularly well with some of the minerality of something like Dickel against the sweet fruitiness of the maraschino.

Rye – We Dickel Rye here, and it was eye opening to what it can be in the right cocktail. The minerally just works in a beautiful way that balances the drink, especially the citrus elements. We recommend using a rye here that is a little more fruit, spice, or minerality forward, like Wild Turkey 101 Rye or Sazerac. For something more familiar, try Rittenhouse.
Maraschino Liqueur – Not to be confused with the liquid that maraschino cherries are packed in. This syrup would result in a rich and strand drink. Instead we recommend using the class Luxardo Maraschino liqueur (which comes in the straw packaging).
Angostura Bitters – These are the classic bitters and add a nice spice.
Orange Bitters – We used Regan’s for the extra cardamom spice that bounce off the rye spices and cherry sweetness.
Orange Twist – The fresh orange oils are absolutely critical here. Express the orange to bring out the full spice and orange notes.

Maker’s Mark 46 Cask Strength

Posted on May 27, 2022May 25, 2022 by Nick

Maker’s Mark 46 Cask Strength originally started its life as a distillery only release back in 2015. This release was designed to celebrate the 5th anniversary of Maker’s Mark 46. The limited release proved success, and for the 10th Anniversary, Maker’s decided to release it again in 2020 in a slight broader release. In 2021, they expanded the release even further, and I knew based on the solid offerings of their standard Maker’s, Maker’s 46, and their limited releases, this would be a must try. So was it worth the hunt?

Maker’s Mark 46 Cask Strength

Sight: A robust tawny.

Smell: Spiced honey and baklava lead. Stewed cherries and a perfumed vanilla note express themselves. Fresh cherries mix with spicy oak notes and there’s a bit of heat. A milk chocolate element joins in toward the end.

Sip: There’s a sizable amount of weight to start things off, but it’s still smooth despite a hint of heat. An immediate explosion of baking spices come forward and are toned down by the appearance of vanilla sugar and dried cherries. Caramel drizzles out, but is reigned in by brandied Bing cherries. A slight nuttiness and preserved figs show up with a little stone fruit.

Savor: The nuts and spices are accompanied by a tingly finish and lots of lingering tannins.

Maker’s Mark 46 Cask Strength is packed with flavor, almost to the point of being super saturated. The flavor complexity is delicious, but almost overwhelms at moments. The flavors kind of supersize the normal Maker’s Mark Cask Strength / Maker’s Mark. Where it gets a little lost is the French Oak finish. Somehow it loses some of the smoothness and finesse of it’s proofed down relative. Water teases this smoothness out, but it’s much more layered – almost like two different whiskey’s.

In Cocktails

In a Manhattan Maker’s Mark 46 Cask Strength continues it’s single handed push for every spice it can grab out of the pantry. It only reaches for these after it runs through a quick wall of vanilla and a series of preserved cherries. The weight is incredible, and it kind of gets into syrupy territory. The finish grabs more oak and wood notes, and the whole experience lingers dramatically. As it warms up, it picks up more warm vanilla notes, and hints of brown sugar.

In Review – Maker’s Mark 46 Cask Strength

Maker’s Mark 46 Cask Strength is an enjoyable offering, but the extra horsepower of cask strength doesn’t necessarily add to the fun. This offering is a bit of a mystery to me, as it seems to combine the strength of Maker’s Mark Cask Strength without the finesse of the finishing for Maker’s Mark 46. The result is like pushing a V8 engine into a Miata. Sure, it’s bonkers and entertaining, but it doesn’t necessarily make it any better for daily driving or track use. The biggest issue is at $60, this puts it at almost $20 more than Maker’s Mark Cask Strength and $25 dollars more than Maker’s Mark 46. For a sipper, this might make sense, but as a cocktail whiskey, this is a hard pass.

The Classics: White Lady

Posted on May 23, 2022March 3, 2023 by Nick

Another cocktail that originated in the Savoy Cocktail, the White Lady is a mixture of gin, orange liqueur, and lemon. If these ingredients sound a lot like a Sidecar to you, then you won’t be surprised to hear that this drink can be quite intense (depending on the proportions used). In the original guise that mirrored the Sidecar’s equal parts, it was perhaps too much, something we realized quickly during our testing. As a result, we recommend you follow the subsequent recipes that include an egg white. This addition makes a floral, restrained drink that’s refreshing and nuanced.

White Lady

1 ½ oz

Gin

¾ oz

Cointreau

¾ oz

Lemon

Egg White (Optional)

Combine all ingredients in a shaker. Add ice and shake. Double strain into a coupe. Garnish with a lemon twist.

In it’s original format, the White Lady comes out a bit too bracing in this format. You’d do best to reduce this by about 1/4 oz of lemon to balance the acidity. Add in egg white though, and the cocktail opens up in a floral and perfumed essence of lemon and gin. The entire drink becomes a study in restraint, as orange and lemon come forward and the gin shows itself through the lens.

Drink Notes & Recommendations

The White Lady is a bracing and powerfully acidic drink. In all likelihood you will find that you want to adjust the lemon down here. That said, the template has some pretty subtly in it’s character, so don’t write it off as this template has some potential.

Gin: We used London Dry in our experiments (both Beefeater and Bombay). We recommend you choose a gin here you like and experiment with bolder modern gins like Aviation.
Cointreau: While you could use another orange liqueur, Cointreau is the gold standard here. However, it should be noted that some sources call for Dry Curacao, similar to Pierre Ferrand’s. This is likely recommended if you choose to make the drink egg white free.
Lemon: Use fresh squeezed for best results.
Optional Ingredient: One large egg white can be added requiring a different shake technique. The reason you’d want to add an egg is to give it fuller, silkier texture. It’ll reduce the acid as well.
- Combine all ingredients including the egg white in a shaker. Add 1 – 2 medium ice cubes or the spring from a shaker. Shake hard for 15-30 seconds. Separate the shaker and add ice. Shake hard to chill. Double strain into a coupe.
Garnish: No Garnish
Glassware: A coupe will add simple elegance here..

Wray & Nephew White Overproof Rum

Posted on May 20, 2022May 11, 2022 by Nick

My first experience with Wray & Nephew White Overproof Rum was in a concoction my friend in college called Swamp Water. Essentially, this meant the green-blue colored V8 Splash or a cup of Baja Blast from Taco Bell would be spiked with a fiery amount of Wray & Nephew. The result, predictably was a sweet drink with lots of tropical flavors that had a tendency to get your properly drunk, and quick. While many people probably look at the high proof and think this is a great use of this rum, the fact is there’s a lot of complex and delicious flavors you can use in cocktails here to make your cocktails even better.

Wray & Nephew White Overproof Rum

Sight: Clear

Smell: When people talk about Jamaican Rum esters having ‘funk’ this is the smell they’re referring to. The raw funky smell is mixed with sugar cane, bananas, green peppercorns, black pepper, other tropical fruits, and a hint of citrus. There’s a decent hit of alcohol here if you inhale too close or too deeply, but it’s a generally inviting nose.

Sip: The sip is loaded with overripe bananas, mango, pineapple, and a bit of sweet coconut. The fire comes in soon after the start of the sip with plenty of spice, grassy vegetal notes, and (ester) rum funk. The spice notes lean into black pepper and earthy minerality.

Savor: The ending continues with a touch of bitterness, lots of heat, and plenty of dried tropical fruit and grassy notes. A gradual tobacco / leather note develops over time.

If you’re somehow made the decision to purchase Wray & Nephew White Overproof Rum to drink it straight and you’re coming from Bacardi Superior, then you’ve either made a mistake or someone has misled you. While it is delicious, it’s definitely a mature, dry, punchy, and hot rum that’s loaded with ester flavors. They’re not exactly subtle or designed to be refined flavors as much as they’re designed to explode outward. Fans of high proof spirits can consider sipping this, but it’s going to do better for most people in cocktails.

In Cocktails

Assuming you’ve purchased Wray & Nephew White Overproof Rum to make cocktails, you’re in for a lot of fun. The ester notes hang on and then give you a distinct rum character in a cocktail. In a daiquiri, there’s a burst of black banana notes, and fermented tropical fruits reminiscent of mango or pineapple. There’s a crazy pop of fruity sweetness that comes through mid palate and gives way into drier grassy and wood notes. The body gives amazing weight too. Overall, there’s a lot to like here if you can get past the strength of the ester notes that run throughout.

In Review – Wray & Nephew White Overproof Rum

Wray & Nephew White Overproof Rum is a great value for the amount of flavor it imparts, but it isn’t the kind of rum we recommend you start with. The esters and proof makes this one challenging for newer drinkers, even though it doesn’t present a price tag that implies that. As such, consider this an expansion to your bar, and you won’t be disappointed about the amazing, if occasionally overwhelming, flavors that it brings.

The Classics: Hemingway Daiquiri

Posted on May 16, 2022May 14, 2022 by Nick

Hemingway was a prolific writer and drink, but not much for the sweeter things. Spending time living in Cuba, he frequented the El Floridita where the Hemingway Daiquiri was reportedly created. This variation of a daiquiri eschews simple syrup for maraschino liquor and adds grapefruit juice. The result is a refreshing if drier drink that just might have you looking for a pen.

Hemingway Daiquiri

2 oz

Lightly Aged Rum

¾ oz

Lime Juice

½ oz

Maraschino Liqueur

½ oz

Grapefruit Juice

Combine all ingredients in a shaker. Add ice and shake. Double strain into a chilled coupe. Garnish with a lime wedge.

The Hemingway Daiquiri lets the rum shine, but ensembles the rest of the supporting cast in way that no one gets left out. The cherry and almond notes from the Luxardo bounce off the bittersweet grapefruit and the lime pops. The drink is complex and rich, but also leans into the drier side of the spectrum. The result is refreshing but boozy.

Drink Notes & Recommendations

The Hemingway Daiquiri is a simple and straightforward construction, so the tips are primarily related to the sweetness. Where a daiquiri is typically a proposition of balance between sweetness and acidity, the Hemingway is drier. The only sweetener here is the maraschino liqueur, so if you find the drink too dry, you might have to adjust with additional simple. As always, we recommend you start with the basic recipe and adjust accordingly from there.

Rum – For lightly aged rums we recommend El Dorado 3, Plantation 3 Star, or Appleton Signature for a little extra funk. As the rum contributes a significant amount of character here, you’ll notice significant changes from rum to rum. For example, El Dorado 3 will emphasize more of the vanilla and cotton candy notes, where as Plantation 3 Star will contribute more tropical fruit notes. For a more complex experience, try splitting the 2 oz base between multiple rums.
Maraschino Liqueur – Having recently shared a drink that features maraschino liqueur, I want to start by clarifying that this is the liqueur – not the syrup that the cherries are packed in. We use Luxardo for our which comes in a straw bottle. An example of a bottle for purchase is here at Astor Wine.
Lime Juice – For best result – use fresh squeezed lime juice.
Grapefruit Juice – Similar to limes, use fresh squeezed grapefruit juice for best results. Packaged grapefruit juices can have a bit of metallic taste, which may impact your cocktail. Be aware that due to variations in sweetness and variety (pink versus white, etc) – you may find the need to add additional simple to help address seasonal changes in grapefruits.