Category: Cocktails

Google Barbara West Cocktail, and you’ll learn two things:

1. No one has any idea why this cocktail is named Barbara West
2. Most people don’t find this cocktail particularly memorable.

Like many obscure cocktails, these aren’t exactly positive signs.  So what goes in to this classic cocktail, and should you bother making one?

Barbara West

Barbara West

2 oz

Gin

1 oz

Sherry

½ oz

Lemon Juice

1 Dash

Bitters

Combine all ingredients in a shaker. Add ice and shake. Strain into a cocktail glass. Garnish with a lemon twist.

Tasting the cocktail, it becomes somewhat evident why Barbara West (or the Creole cocktail with bitters) isn’t particularly loved.  While the sherry provides a beautiful nuttiness, the lemon is a pretty sharp kick in the pants.   The gin kind of just is.  The bitters ties the whole thing together, and the perception ends up somewhere in the realm of, ‘that’s a cocktail’.

Drink Notes & Recommendations:

The biggest recommendation I can make for the Barbara West is to consider the sweetness level of your sherry.  Most individuals suggest using some form of dry sherry (Amontillado, Manzanilla, etc), but one of the core struggles I have with this cocktail in this form is the lack of component to balance the brightness.  Both the sherry and the lemon add a fair amount of acidity, and sweetness would go a long way toward tempering that.  Sherries like  Oloroso, Cream Sherry, and Pedro Ximenez also add more complexity and typically raisined fruit flavors.   This will greatly change the dynamic of the cocktail, and offer new ways for the bitters and gin to interact.

• Gin – London Dry is the recommendation – we used Beefeaters here.
• Sherry – This is probably the single biggest decision you can make.  A fino or amontillado will add nuttiness but very little to no sweetness.  An Oloroso or Pedro Ximenez sherry will add more complexity and sweetness.
• Lemon – Use fresh squeezed lemon juice.
• Bitters – Angostura would be standard here.

If there is any cocktail that Irish whiskey is clearly linked to, it’s Irish Coffee.  It’s a simple drink, but one that depends on the quality of it’s ingredients to make it really shine.  Fortunately, most of the ingredients are readily accessible and probably around your home right now.

Irish Coffee

Whether you’re looking to kick start your St. Patrick’s day or round out the evening, Irish Coffee makes a lovely balanced option.

Irish Coffee

4 oz

Fresh Brewed Coffee

1 ½ oz

Irish Whiskey

½ oz

Simple Syrup

2 oz

Whipped Cream

In a glass coffee mug, add Irish whiskey, Simple Syrup, and Fresh Brewed Coffee. Using the back of a bar spoon, layer the whipped cream over the top of the coffee mixture.

Irish Coffee is classic for so many reasons, not the least of which is the presentation. The beautiful layer of white cream set against the dark, rich coffee is beautiful and inviting. The notes of the whiskey come through enticingly on each sip, mixing perfectly with the coffee to give it a little extra in terms of fruity and woody notes. By making the cream fresh, you pick up additional richness, a creaminess, and a nice counterbalance to the sweetness of the coffee.

Drink Notes and Recommendations

So much of Irish Coffee comes down to your ingredients.  Ironically, the while the whiskey is important, the other ingredients require more care to ensure a great experience:

• Irish Whiskey – The big thing here is you’re going to want to use a whiskey you enjoy drinking on it’s own.  One of the reasons is that as alcohol gets warm, it gets increasingly noticeable.  If you find the experience of your Irish Coffee to hot (in terms of alcohol) or aggressive flavor wise, consider reducing it.  It won’t hurt the flavor as much as you think.  We used The Dubliner is the pictured version.
• Coffee –  Use a fresh brewed pot of coffee or single serve portion.  The longer you allow the coffee to sit (especially on a warmer), the more it will begin to oxidize and breakdown.  For the best experience, use freshly roasted and ground beans and an SCA certified coffeemaker.
• Simple Syrup – This is an area of your Irish coffee that you should experiment with.  While you can use just normal 1 to 1 white sugar to water syrup, you should also consider using demerara or brown sugar simple syrups.  Add a flavor like vanilla for bonus fun.
• Whipped Cream –
  • This is one of the trickiest part of making this drink.  An upright mixer or handheld cream beater is your best friend.  The trick is to beat the cream when it’s both fresh and cold, and stop regularly to check the consistency.  You’re looking for something flows, not a firm peak like you’d top your ice cream with.  It’s almost lightly whipped.
  • To layer, place the spoon with it’s back up and tip touching the side of the glass at the level of the coffee.  Slowly pour the cream over the spoon to layer.
• Glassware – Glass mugs are one of the preferred ways to serve Irish Coffee due to the wow level of the presentation.   Don’t let this stop you from serving it in a mug though, it tastes just as good!
• Garnish – While there doesn’t need to be anything else added, feel free to dust with chocolate shavings or fresh ground nutmeg for a little something more.

Looking to find a test vehicle for Irish Whiskey led me to pore over many of the cocktail books in my collection.  The result was barely a handful of drinks, over half of which were Irish Coffee.  However, at least two books called out a Blackthorn (Irish Version).  Although there seems to be no consistent recipe, the base ingredients always contained Irish Whiskey, Absinthe, and Bitters with either dry or sweet vermouth.  So is it worth digging out this forgotten classic?

Blackthorn (Irish Version)

Blackthorn (Irish Version)

1 oz

Irish Whiskey

1 oz

Sweet Vermouth

0.25 oz

Absinthe or Herbsaint

3 Dashes

Bitters

Combine all ingredients in a mixing vessel. Add ice and stir. Strain into a coupe. No garnish.

The Blackthorn (Irish Version) is nothing short of completely wild.   Bitter, bold, sweet, fruity – this cocktail is in your face from beginning to end.   The sweet vermouth, bitters, and absinthe work in delightful harmony, and somehow the Irish whiskey manages to just flow with them.  You won’t particularly notice it, but it also somehow adds character.  One thing is for sure, this is not a traditionally balanced cocktail, and it’s not for the faint of heart.

Drink Notes & Recommendations:

The Blackthorn (Irish Version) is one of the cocktails that seems to have no obvious construction.  The above recipe is to the specs of Philip Greene in his book The Manhattan:  The Story of the First Modern Cocktail*.   However, as he notes, there are also iterations of this drink that feature sloe gin and absinthe.    Other variation of this drink include dry vermouth with no sweet, no sweet and just dry, or orange bitters.  The proportions range from 1 to 1 to 2 to 1 to perfect ratios of vermouth to whiskey.  The entire drink is confused.

So how should you make it?  I think the answer is it depends.  I’m going to argue this is a template style drink that you should tailor toward your palate.  If you like Manhattans, try cranking the whiskey up to 2 to 1 and drop the absinthe to a rinse.   Prefer a more aromatic drink?  Make it 1 to 1.  Want something dry, skip the sweet vermouth, add dry vermouth.

• Irish Whiskey – I used Jameson here to get a baseline.  It plays second fiddle in a 1:1 ratio.  Use your preferred brand, but bare in mind an even ratio will depend less on the quality of the Irish Whiskey
• Sweet Vermouth –  Carpano Antica has a nice mix of sweetness, fruit, and spice.  It works particular well here and remains our recommendation.
• Absinthe – Although it’s expensive, St. George Absinthe Verte is amazingly deep, rich, and balanced.  Despite the strong flavors, it allows the other ingredients space to breath and accentuate their flavors.  If you don’t have it, feel free to use whatever Absinthe or Herbsaint you have on hand.
• Bitters – I used Angostura here, but the original recipe calls for Boker’s.  Fear not though, Ango works fine here.
• Glassware –  The wash line is going to come up short with the ratio of the recipe, but a coupe will work just fine.

* – This post contains an affiliate link that we might receive a commission from if you make a purchase.  This helps us to keep testing drinks and bottles to give you great cocktail advice!

One of Ann Marie’s favorite cocktails is a Margarita.  They’re simple enough that you can order one in any respectable bar, but also have a depth of flavor that belies their simplicity.  Needing only four common ingredients, you may have all the necessary things to make one of America’s favorite cocktails laying around your house right now.

Margarita

Margarita

2 oz

Blanco Tequila

¾ oz

Cointreau

1 oz

Lime Juice

¼ oz

Simple Syrup

Salt

for Rim (optional)

Sprinkle salt on a plate. Using the lime to rim a rocks glass, roll the edge of the glass through the salt. In a shaker, combine all ingredients. Shake with ice. Add fresh ice to the rocks glass that you have rimmed with salt, and double strain into the rocks glass.

The Margarita is an iconic cocktail for good reason. Striking a beautiful balance between the bright lime juice and herbaceous tequila, the subtle notes of orange compliment the lively character and subtle sweetness.   It refreshes the palate while invitingly suggesting the drinker indulge in another sip.

Drink Notes and Recommendations

We’ve spent a lot of time playing with Margaritas and as a result we’re learned a few things.  While the template is infinitely riffable, there are somethings that work out better than others.

• Tequila – We’ve found 100% agave, blanco tequilas are your best bet.  Don’t bother with Mixto, the quality loss is so significant that the spirit won’t balance within the drink.  Aged (repasado and anejo) can be used, but some of the bright, crisp, simple refreshing flavors will get muddled with the darker notes of wood from aging.  Our house tequila is Olmeca Altos Plata (and what we used here) but we also maintain a full list of our recommended tequilas if you want to jazz it up.
• Cointreau – This is a rabbit hole and half.  In short, Cointreau works amazing.  You can get away with Triple Sec, but it won’t be as good.  Gran Marnier and Dry Curacao are different animals entirely in this application – and should not be a starting point.
• Lime Juice – Always use fresh squeezed for the best possible result.
• Simple Syrup / Agave Nectar – There are those who say this is a big difference, but I find there to be minimal gains from Agave.  That said, either works well here.
• Salt – This really can help amp up a margarita, but don’t feel that you’re compelled to have it.  Want the best of both worlds?  Rim half the glass using a plate with salt and rubbing a lime around the edge of the glass before rolling it in the salt.
• Ice – Unlike most situations, a bit of ongoing dilution isn’t the end of the world for a well made margarita.  If you have decently sized ice cubes, feel free to use those or try a large rock.  That said, on the rocks is the appropriate way to enjoy a Margarita.

…What about those crazy glasses that look like upside down sombreros?

In short, those glasses are at best novelties, and at worst too large for the cocktail and hard to drink out of.   A margarita doesn’t require fancy glassware to be enjoyed, simple use a rocks glass with some fresh ice.  If you’re super lazy, you can even dirty dump your margarita (no strain – no fresh ice), and enjoy it all the same.

… and that Mix in the Plastic Bottles?

Stop! Don’t!  That beautiful, perfectly balanced drink is calling out for the amazing fresh oils, acids, and juices of a real lime!  Adding cheap shortcut giant grocery store mixers is like bringing home a Warhol and finger-painting on top of it to improve it.  Just don’t do it!

The Margarita is one of our drinks you can make with our Recommended Bottles for Beginning A Home Bar.  If you’re looking for a list of drinks you can make with the basics, or recommendations of liquors, be sure to check it out!

A modern classic invented by Dale DeGroff at the Rainbow Room, The Fitzgerald is a beautifully simple riff on a gin sour.  Adjusting the template with just a hint of angostura bitters, the drink takes on a slightly pinkish hue, and adds some complexity.  Like all drinks, the name is reportedly something of a happy accident, where the “Gin Thing” was renamed by a more literary minded patron into the Fitzgerald. As it turns out in shooting this picture, I have lost my copy of the Great Gatsby somewhere along the line.

The Fitzgerald

The Fitzgerald

2 oz

Gin

0.75 oz

Simple Syrup

0.75 oz

Lemon Juice

2 Dashes

Angostura Bitters

1

Lemon Wedge Garnish

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

The Fitzgerald is without a doubt a sour in template, and features bright lemon notes skillfully layered over foundations of herbaceous gin and spiced bitters.  The net effect is a simple yet satisfying cocktail that’s gives you just a bit more than you’re expecting.  Be forewarned though, those sensitive to acid will find this drink rather punchy.

Drink Notes & Recommendations

If you read about this drink, you’ll find a wealth of divergent viewpoints on how to best construct it.  While some will suggest that you need an ounce and a half of gin, other will recommend two.  In testing, I found a higher value worked better.  This helped give some space to the lemon, which even at three-quarters of an ounce, is something nearing bracing.  Other recipes have suggested counterbalancing this with more sugar.  Beyond three-quarters of an ounce, I found this drink was veering into cloying.

In addition, at least one recipe calls for a rocks glass – with no rocks.  I could see drinking this over ice, but why you would place it in a rocks glass without ice is beyond me.

As always, feel free to disregard this advice, and make to your taste from the guideline.

Finally, disregard the comically large lemon in the photo.  This works out as badly as it seems.  It floats where you don’t want, and generally intrudes.  If you must, use a wedge.

• Gin – Beefeater is our choice, but any London Dry Gin will do.
• Lemon Juice – Use fresh squeezed as always.
• Simple Syrup – A traditional 1:1 water to sugar simple is most often used here.
• Garnish – Avoid the giant lemon wheel.  A wedge is sufficient – do not float.
• Glassware – I recommend a chilled coupe here.
• Random Fun Thought – This reminds me of the lemon ice I’d eat as a kid on the playground.

When asked if he drinks Vespers for the bitterness, James Bond states that once you taste a Vesper, you’ll never drink anything else.  While there’s no debate that you can no longer make Vesper in the original way (Kina Lillet is lost to history), there’s still a misconception about shaking Martinis and, by associations, Vespers.   Let’s settle the debate before talking about the absolutely stunning drink that is the Vesper. You stir.

The Vesper

The Vesper

1.5 oz

London Dry Gin

.75 oz

Vodka

.75 oz

Cocchi Americano or Kina Lillet

1

Lemon Twist

Combine all ingredients except the lemon twist in a mixing vessel. Add ice and stir. Double strain into a chilled martini glass or Nick & Nora. Express the lemon over the drink and place on the rim.

Clean, crispy, citrusy, and gently herbal, the Vesper is a beautifully balanced cousin to the Martini.   The subtle sweet and bitter notes of the Cocchi Americano flow beautifully with the crisp notes of angelica and juniper coming the gin. The body is silky smooth, yet also somewhat light.  The progression from bright citrus to juniper to quinine like bitterness is both classic and elegant in all the right ways.

Drink Notes & Recommendations

The Vesper is built on a fairly straightforward template, and there’s not a lot of elements to get in the way.  With that simplicity comes the need that the ingredients chosen quality ingredients.

• Gin –  I prefer a smoother, less aggressive gin in this application.  Our preference is Plymouth Gin, but most London dry gins will do just fine.
• Vodka –  The fact this drink can so closely resemble silk on the palate is part of the reason I prefer a higher end, smoother vodka in this application.  Absolut Elyx is our go to, but feel free to play around with other wheat and rice based vodkas.  Anything will work, but things you would like to sip work better.
• Cocchi Americano –  As of writing this, I’m not aware of a substitute for Cocchi Americano.  If needed, you could use Lillet Blanc, however, it will lack the bitterness.
• Glassware – This drink is appropriate in a Nick & Nora or a Martini glass.
• Random Fun Pairing – I happen to love a Vesper with a nice plate of sushi finding the clean, citrusy flavor compliments the fish.

The Aviation is a classic cocktail dating back to pre-prohibition times.  Due to the difficulty of finding Creme Yvette and Creme De Violette, the Aviation fell out of favor, and only began to regain it’s popularity with the resurgence of prohibition style cocktails.  Now it’s pretty easy to at least come across creme de violette either at the liquor store or the bar, and if you do, an Aviation is worth a try.

The Aviation

The Aviation

2 oz

London Dry Gin

.75 oz

Lemon Juice

.5 oz

Maraschino Liqueur

.25 oz

Creme de Violette

1

Cherry

Combine all ingredients except the cherry in a shaker. Add ice and shake. Double strain into a chilled coupe. Garnish with a cherry.

The Aviation is one of my favorite prohibition cocktails.  The striking balance between the herbal character of the gin and the spicy character of the maraschino is complimented by the brightness of the lemon.  The final pop of the violet comes through – giving a pretty floral ending to this blue hued classic.

Drink Notes & Recommendations

When I first encountered this drink, there would be common variation where the Creme de Violette was poured with a layering spoon into the bottom of the glass.  For the love of all that is good in cocktails, please spare yourself this unbalanced mess of a cocktail.  I will readily admit I’ve done it, but it doesn’t add anything other than aesthetics, and instead makes the drink less balanced.  Ultimately, it becomes a shot of floral syrup hiding at the bottom of your drink.

The original calls for Creme de Yvette.  This previously defunct liqueur is still not widely available, but if you can find it, I’ve heard it’s worth the hunt.  There is more complexity and berry notes than straight violette.

• Gin – Sacrilege though it maybe, I wouldn’t be opposed to some Old Tom Gin in mine.  That said, your favorite London Dry Gin will do just fine.  We use Beefeater here.
• Maraschino Liqueur –  Although I am certain other brands exist, Luxardo is our go to.  Becareful, over pour and this cherry spiced liqueur becomes a bully.
• Violet Liqueur / Yvette  – Just like Maraschino, the odds of this becoming a bully from overpouring are significant, so be gentle.  From a brands perspective my favorite is the Bitter Truth, but Rothman & Winter is great as well.
• Lemon Juice – As always, squeeze your own.