Vendetta

When mixing a drink from a recipe in a book, always analyse the recipe first. The Vendetta seems a sweet(er) variation on The Godfather (=even parts mix of whisky and amaretto). Maraschino liqueur adds a sweet cherry flavour, but in my opinion this drink gets a bit too sweet and sticky. Let’s see how I would handle this. 

I guess spirits were different during the prohibition and the roaring 20s. Whisky was often no whisky at all, but unaged (or very young aged) moonshine with a high alcohol level. A higher alcohol level will balance much better with half a recipe of sweetness. Also, Rye whiskey would add much more flavour to this drink than any other type of whisky. I have searched through my bottles for a Rye whiskey with a higher alcohol level. I’m also comparing bottles of amaretto to pick the best one for this job, slightly less sweet and much more flavour. 

P.S. I have noticed that several recipes from this book limit the base spirit to 40ml? I think it’s a pretty good idea for bars to put a cap on the amount of alcohol in each drink. It also connects with the trend to have several “unit” drinks on the menu. 

Vendetta

Ingredients 
40 ml Rye Whiskey (I used Pikesville Straight Rye Whiskey, 110 Proof)
20 ml Amaretto
20 ml Maraschino liqueur

Method
Add everything to a mixing glass with lots of ice. Stir cold and strain into a Martini glass. Garnish with a brandied cherry. 

Disclaimer: All pictures and texts are copyrighted by Geert Conard and Esito Management & Communications unless stated otherwise in the article. While some items might have been gifted by the producer or distributor, these are in no way paid promotions or recommendations. 

Xmas Gifts Parade 2021 - Pama

Another delicious liqueur for today’s bottle at our Xmas Gifts Parade: Pama pomegranate liqueur. I was really waiting for Heaven Hill’s distributor to bring this bottle to the Belgian market. A liqueur with lots of potential for tasty drinks. 

Let’s start by mixing up another fruity take on the Negroni. 

Pamagroni

Ingredients
30 ml Pama pomegranate liqueur
30 ml Martini Ambrato vermouth
30 ml Sorgin (grape-based Gin)

Method
Add even parts of all ingredients to a tumbler with ice. Stir for 15 seconds. Garnish with orange. 

Disclaimer: All pictures and texts are copyrighted by Geert Conard and Esito Management & Communications unless stated otherwise in the article. While some items might have been gifted by the producer or distributor, these are in no way paid promotions or recommendations.

Xmas Gifts Parade 2021 - Domaine de Canton

Our friends at Heaven Hill shipped a box with some of their best liqueurs. Perfect bottles for festive cocktail recipes. Domaine de Canton is a ginger liqueur with a Cognac alcohol-base. Baby ginger from Vietnam, hand cut, rinsed and dried for several days. Hand-selected Tahitian vanilla beans and Provencal honey are added in careful amounts. A very sweet, but flavourful liqueur that matches really good with Bourbon. Let’s try that in this Gold Rush cocktail. The original recipe was a bit too sour for me (and I do like my sours very sour...) so I added a bit of simple syrup. Adjust to your own taste.

Gold Rush

Ingredients
45 ml Elijah Craig Small Batch
30 ml Domaine de Canton
15 ml Fresh lemon juice
5-10 ml Simple syrup

Method
Add everything to your shaker with lots of ice. Give it a good shake and strain into a chilled coupe. Garnish with sweet cherries.

Disclaimer: All pictures and texts are copyrighted by Geert Conard and Esito Management & Communications unless stated otherwise in the article. While some items might have been gifted by the producer or distributor, these are in no way paid promotions or recommendations.

Pardon my peach

When I spotted a cocktail recipe with cognac and peach on a good friends’ Instagram, I just knew that I had to make a simple drink in that same direction. But balancing the flavours, I ended up using Rye Whiskey as a base instead of Cognac. A switch which is often suggested in spirit-forward drinks such as e.g. the Sazerac. To stay true to the vision and mission of my blog, I drastically cut down on ingredients, the result was a pretty nice drink packed with flavour. 

Pardon my peach

Ingredients
40 ml Rittenhouse Rye Whiskey
15 ml Peche Melba
15 ml Fresh lemon juice
7 ml Campari
7 ml Orgeat syrup

Method
Add everything to a shaker with lots of ice. Give it a hard shake and double strain in a vintage wineglass. No garnish.

Disclaimer: All pictures and texts are copyrighted by Geert Conard and Esito Management & Communications unless stated otherwise in the article. While some items might have been gifted by the producer or distributor, these are in no way paid promotions or recommendations.

Old Fashioned Week 2021 : Rum & Rye

Tomorrow I have a busy day ahead, so let's round up #oldfashionedweek with this delicious drink based on a mix of Rum and Rye. I got a little bit inspired by drinks I saw on the Instagram page of my friend Matthias. I experimented a bit with different bottles, but these two premium spirits blended nicely.

Saint James VSOP is a pure cane rum aged for 4 years on new American oak barrels and selected ex-Bourbon oak barrels. The combination results in a good balance and a deep and lively intensity. Lots of vanilla, cinnamon and candied fruits. 

Pikesville is a straight rye whiskey by Heaven Hill Distillery, produced in Kentucky. Lots of flavours in this spirit. Cacao, sweet liquorice, vanilla, crème caramel. Then it gets fruity and the more spicy notes come to the front. Rye, oak and cloves. Lots of cinnamon and apricot in the finish.   

Rum & Rye Old Fashioned

Ingredients
30 ml Pikesville Straight Rye Whiskey
30 ml Saint James Rum VSOP
10 ml Simple Syrup
2 dashes of Angostura Aromatic bitters
2 dashes of Angostura Orange bitters

Method
Make it the American way, quick and dirty. Add everything to a tumbler with ice cubes. Stir for 15 seconds. Garnish with orange. Enjoy. 

Disclaimer: All pictures and texts are copyrighted by Geert Conard and Esito Management & Communications unless stated otherwise in the article. While some items might have been gifted by the producer or distributor, these are in no way paid promotions or recommendations.

Negroniweek 2021 - Evan Williams Bottled In Bond

It’s Negroniweek again. Drink for a cause. Visit your favorite bar and have one the Negroni-style drinks on the menu. They will donate something for charity, for each Negroni sold during this week. 

Like former years, bloggers around the world will also promote this week and put this iconic Italian aperitif in the spotlights. And of course we’ll make a few delicious variations. As I like to keep things simple on my blog, I’m not going to work with infusions or handmade syrups etc. I’m going to share a pretty good bottled Negroni and I’ll mix up a couple of tasty variations on the original. 

Let’s start with a tasty Boulevardier. The gin is swapped for whisky, but for me this really needs to be a good quality Bourbon. From my recently received box of Heaven Hill whiskeys, I pick a bottle of Evan Williams Bottled in Bond.

This 100 proof version of the world's second largest selling Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey is aged four years under U.S. Government Supervision to meet the exacting standards for Bottled-in-Bond. First enacted by Congress in 1897 and still on the books today, Bottled-in-Bond guarantees quality and assures consumers the product is bottled at exactly 100 proof, the product of one distilling season at one distillery, aged at least four years, and clearly labeled with name of the distillery who made it and Distilled Spirits Plant (D.S.P.) number in which it was made and bottled.

Evan Williams Boulevardier

Ingredients
30 ml Evan Williams Bottled in bond 100-proof
30 ml Campari
30 ml Cinzano Sweet vermouth

Method
Make this one like they do it in Italy. Fill your glass with icecubes, add all ingredients and stir until nice and cold. Garnish with a piece of orange peel (first extract the lovely oils on top of your drink) or a dehydrated orange slice. Enjoy !!!

Disclaimer : All pictures and texts are copyrighted by Geert Conard and Esito Management & Communications unless stated otherwise in the article. While some items might have been gifted by the producer or distributor, these are in no way paid promotions or recommendations. 

Keep it quiet... with Elijah Craig Bourbon

As promised, in this period I’m going to do lots of things with the American whiskey bottlings of Heaven Hill. A bottle that I was really looking forward to is this Elijah Craig Small Batch Bourbon.

With 78% Corn, 10% Rye and 12% malted barley this is a lovely and sweet Bourbon.  It’s a mix of 8 to 12 year old barrels, bottled at 47% alcohol (94 proof).

Complex aroma with lots of vanilla, sweet fruit and fresh mint. Smooth and warm in the mouth, wood, spice, smoke and nutmeg. Long sweet and slightly toasted finish.

This bourbon will work in most whiskey-cocktails, but I wanted a classy drink with unexpected flavors.

The cocktail for today is a Manhattan-style drink, but a lot fresher and fruitier. It’s a variation on the recipe of ‘The unnecessary noice’.

Keep it quiet

Ingredients
50 ml Elijah Craig
22,5 ml Aperol
Abinthe (just for the rinse)
A splash of Lillet Blanc

Method
First add some Absinthe to your Martini glass, swirl it around and add some ice to chill the glass.

Add all other ingredients to a mixing glass with lots of ice. Stir for 10 to 12 seconds. Discard the ice from the glass and strain your cocktail. Garnish with a piece of orange peel or a cocktail cherry. 

Disclaimer : All pictures and texts are copyrighted by Geert Conard and Esito Management & Communications unless stated otherwise in the article. While some items might have been gifted by the producer or distributor, these are in no way paid promotions or recommendations.