You only live once

This drink is a soft variation on the “Yolanda” recipe. For me it’s a nice “in between” cocktail starting the transition from light highball summer drinks towards next seasons’ drinks with lots of dark spirits. 

You only live once

Ingredients
15 ml Vecchia Romagna (Italian brandy)
15 ml Maria Brizard Anisette
15 ml Beefeater Gin
30 ml Cinzano sweet vermouth
A few drops of grenadine syrup

Method
Shake all ingredients with lots of ice. Strain in a chilled coupe and garnish with a citrus peel. First squeeze it to get some of those wonderful oils on top of your drink. 

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.

Italian Sazerac

 

Two years ago I was asked to join the press corps for the world finals of the Amaro Montenegro cocktail competition in Italy. One of the first things we did that week was visit the Montenegro Group production plant near Bologna. I can still remember the incredible smell of the macerating herbs for their amaro. But, maybe a bit to our surprise, the largest part of the factory is actually the distillery for another great product : Vecchia Romagna, the finest Italian brandy.

With this brandy I’m now treating myself to a delicious Sazerac.

Italian Sazerac

Ingredients
60 ml Vecchia Romagna brandy
10 ml Simple syrup
5-10 ml Absinthe
3 drops Absinthe bitters (or Peychaud’s bitters)

Method
Start by coating your glass with a bit of absinthe. How much Absinth is hard to say, because it depends on the size of your glass. I used a large Cognac glass for my drink, so I needed a bit more. Don’t discard the extra Absinthe, just leave it in the glass. Remember to swirl it around again before adding the rest of the cocktail.

Add your brandy, syrup and bitters to a mixglass with lots of ice. Stir for half a minute, swirl your glass and stir again for a few seconds. Strain into your glass.
No garnish needed, if you really want something add a twist of lemon. 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.

Emozioni di Emilia-Romagna : A cocktail based on Vecchia Romagna brandy

 

I really admire bloggers who post new cocktail recipes each and every day. I guess I’m not creative enough for that kind of dedication, or I just don’t have enough time. But I’m always looking around for inspiration. I get inspired by something I read or something I’ve seen, … or even by some nice glassware. I picked up a new glass at my local liqueur store. It’s shaped more or less like a fancy cognac glass, so I wanted to use it right away for a cognac or brandy based cocktail.

I really love whisky and bourbon, but I’m not a really big fan of cognac or brandy. But, when used in a perfectly balanced cocktail (e.g. a Sazerac), I really appreciate the complexity of this grape-based spirits.

In 2018 I was part of the international press team for the global finals of the Amaro Montenegro Vero Bartender competition in Bologna. Already on the first day of our stay, we visited the production plant of Amaro Montenegro, which is also the production facility of Vecchia Romagna, a real Italian brandy. This is the brandy I’m going to use for my cocktail today.

My recipe is a simplified version of the ‘East India’ cocktail. I wanted to make sure you can replicate this cocktail at home. If you don’t own a barspoon, just use a teaspoon. You can buy the bitters and syrup at any liqueur store.

Emozioni di Emilia-Romagna

Ingredients
6 cl Brandy Vecchia Romagna Classica (If you don’t have it, use your favourite brandy or cognac, this will however alter the resulting taste)
1 bsp Maraschino liqueur
1 bsp Orange Curaçao (If you don’t have this orange liqueur, use Cointreau)
1 bsp Angostura bitters
1 bsp Raspberry syrup

Method
Put everything together in a mixing glass with lots of ice. Stir together for about 20 seconds. Strain into a cognac glass. Garnish is optional, but you could use some lemon peel.

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.

Sapori del sud - Southern Flavours

 

Deze maand heb ik enkele tests gedaan met minder voor de hand liggende combinaties. Toen ik een andere blogger iets zag doen met whisky, calvados en bitter kriebelde het om ook iets in die richting te gaan proberen. Uiteraard houd ik het zoals steeds zo eenvoudig mogelijk, maar wil ik toch een maximum aan smaak bereiken. Een stevige en smaakvolle after-dinner slow sipper met enkel zuiderse ingrediënten is het resultaat.

Nomad whisky komt uit Schotland, maar rijpt in sherryvaten in Jerez (Spanje). Het is een blend van Speyside whisky, samengesteld door niemand minder dan whisky-icoon Richard Paterson. De brandy en amaro komen allebei uit Bologna (Italië). 

Sapori del sud
(Southers Flavours - Zuidelijke smaken)

Ingrediënten
5 cl Nomad whisky
2 cl Vecchia Romagna (brandy)
2 cl Amaro Montenegro

Bereiding
Alle ingrediënten samenvoegen in een mengbeker met veel ijs. Stevig roeren tot de cocktail voldoende gemengd en gekoeld is. Strainen in een groot cognacglas zonder ijs. Garnering is overbodig.

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.

OFW - Brandy Cocktail met Vecchia Romagna

 

Ik had me voorgenomen om ook eens wat vaker te experimenteren met cognac en brandy. Geen beter moment dan de Old Fashioned Week om daarmee te starten. Volgens de originele definitie van een cocktail (waar de Old Fashioned letterlijk van afgeleid is), kan je een Old Fashioned cocktail maken met eender welke spirit als basis.

Vecchia Romagna Riserva 10 ani is een mooie gerijpte Italiaanse brandy gemaakt volgens de ‘Charentais’ methode. Hierbij kiezen ze voor een langzame distillatie in kleine koperen stookketels. In kleine Limousin eiken vaten mag de spirit dan 10 jaar rijpen met deze gouden brandy als resultaat.

Echte liefhebbers degusteren deze brandy het liefst puur in zeer grote cognacglazen, waarbij de warmte van je hand de brandy een klein beetje zal opwarmen, waardoor alle aroma’s naar boven komen. Wij maken met deze brandy een echte klassieke “Brandy Cocktail”. Heel gelijkaardig aan een Old Fashioned, alleen werd de suiker vervangen door de bitterzoete sinaasappellikeur, die uiteraard ook heel wat suiker bevat. 

Brandy Cocktail

Ingrediënten
5 cl Vecchia Romagna Riserva 10 ani
2 cl Cointreau
2 dashes Angostura bitters
2 dashes Absint

Bereiding
Alle ingrediënten samenvoegen in een groot mengglas met veel ijs. Goed roeren gedurende minstens 15 seconden tot de cocktail voldoende gemengd en gekoeld is. Serveren in een voorgekoeld Martiniglas. Versier met een citroenkrul.