The end result? The Arizona Gimlet, which I’m really quite happy with. It’s got a real citrus kick, but the vermouth helps smooth things out and keeps the gin from being overpowering, and the agave syrup, when used with a light touch, avoids the cloying sweetness that Rose’s lime sometimes delivers. I’ve even come up with two different preparations, depending on what mood you’re in. Give it a try!

The Recipe

2 oz gin
1 oz dry vermouth
1 oz fresh lime juice
1/3rd oz Agave Nectar (raw, amber, light … whatever kind you want)

Preparation 1: Combine ingredients with ice in a shaker, shake like crazy, strain into a chilled cocktail glass, and serve with a twist of lime. Delicious and potent!

Preparation 2: Combine ingredients with ice in a shaker, shake like crazy, strain into a rocks glass over ice, top with club soda and stir. Serve with a lime wedge. Refreshing!

I wanted to produce something which was bold but not overpowering, not too sweet, and could be made by the glass or by the pitcher. I decided on a whiskey-based concoction which used Cherry Heering for sweetness, lemon juice for a bit of tang, and dry vermouth to smooth things out. Here’s the recipe:

The Bossman

2 parts Canadian Whiskey (I used Seagrams VO)
2 parts OJ (glass) or 3 parts OJ (pitcher)
.75 parts Dry Vermouth
.75 parts Cherry Heering
.5 parts Lemon Juice
Generous dash of Angostura Bitters

Shake or stir with ice, and serve over ice in a rocks glass. Goes very well with birthday cake!

Hope you enjoy the drink. Incidentally, this is the 100th post to this blog (since I redesigned and switched over to wordpress). Hooray!

This drink uses Applejack, which I’d never had before trying the Applejack Cocktail. It’s rather similar to calvados, the French apple liqueur, which I suppose is not particularly surprising. Still, it’s got more of a whiskey kick to it — there’s something less refined happening there, which isn’t necessarily a bad thing.

Combine it with some dry vermouth, some orange juice, and some lime … and you get my latest cocktail:

Spring Break Jack

2 oz Applejack
1 oz Orange Juice
3/4 oz Dry Vermouth
1/2 oz Lime Juice
1/4 oz Simple Syrup
Dash of Bitters

Combine all ingredients in a cocktail shaker, and shake briskly with ice for a long ten count. Strain into a chilled cocktail/martini glass, and garnish with a twist of orange and a brandied cherry.

I know that “Jack” is typically used to refer to Jack Daniels, but I think it works in this case. After all, Florida is home to many an orange, and to many a spring break party destination!

Anyway, give the drink a shot, let me know what you think. I’ll be back with more, soon.

Thanks to Annie in Beziers’ for the image!

Faux Cider

1oz Bourbon
1oz Lillet Blanc
1oz Dry Vermouth
.5oz Lemon Juice
2oz Cola (regular or diet)
1 dash Angosutra Bitters

Combine Ingredients in a rocks glass over ice. Stir well. If you like, add a little ground cinnamon and nutmeg to give it a mulled taste.

The Lexington Limey

2oz Bourbon
1oz Dry Vermouth
1oz Pimm’s
.33 oz Lemon Juice
.25 oz Simple Syrup
1 dash Angostura Bitters

Combine Ingredients in a rocks glass over ice. Stir well. Simple syrup can be replaced with eldeflower cordial, and both it and the lemon juice can be adjusted — more, and you get a “Bourbon Sour” kind of feel. Less, and you get a stiffer, slightly more bitter drink.

Tom’s Cousin

2oz Gin
2oz Pimm’s
.5oz Lemon Juice
.33oz Elderflower Cordial
1 dash Angostura Bitters

Combine ingredients in a cocktail shaker with ice, shake well, strain into a chilled cocktail or martini glass. Garnish with a twist of orange.

The Brooklyn Almond

I named this drink because it’s kind of like a Manhattan, but it’s got a unique charm that’s all its own. Like Brooklyn, it’s an eclectic mix of flavors that blend into a whole.

3oz Good Bourbon (I like Woodford Reserve a lot)
1oz Dry Vermouth
.5 oz Amaretto
.25 oz Campari

Like my Manhattans, I like this drink on the rocks … but it’s equally well served if you pour all of the ingredients into a shaker with ice, and strain it into a chilled martini glass (garnish with a brandied cherry or two if you so desire). At first sip, you’re hit by the strength of the bourbon, but then the vermouth smooths things out and transitions nicely to the almond notes from the amaretto. The Campari shows up at the end, giving a slightly bitter, dry finish. I really like this cocktail and make it for myself fairly often.

The Elder Pirate

This is a rum-based drink — thus the ‘pirate’ — but it gains herbal notes from several sources: campari, Lillet Blanc (a french fortified wine), and elderflower cordial, which takes the place of simple syrup. You could use an elderflower liqueur like St. Germain if you wanted to give it just a touch more kick.

3oz Golden Rum (I like 10 Cane)
1oz Lillet Blanc
.5oz Elderflower Cordial
.25 oz Campari

Again, I drink this one on ice, but you could also shake it and serve it in a chilled glass. I’d garnish it with a lime wedge, because rum loves lime. Seriously, it’s basically impossible to screw up a drink with rum and limes in it! But even without the lime wedge, this is a pretty solid cocktail.

If you try either of these drinks out, drop me a line and let me know what you think. Oh, and thanks to Zoom Zoom for the cocktail picture.

Anyhoo … on a related note, I’ve come up with a new cocktail that I like quite a bit. Yes, it’s pink, but this isn’t some girly drink! There’s a lot of booze in this mutha, and it’s not super-sweet. In fact, it’s a really nice combination of lightly sweet and bitter, with some herbal notes. So here’s the recipe:

The Cloven Martini

1.5 oz Gin (I like Plymouth or Hendrick’s)
1.5 oz Vodka
0.5 oz Dry Vermouth
0.5 oz Framboise (Raspberry Liqueur)
3 whole cloves
ice

Combine all ingredients in a cocktail shaker, and then shake the bejeezus out of them. Strain into a chilled martini glass, and garnish with a lime wedge and a brandied cherry (a common Flatiron Lounge garnish).

Smells nice, tastes good … looks wussy, but dare your friends to slam a couple and see if they’re still standing!