Underhill-Lounge

When I wrote about the Corpse Reviver No. 2, I explored the variation with Swedish Punsch instead of Lillet (or Cocchi Americano) and found I preferred the version with Cocchi Americano.
However, recently a friend mentioned they’d been enjoying the same cocktail with the version of Arrack Punch I made for Tales. I wanted to [...]

Dixie Cocktail
1/2 Dry Gin. (Generous 1 oz Beefeater’s Gin)
1/4 French Vermouth. (Generous 1/2 oz Noilly Prat Dry Vermouth)
1/4 Absinthe. (Generous 1/2 oz Marteau Verte Classique)
Shake well and strain into cocktail glass.
As someone who is, well, “Middle Aged,” I am fascinated by people who re-invent themselves and their careers “later” in life.
Instead of accepting the status [...]

Diplomat Cocktail
1 Dash Maraschino. (Luxardo)
2/3 French Vermouth. (Noilly Prat)
1/3 Italian Vermouth. (Punt e Mes)
(Splash Wild Turkey Rye Whiskey)
Shake well and strain into cocktail glass. (Build over ice, stir to chill.) Add cherry and squeeze lemon peel on top.
As usual, going with the build over cracked ice method for these vermouth heavy cocktails.
I guess, diplomats would [...]

Dinah Cocktail
First put 2 or 3 sprigs of fresh mint (1 sprig) in the shaker and bruise them lightly against the sides of the shaker by stirring with a silver spoon. Pour into the shaker 3 glasses of Whisky (2 oz W.L. Weller 12 Year) and let it stand for some minutes. Add 3 glasses [...]

3 Major Accidents Strain Bay Area Commute, LIVERMORE (CBS 5 / BCN)
“Meanwhile, in Santa Clara County, two lanes of southbound U.S. 101 in Sunnyvale reopened at about 9:15 a.m., following a crash in which a big rig transporting vodka overturned and spilled the product onto the roadway, city spokesman John Pilger said.”
Too bad a tanker [...]

Diana Cocktail
Use Port Wine Glass.
Fill with shaved ice.
Fill Glass 3/4 full with White Crème de Menthe (Brizard) and top with Brandy (Maison Surrenne Petite Champagne Cognac).
Ya know, I expected to hate this.
A glass 3/4 full of Crème de Menthe topped with Brandy.
An inverse stinger! How could that be good?
It’s actually kind of nice, in [...]

Diabolo Cocktail
(6 People)
Pour into the shaker 3 glasses of Brandy (Generous 1 oz Maison Surrenne Petite Champagne Cognac) and 3 of French Vermouth (Generous 1 oz Noilly Prat Dry). Add a spoonful of Angostura (2 dashes Angostura) and 2 spoonsful of Orange Bitters (2 dashes Fee’s Orange Bitters, 2 Dashes Regan’s Orange Bitters). Shake (stir, [...]

As I mentioned, I recently took a trip to Wisconsin.
Thought I might document a couple of the Old-Fashioneds in the wild.
While the default Wisconsin Old-Fashioned is a Brandy Old-Fashioned Sweet (Brandy with 7-Up) you can always ask for Bourbon or Rye with water instead of soda or 7-up.
This is my father-in-law’s typical Old-Fashioned:

Jim Beam Rye, [...]

Diabola Cocktail
2/3 Dubonnet. (1 1/2 oz Dubonnet Rouge)
1/3 Gin. (3/4 oz Junipero Gin)
2 Dashes Orgeat Syrup. (Monin)
Shake (stir, please) well and strain into cocktail glass.
This is a fine and enjoyable cocktail, significantly improved by the addition of a dash of Angostura Bitters. If you choose to make it yourself, I would advise picking a more [...]

Devil’s Cocktail
1/2 Port Wine. (1 1/4 oz Ficklin Old Vine Tinta Port)
1/2 French Vermouth. (1 1/4 oz Noilly Prat)
2 Dashes Lemon Juice.
Shake (stir, please) well and strain into cocktail glass.
Well, this is an appropriately named cocktail for Halloween.
Though, it really doesn’t seem particularly satanic to me.
It is refreshing, light, and somewhat wine-like.
Aside from the color, [...]