Self Starter Cocktail.
1/8 Apricot Brandy. (1/4 oz Destillerie Purkhart “Blume Marillen” Apricot Eau-de-Vie)
3/8 Kina Lillet. (3/4 oz Jean de Lillet Reserve, 2004)
1/2 Dry Gin. (1 oz North Short Distiller’s Gin No. 6)
2 Dashes Absinthe. (2 Dash Lucid Absinthe)
Shake (I stirred) well and strain into cocktail glass.
I guess I probably should have used Apricot Liqueur in this. It just seemed so much more appealing to me made with Apricot Eau-de-Vie. And indeed, I quite enjoyed it as above. A very enjoyable cocktail. I suppose the Self-Starter would also be OK made with Lillet Blanc and Apricot Liqueur.
Figured I should finally start emptying this last bottle of Jean de Lillet, as Eric Seed has said that Cocchi Americano will finally be available from Haus Alpenz some time this spring. Heck, then he could have 2 products in this drink. Hm. I wonder if I can get a case discount?
This post is one in a series documenting my ongoing effort to make all of the cocktails in the Savoy Cocktail Book, starting at the first, Abbey, and ending at the last, Zed.
Roy Howard Cocktail.
1/2 Glass Kina Lillet. (1 oz Lillet Blanc)
1/4 Glass Brandy. (1/2 oz Chateau Pellehaut Armagnac)
1/4 Glass Orange Juice. (1/2 oz Orange Juice)
2 Dashes Grenadine. (Dash Homemade Grenadine)
(dash Angostura)
Shake well and strain into cocktail glass.
This is actually quite enjoyable, despite its low alcohol content. Not enough juice to make it overly fruity, beyond the wine. And, indeed, the sweet/sour balance is closer to that of a wine that a sour cocktail.
Roy W. Howard, if indeed it is his namesake cocktail,was a correspondent for the Scripps McRae Newspapers and the president of United Press.
He moved to Scripps newspapers in 1920, and, by 1922, he was leading the company. He bought and consolidated newspapers and instituted a practice of investigative and public service journalism that, over the next decades, led to breaking union racketeering, uncovering bank scandals, exposing political corruption and prompting governmental safety regulations in the workplace.
Quite a lot of accomplishments, really. I can see why you would want a relatively low voltage cocktail to be able to keep your wits about you.
This post is one in a series documenting my ongoing effort to make all of the cocktails in the Savoy Cocktail Book, starting at the first, Abbey, and ending at the last, Zed.
Richmond Cocktail.
1/3 Kina Lillet. (3/4 oz Lillet Blanc, Dash Angostura, Dash Clear Creek Kirsch, Dash Simple Syrup)
2/3 Plymouth Gin. (1 1/2 oz Plymouth Gin)
Shake well and strain into cocktail glass. Squeeze lemon peel on top.
Unfortunately, still without Cocchi Americano or anything similar. And the latest rumors I’ve heard put Haus Alpenz release of Cocchi Americano at sometime early next year.
Well, until then, we’ll continue along with our substitutions.
I didn’t have the Luxardo Maraschino handy, so instead grabbed the Kirsch this time. Hm. Ended up OK, but probably not something I would revisit.
In a lot of ways, I think probably dry vermouth, angostura, orange peel, and maraschino is the best choice, instead of involving Lillet Blanc at all.
This post is one in a series documenting my ongoing effort to make all of the cocktails in the Savoy Cocktail Book, starting at the first, Abbey, and ending at the last, Zed.
Prohibition Cocktail.
1/2 Plymouth Gin. (1 oz Plymouth Gin)
1/2 Kina Lillet. (1 oz Lillet Blanc, 1 Dash Angostura)
2 Dashes Orange Juice. (1/2 teaspoon Orange Juice)
1 Dash Apricot Brandy. (1 dash Rothman and Winter Orchard Apricot)
Shake well and strain into cocktail glass. Squeeze lemon peel on top.
Out of anything more interesting to use for Kina Lillet at the moment, so going with good old Lillet Blanc with a dash of Angostura Bitters.
Even without anything more interesting than Lillet Blanc, this is an enjoyable cocktail. I can only imagine how much more tasty it would be with something like Cocchi Americano!
This post is one in a series documenting my ongoing effort to make all of the cocktails in the Savoy Cocktail Book, starting at the first, Abbey, and ending at the last, Zed.
Old Etonian Cocktail
2 Dashes Orange Bitters. (Angostura Bitters)
2 Dashes Crème de Noyau. (2/3 barspoon Rowley Noyau)
1/2 London Gin. (1 1/2 oz North Shore Distiller’s No. 11)
1/2 Kina Lillet. (1 1/2 oz Homemade Lillet Clone)
Shake will and strain into cocktail glass. Squeeze orange peel on top.
Lot of homemade shit in this one, eh?
Now you know when you get liqueur in a bottle as confidence inspiring as the above, you are in for a treat.
Matt Rowley, being the fearless man that he is, made a batch of Noyau earlier this year: If I had a Hammer. The minute after I read his post, I had an email out to Rowley asking if he was interested in a trade of Noyau for Nocino. He was amenable and soon a bottle of Noyau appeared in the mail.
Zyklon B or no, it is tasty stuff. If you don’t have an enterprising friend like Rowley, the usual substitution of Amaretto will likely be fine.
The cocktail is one of the more pleasing in recent memory. The bitter almond and cherry-like flavor of the Noyau combines quite well with the slightly sweet oranginess of the Kina Lillet Clone. I can only imagine it would be tastier with Cocchi Americano.
This post is one in a series documenting my ongoing effort to make all of the cocktails in the Savoy Cocktail Book, starting at the first, Abbey, and ending at the last, Zed.
Odd McIntyre Cocktail.
1/4 Glass Lemon Juice. (3/4 oz Lemon Juice)
1/4 Glass Kina Lillet. (3/4 oz Underhill Kina Clone)
1/4 Glass Cointreau. (3/4 oz Cointreau)
1/4 Glass Brandy. (3/4 oz Dudongon Cognac)
Shake well and strain into cocktail glass.
Third time we’ve made this exact cocktail. Previously we’ve known it as the “Frank Sullivan” and “Hoop La!“. It still is a Corpse Reviver No. 2, with Brandy instead of Gin, and no Absinthe.
It is still an enjoyable, if not amazing, cocktail.
To quote from the Wikipedia:
Oscar Odd McIntyre (February 18, 1884, Plattsburg, Missouri – February 14, 1938, New York City, New York) was a famed New York newspaper columnist of the 1920s and 1930s. The Washington Post once described his column as “the letter from New York read by millions because it never lost the human, homefolk flavor of a letter from a friend.”
For a quarter of a century, his daily column, “New York Day by Day,” was published in more than 500 newspapers.
As regards cocktails, Mr. McIntyre was one of the founding members, along with Harry McElhone, of the I.B.F. or International Bar Flies, an organization started as a press stunt at Harry’s New York Bar in Paris some time around Christmas of 1924. See the Mud Puddle books edition of Harry and Wynn’s “Barflies and Cocktails” for more information regarding that institution.
This post is one in a series documenting my ongoing effort to make all of the cocktails in the Savoy Cocktail Book, starting at the first, Abbey, and ending at the last, Zed.
Maiden’s Prayer Cocktail (No. 2*)
1/3 Kina Lillet. (3/4 oz Cocchi Americano)
1/3 Dry Gin. (3/4 oz North Shore Distiller’s No. 6)
1/6 Calvados. (1/2 of 3/4 oz Groult Calvados Réserve 3 years old)
1/6 Pricota. (1/2 of 3/4 oz Rothman & Winter Orchard Apricot)
Shake (I stirred) well and strain into cocktail glass.
*On the principle that if at first you don’t succeed, cry, cry again.
According to cocktaildb Pricota was, “Defunct but highly-respected proprietary brand of English apricot-flavored brandy liqueur. Produced by Humphrey Taylor & Co. of London in the late 18th and 19th centuries,” so we’ll use the highly respected R&W Orchard Apricot instead.
Again, even though it is a modern gin, I’ve previously found that the North Shore No. 6 works well with apricot flavors, so I’ve deployed it here.
My bottle of Cocchi Aperitivo Americano, though it has served me well, is nearing a state of tragic emptiness. Here’s hoping someone soon manages to convince the TTB to allow it back into the country.
I’ve found pleasure in the prayers of both of these Maidens and would be hard pressed to pick a favorite. The sweet-tart No. 1 or the bitter-sweet No. 2.
Both are well balanced, witty, and sophisticated young ladies, err… cocktails!
Chuckle, while I appreciate the bloom of sweet-tart youth, I guess I have come to a point in my life where some bitter-sweet experience is more appealing. In cocktails, that is. Right?
This post is one in a series documenting my ongoing effort to make all of the cocktails in the Savoy Cocktail Book, starting at the first, Abbey, and ending at the last, Zed.
Charlie Lindbergh Cocktail
2 Dashes Orange Juice. (2/3 tsp Orange Juice)
2 Dashes Pricota. (2/3 tsp Rothman & Winter Orchard Apricot liqueur)
1/2 Kina Lillet. (1 oz Cocchi Americano)
1/2 Plymouth Gin. (1 oz Plymouth Gin)
Shake (stir?) well and serve in cocktail glass. Squeeze lemon peel on top.
I can only assume this is named after Charles Lindbergh, the aviator who flew the first successful non-stop flight between New York and Paris in May of 1927.
The cocktail itself seemed a bit, uh, “girly”. Nice enough, and all, but more of the sort of drink you’d buy for that cute girl you are trying to impress, than the sort of thing you’d have as a brace up after crossing the Atlantic.
If you want to play along and don’t have Cocchi Americano, I’d again suggest 1 oz dry vermouth, dash angosutura, dash maraschino liqueur, and an orange twist squeezed into the tin. It’s pretty close and might even be better in this particular case.
This post is one in a series documenting my ongoing effort to make all of the cocktails in the Savoy Cocktail Book, starting at the first, Abbey, and ending at the last, Zed.
Lily Cocktail
1 Dash Lemon Juice. (ok, a little much, at one teaspoon)
1/3 Dry Gin. (3/4 oz Beefeater’s Gin)
1/3 Kina Lillet. (3/4 oz Cocchi Aperitivo Americano)
1/3 Crème de Noyau. (3/4 oz Luxardo Amaretto di Saschira)
Shake (stir?) well and strain into cocktail glass.
I still have a dream that I will one day run across Noyau de Poissy, but until then I’m using the Luxardo Amaretto where Crème de Noyau is called for.
I’ve heard some rumors on the Cocchi Americano front, but nothing concrete yet. I’ve got my fingers crossed!
The Lily is on the sweet side, but I’m surprised to admit I found it a fascinating beverage. The Americano and the Amaretto are a really interesting flavor combination.
This post is one in a series documenting my ongoing effort to make all of the cocktails in the Savoy Cocktail Book, starting at the first, Abbey, and ending at the last, Zed.
I made my first attempt at an aperitif wine the other day, aiming for Cocchi Americano or Kina Lillet.
I bought 2 1/2 bottles of reasonably priced Muscadet-Sèvre et Maine, brought it to 140 degrees and added 1 cup of sugar. Stirred to dissolve.
Then I added the spice tinctures I’d previously made, starting with a touch, and tasting and adding.
I finally ended up with the following amounts, where I started to be able to perceive the earthy flavors of the Quinine and Gentian tinctures in the wine:
2 TBSP Seville Orange Tincture
2 TBSP Mexican Cinnamon Tincture
2 tsp. Gentian Tincture
2 tsp. Wormwood Tincture
3 tsp. Quinine Tincture
1/2 Cup Spanish Brandy
Cooled, poured it back into the bottles, rested for a day, and tried it.
My initial reaction is I got closer to Jean de Lillet than Cocchi Americano. Admittedly, it doesn’t have any Sauterne in the wine blend, so there is no botrytized character, as in the Jean de Lillet.
Challenges: It’s really hard to judge how something warm will taste chilled or in cocktails. I would have had to use much more of the spice tinctures to get close to Cocchi Americano. It’s tempting to just mull the spices in the warm wine. But that will make fining or filtering much more challenging.
The Wine was also a weird pick. Muscat Canelli or similar would be a typical choice for the wine base of a vermouth. But I was feeling completely uninspired by my choices of California Muscat. Loire whites are just some of my favorite wines.
A pretty good first try, I think. Everyone who has tried it has been quite complementary. Still, it isn’t what I was hoping for.
Bonus: At the grocery store on the way home they had Sorrento Lemons! Picked up a couple and it was just the spur I needed to start a new batch of Swedish Punsch. And yes, Rowley, this time I will make your Lemon Punsch Pie with the leftover sliced lemons.
