Scoff-Law Cocktail.
1 Dash Orange Bitters. (1 Dash Regan’s Orange Bitters)
1/3 Canadian Club Whisky. (3/4 oz 40 Creek Three Grains)
1/3 French Vermouth. (3/4 oz Noilly Prat Dry Vermouth)
1/6 lemon Juice. (1/2 of 3/4 oz Lemon Juice)
1/6 Grenadine. (1/2 of 3/4 oz Small Hand Foods Grenadine)
Shake well and strain into cocktail glass.

For what it is worth, Harry McElhone’s Barflies and Cocktails calls for Rye, instead of the Savoy “Canadian Club”.  Even though, in deference to Mr. Craddock, I went with Canadian Whisky, generally, I agree with Mr. McElhone in these matters.

While researching the Scoff-Law, I turned up the following from the Chicago Tribune, January 27th, 1924: “Hardly has Boston added to the Gaiety of Nations by adding to Webster’s Dictionary the opprobrious term of “scoff-law” to indicate the chap who indicts the bootlegger, when Paris comes back with a “wet answer”—Jock, the genial bartender of Harry’s New York Bar, yesterday invented the Scoff-law Cocktail, and it has already become exceedingly popular among American prohibition dodgers.”

Made to the Savoy recipe, this is a pleasant, light, tart, easy drinking libation.  Many modern sources bump up the booze a bit more and often leave out the orange bitters.  I kind of like it the way it is, with the sweet/tart balance not dissimilar to a red wine.

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 was getting a bit low on the previous Milk Punch, so it seemed like it was time for another batch.  Hmmm…  What if I use some of the same ingredients typically found in a Sazerac?

Sazerac Milk Punch

Ingredients:

750ml Old Overholt Rye
750ml Wild Turkey Rye
375ml Smith & Cross Jamaican rum
7 Lemons
1 1/2 cups water
3 cups Sugar Florida Crystals Natural Sugar
1 Puerh Tea Disk
1 Quart Straus Farm Whole Milk
Absinthe

Method:

Combine the spirits in a container large enough to hold them and a little extra. Peel and juice 5 of the lemons. Add juice and peels to spirits and let stand for 2 days.

Steep tea in hot water for 5 mins and add sugar. Stir to dissolve. Strain out tea leaves and cool.

Strain Peels out of booze mixture. Add tea syrup to booze. Squeeze juice from remaining lemons and add to mixture. Heat milk to 145 degrees and add too mixture. Let stand for 30 minutes undisturbed.

Filter through cheesecloth, removing curdled milk solids.

Add absinthe until you can just begin to taste it.

Bottle in clean resealable containers and chill until you are ready to serve.  Makes about 3 liters. To serve, pour over ice and top with 1 part soda to 2 parts punch.

Mrs. Flannestad remarked, “If you meant to make this taste boozy, you have succeeded.”  Not sure if it really tastes much like a Sazerac, but it does taste like a delicious Rye Whiskey Milk Punch. I was going to bring this along to tonight’s Savoy Cocktail Book event, but clearly that would be very, very wrong with the new paradigm being enforced by the California Department of Alcohol and Beverage Control.

“Are My Favorite Bartenders Going to be Sent to Jail?”

“ABC Crackdown on Infused Liquors”

“Your Favorite Cocktail Could Get A Bartender Fined”

“State warns Bay Area bars not to infuse drinks”

Illegal Infusions: The Word Gets Out

And the best commentary I’ve seen so far, from Dinah and Joe over at Bibulo.us: Echoes of Prohibition. Well, Joe is an actual Lawyer…

So let me get this straight, Sangria is illegal!!??  Don’t tell the Spanish!  Any pre-prepared Punch forbidden?  Jerry Thomas turns over in his grave and David Wondrich gets incrementally grayer!  Any house made liqueur, tincture, or bitters is now verboten!?  I’m so glad that vile commercial products made with corn syrup, artificial flavoring and artificial color are just fine and I can’t make an infusion with actual fruit!!!

Basically any alcoholic mixture not mixed a la minute or involving an alcoholic ingredient not purchased through the distribution chain is against the rules?

Time to join the punch making, spirits infusing, speakeasy underground!

Santiago Cocktail
2 Dashes Grenadine. (1 teaspoon Small Hands Food Grenadine)
2 Dashes Lemon Juice. (1 teaspoon Lemon Juice)
1 Glass Bacardi Rum. (2 oz Barbancourt White Rum)
Shake well and strain into cocktail glass.

Being slightly generous here with the proportions of Grenadine and Lemon Juice in this Daiquiri-like cocktail. I’m also picking a slightly more flavorful r(h)um that I would typically, as the drink is basically all spirits.

It isn’t awful, exactly, as I am very fond of Barbancourt’s white rum in most contexts. It is not, however, the sort of drink that you would probably make for someone who doesn’t like the flavor of booze in their cocktails.

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.

St. Germain Cocktail.
The Juice of 1/2 Lemon.
The Juice of 1/4 Grapefruit.
The White or 1 Egg.
1 Liqueur Glass Green Chartreuse. (1 1/2 oz Green Chartreuse)
Shake well and strain into cocktail glass.

Woo! On to the “S” Cocktails! I may actually finish this damn Stomp Through the Savoy Cocktail Book, afterall!

The odd thing about the St. Germain cocktail, is the Green Chartreuse is so high proof that it really doesn’t get much foam. The egg white contributes body, but very little else.

If you like Green Chartreuse, this is a nice sour. If you don’t like Green Chartreuse, this may not be a cocktail for you. It’s no Last Word, not a cocktail to convert anyone.

Tasty, though.

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.

Royal Clover Club Cocktail.
The Juice of 1/2 Lemon.
1 Tablespoonful Grenadine. (Generous Tablespoon homemade Grenadine)
The Yolk of 1 Egg.
1 Glass Gin. (2 oz Beefeater’s Gin)
Shake well and strain into medium size glass.

An enjoyable cocktail. Sadly the last of the Clover Club family, including the Clover Club, Clover Leaf, and Grand Royal Clover Club.

Though, I suppose I could go through and re-do them all with Small Hand Foods Raspberry Gum instead of Grenadine…

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.

Royal Smile Cocktail.
The Juice of 1/4 Lemon. (1/2 oz Lemon Juice)
1/4 Grenadine. (1/2 oz Homeade Grenadine)
1/2 Applejack or Calvados. (1 oz Calvados Groult Reserve)
1/4 Dry Gin. (1/2 oz Krogstad Aquavit*)
Shake well and strain into cocktail glass.

Oh my goodness, how did that Aquavit get into this cocktail?

Thinking about Calvados, flavors, and cocktails, the anise-caraway medley of the Krogstad Aquavit lept to mind. And after making it with Aquavit, I didn’t even bother making it again with Gin. I think Gin just functions as filler in this cocktail, anyway, stretching the more expensive Calvados with neutral flavors.

Aquavit, however, combines very nicely with the vegetal aspects of the Calvados, and the Krogstad, with its strong Anise adds even more to the drink than a traditional aquavit would.

I really liked my variation on the Royal Smile. Give it a try and let me know if I’m crazy.

*The Krogstad Aquavit used in this cocktail was sent to me as a promotional gift by House Spirits, its producer.

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.

Royal Cocktail (No. 1).
The Juice of 1/2 Lemon.
1/2 Tablespoonful Powdered Sugar. (Generous Bar Spoon Caster Sugar)
1 Egg.
1 Glass Dry Gin. (2 oz Aviation Gin)
Shake well and strain into medium size glass.
Haven’t had Aviation Gin in the house for a while, but the generous folks at House Spirits in Portland, Oregon were kind enough to send this bottle along.

I don’t like it for everything, but it was tasty enough in this simple Gin Sour with an egg.

Like a lot of modern (or New Western) style gins, they include some non-traditional botanicals in their flavorings.  In Aviation’s case, the big departure is Lavender.  Nice, but it just doesn’t work in some drinks.  Actually, IMHO, its namesake the Aviation, is one of those drinks where it really doesn’t work all that well.  But that is neither here nor there.

I enjoyed it in this drink, the Royal Cocktail (No. 1), and also think it makes a fine ATTY.  Other than that, you’re on your own.  Let me know what you find out.

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.

Rose Cocktail (English)
1 Dash Lemon Juice.
4 Dashes Grenadine. (1 Generous Bar Spoon Homemade Grenadine)
1/4 Apricot Brandy. (1/2 oz Rothman and Winter Blumme Marillen Apricot Eau de Vie)
1/4 French Vermouth. (1/2 oz Noilly Prat Original Dry Vermouth)
1/2 Dry Gin. (1 oz Plymouth Gin)
Shake well and strain into cocktail glass. Frost edge of cocktail glass with castor sugar.

OK, I cheated. While it is unclear whether this recipe should be made with Apricot Liqueur or Apricot Eau-de-Vie, I just couldn’t justify the sugar rim if I made it with Apricot Brandy. And boy is it good with Apricot Eau-de-Vie. Such a nice combination of flavors.

Just on the edge of tart with fruit coming from the grenadine and eau-de-vie. A balance near what you’d expect from a red wine like a Pinot, it is tart and dry enough that the sugar rim makes sense. Highly recommended, one of the tastier cocktails I’ve made in a while, despite the somewhat finicky measures and obscure ingredients.

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.

Robson Cocktail.
1/8 Lemon Juice. (1/2 of 3/4 oz Lemon Juice)
1/8 Orange Juice. (1/2 of 3/4 oz Orange Juice)
1/4 Grenadine. (3/4 oz Homemade Grenadine)
1/2 Jamaica Rum. (1 1/2 oz Appleton V/X Rum)
Shake well and strain into cocktail glass.

Actually, this is exactly what I would consider a “Planter’s Punch”, as opposed to those two earlier “Planter’s Cocktails” (No. 1 and No. 2).  Multiple Citrus, check.  Grenadine, check.  Jamaican Rum, check.  Yep, that’s a “Planter’s Punch” all right.

Tasty, too, though you could probably go with something a bit more distinctive than the Appleton V/X.  Coruba might be awesome, or Haus Alpenz’ Smith and Cross Jamaica Rum, if you were feeling adventurous.

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.

Resolute Cocktail.
1/4 Lemon Juice. (generous 1/2 oz Lemon Juice)
1/4 Apricot Brandy. (scant 1/2 oz Rothman and Winter Orchard Apricot)
1/2 Dry Gin. (1 oz North Shore Distiller’s No. 6)
Shake well and strain into cocktail glass.

Apricot liqueur probably the only sensible choice, with that much Lemon Juice. Almost one of my truly favorite Chas. Baker drinks, The Pendennis Club Cocktail, but not quite. Lime instead of Lemon, some Peychaud’s bitters, and this baby could be rocking.

As it is, it is perfectly fine refresher. Not outstanding, but tasty enough.

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.