Wet by Beefeater

Wet by Beefeater

My local Albertson’s Liquor Store is closing and they are having an inventory closeout sale. I’ve seen this Gin around but didn’t research it much. I figured for 10% off, I would be a sport and try it out. I should have at least read the back of the bottle before I purchased.

A pear infused gin does not make a good dry martini. Maybe this would be good as a variation on the Bellini. Substituting the pear flavor for the peach puree.

The only other drink I could find that used pear is this one:

Margaes Cocktail

Shake in iced cocktail shaker & strain

1 1/2 oz gin

1/2 oz fresh lemon juice

1/2 oz pear juice

sugar to taste

Serve in a cocktail glass

Dark N Stormy

Dark N Stormy

• 2 oz. Gosling’s Black Seal Black Rum
• 4 oz. Ginger Beer

Build this drink in an Old Fashioned glass over ice.

OK, so this cocktail probably doesn’t look much different from the Midnight Express from last week. But, looks can be deceiving. I must say that I am really enjoying the Black Seal Rum. It is probably the richest, most flavorful rum I have ever had.

Dark N Stormy is the signature drink of Gosling’s. In fact, this drink can only be made with Gosling’s Black Seal Bermuda Black Rum. They say this is Bermuda’s National drink.

The combination of Black Seal and ginger beer is very powerful. At first, you taste the richness of the rum and then you get the flavor and spice of ginger on your tongue and the back of your throat. I did not expect that at first and I was surprised. This is a savory cocktail that perfectly balances the spice of the ginger with the sweetness of the rum. I would highly recommend this drink to anyone who enjoys rum.

The Midnight Express Cocktail

Midnight Express

• 1 1/2 oz. Dark Rum
• 1/2 oz. Triple Sec
• 3/4 oz. Lime Juice
• 1 Splash simple syrup
• 1 Splash Lemon juice

Shake with ice and strain into an ice-filled old-fashioned glass.

I doubled the above recipe because I only have double old-fashioned glasses.

The Midnight Express is a very tasty drink. I used Gosling’s Black Seal Rum. This was the first time I had ever tasted Black Seal Rum and I love it !

At first the lime juice seems a little over powering but then, the rum flavor comes through with a semi-sweet finish. The rum has a deep, rich flavor that pushes through and leaves a lasting impression. I would recommend  this cocktail to anyone who  enjoys a good rum.

A Couple Additions to the Liquor Cabinet

Last night, to my horror, I realized I was completely out of bourbon. I also saw that I had only a few swallows of rye. I’m running low on rum as well. That’s the trouble with booze, those darn bottles can’t refill themselves.

So, off to the local Wine and Spirit Super Center for the bottles you see above.

The Bulleit Bourbon Frontier Whiskey is distilled by The Bulleit Distilling Co. in Lawrenceburg, Kentucky. It is made from Kentucky limestone filtered water and a secret blend of corn, barley malt and rye. The Bulleit family started making bourbon in the 1830’s. Production ceased when Augustus Bulleit passed away in 1860.

In 1987 Tom Bulleit resurrected the company and started distilling Bulleit Bourbon using his Great, Great Grandfather’s recipe.

Gosling’s Black Seal Bermuda Black Rum has been distilled since 1806 by Gosling Brothers of Bermuda. Their recipe is a closely guarded family secret. This product was originally called “Old Rum” and it was only available on draught out of oak barrels. After World War One, Black Seal Rum was sold in Champagne bottles as they were the most widely available bottles around. The cork was sealed with black sealing wax, hence the name.

I’m looking forward to sipping these spirits straight and in some cocktails soon.

A French 75 and The Forbidden X

The French 75

• 1 1/2 oz gin
• 1/2 oz fresh lemon juice
• 3/4 oz simple syrup

shake with ice

strain into champagne flute

top with champagne

garnish with lemon twist

The French 75 is a very tasty cocktail. I enjoyed the sweet and sour combination of the lemon juice and simple syrup. The gin came through as an undertone with the champagne giving the drink one last kick. Even my Wife, who is not a fan of either Gin or Champagne said the cocktail was “not bad”. A stellar review from her if there ever was one.

Tubed Platinum edition “Forbidden X”

Length: 6 ¼ inches
Ring Gauge: 48
Wrapper: Opus X rosado sungrown
Binder: Opus X rosado
Filler: Opus X blend

The tobacco for this cigar is a little different than a normal Opus X. It is aged up to 10 years, and is finished by curing it in Calvados barrels, giving the cigar a unique taste.

In my opinion, the Fuente Fuente Opus X line is one of the finest brands ever. While this cigar was not the little spice bomb that is the signature flavor of Opus X, I could taste the pepper albeit, a bit subdued. Whenever I smoke an Opus, I’m reminded of a fine steak, grilled to perfection. The odors and taste of the cigar is like nothing else and hard for me to put my finger on. It is just the ultimate in pleasure and enjoyment.

The Silent Third

The Silent Third

• 1 oz. Triple Sec
• 2 oz. Scotch
• 1 oz. Lemon Juice

Shake with ice and strain into a chilled cocktail glass.

I found this recipe in the Mr. Boston Platinum Edition. The Famous Grouse did not stand up well to the other ingredients. I liked the way the triple sec and lemon juice played against each other. I just wish the scotch was more than just an undercurrent. I will have to try this drink again with a scotch that has a bit more smoke or peat flavor. Still, it was a pleasant cocktail.

Not another Mint Julep Blog Post

It’s Derby season and all the cocktail websites and blogs have posted their take on the Mint Julep. For me, it’s all about the silver cup. I will not make a Mint Julep until I have ordered one. If I were to make one, it would be just like this:

http://www.smallscreennetwork.com/video/91/mint_julep/

Cool Cocktail Contest !

One of my favorite Blogs / Websites is holding a contest. There are some cool cocktail related prizes that you may want to try and win. Also, the website has some very interesting reading.

Here is the link: Drunk Man’s Guide Contest

The Rob Roy, Montecristo Lancero and Ashton VSG Sorcerer

Rob Roy

3/4 oz. Sweet Vermouth
1 1/2 oz. Scotch
Add ingredients and stir with ice. Strain into a chilled cocktail glass.

The Famous Grouse Scotch is very smooth. It is a blend of Macallan and Highland Park Malts and fine grain whiskies. It is very tasty with hints of citrus fruit and a slightly sweet finish.

The Rob Roy is a cousin of the Manhattan. The Sweet Vermouth and the Scotch blended very well together. This cocktail was a little on the sweet side and I enjoyed it very much. This could be a very good introductory cocktail to scotch for someone who has never tried it before or for someone who is looking to expand their cocktail experiences.

Montecristo Lancero - Especial No. 1

Length: 7 1/2 inches
Ring Gauge: 38
Wrapper: Cuban
Binder: Cuban
Filler: Cuban

Montecristo is one of the classic cuban marques. This cigar’s wrapper was a little rough looking. It’s construction was very good. I had aged this cigar for about six years in my humidor.

The Especial No. 1 is a mild, smooth cigar. I paired this cigar with some Famous Grouse on the rocks.

The cigar burned evenly throughout the time I smoked it. The profile never changed and while this was a smooth tasting cigar, and enjoyable, I started to get bored with it. This could be a good morning smoke with a cappuccino or a latte.

Ashton VSG Sorcerer

Length: 7 inches
Ring Gauge: 49
Wrapper: Ecuadorian Sungrown
Binder: Dominican
Filler: Dominican

The Ashton Virgin SunGrown blend was created for Ashton by Carlos Fuente, Jr. The Sungrown wrapper is grown on a private farm in Ecuador by the Tampa, FL based Oliva Family (Oliva Tobacco Company), exclusively for the Fuente family’s use on the Ashton VSG line.

This was one good looking cigar. It had a deep, dark brown wrapper that was very smooth. As I toasted the foot of the Sorcerer, the cigar gave off an odor of roasting coffee.
The first few puffs were mild and the cigar gave off a medium amount of smoke. At the halfway mark, the spiciness of the sungrown wrapper was kicking in. It was never too strong or over-powering.

This is a great tasting, long lasting cigar. It took a little over an hour to smoke. It never got harsh and burned evenly the entire time.

The Sidecar

The Sidecar

* 2 ounces Brandy (cognac)
* 1 ounce Cointreau
* 1/2 ounce lemon juice

Shake with ice. Strain into cocktail glass.

This was my first try at mixing a brandy cocktail. I found this drink to be very smooth with a nice balance between the Brandy and lemon juice. I would definitely make this again and would introduce a friend to it as well.