status. Like, say, concrete—known as the source of sturdy foundations but never used for beauty until a few genius craftsmen figured out that it makes a sturdy, eco-friendly material for counters, floors, and other aesthetic visuals of value. Scotch is a little like this, too. Long sequestered to fireside drams with, perhaps, a touch of water or an ice cube, its merits have been long extolled, but it’s not often elevated beyond its neat-in-the-glass functionality to high-cocktail status. That’s why cocktails like the Blood and Sand are entirely necessary. Blended scotch (yes, even certain single malts) makes for a gorgeous cocktail base, and this is a great example of how it plays well with others. One caveat: although Islay malts can make for some really interesting cocktails (thank the popularity of smoky mezcal and creative modern bartenders for that!), a robust but honeylike Highland malt makes for a better complement here.
THE NOTES
Place 6 or 7 square ice cubes into a cocktail shaker. Pour in ¾ fluid ounce (22ml) of Scotch, coating the ice. Add in ¾ fluid ounce (22ml) of sweet vermouth, ¾ fluid ounce (22ml) of Cherry Heering, and ¾ fluid ounce (22ml) of fresh orange juice. Shake in a vertical motion for 30 seconds. Strain slowly into a coupe glass. Using a channel knife or standard vegetable peeler, gently slice only the skin (avoiding the bitter pith) of an orange above the drink and drop the peel into the glass.
The indisputable king of classic brunch drinks, the Bloody Mary is a case study in the importance of getting your measurements just right. Some drinks—like a gin and tonic, for instance—certainly owe their echelons of excellence to the use of good ingredients, but if the measurements are off a little? The drink isn’t bad—it’s, perhaps, a little boozier or sweeter than you’d like, but as long as you’re using quality gin and quality tonic, it still tastes pretty darned good. But adding too much or too little of an ingredient to a Bloody Mary? Disaster. If you’ve ever had a bad Bloody Mary (and I know you have), then you are nodding in agreement. A bad one can put you off the drink forever, amen. A good one, though? It will have you smacking your lips in anticipation of one of the most delicious savory cocktails there is to be sipped.
THE NOTES
Place 6 or 7 square ice cubes into a cocktail shaker. Pour in 2 fluid ounces (60ml) of vodka, coating the ice. Add 3 fluid ounces (90ml) of tomato juice, ½ teaspoon of grated horseradish, 2 dashes each of hot sauce and Worcestershire sauce, and ½ fluid ounce (15ml) of fresh lemon juice. Finish with ¼ teaspoon of coarse salt, ¼ teaspoon of black pepper, and ¼ teaspoon of celery salt. Shake in a vertical motion for 30 seconds. Strain slowly into an ice-filled Collins glass. Garnish with a lemon wedge and a celery stalk.
One of the many wonderful results of the renaissance of classic cocktail culture the free world ‘round is the long-lost discovery of cocktails that use egg as an ingredient. Eggs are a miraculous game changer in any recipe, be it fresh mayonnaise or a drink like this one, as the textural changes they add are nothing short of a little miracle. Whip or shake one hard enough and poof, you have something frothy, creamy, or velvety. And in the case of the Bosom Caresser, the egg is the solidifying, hold-it-together girder that makes the drink. As with any recipe that contains raw egg, remember to refrigerate your eggs as you normally would, removing them for use just prior to making the cocktail. And, of course, once it’s made, don’t walk away and leave it sitting out for an hour. Drink it!
THE NOTES
Place 6 or 7 square ice cubes into a cocktail shaker. Drop in the egg yolk, and then pour in 1½ fluid ounces (45ml) of brandy, ½ fluid ounce (15ml) of Cointreau, and 1 teaspoon (5ml) of grenadine. Shake in a vertical motion for 30 seconds. Strain slowly into a wineglass.
Praised in song (who wouldn’t want to be the subject of Canadian songstress Feist’s boozy eponymous ballad?) and sipped with relish, the Brandy Alexander falls into that lovely, oft-forgotten category of dessert drinks. But dessert in a glass is a pleasure worth pursuing and doing correctly, especially when it comes to the use of heavy-lifter materials like cream. Adding the cream as one of the first ingredients to your shaker allows it to stay near icy cold, allowing maximum froth potential as the cream’s molecules hold together like two securely nailed beams. What you get: a creamy, cold, gently sweet treat that, at first sip, is a little like taking your first step into new snow.
THE NOTES
Place 6 or 7 square ice cubes into a cocktail shaker. Pour in ¾ fluid ounce (22ml) of Scotch, coating the ice. Pour in 1 fluid ounce (30ml) of heavy cream, allowing it to coat the ice cubes. Add in 1 fluid ounce (30ml) of brandy and 1 fluid ounce (30ml) of white crème de cacao. Shake in a vertical motion for 30 seconds. Strain slowly into a cocktail glass. Grate fresh nutmeg over the top.
Using the right amount of materials can be just as important as using the right materials when it comes to creating something. Take the Bronx cocktail, for instance. An argument could be made that this drink needs to be adjusted for the taste of the individual sipper, as—without the orange juice—it is basically a perfect martini, a drink whose proportions of vermouth, whether “dry” (very little vermouth) or “wet” (more vermouth), are continuously argued about. But the Bronx is meant to be a refreshing drink, and the addition of both sweet and dry vermouth in equal amounts is part of its fresh, flavorful charm.
THE NOTES
Place 6 or 7 square ice cubes into a cocktail shaker. Pour in 1½ fluid ounces (45ml) of gin, coating the ice. Add 1 fluid ounce (30ml) of fresh orange juice and 1 teaspoon (5ml) each of sweet and dry vermouth. Using a long bar spoon, stir for 30 seconds. Strain slowly into a coupe glass. Using a channel knife or standard vegetable peeler, gently slice only the skin (avoiding the bitter pith) of an orange above the drink and drop the peel into the glass.
You might argue that the rise in popularity of the County of Kings and the rise in popularity of the New York City borough’s namesake tipple had a not entirely unparallel upward zoom in favor. Those who already loved them both knew their charms; but there were those who were uninitiated and needed convincing (“Why would anyone schlep out to Bushwick or for that matter mix rye and dry vermouth?!” could have easily once been the fictional decry). But just as Brooklyn has become the new black in popular NYC culture, so has its cocktail taken a sturdy spot on the lists of many a de rigueur bar. Why? The combination of spicy, snappy rye; dry, herby vermouth; and a gently bittersweet one-two punch of the once impossible to find Amer Picon (an Italian amaro) and maraschino liqueur adds a thought-provoking, entirely satisfying complexity to this king of a drink.
THE NOTES
Place 6 or 7 square ice cubes into a cocktail shaker. Pour in 1 ½ fluid ounces (45ml) of rye, coating the ice. Add in ½
