There are always single malts, blended whiskey, good vodka, lemons, limes and soda in my cupboard. I don't like sweet/creamy drinks or anything that's too fiddly so I tend to stick with drinking neat single malts (overwhelmingly), whiskey/soda or vodka/soda when I feel like a drink.

I'm happy to pick up some other ingredients, what basic cocktails might I want to try making to change things up?

Chi: I'll post some faves when I'm at a computer

Risk: I'd start with an old-fashioned

This old-fashioned I had at Gallagher's in Manhattan is my favorite ever, eclipsing Seven Grand in L.A.

I'm a huge fan of the Old Fashioned that they have in the Speakeasy Cocktails ebook. Very straightforward, no frills.

2oz rye
.5 oz simple syrup
2 dashes angostura bitters
1 lemon twist

That's indeed a great way to make an old fashioned. Personally I sometimes add a small splash of soda water, but that's entirely optional.

What's an abomination are recipes which call for muddling orange and/or cherry into the drink. Ugh.

isn't the orange and/or cherry venturing into bastardized manhattan territory?

I think it's a Wisconsin, and possibly other parts of Midwest, OF abomination.

Cit,


The muddled up fruit in an old fashioned was very common throughout the 90s. It was only in the mid/late 2000s when the craft/classic cocktail trend started getting big that the traditional simple old fashioned recipe started becoming the standard again.

Diablo, Gadarene, appreciate any suggestions!

I tried this out tonight and enjoyed it. Was looking to use stuff I don't use that often (rum and becherovka being the two primary ones here).

1oz Mount Gay Black Barrel Rum
1oz Becherovka
.5oz Cherry Heering
.25oz Sweet Vermouth

Ice cube, orange garnish.

Nothing like going for a nightcap and opening up the brandy cherries that I've been soaking for weeks and seeing two dead flies floating. Yep, the lid is closed, but still has a small opening in it. Ugh.

Anybody make their own bitters?

Might give it a whirl. Seems right in my wheelhouse.

Haven't, but doesn't seem that different from making an herbal liqueur, which I've done, with decent-ish results.

Chi,

I have a bunch I'm gonna post here, but a couple of cocktails for you to try in the meantime - Vieux Carre and Boulevardier. Give them a try and report back!

http://imbibemagazine.com/vieux-carre-recipe/

Key to the vieux Carre is the small barspoon of Benedictine. Be careful not to go too heavy on that.

http://imbibemagazine.com/the-boulev...cktail-recipe/

Since you like drinks on the sweeter side, you should try the traditional recipe with equal parts 1oz each. I prefer using rye to bourbon. I also prefer subbing gran Classico for the Campari.

Had never made a Boulevardier before, but being a fan of both Manhattans and Negronis, had to try one tonight after reading the post above. Made it 1:1:1, and it was slightly on the sweet side for me, so will alter next time. Enjoyed it though and can see it becoming a regular drink - thanks for posting it. Also never tried Gran Classico and am very curious to try it now. I've liked Campari since before I liked pretty much any other alcoholic drink, and had never really thought that there might be alternatives out there that could be better.

Thanks ED.

Vieux Carre is why I bought Benedictine, I really enjoy that drink

I'll make the Boulevardier tonight and report back!

definitely try it with 1.5oz of rye. That is my preferred way as I love the spice of rye and it plays great with campari and sweet vermouth (have to go with carpano on that one). Personally I like to add a few dashes of cherry bitters to my Boulevardier as it works great with the rye (obviously cherries also work great with manhattans).

I liked it a lot with with 1.5oz Rittenhouse, 1oz Antica Formula and 1oz Campari. Did the orange slice for garnish the other day (pictured).

Had one tonight same recipe but with lemon garnish.

Really good, please send any more recipe ideas, thanks so much!

All the boulevardiers I've ever had or made have been on the rocks.....I'd suggest giving that a whirl and seeing which you prefer. I'm on board with the 1.5:1:1 ratio as well.

I bought some good local Anejo recently. I really enjoy this:

1.5 oz Anejo
3/4 oz Cointreau
1/2 oz Fresh Lime Juice
1/2 oz Campari
2 dashes Orange Bitters
Serve on Rocks

Chi,

That's a Campari Margarita!

Someone up thread mentioned Portland (Oregon of course) and it stirred up a memory of about 30 years ago, and a cocktail. Anyway the place is still there in what is now referred to as the Pearl District. Trader Vic’s it is called and I, with a college chum, had dinner there one summer evening in the misty past and I ordered a Long Island Ice Tea. Man was it good and smooth and went down like liquid gold. So I had another. The afterglow was great with the alcohol content kicking me into the stratosphere like a mule on cocaine - Genuine fuel for the soul and a wonderful memory squeezed from my hazy youth.

So I searched for the above drink in this thread and it came up void. So cocktail denizens of EDF; please do me the favor of concocting the best Long Island Ice Tea drink(s) for the long hot summer ahead.

Zeno,

You should keep those Long Island Iced Tea memories back where they belong in your college years.

Anyone else use a small oak barrel to age cocktails at home?

I've made 2:1 bourbon Manhattan's in mine, but am looking for other things that can benefit from the process.

http://www.eater.com/drinks/2015/5/7...y-morgenthaler

Velocity,

I haven't done that myself, but I am a big fan of barrel aged negronis and boulevardiers.