I hadn’t planned on posting this drink (how’s that for a ringing endorsement?) but it took second place in last night’s cocktail competition sponsored by Drambuie, so it’s worth putting up. It was a tight race with Adam Robinson of Park Kitchen taking third and Tommy Klus of Teardrop Lounge edging me out by a point to take first.
Tommy and I went for very similar flavor profiles, marrying Drambuie with peaty Scotch and fall spices. My drink was a Stone Fence variation (hence the Green Mountain reference) using Ardbeg, Drambuie (a.k.a. “the ‘Bu”), apple cider gastrique, and the Fee’s Whiskey Barrel-Aged bitters, which add big notes of cinnamon and clove. It’s a tasty fall cocktail and even people who were scared of Scotch seemed to like it.
2 oz apple cider
1.5 oz Ardbeg 10
.75 oz Drambuie
.75 oz apple cider gastrique
1 dash Fee’s Whiskey Barrel-Aged Bitters
Stir over ice and strain into an ice-filled rocks glass. Add a cinnamon stick if you feel compelled to garnish, but there’s no need for it.
I don’t have a strict recipe for the gastrique. It’s something I made for a completely different Stone Fence variation last year and I realized a few hours before last night’s competition that I’d never recorded the ingredients or process. It’s fairly simple though: Caramelize about a cup of sugar in a small amount of water, slowly add about 2/3 cup apple cider vinegar, and finally add about a cup of good apple juice or cider. I added a splash of lemon juice too though I suspect it’s unnecessary.
For a simpler cocktail pairing Ardbeg and Drambuie, see also my drink from last year, the Curse of Scotland.
I may have to make some changes as we run low on ingredients, but here’s the intended cocktail menu for our final two weeks, including three new additions. This will go into effect tomorrow:
Aquavit Hot Toddy – Krogstad aquavit, Swedish punsch, lemon, star anise $8
Drambuie is one of those bottles of liquor that’s a staple in many bars, including my own, that most bartenders don’t know what to do with. Recently my friend Lance Mayhew has been promoting it around Portland by hosting Drambuie Dens, encouraging bartenders and patrons to experiment with the spirit. They’ve been a lot of fun and while hosting one at Carlyle I was able to try it out in a few new cocktails. One of these is now on my menu as The Curse of Scotland:
.75 oz Ardbeg 10 Scotch
.75 oz Drambuie
.75 oz maraschino liqueur
.75 oz lemon juice
Shake and strain over ice into a chilled Martini glass. Ardbeg is my preferred Scotch here, but feel free to substitute another smoky Islay.
Obviously this is just a Scotch version of a Last Word. It substitutes Scotch for gin, Drambuie (an herbal liqueur) for Chartreuse (another herbal liqueur), and lemon for lime. It all came together on the first try; I wish all cocktails were this easy to make.
I’ll be serving this cocktail tonight at the 2009 Drambuie Den Bartender Showcase in Portland. Get the details and RSVP here if you’d like to attend. There’s a prize for best cocktail, too. With my drink using all off-the-shelf ingredients and having no fancy garnish it will be tough to win, but it is damn delicious.
Playing card enthusiasts will recognize the Curse of Scotland as a reference to the Nine of Diamonds, a card that has unique importance to many magicians as well.
Jacob Grier is a freelance writer, barista, mixologist, and magician in Portland, OR. He writes, eats, and drinks a lot. His articles have appeared in The Washington Post, Reason Online, The Oregonian, and other publications.
Jacob Grier is a freelance writer, barista, mixologist, and magician in Portland, OR. He writes, eats, and drinks a lot. His articles have appeared in The Washington Post, Reason Online, The Oregonian, and other publications.
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