Cocktails

[uppercase]

What can you recommend and how do you take them…?

[Concordia]

The closest I normally do to a cocktail in the summer is a Kir-- white wine with Cassis. Some have said that a bad white wine will ruin it, while a good white wine will be ruined by it. Probably true, so the trick is getting a decent but unremarkable white to be the base. Supposedly Aligote is the standard on site, but I find that a non-oaked Bourgogne Blanc (or similarly-priced clean Chard) is just fine as well. Just this evening I tried a cheap NZ Sauvignon Blanc and it had too much citrus-y character.

Anyway, it's not too hard to prepare. Pour a glass of white wine that is very chilled and/or over ice, and drizzle in the Creme de Cassis until it's past pink but not quite ruby-colored.

One of these days I'll try a Kir Rouge-- although I don't have any real enthusiasm for the project.

[Luca]

Perhaps unsurprisingly, my all-time stand-by and favourite is an Old Fashioned. A well-made Negroni or Manhattan I also like and, for a more summery day, it's hard to beat a Mojito, despite many now unfairly disdaining it* due to its recent popularity / ubiquity. Once in a while, a stiff Vesper is also a treat.

(*): In London, at least, in he 2000s Mojitos became such a hen party cliché for unsophisticated revellers that some bars, ignorantly and snobbishly now refuse to make it. I have personally have had to (gently) upbraid a couple of age-challenged bar managers for this offense. I've always felt that disliking something strictly because it is popular is possibly the only thing that is less rational than liking something strictly because it is popular.

[Rob O]

I like all of Luca's selections and would place my initial order for Old Fashioned: sanderson's bar in London makes a mean one. Not something to overindulge on though, as bitter experience testifies.

For a summer evening drink it has to be a good g&t. I am drinking Hayman's 1850 Reserve right now and can thoroughly recommend it, although Bombay Sapphire is fine for my palate as well. I can't abide Hendrick's due to the cucumber overtones.

[aston]

Whilst it is interesting to try different gins for their wide ranging properties, please be sure that the only tonic water you use is Fever Tree.

[uppercase]

I like negronis too.
They are simple to make, bitter and have a good alcohol punch.

I've experimented a bit with them.
I've used vodka instead of gin and I like that.
I've substituted cynar for vermouth and that's not bad.
Aperol for Campari.
I've tried different vermouths: cinzano, noilly prat, punt e mes, carpano antica. They're all different and all good.
And different gins. Ditto.
Different proportions other than the classic 1:1:1. But I usually go back to the classic.

It's a nice drink. What I like best is that it's simple and easy to make and easy to drink.
It seems to taste different every time I make it even though I measure. And friends will also comment that this or that version was better or worse than the last one they had here. So there are variations and that makes the drink interesting and challenging as well.
Adding bitters again makes it more interesting.

And 3 ingredients only is a good thing:

Three-Ingredient Summer Cocktails - The New York Times
http://www.nytimes.com/interactive/2011 ... recipes.ht...

[Luca]

...3 ingredients only is a good thing

In a rare moment of clarity, being asked by an inexperienced drinker how to distinguish betwen silly, "best barman competition" nonsense drinks and ones that stand the test of time I pontificated that a cocktail only needs: 1 spirit, 1 source of "zest" (citrus or other comparable effect, even if just in the garnish), 1 twist of flavour (typically some sort of basic liquer or herbally-enhanced wine).

I stand by that.

[Screaminmarlon]

I like negronis too.
...punt e mes, carpano antica...

Punt e mes is my favourite

[Rob O]

The Gilbert Scott bar makes a mean negroni and they are currently advertising a special one infused with cacao and chipotle. I will investigate and report back presently.

https://twitter.com/Thegilbertscott/sta ... 84/photo/1

[Rob O]

Whilst it is interesting to try different gins for their wide ranging properties, please be sure that the only tonic water you use is Fever Tree.

I agree Aston. To me FT's much cleaner with less of the cloying aftertaste one gets with Schweppes.

[aston]

There was a family drink when I was growing up; in the 50's, in Corsica but with a lot of Sicily thrown in. It was called the Don Special.

60% gin, 30% red vermouth ( I am sure it was not just any old red vermouth, ) and 10% dry vermouth (as before).

Lots of ice, big lemon slice. I am sure the mix changed after the first two or three....................

[uppercase]

Curuiously the drunks over at the NYTimes vote Schweppes as their favorite tonic and FT as their least.

http://www.nytimes.com/2013/05/22/dinin ... s-due.html

[Man at C&A]

An appreciation of Fever Tree may well be a London thing to the point where a Sipsmiths & FT has become a bit a of a cliche. Still my default choice as I'm the worst example of a locally sourced foodie you'll ever encounter, but I suspect the fashionable crowd will move on soon (the lala's amongst our circle are now on Aperol and fizz)

I don't think I'm ever going to find a cocktail to beat the Vesper at Dukes Hotel.

[Concordia]

An appreciation of Fever Tree may well be a London thing to the point where a Sipsmiths & FT has become a bit a of a cliche.

It may also relate to the choice of gin. I was googling around for reviews earlier, and I think one guy liked it with Plymouth, but found that Canada Dry stood up better to Beefeater.

[uppercase]

I miss Dukes.

Mostly I miss sitting in their bar and smoking a cigar and having a martini.

I've spent some considerable time in that bar, and invited friends there once for a London wedding.

Of course the bar was more memorable than the wedding but that's true of most life events.

Bars, friendship, brotherhood, cigars…well, you understand, of course.

Spraying the vermouth into the martini glass was a bit of an affectation, but WTF.

A good hotel bar is one of life's pleasures. I'm glad I spent time there.

Anybody been to Dukes recently?? Or the Connaught?? I've just sort of lost touch…