St. Patrick Day Cocktail Contest

Yesterday I had the good fortune to be one of three judges in a St. Patrick's day cocktail contest in which  ten of the area's best bartenders competed head to head in a bracket format competition.  Each judge would choose from one of five different cocktails - Irish whiskey based of course.  The bartenders would compete for time, with the judges adding time no time for perfect cocktail to up to thirty seconds for a fatally flawed drink.

One of the more challenging drinks was the Tipperary #1.  The recipe called for 1 oz Jameson Irish whiskey, 1 oz. sweet vermouth and 1 oz Green Chartreuse, stirred, strained and garnished with a lemon twist.  In the initial rounds all of the judges agreed that the recipe called for to much Green Chartreuse, and it wasn't until the final round where the bartenders were able to get the balance right.  It's a shame I didn't think to ask; I guess that just means I will have to experiment on my own.

The Weeski

One of the cocktails I very much enjoyed and will add to my regular rotation is the Weeski - 2 oz Redbreast Irish whiskey, 3/4 oz Lillet Blanc, 1/4 oz Trip Sec, one dash orange bitters, one barspoon of simple syrup, stirred, strained and garnished with an orange twist.  In the early rounds, to heavy of a hand with the Trip Sec and simple syrup made the drink to sweet.  In later rounds, where the bartenders didn't freepour and focused on exact measurements, we were able to appreciate just how complex and well balanced this cocktail is.

The Paddy Cocktail

Another favorite is the Paddy Cocktail which is really in Irish whiskey take on a Manhattan.  The recipe calls for 2 oz Redbreast Irish whiskey, 1 oz sweet vermouth, one dash Angostura bitters, stir, strain and garnish with a lemon twist.  Personally I found that one ounce of sweet vermouth can overpower the taste of whiskey.  After giving this comment in the first round, the bartenders scaled back the amount of sweet vermouth they used (probably to 3/4 an oz) bringing the taste of the whiskey forward and making the drink well balanced.

Cocktail of the Week - The Rob Roy

The Rob Roy is a classic cocktail that, despite the resurgance the cocktail, you don't see it very often.

The History:  First created in 1894 by a bartender at the Waldorf Hotel in New York City. The drink is named after the Scottish folk hero Robert Roy MacGregor who became famous for stealing from the rich and giving to the poor.  Don't feel bad for Robin Hood; he has a cocktail named after him but it certainly isn't as well known. I wonder if the two could trade places for Rob Roy would rather be known for his acts of humanity - like Robin Hood - or for his namesake cocktail

The Recipe: 

• 2.5 oz Scotch.  I pref(er The Famous Grouse.  It's a very nice blended scotch that won't break the bank.)
• .75 oz Sweet Vermouth.
• A few dashes of bitters. (Angoustoura is traditionally used, but blood orange works equally as well.)
• Stir with ice and serve up in a cocktail glass
• Garnish with a twist or cherries (or do as I did and garnish with a twist and bourbon soaked cherries)

Falernum - New Item For The Bar

I recently discovered the wonders of John D. Taylor's Velvet Falernum.  Falernum is a sweet  tating spirit that is primarily used in Caribbean and tropical drinks. It contains flavors of almond, ginger and/or cloves, and lime.  I recently enjoyed it in a classic rum drink, the Corn n' Oil: (Cruzan Black Strap Rum, John D. Taylor‟s falernum, fee‟s old fashion bitters)

New Tropical - Its In The Foam

Creative bartenders have been importing various techniques from molecular gastronomy for a few years now.  You come to expect this in major metropolitan area, but I certainly did not expect to find this in Maui.  Merriman's in Kapalua has an exceptional offering of cocktails, including a few that incorporate molecular mixology. 

The first cocktail to note is the Tequila & Mango:  Cazadores tequila, Lahaina mango shrub, Hawaiian chili peppers, coconut foam.  I am not a fan of flash over substance, but this really works  The foam adds a nice layer of texture and flavor; first you taste the  rich, slightly sweet, coconut foam, then you taste the sweetness of the mango, the spice of the chili peppers, and the earthiness of the tequila.  Come this summer, I fully intend to copy this recipe!