New Cocktail Featuring Popcorn Sutton Tennessee White Whiskey

I finally managed to obtain two bottles of Popcorn Sutton Tennessee White Whiskey.   You would think the fact that they are a client of mine I would have been able to put my hands on a few bottles a bit earlier.  Better late than never.  Popcorn Sutton isn't yet available in California, but for those of you who find yourself in Nashville, it is offered at the better saloons in town.

This past Friday I put Popcorn to work and experimented with a few different cocktail recipes. Popcorn Sutton works extremely well in cocktails: the taste is well balanced between sweet and spicy, and it has a nice floral bouquet. It has some of raw, astringent qualities you would expect from an un-aged whiskey, but overall its extremely drinkable.

My first cocktail was a slight deviation on the classic Boulevardier. (I can't understand why the Boulevardier hasn't experienced the same exuberant resurgence as its progeny, the Manhattan and the Negroni.) I took a bit of a liberty in adding a dash of both orange and Angostura bitters.  The result was one excellent drink!

2 oz Popcorn Sutton Tennessee White Whiskey
1 oz Campari
1 oz 1 ounce sweet vermouth (I prefer Carpano Antica)
dash Angostura Bitters
dash Orange Bitters.

Shake and serve up with a Meyer lemon twist.

Warm Day; Springtime Twist On A French 75

Even though it's the middle of February, the last few days have been particularly warm in Los Angeles. Saturday we had some friends from Northern California visiting, and at the end of what felt like a spring day I decided to take a gin based French 75 for a spring time spin with rosemary simple syrup, meyer lemons and Brut rosé sparkling wine (we used Mumm but any good brand will do). The result was one incredibly refreshing cocktail.

2 oz dry gin
.5 oz rosemary simple syrup
fresh squeezed meyer lemon juice (half a lemon)
Shake, serve on the rocks and top with Brut rosé sparkling wine

Client News - Congratulations to MX Digital on Launch of "The Hoff" Game Series

Congratulations to our client, MX Digital, on the launch of its line of David Hasselhoff's themed on-line waged games.  Looking forward to lots more deals to come.

Pre NYE Manhattan Cocktail

2 oz Old Overholt rye
1 oz Antica
House made clove bitters
Angostura bitters

Thirsty Lawyer Has Your Cure For The Cold and Flu Season

This time of the year, every year I come down with a head cold.  Who knows whether its the combination of the hurried pace of the holiday season, the rush to close business deals for clients by the end of the year, and the multitude of parties, or just the fact that its called the cold and flu season for a reason.  Whatever the cause, as inevitable as Christmas day, I came down with a head cold.   Aside from the drug store cold remedies,  Thirsty Lawyer also obtains relief from the self prescribed Hot Toddy. 

Honey Bourbon Toddy

The origin of the hot toddy is murky and not clear.  Some theorize that the hot toddy came from India; a drink that was produced by fermenting the sap of the palm and was made popular in Scotland by an employee of the East India Company.  Another theory claims that creation of the hot toddy was memorialized in  Allan Ramsay's 1721 poem The Morning Interview.  There are as many theories on the origin of the hot toddy as there are recipes  and I tried a few of them during my recovery.

English Toddy

2 oz Dry London Gin
1 oz fresh lemon juice
1/2 oz Ginger Honey Syrup
Hot Water.

Honey Bourbon Toddy

2 oz Honey Bourbon
1 oz fresh lemon juice
Hot Water

Although the American Lung Association would not recommend drinking a hot toddy when ill because alcohol is dehydrating, having a hot toddy, bundled up in front of a roaring fire can make an illness a bit more bearable.  

Merry Christmas

Christmas Eve, Cape Cod, family and an Old Fashion. I hope your Christmas Eve is just as perfect.

Yes Virginia, December is for Tequia?

I am sure you normally think of tequila as a summer or spring spirit; enjoying a refreshing margarita al fresco on a nice warm day. Good tequila shouldn't be shoved to the back of the bar during the chilly months. It's a virisitile spirit that should be enjoyed year round.

During the fall and winter I enjoy Tequila Reposado or Anejo.  Tequila Reposado is aged for up to  11 months in wood barrels (the most common being American or French oak that were previously used by American whiskey distilleries) with Anejo aged up to 3 years.  The aging adds great earthy flavors and complexity. This winter, I have experimented with substituting Tequila Anejo for bourbon in cocktails that have a bitter profile (those that call for sweet vermouth, Campari, etc.) Some experiments did not merit repeating; but others worked out wonderfully.

My most recent experiment was inspired by a cocktail I had at Mercado in Santa Monica. I told the bar tender the taste profiles I prefer - bitter and tart over sweet - and he made me an excellent cocktail. He said it was a spin on a Paloma (Tequila, grapefruit juice and lime juice); but only if you add a dash of Boulevardie.

2 oz. Anejo Tequila
1 oz Campari
1 oz Sweet Vermouth
1 oz fresh Grapefruit juice
.5 oz Fresh Squeezed Juice

Shake with ice and serve up.