The Indian Summer

[jeff]

I found a recipe in Food and Wine magazine for a bourbon cocktail called "Indian Summer." Leslie and I tried it last night and both really enjoyed it.

1.5oz Bourbon (I used BB 2006)
1.5oz Sweet Vermouth
Twist of Lemon

Fill a pub glass 3/4 full of ice, add bourbon and vermouth and stir well. Strain into a cocktail or martini glass and garnish with twist of lemon.

I also grated a little extra lemon zest onto the finished drink. At first I was skeptical that this would be too sweet with the 1:1 ration of bourbon to vermouth, but it was a very well balanced drink with a nice caramel foundation.

This would make a nice introduction to bourbon cocktails for a non-bourbon drinker as it is sweet enough to tone down the bourbon, but not cloying, so the veteran bourbon drinker will enjoy it too.

Let me know what you think.

[cowdery]

I liked this and, to get it exactly right, also used the BB2006. I thought it would be too close to a manhattan but it really wasn't. I like a cocktail that doesn't just taste like the sum of its parts but tastes like a thing unto itself and this does.

I also discovered a simple technique. Rather than dirty two glasses, I made the drink with ice, stirred it, then just fished the cubes out with the spoon. Not that I'm that fastidious about my glassware, but it seemed like a convenient way to accomplish the same end.

[ratcheer]

Sounds good, Jeff. It is on my "Things to try" list.

Tim

[Edward_call_me_Ed]

I don't have any fresh lemons on hand so I tried to simulate a twist of lemon with a drop of lemon extract, a dribble of lime juice throwing most of that out. A shot of Blanton's SFTB and a shot of vermouth. Too small ice cubes. Too much lime. Rather that add more whiskey I added more ice. Nice. Not quite right but nice. I will try again with a real twist of lemon.

Ed

[jeff]

If you haven't yet, you should really try this drink. We made them again last night, this time with some Weller 12yo, and they were fantastic. I think I'll be making more of these as fall approaches. This might be the perfect Thanksgiving cocktail

[darkluna]

I'll have to give this one a try. What brand of vermouths are you guys using?

[scratchline]

Okay, I think you guys may be on to something here. This reminds me very much of an old style martini, equal parts vermouth and gin, that I made in a cocktail class last year. Having grown up on the bone dry model, I was very skeptical but damned if it didn't work.

Like Chuck, I expected this to be a Manhattan that was just way too heavy on the vermouth. I went with Russell's Reserve 101 and Vya and my first sip led me to think that my initial suspicion was right. BUT this was before I had added the twist. The lemon oil was key. It really pulled everything together. Settled some of the vermouth sweetness down and enhanced some of the citrus notes of the whiskey. Just made the drink into its own thing entirely.

So good, I might just have to have another. The weather in NYC today is gorgeous and fall-like so a Thanksgiving-style cocktail is apropos.

-Mike

[fenway68]

I am a newcomer to your site, having recently discovered and added bourbons to my whiskey "hobby"...

I needed to make one observation/correction in this posted recipe..

I have tried the Indian Summer as I too get food and wine...

the recipe does NOT call for sweet vermouth (that would just be a manhattan variiation, no?) it does correctly call for "BIANCO" vermouth...any shop which carries M and R should be able to get it for you...it is quite different and makes the drink completely different...and quite good too...i have made me many of them...please try it this way with this vermouth...you will enjoy

I have been using Elijia Craig 12 yo....i enjoy this both straight and in mixed drinks...

May i also reccomend the other drink in that article.."little italy" made with rye and Cynar (an artichoke based italian aperitif..pronounced cheenar)..i'd be happy to post ingredients if anyones interested.

I hope to do more reading soon on this site..

Scott

I found a recipe in Food and Wine magazine for a bourbon cocktail called "Indian Summer." Leslie and I tried it last night and both really enjoyed it.

1.5oz Bourbon (I used BB 2006)
1.5oz Sweet Vermouth
Twist of Lemon

Fill a pub glass 3/4 full of ice, add bourbon and vermouth and stir well. Strain into a cocktail or martini glass and garnish with twist of lemon.

I also grated a little extra lemon zest onto the finished drink. At first I was skeptical that this would be too sweet with the 1:1 ration of bourbon to vermouth, but it was a very well balanced drink with a nice caramel foundation.

This would make a nice introduction to bourbon cocktails for a non-bourbon drinker as it is sweet enough to tone down the bourbon, but not cloying, so the veteran bourbon drinker will enjoy it too.

Let me know what you think.

[CrashRiley]

I am a newcomer to your site, having recently discovered and added bourbons to my whiskey "hobby"...

I needed to make one observation/correction in this posted recipe..

I have tried the Indian Summer as I too get food and wine...

the recipe does NOT call for sweet vermouth (that would just be a manhattan variiation, no?) it does correctly call for "BIANCO" vermouth...any shop which carries M and R should be able to get it for you...it is quite different and makes the drink completely different...and quite good too...i have made me many of them...please try it this way with this vermouth...you will enjoy

I have been using Elijia Craig 12 yo....i enjoy this both straight and in mixed drinks...

May i also reccomend the other drink in that article.."little italy" made with rye and Cynar (an artichoke based italian aperitif..pronounced cheenar)..i'd be happy to post ingredients if anyones interested.

I hope to do more reading soon on this site..

Scott

Man, I'm in retail, and Cynar is not distributed in my market. If I want some, I'd probably have to go the Internet route.