Bourbon/Rye Cocktails

[Aged In Oak]

Speaking of ginger ale, I highly recommend Reed's Extra Ginger Brew if you can find it. It has lots of ginger in it, giving the final product a sharp (but pleasant) bite. I mixed an excellent rye and ginger the other day using that and Sazerac's 6 year old rye. The strong flavor complements the whiskey well. I'll have to try it in that Late Freeze recipe above.

[scratchline]

Okay, here's a good one. Tonight I'm on my way to one of NYC's venerable cocktail shrines, The Bemelmans Bar. Like any other institution, it's gone through its highs and lows, but back in one of its many halcyon days, it was the laboratory for Dale DeGroff, a preeminent mixologist. One of his inventions was the Whiskey Smash:

One quarter lemon cut in two pieces

Three or four mint leaves

3/4 oz sugar syrup

1 oz water

Muddle well. Add

1 1/2 oz bourbon.

Shake. Strain into an ice-filled old-fashioned glass. Garnish with a mint sprig.

Now its kind of a sour and kind of a julep. But as someone mentioned earlier, somehow the combination yields something that is altogether its own thing.

DeGroff calls for Makers, but I've had it with 4 Roses Small Batch, Old Grand-Dad BIB, and William LaRue Weller, and they've all been outstanding. It's like one of those old Lemonhead candies in adult form.

Be sure to garnish with a big sprig of mint so you get a snootful when drinking. Demerara syrup is good too. I'll be coming back to this one often.

-Mike

[cowdery]

I made a whiskey sour last night that seemed unusually good. It was 3 parts Old Forester 100, two parts homemade simple syrup and one part fresh lime juice.

I know, should be lemon juice, but all I had were limes.

The last time I made simple syrup I accidentally caramelized it just a little. Not sure if that's part of the reason last night's drink tasted so good.

I shook it with ice and served it neat. Just about perfect.

The whiskey sour in some form is due for a revival. It's a good, tasty, simple drink.

[TBoner]

I made a whiskey sour last night that seemed unusually good. It was 3 parts Old Forester 100, two parts homemade simple syrup and one part fresh lime juice.

I know, should be lemon juice, but all I had were limes.

The last time I made simple syrup I accidentally caramelized it just a little. Not sure if that's part of the reason last night's drink tasted so good.

I shook it with ice and served it neat. Just about perfect.

The whiskey sour in some form is due for a revival. It's a good, tasty, simple drink.

Sounds terrific, especially the caramelized syrup.

And I agree that the whiskey sour needs a comeback. Bartenders I've talked to say only kids order it, and they almost always check ID when the drink is ordered. I know I don't like what I get when I order them out, as it's usually very heavy on HFCS-sweetened sour mix and light on whiskey (and actual sourness). But when made as you described above, with a high whiskey:sugar ratio and real juice, it's a wonderful drink.

You've inspired me. I'm making one tonight.:cool:

[nor02lei]

Isen´t this thread in the wrong place?

Leif

[scratchline]

I think this is the definitive sour. Absolutely outstanding. The egg white is essential.

And for some true cocktail artistry watch this guy make a julep:

[TBoner]

Good stuff.

It's been a month or more since I made a cocktail with bourbon/rye. Or anything, really, except for a play on the Sazerac done with tequila instead of rye and green Chartreuse instead of absinthe.

I think I'll be souring in the near future. But I'm done for tonight...:grin: