A Bourbon Drink for the "New Martini" Crowd

[Bailey]

I personally shy away from most juice based cocktails. However, in an attempt to persuade my non-bourbon drinking friends to see the light I have had to resort to mixing some drinks which they like to call martinis (a term which obviously has become so loose as to include anything served in a martini glass). I pass this recipe along because I have to admit that it isn't too bad. I got it from a friend of a friend who undoubtedly stole it someplace else. I wish I was able to give credit to the creator.

1 1/2 oz. bourbon (I have been using Maker's Mark)

1/2 oz. Chambord

2 oz. cranberry juice

1 oz. lemon juice

1 to 2 tsp. simple syrup

12 raspberries

muddle the raspberries with the other ingredients and strain (through a fine strainer unless your guests like raspberry seeds) into a cocktail shaker. Shake with ice and pour into a cocktail glass. Garnish with a spear of raspberries and blackberries.

Admittedly it bears only a minor resemblance to bourbon after it is all done but you have to start somewhere.

Roger

[ratcheer]

Admittedly it bears only a minor resemblance to bourbon after it is all done but you have to start somewhere.

No, I don't.

Tim

[ILLfarmboy]

I would suggest a simple Old Fashioned as a means of acclimating a non whiskey drinker to the taste of bourbon. It is a bit sweet and fruity (if you thoroughly muddle the fruit) but it very much retains the character of the whiskey.

[Rughi]

I would suggest a simple Old Fashioned as a means of acclimating a non whiskey drinker to the taste of bourbon. It is a bit sweet and fruity (if you thoroughly muddle the fruit) but it very much retains the character of the whiskey.

I'm with Brad.

The Old Fashioned is perhaps the most bourbony in character of mixed drinks I've had. Where a Manhattan introduces complexities all its own, the Old Fashioned mingles fruit and spice flavors that neat bourbon often has minor notes of, such as orange, cherry, and wood.

Years ago, my wife and I made a heavily muddled version we called the "Dickel Tickle" for multiple reasons.

Roger

The Dickel Tickle

2 oz George Dickel #8

1/2 Orange (small), end removed

1+ T Sugar

3 shakes Angostura Bitters

splash of Water

3 cubes of Ice

Place Orange in bottom of Tumbler

Add Sugar and Bitters on top

Muddle Completely

Swish with Water

Add Whiskey and Ice, Swish again

[Bailey]

Roger Roger and Thanks Brad. I will give the Old Fashioned a try and see what the verdict is.

[Gillman]

I agree fully with Roger and Brad and it makes me think ever more so that the Old-fashioned originally was a way to use young whiskey to emulate the taste of old.

I got a book as a Christmas gift which contains the recipes for innumerable martinis. Some do not use gin or vodka and one or two are bourbon-based. While I'm with Tim on the meaning of the term, it seems it is being expanded in the popular culture to include drinks which never would have been considered martinis before. Although, there were always variations like the scotch martini (a regular one with light dash of Scotch added, probably to add a salty taste originally), so these early variants probably provided the basis for the green apple martini, "chocatini" and hundreds of kinds invented since.

Gary