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A toast to Old Tom
Old Tom gin, a sweeter gin that was very popular during the eighteenth-century and is often called for in classic cocktail books, has been unavailable for many years. However Christopher Hayman, whose great-grandfather created Beefeater gin, recently launched Hayman’s Old Tom gin, so just how different is Old Tom to London Dry?
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Exploring the Borough
The Brooklyn is one of my favourite cocktails, and there are many great variations on the drink named after Brooklyn neighbourhoods. Vincenzo Errico’s Red Hook started the trend, and drinks inspired by the Red Hook like the Greenpoint and Bensonhurst soon followed.
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Funkin’ For Jamaica
One of the best products I sampled at Tales of the Cocktail last year was a new rum from Haus Alpenz. A traditional Jamaican rum with a flavour profile similar to that which was prevalent in the early 20th century, Smith & Cross isn’t exactly a sipper but does work wonderfully in drinks like the Montego Bay.
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This is starting to get silly…
Continuing the theme of bitters heavy drinks, I take a look at two cocktails from New York bartender Giuseppe Gonzalez that make use of frankly insane amounts of Angostura bitters to delicious effect. What better way to celebrate Angostura bitters going back in to production!
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MxMO – Vermouth
It’s been a little while since I last managed to take part in a Mixology Monday, so I’ve celebrated this months MxMO on vermouth by talking mainly about rum. However the cocktail contains vermouth, and more than makes up for it.
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The Winchester
It’s no secret I’m not a huge fan of Tiki drinks. However one that uses three different gins as the base immediately piques my interest. But does Brian Miller’s Gin Zombie combine gin as well as classic TIki cocktails combine rum?
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A nod and a Wink
After much procrastination, last week I finally made it down to new London bar 69 Colebrooke Row, headed by Tony Conigliaro. After enjoying a delicious Oh Gosh! made by its inventor, Tony served me the Wink – essentially a Gin Sazerac.
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MxMO – Spice
Mixology Monday this month is on the theme of spice. Since first trying it last year Pimm’s Winter Cup has been a favourite spicy winter drink when warmed up and combined with apple juice and cinnamon. Here a comparison of Pimm’s Winter and Austin’s Winter Drink, plus the Winter Sidecar cocktail.
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Abrakadabra, Alabazam!
Despite trying my best to keep track of cocktails I want to try I only ever get around to making a small fraction of the ones I would like to. However, it’s all worth it for the drinks that turn out to be real magic. Witness the great disappearing bitters trick as I say abrakadabra and try the Alabazam.
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Repeal Bitters
The “noble experiment” that was Prohibition had a far reaching and highly damaging impact on the world of the cocktail, and arguably one of the biggest casualties was cocktail bitters. The Bitter Truth celebrates the 75th anniversary of the repeal of the 18th Amendment with a new limited-edition Repeal Bitters, reviewed here.
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Beefeater 24
Big fancy launch parties are all very well and good but ultimately what matters to me about Beefeater’s new gin, 24, is the liquor inside the bottle. With the party over and the product now available in the shops does it live up the hype, or is it simply an exercise of style over substance?
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Playing favourites
When people first learn I have a passion for mixology they often ask me what my favourite cocktail is, a question I’m never quite sure how to answer. On certain evenings though, under certain circumstances, I do have a temporary favourite. Tonight that drink is a Manhattan variation that for one day at least, is my favourite cocktail.
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Part of the club
One of the highlights of my trip to Berlin last month was the chance to try so many great new cocktails I hadn’t gotten around to drinking previously. Here I look at the love-child of the Pegu Club and Pendennis Club, a creation by Gonçalo de Sousa Monteiro called the Juniper Club Cocktail.
