Summer Sips
Essentials Bottles For Your Home Bar & What To Make With Them
For the better part of my adult life I was a seasonal drinker. Brown spirits and red wine for Autumn/Winter, clear spirits and white wine/rose for Spring/Summer. It wasn’t that I had any strict rules that I’d chosen to adhere to so much as I was a situational drinker and the environment often dictated what direction I went. However the more I traveled the world and the further I went down the rabbit hole of wine and spirits, the more I found myself open to giving Bourbon and Scotch a chance in July and Tequila and Gin their opportunities in February. I’d still give anyone drinking a Manhattan by the ocean a sideways glance, but a Kentucky Red Bird(Rye, Sweet Vermouth, Campari, Pineapple Juice, Lime Juice)? That’ll work, as most things with Campari do. And guess what? There’s plenty more sips like that for you to enjoy while you’re soaking up the sun this summer. Here are 5 of my favorites that stay in steady rotation each year, as well as the spirits I’m using in them.
First and foremost, Happy Ardbeg Day, to those who celebrate. For those that don’t, you should. Ardbeg is one of my favorite whisky makers, primarily because of their ability to consistently surprise and delight. For the past 25 years the Ardbeg Committee has celebrated Ardbeg Day with whisky fans from around the world during the final day of Islay’s FÈIS ÌLE on May 31st. This year’s special release is Smokiverse and it’s one of the most interesting Ardbeg creations I’ve had, which is saying something because Dr. Bill and Co. are no slouches when it comes to experimenting. Speaking of which, get yourself a bottle and enjoy the fruity sweetness of Smokiverse in a cocktail.
Journey Of Brothers
1 1⁄3 oz Smokiverse
2⁄3 oz Calvados
1⁄2 oz Fino Sherry
1 dash Celery Bitters
3 oz Tonic Water
Siempre is a brand I was unfamiliar with until recently, which is a bummer because I’ve been missing out on one of the best tequila portfolios I’ve ever tried. Every single one of their offerings is impressively complex and smooth, but the Reposado has quickly become a go-to in a number of cocktails I’m working on for a bar menu, which means lots of experimenting at home as well.
Dried Meadow Flower
1 1⁄2 oz Siempre Reposado Tequila
5⁄6 oz Elderflower liqueur
1⁄2 oz Gentian liqueur
1⁄2 oz Lemon juice (freshly squeezed)
1 1⁄2 oz Soda Water
* I’ve been messing around with using Suze’s non-alcoholic tonic instead of the 1/2 oz of Suze and 1 1/2 oz soda water with good results. If you can find it, I recommend giving it a try starting with 1oz and adding from there to desired taste and carbonation level.
Here’s another label I’m new too, but has also quickly become a favorite. Hat Trick Gin from Highwire Distilling in Charleston, SC punches way above its price point in both flavor profile and quality. As a long time fan of Monkey 47, this is a hell of an alternative that’s much friendlier on the wallet. Start by trying it in a G&T or classic Negroni, then get a little more adventurous.
Old Friend(not to be confused with Old Pal)
1 1⁄2 oz Highwire Hat Trick Gin
3⁄4 oz Pink grapefruit juice (freshly squeezed)
1⁄2 oz Red Bitter(Campari preferred)
1⁄3 oz Elderflower liqueur
Ever since I spotted the attractive aquamarine bottle on the shelf at a bar I can’t remember the name of in Milan, I’ve been a fan of Italicus. Of course it makes sense as Bergamot sits among my favorite notes in a personal fragrance, but that’s a story for another time. At this moment I urge you to add this to your home bar(keep it in the fridge ideally) and start employing it liberally in spritzes, as well as riffs on your favorite 2 or 3 ingredient cocktails.
Olimpio
1.25 oz Italics liqueur
1 oz Dry vermouth
1 dash Rhubarb bitters
No summer bar is complete without mezcal. You may think you don’t like mezcal, but you either just haven’t had the right mezcal or you haven’t had right mezcal in the right cocktail. I often steer people towards Yuu Baal Joven Espadin when they’re new to mezcal or apprehensive about giving the spirit another shot. Like scotch, it gets a bad rap as being ubiquitously smoky and that’s simply just not true. Yuu Baal is a great example of the complexity of mezcal, but also how approachable it can be thanks to its floral and citrusy character that’s reminiscent of gin.
Garden Sour
3⁄4 oz Illegal Mezcal
3⁄4 oz Blanco Tequila
3⁄4 oz Rhubarb Liqueur
3⁄4 oz Lemon juice(freshly squeezed)
1⁄2 oz Pure Cane Syrup
2 dash Celery bitters
2 oz Soda water
Loved this new piece!
Would love to try several entries!😊