French 95

The nicest thing to happen between France and the US since the Statue of Liberty – the French 95:

• 2.00 ounces Buffalo Trace bourbon
• 0.75 ounce lemon juice
• 0.50 ounce cane sugar syrup
• Dry champagne

Short shake all the ingredients (except the champagne) with three ice cubes, then strain into a fizz glass with two ice cubes. Top with champagne. No garnish.

I came across this recipe in the Death & Co. book when I was making the French 75 for a New Year’s party. I have a friend who really likes bourbon so I decided to make this for him.

The French 75

It’s time for champagne, and that means the French 75:

• 2 ounces gin
• 1 ounce lemon juice
• 2 teaspoons sugar or 1 teaspoon simple syrup
• champagne

Shake all but the champagne in an iced cocktail shaker. Pour into a tall glass (a collins glass, a zombie glass or a champagne flute will do – the latter preferred). Top with champagne. Stir gently and garnish with a long, thin lemon spiral and a cocktail cherry.

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Cane Sugar Syrup

This syrup is a brown color instead of the usual clear you get with standard white sugar.

• 2 parts organic cane sugar
• 1 part water

Cook over medium heat, stirring constantly and without bringing to a boil, until the sugar is dissolved.

I kept expecting this to clear as a usual simple syrup will do, but it didn’t. Once I couldn’t see any granules of sugar I figured it was done.

The Pendennis Cocktail

Named after a private club in Kentucky, here is the Pendennis Cocktail:

• 2 ounces gin
• 1 ounce apricot (some say peach) brandy
• 2-3 dashes Peychaud’s bitters
• 3/4 ounce fresh lime juice

Shake in an iced cocktail shaker, and strain into a cocktail glass.

This drink caught my eye because I recent received a postcard from my friend Jonathan in England:

The word “Pendennis” seems slightly naughty to me, but in addition to the castle, it is also the title of a 19th century novel from which the club got its name. Dr. Cocktail states that the club is often erroneously credited with creating the Old Fashioned and while I trust his judgment on these things I am not sure who did actually call it the “Old Fashioned” first. I think it was just that it was one of the first whiskey cocktails so as time when on people just referred to it as an “old-fashioned whiskey cocktail” and then shortened it.

Mamie Taylor

Record high temperatures in December call for the Mamie Taylor:

• 2 ounces Scotch
• 3/4 ounce fresh lime juice
• Spicy ginger ale or ginger beer (Blenheim’s #3 ginger ale recommended)

Pour the Scotch and lime juice into an ice-filled 8-ounce highball glass and fill with ginger ale. Stir and garnish with a lime wedge.

Ginger ale, lime and a spirit is known by many names. If you use vodka, it’s a Moscow Mule. With rum it’s a Dark and Stormy. Use tequila and it’s a Mexican Mule.

Vieux Carré Cocktail

Shaken, not stirred, it’s the Vieux Carré Cocktail:

• 1.00 ounce rye whiskey
• 1.00 ounce cognac
• 1.00 ounce sweet vermouth
• 1/2 teaspoon Benedictine
• 2 dashes Angostur Bitters
• 2 dashes Peychaud’s Bitters

Shake in an iced cocktail shaker, and strain onto fresh ice in a rocks glass. Garnish with a lemon twist.

Normally, drinks that just contain spirits are stirred, drink that contain fruit juice are shaken, and drinks that contain egg are ♬ shaken like you just don’t care ♬.

The Blackthorn Cocktail

Another Dubonnet drink, the Blackthorn Cocktail:

• 2.00 ounces gin
• 0.75 ounce Dubonnet Rouge
• 0.75 ounce kirschwasser

Stir in a mixing glass with ice, and strain into a cocktail glass. Garnish with a cocktail cherry and a lemon twist.

This is the third and last cocktail in the book to use Dubonnet Rouge, the first being Arnaud’s Special Cocktail and the second being the Blue Paradise.

This is probably my favorite of the three, but then again how can you go wrong when gin and Dubonnet seems to be a favorite of the Queen. It’s refreshing and not very sweet. The author notes that it is very similar to the Amarosa Cocktail with Dubonnet instead of amaro.