The Monkey Gland

Tarus Absinthe/Pastis, Gin, Stars - 4

No classic cocktail book (or blog) would be complete without The Monkey Gland:

  • 1.5 ounces dry gin
  • 1.5 ounces orange juice
  • 1 teaspoon pomegranate grenadine
  • 1 teaspoon absinthe or pastis

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

It’s funny in that Dr. Cocktail basically devoted a single sentence to The Blinker but this cocktail rates pages of description. There is a good reason for it – the story behind the name of this drink is pretty unbelievable.

In the mid 1920s in France Dr. Serge Voronoff pioneered the idea that grafting thin slices of monkey testicle tissue onto the testicles of humans would provide a hormonal rejuvenation that would prolong life and vigor. Of course it didn’t take long before the infamous Harry’s New York Bar in Paris put its own spin on the fad with the creation of this cocktail.

In any case, the drink is very nice. The use of absinthe or pastis adds a licorice flavor but any bitterness is offset by the sweetness of the orange juice and the grenadine. It is a very unique and pleasant combination, and I can see why it was popular. When absinthe fell out of favor, it was replaced in many recipes with Benedictine. While I have some, I haven’t tried that option as I found the original quite pleasing.

Rating: 4/5

Notes: I used Bombay Dry Gin, Stirrings grenadine and Ricard pastis. I should point out that in many of the drinks I make from this book that call for grenadine, the author’s pictures are much more red, even though I use a recommended brand and amount. Not quite sure why this is happening.

Blood and Sand

Tarus Brandy/Vermouth/Wine, Liqueurs, Scotch, Stars - 5

Not many cocktails today feature Scotch as the spirit, but this wasn’t always the case as is demonstrated by the Blood and Sand:

  • 1.00 ounce Scotch
  • 1.00 ounce orange juice
  • 0.75 ounce cherry-flavored brandy
  • 0.75 ounce sweet vermouth

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

There are a couple of vintage cocktails I’ve seen in the wild, and this is one of them. I have had it at least twice but while I found it good it never wowed me. Until now.

For some reason, and I am certain it was because there is “blood” in the name, I thought this drink required blood orange juice. Since I had some on hand I used it and its sweetness made this drink fantastic. The Wikipedia article specifies blood orange as well, but Dr. Cocktail does not.

The name comes from a 1922 movie starring Rudolph Valentino and not the type of orange juice used.

Had we not gone out to dinner and come back full, I would have made another one of these. I did garnish it with a cherry, but I just dropped it in the drink instead of making it look all pretty on the side.

Rating: 5/5

Notes: I wasn’t going to use one of my single malts for this, so I picked out a bottle of The Famous Grouse that I had on hand. This turns out to be the blended scotch Dr. Cocktail prefers in this drink. I used Cherry Heering for the brandy and, of course, Camparo Antica Formula for the vermouth.

Tarus the Bull

Tarus Liqueurs, Rye, Stars - 5

When Justin Peregoy, the cocktail chef at the Oak Leaf, heard we were going there for my birthday he named that night’s special cocktail Tarus the Bull:

Pour the first four ingredients into a bar glass with ice. Stir until cold then strain into a cocktail glass. Add bitters. Garnish with a lemon twist.

To say that I was humbled by having a cocktail named after me is an understatement, and it made the evening perfect.

Monica, our server, was certain I’d ask for the recipe so she wrote it down in her order book:

It’s a great reflection on Justin that this drink works so well (and, yes, I’m biased). If you have ever tasted Fernet Branca straight, you’d understand how bitter it is. Contrast this drink with the Handy Panky which only uses two dashes instead of a whole half ounce, and you can imagine how bitter this drink could be.

But it isn’t. The cinnamon simple syrup directly offsets it. You get this great herbal undertone without the bitterness. The hardest thing to make with this drink is the syrup, since Justin’s instructions were that he just keeps tasting it until it is “just right.”

(sigh)

For my version of the syrup, I mixed half a cup of sugar with half a cup of water and brought it to a slow boil. When all of the sugar was dissolved, I removed it from the heat and added two sticks of cinnamon. Sometime between 10 and 15 minutes later I removed the cinnamon. It should taste sweet with a definite flavor of cinnamon, but it shouldn’t burn at all. This isn’t Fireball Whiskey we’re making.

Justin explained that the reason you don’t want it too strong is that cinnamon compounds on the palate. The more you taste, the stronger the flavor, and by the end of the cocktail you can definitely tell the difference – although it should never be too strong. With the nice taste of the rye and the sweetness of the blood orange juice, this cocktail is nearly perfect.

Plus, ain’t it purty?

Rating: 5/5 (I describe a “5” drink as one I’ll have two of, and I did).

Notes: I used the green label, small batch Bulleit Rye. Orange label should work fine, or any other high rye content whiskey.

The Blinker

Tarus Rye, Stars - 4

Continuing with my use of raspberry syrup, I present The Blinker:

  • 2.0 ounces rye (Old Overholt specified by Dr. Cocktail)
  • 1.0 ounce grapefruit juice
  • 2 bar spoons (1 teaspoon) raspberry syrup

Shake in an iced cocktail shaker, and strain into a cocktail glass. Garnish with a lemon twist.

This is a very simple drink, and Dr. Cocktail only dedicates three sentences to it. The drink was first published in Patrick Gavin Duffy’s The Official Mixer’s Manual in 1934 and the name refers to a synonym for “blinders”, those little eye shade thingies which you might use to keep a horse focused on the road.

He also mentioned that originally grenadine was specified instead of the raspberry syrup, but that in his tests the syrup made a much better drink.

I found this cocktail very enjoyable. The additions to the rye are like a sweet and sour mix – the grapefruit lending tartness while the syrup offsets that. I like whiskey sours and I like the way this mix accentuates the flavor of the spirit.

Rating: 4/5

Notes: I used Redemption Rye since I like it in cocktails, and I used a pink grapefruit to complement the color and back off a bit on the natural tartness. I used Smucker’s Raspberry syrup since I have a lot of it.

East India Cocktail

Tarus Brandy/Vermouth/Wine, Liqueurs, Stars - 4

This one caught my eye because I was looking at the index and saw kind of a large area where I had not chosen a drink. The one in the middle of the empty section was the East India Cocktail:

  • 3.0 ounces brandy
  • 0.5 ounces raspberry syrup
  • one dash Angostura bitters
  • one teaspoon orange curaçao
  • one teaspoon maraschino liqueur

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

My, this is good.

This is truly vintage, being featured in Harry Johnson’s New and Improved Bartender’s Manual in 1882.

I was a little skeptical about the portion size of this drink as I tend not to drink 3+ ounces of spirits on a weeknight, but it was very smooth and slightly sweet. I found it paired well with watching Cowboy Bebop from the blu-ray discs that I had received as a gift. Even thought the video is set in the future, the music seems perfect for vintage cocktails.

I always associate brandy and cognac with sitting in front of a fire on a cold night, and this fit the bill perfectly.

Rating: 4/5

Notes: I bought a bottle of Martell cognac simply because it was referenced elsewhere in the book. It is very nice. I used the recommended Smucker’s Raspberry syrup as well.

Soyer au Champagne

Tarus Brandy/Vermouth/Wine, Stars - 2

While dairy is not an ingredient I associate with cocktails, there are a number of cocktails in the book that feature it, include the Soyer au Champagne:

  • 2 dashes maraschino liqueur
  • 2 dashes pineapple juice
  • 2 dashes orange curaçao (or Grand Marnier)
  • 2 dashes brandy
  • champagne
  • 1 tablespoon vanilla ice cream

In a parfait glass, combine the maraschino liqueur, pineapple juice, orange curaçao and brandy. Fill with champagne. Add the vanilla ice cream on top. Serve with a spoon and a straw.

I’m not one for “dessert” cocktails, and this one was no exception. I liked the ice cream but I didn’t think the champagne added much – I would have rather just had the ice cream, perhaps with a little Grand Marnier drizzled on top. I think in part the mismatch was due to using dry champagne, there are sweet “sec” champagnes that might elevate this drink a bit, but next to the ice cream it just tasted sour.

It does give me a chance to point out that just like with the orange liqueurs, there is a variety of cherry liqueurs. In this case I used Luxardo, which to me is kin to Triple Sec or Cointreau, versus Heering, which has a brandy base like Grand Marnier. I guess we could continue the analogy a little more and relate curaçao to kirschwasser, but that may be going a bit too far.

Rating: 2/5

Notes: Wanting a sweet drink, I used Pisco Brandy (Gran Sierpe) from the early Fogcutter. I did use Grand Marnier. The champagne was the last of the Jacquesson.

The Seelbach Cocktail

Tarus Bourbon, Brandy/Vermouth/Wine, Liqueurs, Stars - 4

Champagne is tightly associated with New Year’s, and it also happens to be an ingredient in classic drinks such as the Seelbach Cocktail:

  • 1.0 ounce bourbon (venerable Old Forester was specified)
  • 0.5 ounce Cointreau
  • 7 dashes Angostura bitters
  • 7 dashes Peychaud’s bitters
  • 5.0 ounces champagne

Pour the bourbon, Cointreau and bitters into a champagne flute and stir. Add the champagne. Stir again, and garnish with an orange twist.

This drink was named for the Seelbach Hotel in Louisville, Kentucky and was created in 1917. The recipe was lost during Prohibition but rediscovered in 1995, so I am certain this qualifies as vintage.

It is very tasty, and the Peychaud’s adds a nice rosy color. While I like dry champagne I don’t drink a lot of it, and this cocktail adds some additional depth and flavor. Since I like my cocktails to be very cold, I stirred the first four ingredients in a glass with ice first before putting them in the serving glass. The champagne was already chilled, and was left over from New Year’s Eve (I have one of those vacuum wine saving systems that protected it from going flat).

Rating: 4/5

Notes: I used Old Forester bourbon as directed, and the champagne was a nice Jacquesson.

Satan’s Whiskers

Tarus Brandy/Vermouth/Wine, Gin, Liqueurs, Stars - 3, Stars - 4

Over the holiday I managed to get my hands on some authentic curaçao, so I decided to try Satan’s Whiskers:

  • 0.5 ounce gin
  • 0.5 ounce dry vermouth
  • 0.5 ounce sweet vermouth
  • 0.5 ounce orange juice
  • 2 teaspoons orange curaçao
  • 1 teaspoon orange bitters

Shake in an iced cocktail shaker and strain into a cocktail glass. Garnish with an orange twist.

Back when I made the Park Avenue Cocktail I discovered that there is a difference between orange liqueurs such as curaçao, triple sec and Grand Marnier. Unfortunately, it is apparently impossible to get good curaçao in North Carolina due to its antiquated spirituous liquor laws. The brand Dr. Cocktail recommends, Gabriel Boudier, is even harder to find, as it isn’t available at either Binny’s or Total Wine, but Senior Curaçao (another of his choices) can be had, just not in North Carolina. It’s also cool to note that Senior Curaçao is made on the island of Curaçao, so let’s hope it is authentic.

Luckily, ’tis the season for people to visit so I was able to score some Senior Curaçao. I wanted to make Satan’s Whiskers since there are two distinct versions: “curled” which uses curaçao and “straight” which substitutes Grand Marnier and I figured it would be a good test to see if I could tell the difference.

This is a nice cocktail. It’s not too sweet and in fact it finishes a little bitter. Both Andrea and I prefer the “straight” version as it is slightly less bitter, but while the difference between the two drinks is noticeable, it isn’t huge, so feel free to make the “straight” version if you can’t find good curaçao and you won’t be missing much. If you don’t like bitter flavors you might want to back off the on the orange bitters – other recipes call for just a dash.

Curaçao is actually colorless. The variety gifted to me has some orange coloring added, and blue curaçao is nothing more than regular curaçao with blue coloring added. I’m debating how I’ll manage the one drink in the book that requires blue curaçao. While Senior Curaçao makes a version, I’m not sure I’m willing to shell out the dinero for, basically, food coloring.

I would rate the “curled” version a strong 3.5 with the “straight” version being slightly higher, but since I refuse to do “half” scores …

Rating: 3/5 curled, 4/5 straight

Notes: I used Broker’s Gin, Dolin dry vermouth, and Carpano Antica Formula sweet vermouth.

The Fogcutter (Early)

Tarus Brandy/Vermouth/Wine, Gin, Rum, Stars - 5

Here is my third and final attempt at the Fogcutter. This one is from the book and attributed to Don the Beachcomber:

  • 2.0 ounces Barcardi Gold rum
  • 0.5 ounce Plymouth Gin
  • 1.0 ounce Pisco Brandy
  • 1.0 ounce orange juice
  • 2.0 ounces lemon juice
  • 0.5 ounce orgeat syrup
  • 0.5 ounce cream sherry

Shake all ingredients except the sherry with ice cubes. Pour into a chimney glass, and add more ice to fill. Float the sherry on top.

This is it. This is the tiki drink I was craving. This is fantastic.

I should point out that this is the same exact recipe as the Fogcutter attributed to Trader Vic’s, but in this one Dr. Cocktail specified the spirits to be used. I was finally able to acquire Plymouth Gin as well as Pisco Brandy. They made all the difference.

I think this just points out how important both the quality of the ingredients and the ratios are to the perfect cocktail. In the Fogcutter comparison I read, every recipe has pretty much the same ingredients, just with differing amounts. Per the suggestion in the article, I did cut back slightly on the lemon juice.

I wish I’d had a little paper umbrella to put into the glass, and I probably should have worn a Hawaiian shirt while drinking this cocktail, but it really did bring back some memories, which was cool, this being Christmas and all. While I don’t say it enough, I did raise the glass to all the people in my life – may the most you wish for be the least you receive.

Rating: 5/5

Notes: I used Bacardi Gold rum and Plymouth Gin per the instructions. For the Pisco I used Gran Sierpe, and Lustau for the cream sherry.

Hanky Panky

Tarus Brandy/Vermouth/Wine, Gin, Liqueurs, Stars - 4

I wanted to get back to exploring real vintage cocktails, so I made one from the beginning of the 20th century, the Hanky Panky:

  • 1.5 ounces gin
  • 1.5 ounces sweet vermouth
  • 2 dashes Fernet Branca

Stir well with ice in a mixing glass. Strain into a chilled cocktail glass. Twist a small swathe of orange peel over the surface of the drink.

When this cocktail was named, “hanky panky” wasn’t yet a term for sexual mischief. Instead it referred to black magic. When you read the ingredients for this cocktail you might think “bah, it’s just a sweet martini” but, oh, it is so much more. The magic comes from how superb this drink is compared to its simplicity.

It was invented by Ada Coleman, a female bartender in a field dominated by men. She is credited with building the strong reputation of the American Bar at the Savoy Hotel in London. By adding in the bitter Fernet Branca (yet another strong Italian liqueur now taking up shelf space in my bar) she totally changed the drink, but as Dr. Cocktail notes in the book the real key is the orange twist.

I’d never really worked with a twist other than as a garnish, so I was a little surprised when I twisted it over the drink and could see the surface sparkle as the oils from the peel hit it. Even though it was a small piece, it adds a lot to the cocktail and can’t be omitted. Andrea even asked if it contained Cointreau.

I ended up drinking most of this cocktail with a meal, and it didn’t pair well with the food. Still, this is a strong four if not quite a five.

Rating: 4/5

Notes: I used Brokers gin which I picked up on sale at my local ABC store. It was inexpensive and came with a little plastic bowler hat on the bottle which was cute, and I think it tastes pretty good. I plan to have a gin tasting as soon as I can get my hands on some Plymouth. The sweet vermouth was Carpano (‘natch).