Happy St Patrick’s Day!

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Happy St Patrick’s day to you all with a Teeling Irish Whiskey cocktail: The Bookseller!

On my way to creating the above cocktail, I read through a bunch of classic Irish Whiskey recipes for inspiration. A couple of them are too good not to post so here they are! I will definitely be making one of them at home today!

Belvedere Cocktail (The Wine and Spirit Bulletin, Louisville 1917)

  • 1/2 oz Irish Whiskey
  • 1/2 oz Dry Gin
  • 1/2 oz Red Vermouth
  • 2 to 3 dashes Absinthe

Shake with cracked ice and strain into cocktail glass. This cocktail is attributed to the Hotel Belvedere in Baltimore, MD. (source: Martin’s New & Improved Index of Cocktails & Mixed Drinks.)

Black Thorn (Harry Johnson, 1900)

  • 1 oz Irish Whiskey
  • 1 oz Dry Vermouth
  • 3 to 4 dashes of Absinthe
  • 3 to 4 dashes of Boker’s Bitters (or Aromatic Bitters)

Stir with cracked ice and strain into a wine glass. (source: Harry Johnson’s New and Improved Bartender’s Manual.)

Irish Cocktail (Harry Johnson, 1900)

  • 2 oz Irish Whiskey
  • 2 to 3 dashes Absinthe
  • 1 dash Maraschino Liqueur
  • 1 dash Orange Curaçao
  • 2 dashes Boker’s Bitters (or Aromatic Bitters)
  • Garnish: Lemon Peel and an Olive

Stir with ice and strain into a cocktail glass. Express Lemon Peel and garnish, try it with the Olive. The salt and brine from the Olive will balance out the sweet. (source: Harry Johnson’s New and Improved Bartender’s Manual.)

Shamrock Cocktail (Hugo Ennslin, 1917)

  • 1 oz Irish Whiskey
  • 1 oz Dry Vermouth
  • 3 dashes Chartreuse Vert
  • 3 dashes Crème de Menthe
  • Garnish: Olive

Stir over cracked ice and strain into cocktail glass. Garnish with an Olive. (Source: Martin’s New & Improved Index of Cocktails & Mixed Drinks.)

Cool right? I love that back in the early 20th C the answer to balancing out sweetness was to add an Olive garnish. Brilliant. I am really into the Irish Cocktail btw.

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Now, back to St Patrick’s Day 2015: I decided to make a Manhattan Variation with Teeling Small Batch Irish Whiskey and Averna. I knew that I wanted to use Carpano Antica as the vermouth because it goes so well with Averna. Who am I kidding, Carpano Antica goes with everything! I was looking for a finishing touch and a way to bring out all those Rum notes in the Teeling and St Elizabeth Allspice Dram called to me from on top of the fridge*.

The Bookseller

  • 2 oz Teeling Small Batch Irish Whiskey
  • 1/2 oz Carpano Antica
  • 1/4 oz Averna Amaro
  • 1 dash St Elizabeth Allspice Dram
  • Garnish: Orange peel

Combine ingredients and stir over ice until proper dilution has been achieved. Strain into coupe. Express Orange peel and garnish.

*Yes, a lot of my liquor is kept in a nice red tray on top of the fridge. Remember, 500sq ft apartment y’all!
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It’s like you and your bottle of Teeling took a trip to the Caribbean and ordered a Manhattan. Yes.
Thanks again to The Baddish Group for the delicious bottle of Teeling Small Batch Irish Whiskey!

Mrs Bixby

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As we head into St Patricks day, here’s a bright, fruity and very drinkable Teeling Irish Whiskey cocktail. I used the Flavor Bible to pair the complex flavours of Teeling with Berentzen Pear Liqueur, Lemon Juice and Orgeat. The name of the drink comes from a Roald Dahl short that I’m rather fond of.

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Mrs Bixby

  • 1 1/2 oz Teeling Small Batch Irish Whiskey
  • 3/4 oz Berentzen Pear Liqueur
  • 1/2 oz Cocchi Americano
  • 1/4 oz Lemon Juice
  • 1/4 oz Orgeat

Combine ingredients over ice and shake. Double strain into coupe. No garnish.

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Thanks again to The Baddish Group for the delicious bottle of Teeling Small Batch Irish Whiskey and Berentzen USA for the bottle of Pear Liqueur.

The Arborist’s Nightcap

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Here’s a nice slow sippin’ Friday night Nightcap with Teeling Small Batch Irish Whiskey. My girlfriend had a taste and said it tastes like “climbing a tree”. I think she’s right! It also tastes smoky, seductive, raisin/prune/grapey, saline-y, briney, fig, nutty. Enjoy!

The Arborist’s Nightcap

  • 1 3/4 oz Teeling Small Batch Irish Whiskey
  • 1/2 oz Inocente Fino Sherry
  • 1/2 oz Punt e Mes
  • 1/4 oz Cinnamon Bark Syrup
  • 2 dashes Scrappy’s Chocolate Bitters
  • Garnish: Maraschino Cherry

Combine ingredients over ice and stir until proper dilution has been achieved. Strain into coupe, garnish with Maraschino Cherry.

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Thanks again to The Baddish Group for the delicious bottle of Teeling Small Batch Irish Whiskey!

Variations on a Theme: Branca Menta Grasshopper

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This isn’t just any Grasshopper, it’s a Branca Menta Grasshopper. This fancy, complex, multileveled Grasshopper went on holiday. He left his tiny apartment on E6th street, got on a plane at LGA and headed south for some adventures. On his adventures, he took some friends with him. Since he isn’t just any Grasshopper, he doesn’t have the usual friends.

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This Branca Menta Grasshopper likes to hang with Coconut Milk and Scrappy’s Chocolate Bitters. This Grasshopper Trio had the BEST OF TIMES on their holiday. Such good times that they even wrote down some notes about their travels.

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Grasshopper in Kentucky

  • 1 oz Branca Menta
  • 3/4 oz Bourbon
  • 1/2 oz Scrappy’s Chocolate Bitters
  • 1 oz Coconut Milk
  • Garnish: Mint Leaf

Combine ingredients in tin with ice and shake until ingredients have combined and incorporated. You may have to shake very hard to get the Coconut Milk to play along. Strain into coupe, spank the Mint and garnish.

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Grasshopper in NOLA

  • 1 1/4 oz Branca Menta
  • 1/2 oz Scrappy’s Choco Bitters
  • 1/2 oz St George NOLA Coffee Liqueur
  • 1 Coconut Milk
  • Garnish: Grated dark Chocolate

Combine ingredients in tin with ice and shake until ingredients have combined and incorporated. You may have to shake very hard to get the Coconut Milk to get with the program. Grate dark Chocolate on top.

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Grasshopper in the Gulf

  • 1 oz Branca Menta
  • 1 oz Flor de Caña 7
  • 1/2 oz Scrappy’s Choco Bitters
  • 1 oz Coconut Milk
  • 1/2 oz Orgeat
  • Garnish: Mint Bouquet

Combine ingredients in tin with ice and shake until ingredients have combined and incorporated. You may have to shake very hard to get the Coconut Milk to get in line. Spank the Mint Bouquet and garnish.

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Let’s just look at this again, shall we? This fancy Branca Menta Grasshopper in the Gulf has such a nice hat.

Thanks again to the Baddish Group and Branca Menta for making this tasteful Grasshopper journey possible.

Suspicious Behaviour

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It was 50° F in Brooklyn today, YAAAAAAAS KWEEN. I feel like now that the snow is melting and Daylight Savings time is happening, I’ve got a new lease on life. I feel like a real woman, a woman who can go outside without fear. I also feel like a woman who’d like to drink something with Whiskey, Citrus, Bitter and Pernod on the rocks.

Suspicious Behaviour

  • 2 oz Rye
  • 1/2 oz Averna Amaro
  • 1/4 oz Campari
  • 1/2-3/4 oz Grapefruit Juice (depending on how sweet/bitter)*
  • Pernod Pastis Rinse

Rinse a rocks glass with Pernod Pastis and chill glass. Combine remaining ingredients and stir over ice until proper dilution has been achieved. Strain into rinsed rocks glass with ice. Cheers!

*I know drinks with citrus are usually shaken but I did not want to shake this drink. I wanted the smoothness of a stirred drink not the agitation of a shaken drink.

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Spring is coming! I can feel it in my bones! 

Brunch Bonanza: Teeling & Tea

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Welcome to Brunch Bonanza, the segment where we talk about Brunch cocktails!

Well, it’s still snowing in NYC, so I’m still making Hot Toddies. In fact, I took this gorgeous photo two days ago in Prospect Park.

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Winter Wonderland y’all

What does one want when one is out in the snow? A Hot toddy with Tea. I am lucky enough to have this terrific bottle of Teeling Small Batch Irish Whiskey and decided to make the toddy with that. Some quick flavour notes about Teeling:

  • Nose: Vanilla, spices, Rum, grains, corn, honey
  • Tongue: Caramel, woody, Rum, apple, a tad peaty or “Moorish”, vanilla
  • Finish: Rich, oily, full bodied, spicy

To these complex flavors I wanted to have a straightforward English Breakfast Tea, Honey, Lemon and complement the Whiskey with Hella Bitter Citrus Bitters. These bitters aren’t just Citrus, they are so much more:

Four kinds of Citrus, Clove, Cinnamon, Allspice, Black Peppercorn, Caraway, Gentian and Wormwood.

Yes please.

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Teeling & Tea

  • 2 oz Teeling Small Batch Whiskey
  • 1 oz Honey Syrup
  • 1/2 Lemon Juice
  • 2 dashes Hella Bitter Citrus Bitters
  • 5-6 oz Hot English Breakfast Tea (PG Tips* forever)
  • Garnish: Lemon Wheel & Star Anise

Combine ingredients in mug and stir until everything has combined and is swimming nicely. Garnish with a Lemon wheel and Star Anise on top. Fragrant and delicious.

*Every day of my life I have a cuppa PG Tips. It’s my fave British tea.

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Happy Brunching to you all! May your toddies be filled with Teeling & Tea!

Thanks again to The Baddish Group for the delicious bottle of Teeling Small Batch Irish Whiskey!

West India Docks

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As part of #IrishWhiskeyMonth, I wanted to repost one of my favorite Teeling Whiskey drinks from last year: West India Docks. This tropical sipper combines Smith & Cross Jamaican Rum and Teeling Small Batch Irish Whiskey in what I consider to be the best split base of all time.

If you wanna join the party, use the hashtag #IrishWhiskeyMonth on Instagram and I’ll repost your photo! The only rule is that you have to include Irish Whiskey in your cocktail.

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Are you a bartender/cocktailier/Home Bar Gurrrrl? Have you combined these two spirits? Nope? GET ON IT.

I split the base equally, sipped it, died and went to heaven and then made a truly terrific tropical drink. I really tried to keep it at 5 ingredients but this cocktail needed a bit of Angostura Bitters for honesty.

West India Docks

  • 1 oz Teeling Small Batch Irish Whiskey
  • 1 oz Smith & Cross Navy Strength Jamaica Rum
  • 3/4 oz Lime Juice
  • 1/2 oz Grenadine
  • 4 Pineapple Chunks
  • 2 dashes Angostura Bitters
  • Garnish: Two Pineapple Chunks

Combine Lime Juice, Grenadine and Pineapple chunks in tin and muddle. Add Teeling Whiskey, Smith & Cross Rum, Bitters and Ice. Shake and double strain into coupe. Garnish with two Pineapple Chunks.

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No lie, this is truly fantastic. If you’ve got Teeling + Smith & Cross, you need to try these two together. #TropicalTeeling

My Infamy

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This is one of those slow sippers which happened after a night of tinkering in my kitchen, aka My Home Bar. The inspiration for this drink was to combine Chartreuse Jaune and Branca Menta in a delightful and not overpowering way. Both liqueurs have Saffron notes and I wanted to put the Minty Herbaceousness of the Branca with the Floral Herbaceousness of the Chartreuse. Very nice, it’s a very nice combo. I decided Rittenhouse was the right base spirit and then dried it out with Dolin Dry.

My Infamy

  • 2 oz Rittenhouse Rye
  • 1/2 oz Dolin Dry Vermouth
  • 1/2 oz Chartreuse Jaune
  • 1/4 oz Branca Menta
  • No garnish

Combine ingredients and stir over ice until proper dilution has been achieved. Strain into coupe. Sip slowly with a good book.

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It’s hard for me to do this, but sometimes a drink just doesn’t need a garnish. Like, if your hair is amazing, why wear a hat?

Thanks again to the Baddish Group for the fresh and fabulous bottle of Branca Menta. 

Blonde Bertie & Teeling Whiskey

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It’s March! We made it! Hopefully this crazy cold weather will begin to let up and we can return to our regularly scheduled programming.

It’s time for Whiskey, ALL the Whiskey. Teeling Small Batch Irish Whiskey is a complex bottle of whiskey aged in Rum casks. Here’s my impression:

Nose: Vanilla, spices, Rum, grains, corn, honey
Tongue: Caramel, woody, Rum, apple, a tad peaty or “Moorish”, vanilla
Finish: Rich, oily, full bodied, spicy

With all those Honey notes, I decided to go in the grown n’ sexy Gold Rush direction. Also, as Teeling Irish Whiskey is a revival Whiskey, along with the notes from Rum casks, I wanted to pair it with Adam Elmegirab’s Boker’s Bitters. I wanted that Old Timey feeling and Blonde Bertie definitely has that. This cocktail is a tad sweet, a tad dry and very very tasty.

Blonde Bertie

  • 2 oz Teeling Small Batch Irish Whiskey
  • 3/4 oz Dolin Dry
  • 1/2 oz Honey Syrup
  • 2 dashes Adam Elmegirab’s Boker’s Bitters
  • Garnish: Lemon Peel

Combine ingredients and stir over ice until proper dilution has been achieved. Strain into coupe, express Lemon peel and garnish.

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Yes, the name of the drink is a Mad Men reference and thanks to The Baddish Group for the delicious bottle of Teeling Small Batch Irish Whiskey!

DP Daiquiri, Duke’s Liquor Box and some Funky Rums

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Duke's Liquor Box

Tears. Tears of happiness. 

This magnificent wall of Booze is at Duke’s Liquor Box. I hate to say the phrase “well curated” cause it makes me sound like the next Trondy Hipstar but good god y’all, this shop is SO WELL CURATED! Just gaze into the photo and note that there are almost zero major labels in there. And what do you get when you aren’t selling Fireball and Jose Cuervo? You get really phenomenal bottles. This shop is where I’ve acquired things like: Cocchi Americano Rosa, Bonal, Dolin Blanc, El Buho Mezcal and Delaware Phoenix Bourbon.

Well, yesterday I was after Rum. I was after El Dorado 12, but when I arrived they only had the El Dorado 8. This was actually super fortunate because then I was able to go in a totally different direction, Funky Jamaican Rum.

Smith & Cross, Hamilton Jamaican Black Rum

Smith & Cross Navy Strength Jamaican Rum, Hamilton Jamaican Pot Still Black Rum

WOAH. So funky, funky, funky! I did a side by side taste test and Imma tell you about it.

Ministry of Rum Collection Hamilton Jamaican Pot Still Black Rum:

  • Nose: Molasses, banana, pineapple, tobacco, grasses, super wide nose
  • Tongue: Dry, citrus, caramel, molasses, allspice and other spices, chocolate, FUNKY, super long finish, super wide finish, 46.1% ABV
  • Impression: Honestly, there was so much happening that I was overwhelmed (in a good way). This Rum will stand up to anything. If i were to make a Tiki drink with 10 ingredients in it, what would stand out? Hamilton Jamaican Pot Still Black Rum. So serious, so impressive, so bold, so challenging! I love it!

Smith & Cross Navy Strength Traditional Jamaican Rum:

  • Nose: Caramel, pineapple, banana, strawberry, tropical fruit (guava?), grasses
  • Tongue: Honey, spices, brown sugar, tropical fruit, FUNKY, direct finish, smooth short finish, to the point, 57% ABV
  • Impression: This is a really approachable, versatile and user friendly Jamaican Rum. Smith & Cross Rum’s combination of high proof, tropical fruits and short finish make it perfect for mixing with. I shall be using it in loads of Tiki/Tropical drinks.

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Hello new Funky Friend of mine. 

What do we do when we get a new Rum? We make a Daiquiri. Since this is a Funky Rum, I decided to make a Funky Daiquiri. Enjoy!

DP Daiquiri

  • 1 1/2 oz Smith & Cross Jamaican Rum
  • 1/2 oz Velvet Falernum
  • 1/4 oz DD Mix
  • 1 oz Lime Juice
  • 1 dropper Bittermen’s Elemakule Tiki Bitters
  • Garnish: hollowed out Lime half*

In tin combine ingredients over ice and short shake. Pour entire contents of shaker into mason jar (this is called a Dirty Pour**). Garnish with one of the Lime halves you used when you juiced the Lime.

*If you’re going to serve this garnish, be sure to serve the drink with a straw so no one gets whacked in the face.

**I always like to use mason jars when I make Dirty Pour drinks.

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Tropicaaaaaaal, tropical breezes. Tropical sneezes.