Well if it ain’t MxMo time again! Spring always seems to pull me away from RRC. Well the trend of stirred cocktails continues, but I refuse to let it get me down. After all the amazing staff at The Collins Bar as helped me work on my stir when we do Tiki Nights. The fantastic Fred Yarm of Cocktail Virgin/Slut has made Manhattan’s the theme this month. Since you need fresh citrus to make a Tiki drink we won’t be doing that here. Instead I’m going to flex muscles I normally don’t use and go top hat and tails. I love Fred, but I definitely don’t love Manhattans. I’ve tried a lot and I continue to expose myself to them. I’ve had a few that were okay, but they’re all usually to sweet for me. I think I’m just not a vermouth and bourbon guy. I do however love Rob Roy’s which is nothing more than a Scotch Manhattan. So I chose to wander off in that direction. Laphroaig is one of my favorite scotch’s, and the decision to pair it with a dry, fruity Merlot was an easy one to make. A sweeter curacao is essential for brightness here and balance. After that dashes of bitters give the whole thing added depth and roundness. Casual drinkers beware, this drink has some smokey smack to it that I just adore.

“On rainy nights at the Daiquiri Den an old sad sack of a detective shuffles his way in. No rum delights will please this gravel throated grump. The snoop always orders the same thing, something his gal would drink back in the good old days running down leads in old Chinatown. Between puffs of his cigar as he stares in the glass you’d think he could almost still see his long lost lass.”

My Chinatown Moll
1 oz Laphroaig
2 oz Lees Fitch Merlot
½ oz Pierre Ferrand orange curacao
1 dash Bittermen’s Burlesque bitters
1 dash Scrappy’s chocolate bitters

Combine ingredients and stir together with ice. Pour into a chilled coupe and garnish with flower petals and/or a cherry.

This drink would really be perfect in the autumn or winter on a cool, rainy day. The Merlot comes through well in the nose and first sip with a big waft of smoke behind it. The smoke and orange marry really well with one another as the smoke fades into sweet orange and berry. It has a dry austere sort of nature that’s bolstered by the faint hints of chocolate, peppercorn, and hibiscus. Bookmark this one for mid fall and make it again. You’ll get my mental picture I think.

Hey it may not be Tiki, but I like it. Plus back in the day they stirred up Martinis and the like along side the potent potions. It’s a good skill to have, and it’s always fun to be part of MxMo. I wanna thank Fred for being pretty damn awesome in general. Until next time…

“You get Hammered America” – JFL