Backroom Mob

Backroom Mob is a bourbon cocktail from a Sunset Strip nightclub known as State Social House. It’s not really the kind of place I’d ever go. Hell, they probably wouldn’t even let me in. It’s that kind of a place. It’s huge too. Or so I’ve heard.

Rather I should say, so I’ve read. Because the bourbon cocktail you see here isn’t something I sampled in a bar. It’s something from Jessica Gelt that I found in the Los Angeles Times. I didn’t even have to leave my house to sample this simple cocktail (and I didn’t even have to wait til cocktail hour). That’s because this bourbon cocktail has just a few ingredients– the kind of ingredients I nearly always have around the house: fresh limes, elderflower liqueur and (duh) bourbon. Oh, and mint. This is Los Angeles. Mint grows in my yard year ’round.

It’s the mint that transforms this cocktail from a good stiff belt into a drink with nuance. Imagine a cocktail that’s reminiscent of a classic mint julep, but seasonally appropriate to any of the ‘R’ months on the calendar.

The LA Times version of this drink (like the Alex Jaimes concocted State Social House original) has a splash of club soda added to the mix. I skipped that.

Not because I didn’t have club soda in the house. No, I almost always have some form of sparkling water around. I skipped the soda because my favorite thing about this drink (besides the bourbon) is the fact that it’s served in a snifter. I like the idea of serving a cocktail in a snifter. However the whole idea behind a snifter is the way the shape of the glass captures the aromatics of whatever’s inside. Watering those aromatics down seems counter-intuitive to me. So I nixed the splash and doubled the amount of lime juice. Citrus is very aromatic and works wonders in a snifter. GREG

Bourbon Cocktail

Total time 2 minutes Yield 1Source Adapted from the LA Times recipe originally by Alex Jaimes for State Social HousePublished January 23, 2014

Backroom Mob

By: Greg Henry

Backroom Mob

Ingredients

  • 4 large mint leaves (roughly torn)
  • 2 ounce bourbon
  • 1 ounce freshly squeezed lime juice
  • ½ ounce elderflower liqueur

Directions

In a cocktail shaker 2/3 filled with medium ice cubes, combine the mint leaves, bourbon, lime juice and elderflower liqueur. Shake and strain into a snifter, it’s fine if bits of mint are included.

Notes

The original recipe called for a splash of soda. However, I prefer this drink without the soda. You can decide for yourself.

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