Golf Cocktail

The Golf Cocktail is really a Martini variation, and as such it is only different from the classic when you use different ingredients. A richer gin and vermouth will take you out of your comfort zone and make this cocktail more of an adventure.

For this I picked Copper Fox's Vir Gin for the gin. This product is not available in stores and can only be bought at the distillery locations in Speryville and Williamsburg. Vir Gin is a good choice for the Golf Cocktail because it is made from single malt barley, like scotch. And scotch and golf were invented in Scotland, so...

Vir Gin is really intense with black pepper, fennel, mint, rosemary, anise seed and lemongrass among many other typical gin botanicals. Rivata is an Italian dry vermouth with a lot of herbal flavors to it as well. A Martini with these ingredients and a dash of Angostura bitters is spicy and thick on the tongue, a far cry from your typical Martini.

• 3 oz. gin (Copper Fox Vir Gin used)
• 1 oz. dry vermouth (Rivata used)
• 3 dashes Angostura bitters

Combine all ingredients in a mixing glass with ice. Stir and strain into a chilled cocktail glass.