House of Payne (Death & Co.)

 

I'm not sure if this cocktail obliquely references Thomas Payne or if the bartender was punning on the hip-hop group and the feeling most Negronis give your tongue from their bitterness. I do know that I love Negronis and raspberries but never considered mixing the two. 

One thing I love about muddling raspberries in a stirred cocktail is that they impart their clear red juice into the spirits and you can just strain out the seeds and pulp and no one would be the wiser. It is as if you used a non-alcoholic raspberry liqueur! The color of this Negroni is impressive, and the berry juice gives it a sweeter texture than you expect. I can't believe I just made this in my mixing glass and not a shaker, but doing so would mean making a cloudy Negroni. That I just can't do.

• 3 raspberries
• 1 1/2 oz. London dry gin (Bloom used)
• 1 oz. Plymouth sloe gin (Mr. Boston used)
• 1 oz. Campari 
• 1 raspberry garnish

Muddle 3 raspberries in a mixing glass before adding liquid ingredients and ice. Stir and double strain over a single cube of ice in an Old Fashioned glass. Garnish with one raspberry on a cocktail pick.

Bitter French (Death & Co. Recipe)

 

This cocktail is a basic mash-up of a Negroni and a French 75. I happened to have a bottle of brut cava last weekend and put it to good use in five cocktails. This one was immediately fascinating because I like both of the cocktails that this recipe is derived from. 

• 1 oz. gin (MurLarkey ImaGination used)
• 1/4 oz. Campari
• 1/2 oz. lemon juice
• 1/2 oz simple syrup
• dry champagne
• 1 grapefruit twist 

Combine gin, Campari, lemon juice and simple syrup in a shaker with ice. Shake and strain into a chilled champagne flute and top with champagne. 

 

Cafe Sandinista (Death & Co. Recipe)

 

This cocktail is by far the lightest on alcohol of all the fortified wine drinks in the Death & Co. book. That doesn't mean it is light on flavor. There's only a quarter ounce of chile and coffee-infused Campari, but that's enough for it to take over the entire drink. The East India Solera sherry and orange juice really add body to the drink and spread it out across the crushed ice. 

To make the Campari infusion, I simply too three ounces of Campari and crushed one guajillo chili and a teaspoon of ground coffee and infused it for twenty-four hours. Any more than that might be too much, really. Then I strained it out using a coffee filter because it catches all the coffee particles. 

The finishing touch on the drink is grating a fresh coffee bean on top of the crushed ice. It gives the cocktail a nice aroma and prepares you for the bitterness underneath. 

• 1 oz. Lustau East India Solera sherry
• 1/4 oz. chili and coffee infused Campari
• 1/2 oz. lime juice
• 1/2 oz. orange juice
• 1/2 oz. demerara syrup
• small pinch of kosher salt
• coffee bean garnish

Combine all ingredients in a shaker with ice. Short shake and strain into a rocks glass filled with crushed ice. Garnish with a few grates from a whole coffee bean. 

Deadpan Fix (Death & Co. Recipe)

 

I'm used to a Fix being in a rocks glass, but anything goes in cocktail naming, and I'm not sure there is anything fixed about the meaning of the word Fix. 

This is a fun way to get the whiskey to go down, which is the real point of a Fix--make it as easy to drink as possible and it will fix you up. Some fun ingredients in this, including Campari and ginger syrup. The Grand Marnier adds sweetness and citrus in a cocktail that already has a lot of both. My substitution is homemade Mandarine Napoleon. This just adds more mandarin orange and spice notes that Grand Marnier doesn't have. 

• 1 1/2 oz. Catoctin Creek 92-proof rye
• 1/4 oz. Campari
• 1/4 oz. Grand Marnier (homemade Mandarine Napoleon used)
• 3/4 oz. grapefruit juice
• 1/2 oz. lemon juice
• 1/4 oz. ginger syrup (homemade ginger brandy and simple syrup used)
• 1 orange twist garnish

Combine all ingredients in a shaker with ice. Shake and strain into a chilled coupe glass and garnish with the orange twist. 

La Dolce Vita (Death & Co. Recipe)

Like a Boulivardier or Negroni but with fun rye and St-Germain. That's how I think of this cocktail; and it was really enjoyable as a simple, ruby-colored cocktail that was both easy to make and easy to drink.

 

The think that makes this drink stand out is the infusion of chamomile tea into the rye. I used Republic of Tea's Chamomile Lemon tea (which doesn't have the acidity of actual lemon but lemon balm instead.) Rye and chamomile have really complementary flavors--not unlike apples and cinnamon--but spicy with alcoholic kick. This is balanced with sweet floral St-Germain and given bitter traction and an attractive look by the hefty pour of Campari. This drink, like life, is beautiful!

• 2 oz. chamomil-infused Rittenhouse rye (with Republic of Tea Chamomile Lemon)
• 3/4 oz. Campari
• 1/2 oz. St-Germain

Combine all ingredients in a mixing glass with ice. Stir and strain over a large format ice in an Old Fashioned glass. 

 

Cure For Pain (Death & Co. Recipe)

 

There's a lot about this cocktail that is classic, simple, and straightforward. It's not a Pain Killer in coup glass format. There are no trendy ingredients or funky syrups that you typically find in Death & Co. recipes--just good old booze. 

I'm pleased that Rittenhouse, along with Old Overholt, seem to to be the ryes of choice for the New York speakeasy. You can't beat them for flavor and price. Overholt makes a great base for infusions of rich flavors. Rittenhouse is spicy and strong--also good for infusions but why bother when it already tastes so good.

Here is a port and rye cocktail I could enjoy in all seasons. My feeling has always been that port cocktails taste a little heavy on sugar and light on alcohol. They are the kind of thing you can handle on winter occasions, but not for everyday consumption. Consider that port usually sweetens a cocktail, and ever so slightly waters it down with grape juice. The craft of this cocktail is the balance, and you get it from depth of port, bourbon and cacao held up by spicy rye and bitter Campari (or bitters in general)

One funny thing I had to do to complete this recipe was to fudge the minuscule amount of Campari with other bitters I had on hand. I can't believe I don't have any Campari, especially since Death & Co. enjoy using it so much. It truly introduced bitterness into the cocktail revolution. For a small portion of Campari, a healthy 10 dashes of Peychaud's bitters in a quarter ounce of amaro (I used Amer Picon which has Rammazzotti in it). 

• 1 1/2 oz. Rittenhouse 100 rye
• 1/2 oz. bourbon (Ancient Age used)
• 1/2 oz. tawny port (Morgado ruby used)
• 1 teaspoon Campari (bitters substitution used)
• 1 teaspoon white creme de cacao
• orange twist garnish

Combine all ingredients except garnish in a mixing glass with ice. Stir and strain into a coupe glass and twist orange zest over the drink and drop it in.

Tivoli Cocktail

This is a rich and rewarding cocktail made with bourbon and punched up with aquavit. Though aquavit is a Scandinavian spirit and bourbon comes from Kentucky, this is an all-local cocktail.

Ragged Branch bourbon is an excellent wheated bourbon out of Charlottesville, Virginia. This Mt. Defiance sweet vermouth comes from Middleburg, Virginia. And I made this aquavit with MurLarkey Justice white whiskey from Bristow. The cocktail also calls for a dash of Campari. I regret that I drank all my Campari a while ago and resorted to a citrus bitters that I made to mimic Campari. Again, that bitters was made with local moonshine, so I felt like it was a fitting decision.

• 1 1/2 oz. bourbon (Ragged Branch wheated used)
• 1/2 oz. sweet vermouth (Mt. Defiance used)
• 1/2 oz. aquavit (homemade used)
• dash Campari

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

Old Pal

I know I've done the Old Pal cocktail before, but it was using different ingredients than the typical recipe: rye, Campari and sweet vermouth. This recipe in the New York Bartender's Guide is especially rich when it is made with Copper Fox rye with it's apple wood smoke.

The old recipe really hits you with almost a double dose of liquor with a full measure of Campari, that brilliant red and bitter Italian aperitif. It's not exactly a holiday cocktail, but it is more enjoyable in the winter months when richness seems to hold back the cold weather.

• 2 oz. rye (Copper Fox used)
• 1 1/2 oz. Campari
• 1 oz. sweet vermouth (Punt E Mes used)

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

Italian (Heritage) Job

Looking for a twist on the classic Italian Stallion? Punt E Mes really punches up this stirred drink with more bitterness and a thick-tasting sweet vermouth flavor. I've done this drink (Italian Stallion) with Carpano Antica Vermouth, but never with a dry Irish-American whiskey. The usual recipe calls for Bourbon, which MurLarkey Heritage is not. But this particular combo is the strongest and most bitter iteration of the Italian Stallion I've made.

• 2 oz. Heritage Old Country Whiskey 
• 1 oz. Campari
• 1/2 oz. Punt E Mes sweet vermouth
• 1 dash orange bitters
• lemon twist

Combine all liquid ingredients in a mixing glass with ice. Stir and strain into a chilled cocktail glass. Garnish with the lemon twist. 

Rendez-Vous

Legend tells of a meeting of the Buddah, Lao Tso, and Confucius on a mountain path. This is the sublime Rendez-Vous of British gin, German kirschwasser and Italian Campari. It's is nearly perfect, certainly legendary, and full of interesting flavor. No sugar or juice means that Campari is unchecked and kirsh adds a thick texture that's hard to ignore. If I had to change anything, I'd use more Campari--just a bit.

• 2 oz. gin
• 1 oz. kirschwasser
• 1/2 oz. Campari
• lemon twist

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

East Wing

I'm not sure if this drink refers to the East Wing of the White House or some other use of the word wing, physical or metaphorical. I was surprised how full-bodied it was and complex with lots of brandy and cherry sugary goodness. I would ordinarily have made it with cherry brandy as the recipe calls for, but it is a little hard to come by in Virginia. I didn't have time to shop in D.C. and I wanted to make this drink soon. So I had already come up with my own recipe to turn brandy into cherry brandy that I found worked very well. It changed the grape brandy roundness to a slightly bitter and deep cherry flavor that a quality cherry brandy might have--without being overly sweet like a cherry liqueur.

Here's how I made cherry brandy substitute with 1 ounce of Catoctin Creek 1757 Reserve brandy. Add 1/2 tsp. Luxardo maraschino liqueur and 1/2 tsp. Bada Bing cherry juice (or other black cherry juice--not maraschino cherry--) to an ounce of brandy. This creates an ounce and a teaspoon of brandy that tastes very close to Cherry Heering, with the same dark red color. Use this same recipe to make a Singapore Sling taste sweet, rather than bitter, which you can't do with Luxardo maraschino alone.

• 3 oz. vodka
• 1 oz. cherry brandy (1 oz. Catoctin Creek 1757 Reserve, 1/2 tsp. bing cherry juice, 1/2 tsp. Luxardo maraschino liqueur used)
• 1/2 oz Campari
• lemon twist 

Combine all liquid ingredients in a shaker with ice. Shake and strain into a chilled cocktail glass. Garnish with a lemon twist.

Rosita

Ever felt that a Negroni is just not strong enough...not bitter enough? The Rosita is the answer. It has twice the Campari of a Negroni and a mix of vermouth. It was so interesting and huge on flavor and quantity that I sipped it for an hour. This might now be my favorite tequila drink!

• 2 oz. silver tequila
• 2 oz. Campari
• 1/2 oz. sweet vermouth
• 1/2 oz. dry vermouth
• lemon twist

Combine all ingredients except the lemon twist in a mixing glass with ice. Stir until chilled and pour into an Old Fashioned glass. Garnish with twist.

Canadian and Campari

I like the alliteration of this drink's name, but I find that it is a little uninspired and not even as helpful of a reminder of its ingredients as, say, a Gin and Tonic. That's because dry vermouth and a lemon twist are essential ingredients. Beyond that, these two spirits seem made for each other. Campari, which is almost too bitter to enjoy on its own, is mellowed by soft whisky--Canadian whisky being some of the best brown liquors for mixing. I will probably make this for guests at the bar.

• 1 1/2 oz. Canadian whisky
• 1 oz. Campari
• 1/2 oz. dry vermouth
• lemon twist

Combine all ingredients except lemon twist in a shaker or mixing glass with ice. Shake or stir and strain into a chilled cocktail glass. Garnish with a lemon twist.

Genoa Vodka

This was way better than I expected. Grapefruit and orange flavors predominate with sweet and bitterness interplay. Plus it is refreshing as ever. So one trick I did for this one was fresh squeezed orange juice, which made it sweeter and more bright looking than that harsh store bought juice.

• 2 oz. vodka
• 1 oz. Campari
• 3 oz. fresh squeezed orange juice

Combine all ingredients in a shaker with ice. Shake and pour into a highball glass. (Orange twist optional)

Red Devil

There's a few "devil" drinks that I have made in the past and never documented. They are pretty harmless imps (black devil and little devil) that I think I should summon for my blog soon. This is probably the most unusual in that it doesn't include rum like the others. Here's how to make it.

• 1 oz. triple sec
• 1 oz. Campari
• 1 oz orange juice

Combine all ingredients in a shaker with ice. Shake and strain into a chilled cocktail glass.

Campari-Soda

Like the Whiskey and Soda, but a little less strong and a lot more bitter, this is a good go-to drink at a bar with limited options. It also really calms your stomach and is a remedy for gas. Do as the Italians do and drink it following a heavy meal.

• 2 oz. Campari
• club soda
• lime wedge (orange slice pictured)

Build drink with Campari in a highball or Old Fashioned glass full of ice.  Top with soda and stir. Garnish with fruit.

Italian Stallion

I've been wanting to make this drink for a long time, but required my own bottle of Campari to do it right. I selected Evan William's Single Barrel bourbon because of its spicy rye characteristics you won't find in Maker's Mark and Town Branch.

This turned out to be my most favorite Campari drink yet. The mellow bourbon notes with the extreme bitterness of Campari, plus the citrus and rich vermouth made this one taste like one of those $25 dollar barreled cocktails people are drinking in Georgetown lately. I mean this drink tasted so hand crafted and so perfectly balanced, it blew my mind that I could just throw it together at my home bar. I think that a lot of it was the quality of the bourbon and vermouth I chose, so I am including them in the recipe.

• 2 oz. bourbon (Evan William's Single Barrel 2004)
• 1 oz. Campari
• 1/2 oz. sweet vermouth (Carpano Antica)
• dash Angostura bitters
• lemon twist 

Combine all ingredients except lemon twist in a shaker with ice. Shake and strain into a chilled cocktail glass. Garnish with a lemon twist.

Americano (Revisited)

After opening my Carpano Antica and buying a bottle of Campari, I felt I needed to remake the Americano. It's just that certain drinks will be different when you use a bitter sweet vermouth with so much character. You get the sense that you are having the drink as it was originally recommended. I imagine that I will remake Negronis, Manhattans, Rob Roys and other vermouth dependent cocktails soon as well.

As for this drink, it is stronger than it looks with plenty of bitterness from Campari. But it is a soda drink and as so remains refreshing till the end.

• 1 1/2 oz. Campari
• 1 1/2 oz. sweet vermouth
• club soda
• lemon peel

Build drink in a highball glass with Campari and sweet vermouth. Add ice and top with soda. Stir gently and garnish with the lemon peel twist. 

Americano

The Americano is a great poolside drink with plenty of bitter citrus flavor to keep you interested.

• 1 1/2 oz. sweet vermouth
• 1 1/2 oz. Campari
• club soda
• orange slice or lemon peel

Pour vermouth and Campari into a chilled highball glass with ice cubes. Fill with club soda and stir. Add fruit garnish.

Old Pal

I've two versions of this drink: the first uses the traditional Campari recipe, the other uses Aperol and an Amaro.

Original Old Pal

• 1 oz. rye
• 1 oz. Campari
• 1 oz. dry vermouth
• orange peel

Combine all ingredients except orange peel in a shaker with ice. Shake and strain into a chilled cocktail glass.

Lighter Old Pal

• 1 oz. rye
• 1 oz. Aperol
• 1 oz. Amaro
• orange peel

Combine all ingredients except orange peel in a shaker with ice. Shake and strain into a chilled cocktail glass.