The Other Woman

 

This was a fun cocktail to try out more variations of Citadelle gin and Byrrh, two very French spirits that play well together. The Other Woman comes from London bartender, Lucy Horncastle, according to Difford's guide. It is a dry Sour with herbal bitterness, but orgeat makes it swing slightly creamy. Creole bitters like Peychaud's keeps up the herbal and citrus intensity, but despite it's strength, The Other Woman isn't a manly drink.

No, you'd think a quinine infused wine and dry gin would land heavily on spirits, but this is no Martini. Byrrh is the primary spirit, and gin takes a back seat. Even so, it's not an Upside-Down Martini either. Instead, I found it a bit like a gin Daiquiri, or something from the Daisy class of drinks with its sourness and almond smoothness, and that je ne sais quoi...floral loveliness that that speaks to nightlife in New Orleans and clandestine meetings backstage at the cabaret.

• 1 2/3 oz. Byrrh 
• 3/4 oz. dry gin (Citadelle used)
• 2/3 oz. lemon juice
• 1/2 orgeat syrup (Liber & Co. used)
• 2 dash Peychaud's bitters

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

Bourbon Daisy

I've done the Bourbon Daisy before, but with Southern Comfort, not peach whiskey. I felt that moving away from Southern Comfort was reason enough to explore this cocktail some more. That, and a Bourbon Daisy is a great way to make your summer style Daisy cocktail more suited to Autumnal drinking. 

I used Evan William's bottled in bond bourbon, which has pleasing hazlenut notes on the nose and at first sip. The last of my Bird Dog peach whiskey kept the whiskey-forward style of this cocktail. Southern Comfort is a brandy spirit with peach flavors. It is very rich, whereas Bird Dog's peach whiskey is heavier only on the peach flavor without the sugary cooked spirit notes of Southern Comfort. I know that inexpensive flavored whiskies are not prized, but I have to say that Bird Dog has been one of the most useful liquors on my bar. 

• 1 1/2 oz. bourbon (Evan Williams bottled in bond used)
• 1/2 oz. lemon juice
• 1 tsp. grenadine
• club soda
• 1 tsp. Southern Comfort
• orange slice
• pineapple stick (optional)

Combine bourbon lemon juice and grenadine in a shaker with ice. Shake and strain into a chilled Collins glass full of fresh ice. Top with club soda and stir gently. Float peach liquor on top and garnish with fruit.

Gin Daisy

The Daisy is a sweet grenadine and lemon fizz drink. The booze you use is up to you, so it is named after the choice of liqueur. Everyone loves a Daisy, it's stronger than it looks with 3 ounces of hard liquor. The gin version is more approachable than other ones.

• 3 oz. gin
• 1 oz. lemon juice
• 1 tbsp. grenadine
• 1 tsp. sugar syurp
• sparkling water
• orange slice

Combine gin, lemon juice and syrups in a shaker with ice. Shake and strain into a chilled Collins glass. Top with sparkling water and stir. Garnish with an orange slice.

Canadian Daisy

The Daisy is a pretty standard whiskey, lemon, soda highball. I'm not sure why the Canadian Daisy is the only one that get's raspberries and raspberry syrup, but I'll take it. I guess Canadians, as much as anyone, love their raspberries. In this way it differs from the other Daisy variations: the Star Daisy, the Vodka Daisy, the Bourbon Daisy, and the Whiskey Daisy. The difference is that where all the other drinks used grenadine, the Canadian uses raspberry syrup for color and sweetener.

• 2 oz. Canadian whiskey
• 1 tsp. brandy
• 1/2 oz. lemon juice
• 1 tsp. raspberry syrup
• sparkling water
• fresh raspberries

Combine whiskey, lemon juice and raspberry syrup in a shaker with ice. Shake and strain into a chilled highball glass filled with fresh ice. Top with sparkling water and float brandy on top. Garnish with raspberries.

Bourbon Daisy

I am really starting to appreciate the loveliness of Daisies. The color, the orange wheel, the whiskey--bourbon just makes a Daisy better, too.

• 2 oz. bourbon
• 1 oz. lemon juice
• 2 tsp. grenadine
• 2 tsp. Southern Comfort
• soda
• orange slice

Combine bourbon, lemon juice, and grenadine in a shaker with ice. Shake and pour into a highball glass and top with soda. Float Southern Comfort on top and garnish with an orange slice.