Cigarettes And Carrot Juice (Original Recipe)

 

"Cigarettes and carrot juice. Get yourself a new tattoo for those sleeveless days of June." That's the opening lines of Cracker's The Golden Age album of 1996. Full of the depression and male angst of that era, the protagonist is sitting in a cafe and angry at the happy world because he hasn't gotten over a breakup yet.

I've been wanting to make a cocktail to commemorate this feel-bad song for a long time, and I knew it had to include carrot juice. But what about the cigarettes? I had a breakthrough when I made the Death & Co. recipe Coffee and Cigarettes. This scotch, Galliano, sweet vermouth and chocolate bitters combination really clinched the taste of cigarettes. Now I only needed to combine the two. 

• 2 oz. Islay scotch (McClelland's Islay used)
• 1/2 oz. Galliano
• 1/2 oz. Cocchi Dopo Teatro vermouth
• 2 dashes Fee Brothers Aztec chocolate bitters
• 3 oz. carrot juie
• small carrot garnish

Combine all ingredients except for garnish in a shaker with ice. Shake and strain into an Old Fashioned glass full of fresh ice. Garnish with the small carrot. 

Coffee and Cigarettes (Death & Co. Recipe)

 

I'm impressed with how well this cocktail mimics the scent and flavor of this smoker's delight. Coffee and cigarettes are known to go well together, and specifically at times when a craving for both hits. I'm not a smoker, but I have to agree that there is something about the bitterness of coffee and that sweet tang of tobacco smoke that mysteriously emerges in this cocktail.

Coffee and Cigarettes is like one of those flavor hacks that tricks your brain into sensing things that are not even there. It has something to do with a smokey Islay scotch (The recipe calls for Caol Ila, not one of the southernmost scotches like Laphroaig with their heavy peat dose). I used McClelland's Islay because it is sourced from the Bowmore distillery, so it is less salty than Laphroaig and Ardbeg, and much closer to Caol Ila.

Then there is the magic created with sweet vermouth, chocolate bitters and Galliano that I cant explain. They come together to make a cold brew coffee taste when done in these proportions. I made a note to use them again whenever I'm going for this flavor but don't want to use it directly in a drink.

• 2 oz. Caol Ila 12-year-old scotch (McClelland's Islay used)
• 1/2 oz. Galliano 
• 1 tsp. Antica Formula Vermouth
• 2 dashes Aztec bitters

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

Joker's Wild (Death & Co. Recipe)

This cocktail contains an unusual spirit that gives it this pretty red glow. Zoco Pacharan Navarro liqueur is a Spanish sloeberry, anisette, vanilla and coffee infusion. I don't have any way of getting it, but I figured I could pull off a replica with Aguardiente topped up with Galliano, and sloe gin and infused with whole coffee beans. This ingredient makes up the bulk of this cocktail, so I made enough for two. The recipe for the Pacharan Navarro knock off is as follows:

• 2 oz. Agurdiente
• 1/2 oz. Galliano
• 1/2 oz. sloe gin
• 10-15 coffee beans

The infusion only takes about 12 hours and is not a big deal to pull off ahead of serving the drink as long as you have the ingredients and the time. I will say that this is a pretty sticky-sweet liqueur, like an anise and sloeberry amaretto. The coffee comes through ever so subtly and adds bitterness, and the sloe gin doesn't completely overpower. The pisco, however is simply an afterthought that gets lost in the mix and the final result is little more than a spicier Sloe Gin Collins of some sort.

Lastly, there is a little foam from the liqueur and absinthe that is produced by shaking. It is, however, short lived and didn't stand up to being photographed. I'm still a little confused about this cocktail and what it is going for, but sometimes a drink is simply a method of enjoying a strange liqueur. And in that case Joker's Wild has that is spades.

• 1/2 oz. pisco (Capel used)
• 1 1/2 oz. Zoco Pacharan Navarro Liqueur (homemade recipe used)
• 2 dashes absinthe
  
• 3/4 oz. lemon juice
• 1/2 oz. simple syrup
• 1/4 oz. vanilla syrup (vanilla-infused vodka used)
• club soda

Combine all ingredients in a shaker with ice. Shake and strain into a highball glass full of fresh ice. Top with soda and garnish with a spoonful of foam left over in the tin. 

 

 

Morfeo (Death & Co. Recipe)

 

This cocktail is named after the god of sleep and dreams. The name is fitting because this champagne cocktail uses chamomile-infused rye in a combination that would already make one drowsy in the afternoon (See Death In The Afternoon: an Ernest Hemingway cocktail that is guaranteed to make you pass out if consumed with lunch.)

My version is especially soporific because I used a blend of chamomile tea from Republic of Tea called Chamomile Lemon. This blend includes skullcap and valarian, which are herbal sleep aids. I don't know if any of the properties of the herbs actually make it into the rye infusion, but given the nature of this cocktail and the added punch from the tea, let's just assume that you will sleep well after having a nightcap of Morfeo.

• 1 1/2 oz. chamomile-infused Rittenhouse rye
• 1/4 oz. Galliano
• 3/4 oz. lemon juice
• 1/2 oz. acacia honey syrup
• dry champagne

Combine all ingredients except champagne in a shaker with ice. Shake and strain into a chilled champagne flute. Top with champagne. 

Broken Oath (Death And Co. Recipe)

 

Death & Co. has many Martini and Old Fashioned variations among their recipes. This is one of their Manhattan variations with Mezcal--a perfectly suitable substitute for whiskey. In addition to the vermouth and main spirit, they added Galliano and rich sherry. This takes this drink in a cordial direction, and that is fitting because they serve it in a Nick& Nora glass. (I'm using a cordial glass because I don't have a Nick & Nora.) Chocolate and cinnamon from the Aztec bitter is a perfect finishing touch to this new classic showing off the spirits coming to us by way of Mexico and Spain.

• 1 1/2 oz. mezcal (Del Maguey Vida used)
• 3/4 oz. Lustau Amontillado sherry (Lustau East India Soleara used)
• 3/4 oz. cocchi vermouth di Torino
• 1/2 oz. Galliano
• 2 dashes Aztec bitters

Combine all ingredients in a mixing glass with ice. Stir and strain into a chilled Nick & Nora glass. 

Tommy And The Ron-Dels (Death & Co. Recipe)

 

This is almost like having a Tiki redux cocktail in a handy Old Fashioned glass. It's got all the wild, exotic flavors of the Carbbean spirits mixed with the most herbaceous spirits of Europe. The Death & Co. recipe calls for Ron Del Barrilito Puerto Rican rum, which is where the name comes from. But it is also the base recipe for a Margarita by this bartender there named Tommy. 

Often enough, I find that I want to enjoy tequila and mezcal in ways that don't involve lime juice or take the form of a Margarita. This was different enough that I took it for what it was--something far richer than an ordinary Margarita.

• 3/4 oz. reposado tequila
• 1/4 oz. Del Maugey mezcal
• 1 oz. Ron Del Barrilito 3-star rum (George Boman used)
• 1/2 oz. Galliano
• 1 dash absinthe (Ricard used)
• 1 oz. lemon juice
• 1/2 oz. agave nectar
• 1 dash tiki bitters (Angostura used)
• 1 lime wheel garnish

Combine all ingredients in a shaker with ice. Shake and strain into a chilled Old Fashioned glass over 1 large ice cube. Garnish with the lime wheel. 

Hadley's Tears (Death & Co. Recipe)

I can't say that I've seen a lot of genever cocktails with dark rum and Galliano. The thing is, I've pretty much drawn the line just after rum-based Sazeracs and didn't consider what a great maritime spirit genever is and just how much it can influence a classic cocktail. 

Drinks of this proportion are all about the herbal presence of the absinthe and citrus bitters. Bols Barrel Aged Genever doesn't fight this trend with juniper and malty notes that melt right into the well aged rum. The recipe calls for Jamaican rum, and George Bowman's is a blend of Caribbean rums that hews closely to Appleton or Pusser's. I like featuring a local spirit as often as I can on this blog, so that is why its here.

But a Sazerac needs sugar. You get that from Galliano and simple syrup. More vanilla and anise isn't going to detract from the overall experience. Galliano and aromatic bitters just takes this drink closer to Itailian wedding cookies and away from carrot cake. 

• 1 oz. Appleton Estate rum (George Bowman's used)
• 1 oz. Bols Genever (Barrel Aged genever used)
• 1 tsp. Galliano
• 1/2 tsp. absinthe (Ricard used)
• 1 dash aromatic bitters (Hella used)
• 1 orange twist

Stir all ingredients over ice, then strain into a double rocks glass over 1 large ice cube. Garnish with the orange twist. 

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Mainland (Death & Co. Recipe)

 

Dense, boozy, and bittersweet describe this twist on a Martini. For its size it has a lot of power. First there's the craft ImaGination gin by MurLarkey that packs in more botanicals than a London Dry style in a spirit that isn't characterless. Galliano and two grapefruit twists add to the bitterness of the botanicals. Unusually, for a Martini anyway, there's a hint of sugar that adds body. Do this drink if you are looking for something unique and craft that doesn't pull any punches. 

• 2 grapefruit twists
• 2 oz. high botanical gin (MurLarkey ImaGination used)
• 1/2 oz. Galliano 
• 1 tsp. simple syrup
• 1 dash Angostura bitters

Twist two grapefruit zests over a mixing glass and drop them in. Add the remaining ingredients and ice and stir. Strain into a chilled coupe with no garnish. 

Sure Shot (Death & Co. Recipe)

This is a winner of a recipe, for sure. Very few stirred cocktails go with chili infusions. This one is nice and smokey and plays up the rich, whiskey-like flavors of old Tom and genever. I've never infused chilis in sweet vermouth before, and I have to say it goes in faster than you expect. Only a few hours are necessary to make the infusion. It also tastes great, like adding smoke and heat to your bittersweet  vermouth. Why wouldn't this be great?

Gallian and orange bitters have their own role to play in Sure Shot. I like how the vanilla and anise of Galliano are more like spice additions than sweeteners. Galliano also adds a richness to the texture to support the vermouth. This is a hefty drink and orange bitters suggestion of baking spices makes it even that much more rounded. 

• 1 1/2 oz. Old Tom gin (Vitae used)
• 1/2 oz. Bols Genever (Bols barrel aged genever used)
• 3/4 oz. ancho chile-infused Dolin rouge vermouth
• 1 tsp Galliano
• 1 tsp. demerara syrup
• 1 dash orange bitters (Hella used)

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

 

Single Origin (Death & Co. Recipe)

 

I must admit that I was seeking a drink I could do with pineapple juice I had open and I didn't have cacao nibs or the time to infuse them. That's what bitters are for, actually. Sometime I'd like to try this drink again with cacao nibs. My experience tells me that it makes the base spirit extremely bitter. And that would be fine. With the sweetness of pineapple juice and Gallaino, you should be able to get by. Without the nibs, I felt that this drink was a bit on the sweet side despite the lemon juice.

But let's celebrate what a smack in the mouth such a cocktail brings. Here is a fresh squeezed fruit and light spirits drink also having huge body and a liquor-heavy boost of Galliano and tequila at once.

• 2 oz. cacao nib-infused blanco tequila (El Jimador and a dash of Aztec bitters used)
  
• 1 tsp. Galliano
• 1/2 oz. pineapple juice
• 1/2 oz. lemon juice
• 1/2 oz. cane sugar syrup

Combine all ingredients in a shaker with ice. Double strain into a coup. 

Lobby Cocktail

 

I got this fun and easy recipe off of Kindred Cocktails, a website similar to mine with a large cocktail recipe database. If you haven't noticed, lately I've been trolling the internet looking for modern recipes or twists on classics that I've not tried yet. There is a lot out there, but I've just about exhausted the classics and am looking for things to do with more unusual spirits. Today that was my homemade Mandarine Napoleon recipe.

So the Lobby cocktail seems to take its name from other hotel-themed cocktails like the Grand Hotel or Hotel Plaza. But really I found the experience of the Lobby Cocktail similar to the KGB, which is kirsch, gin and apricot brandy. It's that kind of heavy, all high-proof spirits experience that doesn't let up, or at least not at first, that this drink reminded me of. And it isn't surprising. Mandarine Napoleon is the only sweet spirit in here, like apricot brandy in the KGB, and that barely provides room for the other ingredients. Unlike other Hotel cocktails, there's no aromatized wine like sweet vermouth to thin out the high-proof stuff, so I recommend using wet ice or going with a splash of water in your mixing glass. 

Something else of note: this cocktail calls for Galliano (not pictured) and because I didn't have it, I couldn't put it in the photo. I do have a pretty reliable recipe to substitute for Galliano in a pinch. It wont do for Galliano drinks like the Harvey Wallbanger, but when all you need is a quarter of an ounce, then I suggest combining sweet 3 parts anisette (or anisette with a drop of sugar syrup) and 1 part vanilla vodka. This gets the herbal and vanilla notes of Galliano across when color and texture would otherwise be lost among other ingredients. For this cocktail, I used sweet Aguardiente as the anisette, not a pastis like Ricard or absinthe substitute. Those are playing a different ballgame than Galliano, and Aguardiente has the sweet herbal flavors (minus the vanilla) that I was looking for.

• 2 oz. gin (Citadelle used)
• 1/4 oz. Galliano (a mixture of 3 parts Aguardiente and 1 part vanilla vodka used)
• 1/4 oz. Mandarine Napoleon
• 1 dash orange bitters
• lemon zest twist

Combine liquid ingredients in a shaker with ice. Stir and strain into a chilled cocktail glass. Twist lemon zest over the glass and drop it in. 

Schiedam Salute

 

Schiedam is the southern town of Holland known for its particularly rich flavored malt barley gin. Advocaat is also a Dutch spirit made with eggs, sugar and brandy. The idea of combining the two suggests something thick and potent--even heavy on the calories. I'm happy to say, however, that this cocktail is quite balanced, though it is a dessert drink. The Schiedam Salute is a good way to get to know often misunderstood or maligned Dutch heritage spirits. 

My journey to arriving at this cocktail has involved making both the Schiedam gin and the advocaat, because both ingredients are pretty much impossible to find where I live. But Youtube has lots of videos on how to make advocaat that is as good as or better than Dutch brands. I also modeled my gin after Bols barrel aged genever, by tasting and comparing until I got the steeped ingredients just right. It was a matter of using white whiskey infused with juniper berries and a few fresh herbs and then topping it off with malt barley whiskey with some age to give the gin a nice barrel finish. 

All this sounds really heavy, and it is. But this much citrus really spreads the cocktail out into something you might have before getting into bed (or after getting out of it, as is sometimes the case). I used Aguardiente in place of Galliano as a mild and sweet anise spirit substitute. The only difference is that Galliano has vanilla flavor, but then so does my advocaat, so that seemed unnecessary. The final result was like combining eggnog with a Harvey Wallbanger. There was the familiar vanilla, anise and citrus of the Wallbanger with the creaminess that was almost like having egg white dropped in.

• 2 oz. genever/ jenever (homemade Scheidam gin used)
• 1 oz. advocaat (homemade used)
• 2 oz. orange juice
• 1/2 oz. lemon juice
• 1 tsp. Galliano (Aguardiente used)

Shake all ingredients except Galliano (or anise spirit) with ice in a cocktail shaker and strain into a chilled highball glass. Float Galliano (or anise spirit) on top. (Note: I didn't think that the highball was the proper size for a 5 oz. drink with no ice. By all means use one if it is all you have, but I went with a whiskey sour glass for a more appropriate size and very effective container for a cocktail with a scented float.)

 

Italian Orange Fizz (Original Recipe for MurLarkey Distillery)

This attractive drink is refreshing and herbacious. It relies on two spirits that have an underlying vanilla note. Galliano is a rich Italian spirit with a saffron color. It contains a vanilla liqueur as well as an anise and herb spirit reminiscent of Italian Christmas cookies.

MurLarkey makes their orange whiskey with an infusion of orange zest and vanilla. The only thing this cocktail needs is more fresh squeezed orange juice and more fresh herbs (i.e. mint). This was a memorable innovation you can see below.

• 1 1/2 oz. MurLarkey orange whiskey
• 1 oz. Galliano
• 1/2 oz. fresh squeezed orange juice
• 7-10 mint leaves
• mint sprig
• 1 tsp. sugar
• orange slice
• sparkling water

Add juice, mint leaves and sugar to a shaker and muddle to break up the mint. Add Galliano, orange whiskey and ice and shake. Double strain into a chilled Collins glass full of fresh ice. Put the orange slice in the glass and top it up with sparkling water. Stir gently and garnish with the mint sprig.

Josiah's Bay Float (Revisited With Pineapple Shell Cup)

I had previously tackled this cocktail and the Baracuda #1 in the New York Bartender's Guide several years ago. It is amazing, as you'd expect with rum, sparkling wine and Galliano, which gives the drink a smooth and slightly anise spice flavor. It is amazing how suitable Galliano is to tropical cocktails.

This time I wanted to take up the suggestion of making the drink in a pineapple shell. I lucked out when I got a moderately ripe pineapple that was easy to carve up. You basically cut the leafy top off, several inches down at the point where the fruit is widest. The bottom two thirds of the pineapple will make up the container with the drink. Using a sharp knife, cut a circle approximately one inch inside the shell, leaving a good portion of the fruit as the wall of the container. Cut diagonally inward in a circle to remove a cone-shaped segment of the core. The remaining core and fruit can be scooped out with a spoon, but leave more than two inches in the bottom of the container space.

If the pineapple sits a little lopsided, you can even it out by cutting into the base of the fruit, but this only works if you left plenty of room beneath the container space or else you end up with a hole in your container.

Use the pineapple container right away or freeze the pineapple for up to a week to use it when you want to.

Here's the recipe again:

• 1 oz. gold rum
• 1/2 oz. Galliano
• 1 oz. pineapple juice
• 2 tsp. sugar syrup
• 2 tsp. lime juice
• champagne or sparkling wine
• lime slice
• maraschino cherry
• hollowed out pineapple shell (optional)

Combine all ingredients except champagne, lime slice and maraschino cherry in a blender with ice. Blend until smooth and pour into a hollowed out pineapple shell or hurricane glass. Add champagne and stir gently.

Bannana Italiano

The question isn't what to do with MurLarkey banana whiskey, there's dozens of uses for that. It's what to do with that bottle of Galliano. This herbal and vanilla liqueur is strong on alpine flavor and alcohol and wants to be used in drinks that soften it up, usually with cream or sugar.

MurLarkey banana whiskey doesn't have added sugar. It is an infusion of dried bananas and white corn whiskey. It is rich and sometimes needs a little sugar for the flavor to stand out. I've substituted it for creme de bananes in this cocktail.

• 1 1/2 oz. Galliano
• 1 oz. creme de bananes (MurLarkey banana whiskey used)
• 1/8 banana (optional)
• 1 oz. half-and-half

Combine all ingredients in a blender with cracked ice. Blend until smooth and pour into a chilled cocktail glass. 

Golden Frog

I love the combination of Galliano and Strega. Both are Italian herb liqueurs. Strega is very minty and citrus forward, while Galliano tastes like vanilla and anise and so much more. They are strong, rich, and very golden.

So I was looking forward to enjoying this cocktail very dry with vodka. Instead, the recipe calls for blending with ice. So it is a slushy drink that uses the liqueurs to add the fruity essences. And it's not bad for all that. For one thing, it tames the really potent flavors and alcohols of the two liqueurs. So it may just be appealing to ordinary drinkers, and not those accustomed to Italian liqueurs.

The name? Well it certainly is a golden drink, but I think the addition of Strega--or the witch, in Italian--is an indication of the thinking of this cocktail. It's a bumpy, slushy golden thing like some kind of witchy magic.

• 1 oz. vodka
• 1 oz. Galliano
• 1 oz. Strega
• 1 oz. lemon juice

Combine all ingredients with ice in a blender. Blend until smooth and pour into a chilled cocktail glass. 

Bossa Nova

A nice tropical passion fruit smoothie, the Bossa Nova is one of the more unusual Galliano cocktails. My impression though is that passion fruit is very bitter and sour and needs more than Galliano--in its recent more bitter branding--to balance it out. Add about 1/2 oz. sugar syrup just to keep it on the sweet-ish side.

• 2 oz. dark rum 
• 1 1/2 oz. Galliano
• 1 oz. apricot brandy
• 4 oz. passion fruit juice (add 1/2 oz. simple syrup to sweeten)

Pour all ingredients in a blender with ice. Blend on low for 15 seconds. Pour into a highball glass. 

Slow Comfortable Screw Against A Wall

What happens when you combine a Slow Screw, Southern Comfort, and a Harvey Wallbanger. You guessed it! This is the famous (infamous) 90s sexual innuendo drink. Like the Harvey Wallbanger itself, it has aged pretty well. Galliano makes for a vanilla smooth and alluring anise flavor, while vodka and orange juice do what they do best--make a drink easy to consume.

• 2 oz. vodka
• 1 oz. Southern Comfort
• 1/2 oz. sloe gin
• 1/2 oz. Galliano
• orange juice
• orange slice

Combine all ingredients except sloe gin and orange slice in a shaker with ice. Shake and strain into a chilled highball glass (pilsner shown). Float sloe gin on top and garnish with orange slice.

Golden Dream

I think I liked the Galliano-forward flavor of the Golden Dream over the Golden Cadillac. For one thing, I don't think that cream goes well with orange juice. I used a dash of coconut cream instead and it worked out fine without curdling. This drink reminds me of European Christmas cookies that are more bitter than sweet. Lots of vanilla, orange, and herbaceous flavors like anise.

• 2 oz. Galliano
• 1 oz. orange juice
• 1 oz. Cointreau
• 1 tsp. half-and-half (coconut cream used)

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

Mix with ice in a shaker or blender. Pour into a chilled cocktail glass. 

Golden Chain

Galliano makes for a beautiful, bold color for this up drink. I really like how citrus blends with vanilla and anise here. Do this one if you have Galliano.

• 1 oz. cognac
• 1 Galliano
• 1/2 oz. lime juice
• dash yellow Chartreuse
• lime slice

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