Saffron (White) Witch

I love the look and taste of this cocktail. It really plays up two flavors present in Strega, the Italian Alpine liqueur with saffron and mint in abundance. Additionally it has a touch of Meletti Amaro, a saffron amaro with a bittersweet herbal flavor. Meletti is mild and lightly colored, so it doesn't really bitter this drink up too much, but allows the saffron color to shine through.

With all these intense herbal flavors going on, you are likely to miss the whiskey flavor. This is my first up drink with MurLarkey Justice white whiskey. This unaged whiskey has a lot of character, much like tequila or a Martinique rum. It is spicy and sticks out of your cocktail, however you use it, but it is much tamed by all this saffron and mint.

• 2 oz. MurLarkey Justice
• 1 oz. Strega
• 1/2 oz. Meletti Amaro
• 1/2 oz. lemon juice
• mint sprig

Combine liquid ingredients in a shaker with ice. Shake and strain into a chilled cocktail glass. Garnish with the mint sprig.

DBGB White Martinez

The Martinez is still my favorite Martini variation. It's actually the forerunner of the Martini, so it's not precise to call it a variation. The Martinez comes from a time when nobody would drink vodka, gin was oily, and everyone loved vermouth (especially the ladies.) I had this white version made a the French/American Bistro, Daniel Boulud Good Burger, known as DBGB. 

I had a beautiful view of H Street and tourists interacting with the fountain at City Center in the background. It was a very French experience, and this cocktail was very fitting with Dolin blanc vermouth and Hayman's Old Tom gin. The big secret in the drink though was addition of Meletti, the Italian Amaro that I happen to have at home. This complimented the orange twist with lots of orange spice aroma. I'll be making these for people at work very soon.

• 2 oz. old tom gin
• 1 oz. dry vermouth (Dolin blanc pictured)
• 1/4 oz. Meletti or similar wine-based amaro
• orange twist

Combine all ingredients except twist in a mixing glass with ice. Stir and strain into a chilled cocktail glass (or coup as shown). Garnish with orange twist.

Italiano

With this drink, I've added to the Italiano series of drinks in which the word "Italiano" is used as an adjective, not a noun. I'll explain. All the drinks use the word to modify something, like Banana Italiano, for instance. My thinking was to do the reverse of the drink called Americano. The funny thing about the Americano is that it is composed of Italian liqueurs that somehow describes an American's taste for bitter cocktails.

My Itailiano is made with a lesser-known amaro called Meletti. It is sweeter than Campari and doesn't need vermouth--my Carpano Antica would have made it more bitter not less. Ok. Enough about it, here's how it's made.

• 1 1/2 oz. Meletti Amaro
• club soda
• orange slice

Build drink in a highball glass with ice. Top with club soda, stir and add orange slice.

Savoy Corpse Reviver

Last year I did an article on scary drinks that featured the Corpse Reviver #2. That is an easy drink to come to terms with because it has gin, Cointreau, lemon juice...the same stuff you probably drank the night before, which necessitated a Corpse Reviver in the morning. This one uses Fernet Branca. I was reluctant to buy a bottle of Fernet because it is so bitter, so I asked the guys at Potomac Wines and Spirits in Georgetown for help. They tell me that Meletti is a less bitter Amaro that doesn't have the mint flavor of Fernet Branca. After tasting it, I decided that it was good on its own and might even be a substitute for Campari.

The Savoy Corpse Reviver is an old-time recipe using white creme de menthe, Fernet, and brandy. It sounds disgusting. But the minty flavor of Fernet would be wasted in a drink that already has creme de menthe. Meletti made for a less bitter mint flavor but still medicinal tasting drink that was just awesome with chocolate chip cookies.

Here's how to make this Corpse Reviver:

• 1 oz. brandy
• 1 oz. Fernet Branca (Meletti Amaro used)
• 1 oz. white creme de cacao

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

Potomac Wines and Spirits is a premiere liquor store in D.C.'s fashion district, Georgetown. I catch the circulator bus from Roselyn to get there every few weeks to check out the cocktail scene and I make a point of stopping in and adding to my wish list. As you can see, they have an awesome selection of liqueurs, Amaros, vermouths, etc. It's expensive stuff and it goes quickly on the home bar. If anyone wants to know what I'd like as a gift, anything in this picture would be great.