Pressure Drop (Death & Co. Recipe)

 Of course Death & Co. has a tribute to The Clash on their menu--I love that song. Maybe the name is also related to the clash of flavors in this cocktail. But I will say that as jarring and often bittersweet as these ingredients are on their own, they tame each other and make for a very mellow sipping cocktail that is something akin to a bitter Manhattan. The thing is, there is no whiskey in this cocktail. 

The recipe calls for Ransom Old Tom gin, which is pretty dank (and I mean that in several interpretations of the word "dank"). It has a steeped barley and botanicals note that is bitter and earthy. There's Ransom's prohibition style spirit funk that tastes like a small batch moonshine made with barley but selecting the "hearts" of the run. Then there is the malty sweetness at its core if you can stick with the jumble of flavors long enough to enjoy it. 

My own Schiedam gin is also a steeped gin using barley and grain spirits (some of which are smoked with pinewood.) My ingredients are mainly herbal botanicals like juniper, rosemary, angelica, basil, birch, crushed coriander and cardamon pods. It is a very winter spice gin and one, like ransom, you will learn to enjoy with experience. Here is how to make this gin!

For the rest of the cocktail I also had to be creative. I love Amaro Meletti, but had to recreate it as well with equal parts Strega, Don Ciccio & Figili's Ambrosia and Ramazzotti. I also substituted Dolin Dry vermouth for 

• 1 1/2 oz. Ransom Old Tom (Homemade Schiedam gin used)
• 1 oz. Amaro Meletti (equal parts Strega, Ramazzotti and Ambrosia used)
• 1/2 oz. Dolin Dry vermouth
• 1 tsp. Clear Creak pear brandy (Catoctin Creek pear brandy used)
• 1 dash angostura bitters

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

 

Tom Bomb (Death & Co. Recipe)

 

This cocktail is pretty sweet with orgeat, Donn's spices (allspice dram) and honey syrup. I think that was what was needed to overpower the rank nose of Ransom Old Tom gin. Yes, this cocktail takes an acquired taste like Ransom and turns it into a "bomb" drink that will easily destroy anyone. All it took was three forms of sugar and some pretty wild flavors.

Donn's Spices is a mix of St. Elizabeth allspice dram and vanilla syrup. I used my own allspice dram and vanilla vodka mixed with cane sugar syrup for this recipe. My homemade orgeat spoiled, however, so I bought Fee's from my local wine shop. While it isn't my cognac orgeat, I had said before making the last batch that I was done squeezing almonds to make syrup; and their slogan is "Don't squeeze use Fee's." So I did.

• 1 1/2 oz. Ransom Old Tom (Homemade Schiedam gin used)
• 1/4 oz. Donn's Spices (50/50 vanilla syrup and allspice dram)
• 1/2 oz. pineapple juice
• 1/2 oz. lemon juice
• 1/4 oz. orgeat (Fee's used)
• 1/4 oz. acacia honey syrup

Combine all ingredients in a shaker whit ice. Shake and strain into a chilled cocktial glass. 

Waldorf

There are two cocktails named after the famous family hotels: the Waldorf Cocktail with bourbon and the Waldorf. I've not made this version with gin before because it's primary ingredient is Swedish punsch, something that you have to get from Sweden or make at home. It's not on the market here.

This is a sweet and sour cocktail with lots of herbal spices and dark black tea flavors. That is why I chose Vitae old tom gin for this. It is barrel aged and a little sweeter to cut through that lemon and provide balance against the Swedish punsch.

• 2 oz. Swedish punsch 
• 1 oz. gin (Vitae Old Tom used)
• 1 oz. lemon juice

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

*Note the Tacoma, WA coaster representing Odd Otter Brewing Co.

(Virginia Local) Martinez

I love a Martinez, a very sweet gin Martini with sweet vermouth and Old Tom gin. This variation uses some ingredients local to Virginia.

MurLarkey ImaGination isn't an Old Tom gin exactly; it's sweeter than London Dry and has a lot of characteristics of the New American stye of gin going around. There's no malted barley in MurLarkey, but the botanical blend is rich and not overpowered by juniper or citrus. A Martinez made with ImaGination is pretty close to the ones made during the golden era of cocktails.

Mt. Defiance also makes a rustic sweet vermouth, an herbal fortified wine with lots of sweetness that I think comes from the residual sugar of the grape and not from caramel like Italian vermouths. These ingredients work well together in the classic Martinez.

• 1 1/2 oz. Old Tom gin (ImaGination used)
• 1 1/2 oz. sweet vermouth (Mt. Defiance used)
• 1/4 oz. maraschino liqueur
• 2 dashes Angostura bitters (Hella orange--with its baking spice flavors--used)
• orange twist

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