Chi-Chi

A fun tropical drink, the Chi-Chi is no more than a rum and pineapple juice mixer. The thing that stands out here is blackberry brandy used as a floater. For some reason you see blackberry brandy in tiki cocktails, used almost exclusively as a floater.

There are really no brandies made from blackberry juice. The flavor come from natural or artificial additives in a brandy or sugary liqueur. You can use these store bought versions; I made my own blackberry brandy by cooking a blackberry syrup and adding it to cognac. It's pretty smooth and fruity, and it is at least made from real stuff.

• 2 oz. light rum
• 1/2 oz. blackberry brandy
• pineapple juice

Pour light rum into a highball glass full of ice (crushed is preferable) and add pineapple juice until it is almost full. Stir lightly and float blackberry brandy on top. 

Cadiz

This is a nice citrus and cream dessert drink made with sherry and blackberry brandy. Fino sherry is designed to be dry and light to counter the sweetness of the triple sec and blackberry brandy.

Cadiz is the name of the province from which sherry is made in Spain. I'm not sure how the rest of the drink fits with the name, though. I like how strong it is, and how well the orange and blackberry flavors balance with sherry. For this I used my apple brandy into which I infused blackberries and mixed with sugar.

• 1 1/2 oz. dry sherry
• 1 oz. blackberry brandy (home made blackberry flavored brandy used)
• 1/2 oz. triple sec
• 1/2 oz. half-and-half

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

Allegheny

This is another one of those blackberry brandy and bourbon cocktails that I love. The Allegheny is similar to the Black Dog, an Old Fashioned glass serving with identical ingredients in different proportions. This cocktail is more like a bourbon sour with blackberry flavor. That flavor comes from my homemade blackberry brandy (American brandy infused with real blackberries) and a tsp. of blackberry preserves. Here's how to make the cocktail the way I made it. If you have store bought blackberry brandy, omit steps involving blackberry preserves. Your brandy will be sweet enough not to need the preserves.

• 1 1/2 oz. bourbon
• 1 oz. dry vermouth
• 1 tbsp. blackberry flavored brandy
• (seedless blackberry preserves optional)
• 2 tsp. lemon juice
• lemon twist

Muddle blackberry preserves in a shaker with bourbon, blackberry brandy, vermouth and lemon juice until it dissolves completely. Add ice and shake. Strain into a chilled cocktail glass. Garnish with lemon twist.

Black Dog

It's that lovable character from Stevenson's Treasure Island; it's that rocking song by Led Zeppelin; it's also a drink. The Black Dog is a blackberry brandy cocktail with a base of bourbon. You could just buy blackberry brandy, but where I live you can only get cheap sugar syrup liqueur. I wanted real blackberry flavor in brandy.

I started with blackberry infused E & J brandy that I made months ago. It is dry and tart, so I wanted to add more natural berry flavor. I recalled a story I did on jelly used in cocktails and picked up a jar of seedless blackberry preserves. You can try it my way or follow the recipe at the bottom.

• 3 oz. bourbon
• 1 oz. dry vermouth
• 1/2 oz. blackberry brandy

Build cocktail in a mixing glass. Add brandy and dry vermouth and muddle 1 tsp. seedless blackberry preserves until it dissolves. Add bourbon and ice and stir until chilled. Strain into an Old Fashioned glass with fresh ice.

Warsaw Cocktail

Again with the notion that blackberries make a drink Polish, the Warsaw Cocktail uses blackberry brandy to sweeten and flavor this vodka drink. One difference with mine is that I used my blackberry infused brandy--no artificial colors or flavors here--which means that it was less sweet and I had to balance the dryness by using less lemon juice. Make the recipe as listed if you have store bought blackberry brandy. Reduce lemon juice to 1 tsp. if you infused your own.

• 2 oz. vodka
• 1 oz. blackberry brandy
• 1 tbsp. lemon juice
• 1/2 oz. dry vermouth

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

Poop Deck Cocktail

Less of a pirate drink and more of a Royal Navy cocktail, the Poop Deck is reminiscent of old colonial wine based drinks. There's rich grape flavor and nuttiness from the American brandy and ruby port. The blackberry brandy doesn't register as much given how much fruity sweetness dominates the drink. I imagine George Washington tossing one of these back over his false teeth.

• 2 oz. brandy (Catoctin Creek 1757 Reserve used)
• 1 oz. ruby port
• 1/2 oz. blackberry brandy

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

Polish Sidecar

So I assume that the word Polish in the title is an adjective not a verb, since all drink titles are capitalized. The inclusion of blackberries somehow makes anything Polish, as does plum brandy and sausage. But this drink uses blackberry brandy and lots of gin, which I'm sure some Polish people will enjoy. If nothing else, you can polish the glass before you make it.

I also recommend a tsp. of sugar to sweeten the drink. Unless you use a really cheap and sweet blackberry brandy, this will be way too sour.

• 2 oz. gin
• 1 oz. blackberry brandy
• 1 oz. lemon juice
• fresh blackberries

Combine all ingredients except berries in a shaker or blender with ice. Shake or blend and pour into a sour glass or wine goblet. Garnish with blackberries.

Polonaise

For a Spanish rocks sipper not unlike a scotch drink, the Polonaise is a sweet way to go. Sweet sherry and Catoctin Creek 1757 Virginia Brandy with its oakiness and wine flavors keep the flavors round and rich. For this recipe I made my own blackberry brandy by infusing muddled blackberries in a cup of brandy for two days. Then I strained them out and added a touch of sugar syrup. It's still a tart brandy with a rich red color. Not as sweet as storebought brandy made from real blackberries, but not as expensive either.

• 2 oz. brandy
• 1/2 oz. blackberry brandy (blackberry infused brandy used instead)
• 1/2 oz. sherry (dry recommended but sweet cream used)
• 3 dashes lemon juice
• dash orange bitters
• blackberry (optional)

Combine ingredients with ice in a shaker. Shake well and strain into a chilled Old Fashioned glass with fresh ice (large cubes recommended.)