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. 

Blown Rose (Death & Co. Recipe)

 

The coaster in this picture says it all. Death & Co. has some of the most innovative cocktails back when nobody knew how to make a Manhattan. This one is especially fun to make as well as to drink. For starters, I've never muddled apple slices before. This is easier than it looks. Also, chamomile rye is the perfect pairing for apple and cinnamon flavors. The pineapple and lime juice sound tropical, but they just lend sweet acids and balance to the spirits giving the overall effect of having apple pie in a glass. 

Just looking at the name of this drink, you'd assume it has a natural relationship to the Jack Rose or any Rose cocktail that usually involves a spirit, lime juice and grenadine. But there is so much more going on here. A few of my modifications happened naturally based on what I have available and my personal preferences for stocking my kitchen. 

The chamomile tea is Republic of Tea's Chamomile Lemon, which has no lemon in it but it does have lemon balm in it. This is an herbal flavor that doesn't step on but adds to the complexity of other flavors. The cinnamon syrup is a mix of my cane sugar syrup and MurLarkey cinnamon whiskey--the best shortcut for syrup making I've ever come up with. (MurLarkey infuses cinnamon into their spirit so you don't have to.)

It is important to use Fuji apples, as a Granny Smith or Golden Delicious just won't taste the same. Cut the slices thin so that they are easy to muddle. The rest takes care of itself.

• 3 Fuji apple slices
• 2 oz. chamomile-infused rye (Rittenhouse used)
• 1/2 oz. pineapple juice
• 1/2 oz. lime juice
• 1/2 oz. cinnamon bark syrup (simple syrup and MurLarkey cinnamon whiskey used)
• 1 lime wheel garnish
  

Muddle apple slices in the shaker before adding the remaining ingredients with ice. Shake and double strain into a chilled coupe glass. Garnish with a lime wheel.  

La Dolce Vita (Death & Co. Recipe)

Like a Boulivardier or Negroni but with fun rye and St-Germain. That's how I think of this cocktail; and it was really enjoyable as a simple, ruby-colored cocktail that was both easy to make and easy to drink.

 

The think that makes this drink stand out is the infusion of chamomile tea into the rye. I used Republic of Tea's Chamomile Lemon tea (which doesn't have the acidity of actual lemon but lemon balm instead.) Rye and chamomile have really complementary flavors--not unlike apples and cinnamon--but spicy with alcoholic kick. This is balanced with sweet floral St-Germain and given bitter traction and an attractive look by the hefty pour of Campari. This drink, like life, is beautiful!

• 2 oz. chamomil-infused Rittenhouse rye (with Republic of Tea Chamomile Lemon)
• 3/4 oz. Campari
• 1/2 oz. St-Germain

Combine all ingredients in a mixing glass with ice. Stir and strain over a large format ice in an Old Fashioned glass. 

 

Trembling Bell (Death & Co. Recipe)

 

My final St. Patrick's Day cocktail for the year looks a lot like the last one, a little like a cloudy sour. That's due to the honey syrup and chamomile-infused rye. Believe it or not, this is a stirred drink! There is no juice, and it did taste boozy, but overall it was super fruity. 

If I did anything a little unorthodox with this recipe, it was substituting peach flavored bourbon for creme de peche. There's nothing like that in Virginia, but I know that a creme de peche is sweet and will have a candy-like peach presence. Evan Williams peach bourbon has the right flavor (a little too much of it) but it needs the sugar from the honey syrup to balance. I did not change the protestations at all. 

For all the fuss of being Irish, this cocktail is mostly an infused rye drink. Again, I'm opting for the malt characteristics of Virginia Distilling Company's Brewer's Batch for this cocktail instead of any run of the mill blended Irish whiskey. It has the malt requirement to give heft to rye and honey.

• 1 1/2 oz. chamomile-infused Rittenhouse rye
• 1 oz. Knappogue Castle 12-Year Irish whiskey (Virginia Distilling Company Brewer's Batch used)
• 3/4 oz. Cocchi Americano (Dolin Blanc used)
• 1 tsp. Massenez creme de peche (Evan William's peach whiskey used)
• 1/2 tsp. honey syrup
• 1 lemon twist 

Combine all ingredients except twist in a mixing glass with ice. Stir and strain into a chilled coupe. Twist lemon zest over the drink and discard. 

Paddy Melt (Death & Co. Recipe)

 

This is a great drink with a questionable name. You only get away with puns this bad on St. Patrick's Day, for sure. Normally an Irish cocktail requires Irish whiskey, but in this case, malted whiskey is more important to impart that sweet "melt" flavor we are looking for. 

That's why I used Virginia Distilling Company's Brewer's Batch whiskey. This is a smoke-free scotch and American whiskey blend that's aged in Scottish Ale barrels, so it's loaded with malt character and light oak, just like malted Irish whiskey. I usually have Amaro Meletti on hand, but this time I had to fudge it. the 1/2 oz. I needed is comprised of Ambrosia Apertivo with a drop of Liquore Strega for the minty herbal notes of Meletti. Finally, I infused Rittenhouse rye with chamomile tea to get the apple notes the cocktail is designed to have. 

• 1 1/2 oz. Knappaugue Castle-12 Year Irish whiskey (Virginia Distilling Company Brewer's Batch used)
• 1/2 oz. chamomile-infused rye
• 1/2 oz. Amaro Meletti (Don Ciccio and Figili Ambrosia plus 1 dash Strega used)
• 3/4 oz. lemon juice
• 1/2 oz. cane sugar syrup

Shake all ingredients with ice and strain into a fancy fizz glass.