Cablegram

The infamous Cablegram

• 2 oz. blended (Canadian) whiskey
• 1/2 oz. lemon juice
• 1tsp. Sugar
• Ginger ale

Muddle sugar in lemon juice and add ice and whiskey. Stir and top off with ginger ale. Garnish with a lemon wheel.

This drink has a reputation as a dangerous mind eraser. At each party where it was consumed (among other things) the drinker reported a loss of memory. This is accomplished with a good helping of Black Velvet Canadian whiskey, which is the active ingredient in all the mind erasing examples I’ve served. Enjoy, but remember to leave yourself post-it notes for tomorrow.

The Toasted Caramel Manhattan

Something You Can’t Make Without Flavored Whiskey

• 4 parts (2 oz.) Canadian, bourbon, or blended whiskey
• 2 parts (1 oz.) Black Velvet Toasted Caramel whiskey

Shake over ice and strain into a cocktail glass. Garnish with a cherry if desired.

Canadian Whiskey

Last week I had a guest at the bar who wanted help narrowing down his whiskey preferences. He knew he liked whiskey and that it was good in mixed drinks, but he wasn’t sure which kind of whiskey he liked most. I made a variety of drinks for him, mostly very tropical and sweet to fit his palate, and discovered exactly what he thought. He liked Canadian whiskey.

Canadian whiskey is probably the easiest whiskey to mix with because it is always blended and very smooth. There’s no malting or smoking and the multiple distillations and aging in new oak pretty much mean that the only thing you taste is the alcohol and the barrel. In this way, Canadian whiskey is like the vodka of whiskeys.

That’s not to say that Canadian whiskey is inferior to scotch or bourbon, Irish or Japanese, it is just different. There are some outstanding blends like the one above that stand out very well on their own. They have their own distinctive flavor, more spicy than bourbon, milder than a rye, drier than most scotches—Canadian whiskey tends to have a strong alcohol burn with a light palate and soft oak notes. Some of the better blends like Crown Royal Reserve have milk chocolate flavors and a long-lasting finish.

Other Canadian whiskeys are the perfect price for experimenting by mixing with maple syrup in a Manhattan or a Canadian Dog Sled cocktail. The Blinker I made yesterday is made with Black Velvet, a 3 year old whiskey, that allowed the grapefruit flavors of the drink to stand in the forefront while keeping oak in reserve. Try mixing Canadian whiskey with pineapple juice and creme de cacao for a Kona Cooler or with light rum in a Lord Rodney. You’d be surprised how close to the tropics Canada can get with its whiskey.

Old Fashioned

• 4 parts blended whiskey, bourbon, rye, Canadian whiskey (2 oz.)
• simple syrup
• dash of bitters
• 1-2 orange wheels and maraschino cherry.

Muddle orange wheels and one or two cherries with a tsp. of simple syrup. Add a dash of bitters to the mixture and pour whiskey on top. Add ice and stir.

This is a classic cocktail with many variations, as you can see from how non-specific whiskey ingredients. Some recipes call for a sugar cube muddled in water and bitters; some say to add a lemon twist with no mention of orange or cherry. So it is really a cocktail for which the recipe comes down to personal preference. On my bar I keep 4 categories of whisky/ whiskey—scotch, Irish whiskey, Canadian whiskey, and straight bourbon whiskey. Occasionally I will have a blended American whiskey, rye,  Tennessee whiskey, or single malt American whiskey. Any of these would be acceptable for making an Old Fashioned.

Canadian whiskey is a good compromise in this drink. It has the dryness of rye without the heavier oak and vanilla flavors of bourbon. It is also less spicy compared to a rye because all Canadian whiskey (which contains a percentage of rye) is blended for smoothness. Experiment with your favorite whiskey when you make an Old Fashioned, but also—and here’s a tip—try making the drink with whiskey you don’t enjoy as much by itself. If someone gives you a bottle of rye or blended whiskey that you aren’t a fan of, chances are that it will improve in your esteem when you mix with it. Sometimes it is the unusual and often off-putting flavors of a liquor that a mixed drink can balance and showcase.

Blinker

This is a rye cocktail that tames the most funky whiskeys. It's a simple and tropical presentation that is perfect poolside.

• 2 oz. rye
• 2 1/2 oz. grapefruit
• 1 tsp. grenadine

Shake all ingredients with ice in a shaker. Strain into a cocktail glass.

Grapefruit Cocktail

I thought the addition of Luxardo or cherry brandy makes this drink far more interesting than a Greyhound. Fresh squeezed grapefruit juice is much better for cocktails because it is less tart than the canned variety.

• 4 parts (2 oz.) gin
• 4 parts (2 oz.) grapefruit juice
• 2 tsp. maraschino liqueur
• Maraschino cherry.

Combine liquid ingredients with ice In a shaker. Strain into a cocktail glass. Garnish with cherry.

The Velvet Tango Room

Can’t say enough about the drinks at The Velvet Tango room. Every one made with with the finest and vintage ingredients.

Here I am enjoying The Last Word with the special ingredient, Green Chartreuse. It's amazing. Like nothing I've ever tasted. I can see why the color was named after the liqueur.

 

More cocktails from The Velvet Tango Room include classic Whiskey Sour, Aviation, and Blood and Sand.