Blazing Saddles (Death & Co. Recipe)

Blazing Saddles is a funny title for a pretty serious cocktail--not at all like the movie by the same name. I guess that the original recipe's calling for High West whiskey has something to do with the inspiration for the drink. 

High West silver oat whiskey is something I've never tried and I fear I could be a long way off on flavor with my substitution of Catoctin Creek Colossal X malt barley whiskey. Maybe I'm not, though.

I made other changes to the recipe with my knockoff Combier Pamplemousse liqueur (a grain spirit infusion of grapefruit peels and juice) and my easy cinnamon syrup (which is basically a dash of MurLarkey cinnamon whiskey in my demerara syrup. 

The overall effect is less blazing cinnamon and more just a balanced cinnamon and grapefruit sour with a malty whiskey center. This is one of Death & Co.'s more approachable recipes both for bartenders and drinkers. It won't challenge either of them. 

• 2 oz. High West silver oat whiskey (Catoctin Creek Colossal X malt barley whiskey used)
• 1/2 oz. Combier Pamplemousse rose liqueur (homemade used)
• 3/4 oz. lemon juice
• 1/2 oz. cinnamon syrup (MurLarkey cinnamon whiskey and simple used)
• 1 dash Bittermen's Elemakule Tiki bitters (Angostura used)
• 1 grapefruit twist garnish

Combine all ingredients except garnish in a shaker with ice. Shake and strain into a chilled coupe. Garnish with the twist of grapefruit.

Soul Clench (Death & Co. Recipe)

 

This grape and grapefruit spirit cocktail has everything but juice. There's pisco and vermouth for the main notes, but accents of elderflower and spice from St-Germain and falernum. 

There is also an unusual ingredient known as Combier Pamplemousse Rose Liqueur. This is made from the juice and peel of grapefruit steeped in cognac--and it's lovely. I knocked it off with the peel of one grapefruit and one ounce of its juice infused into 2 oz. of vodka and one oz. of cognac for about twelve hours. A lovely taste and very brilliant, but I only made enough for two drinks. 

• 2 oz. pisco (Capel used)
• 3/4 oz. Dolin dry vermouth
• 1/2 oz. Combier Pamplemousse Rose Liqueur (homemade used: see above)
• 1/2 oz. oz. St-Germain
• 1/4 oz. falernum (homemade used)
• 1 grapefruit twist garnish

Combine liquid ingredients in a mixing glass full of ice. Stir and strain into a chilled cocktail glass. Twist the grapefruit peel over the glass and drop it in.