What The Kirsh? (Original Recipe)

 

It may look like a Cosmopolitan; it may even taste a little like one, but that pink citrusy drink with a lime wedge is not a vodka a and cranberry served up. 

Kirschwasser is a German cherry brandy that has fruity, ether-like notes of black cherries. It is clear and strong and great as a base for a stiff cocktail. The pink comes from the creme de noyaux, an almond liquor. Creme de cacao rounds out the sweetness of the drink with Tootsie Roll notes. This balances just a kiss of lime acidity. See where this is going? Make it and find out.

• 2 oz. Kammer-Kirsch
• 1 oz. Tempus Fugit creme de noyaux
• 1/4 oz. creme de cacao
• squeeze of 1/8 lime wedge
  
• lime wedge garnish

Combine liquid ingredients in a shaker with ice. Shake and double strain into a chilled cocktail glass. Garnish with the lime wedge.

Solera Sidecar (Death & Co. Recipe)

 

I have been waiting to do this cocktail for a while, hoping to source the exact ingredients for the recipe. Unfortunately, I used up the last of my East India Solera sherry during Halloween and I haven't seen it in stores since then. But I figured I could make this recipe with cream sherry, and it definitely works. 

The idea behind this craft Sidecar is to substitute excellent ingredients (and sherry) into a well-known cocktail recipe that is essentially a cognac sour with orange liqueur. Sweet sherry adds richness, as does ameretto and cognac-based orange liqueur like Grand Marnier. The problem remained that I had neither of the latter ingredients as well. Then it occurred to me that I do have a cognac-based orange liqueur and an almond liqueur, they just weren't the brand names the recipe called for.

So I substituted homemade Mandarine Napoleon for Grand Marnier--which is an easy solution. I also used Tempus Fugit creme de Noyaux, a French, rather than Italian, almond liqueur. It worked out well, and the effect of the craft Sidecar was pulled off. In addition I got to use my homemade orange liqueur.

• 1 1/2 oz. cognac (Meukow used)
• 1/2 oz. East India Solera Sherry (Dona Luisa cream sherry used)
• 1/4 oz. Grand Marnier (homemade Mandarine Napoleon used)
• 1/4 oz. Lazxaroni ameretto (Tempus Fugit creme de noyaux used)
• 1/2 oz. lemon juice
• 1/4 oz. simple syrup

Combine all ingredients in a shaker with ice. Shake and double strain into a coupe glass. 

Undertow

 

I really like the combination of flavors in this crushed ice cocktail. There's gin, there's rich rum and nutty creme de noyaux. The fruit flavors are a mix of classic lime juice like a Daiquiri and gummy tasting guava syrup. Undertow is the dangerous current beneath the surface of the water that swimmers must be wary of. You see it in shallows alongside reefs or in rivers beneath a waterfall. Undertow will take you down. 

In this cocktail, the danger beneath the very calm and relaxing surface of tropical flavors is the one-two punch of rum and gin. I used British-themed spirits to represent both in this cocktail. I only wish I had a little British flag as a garnish.

• 1 1/2 oz. gold Jamaican rum (Pusser's used)
• 1 1/2 oz. gin (Bulldog used)
• 1/2 oz. creme de noyaux (Tempus Fugit used)
• 1 oz. lime juice
• 1/2 oz. guava or passion fruit syrup (guava used)
• lime twist

Combine all liquid ingredients in a blender with ice. Blend briefly and pour into a chilled Old Fashioned glass. Twist lime peel over the drink and drop it in the glass. 

Stonybrook

I really liked the intense orange and nutty flavors of this cocktail. Yes, there is orange in there, but it is not a citrus drink at all. Triple sec is flavored with orange zest, not juice, and egg white and creme de noyaux soften and sweeten the drink. What you get is a burst of liqueurs with a silky texture and a pretty pink color.

I doubled down on the orange zest by substituting MurLarkey's orange whiskey for plain blended whiskey. It really improves the cocktail. You have to try it to understand.

• 1 1/2 oz. blended whiskey (MurLarkey orange whiskey used)
• 1/2 oz. triple sec
• 1/2 oz. creme de noyaux (Tempus Fugit used)
• 1/2 egg white (Or one whole egg white for two)
• lemon or orange twist or both

Combine all ingredients except for citrus zests in a shaker with ice. Shake vigorously and strain to remove ice. Return liquid to a shaker without ice and shake again to increase foam. Pour into a chilled cocktail glass and garnish with lemon or orange twists. 

7 of Hearts

One of the Seagram's Seven cocktails associated with playing cards, the Seven of Hearts is a rich and rewarding long drink that satisfies the sweet tooth. How do you make America's smoothest whiskey even easier to drink? Add amaretto and orange juice. That's basically it.

I used Tempus Fugeit creme de noyaux as an amaretto substitute since they are basically equivalent. Since the seven of hearts is a red suit, I thought that noyaux actually made an improvement with its bright red color.

• 1 1/2 oz. Seagram's Seven Crown whiskey
• 1/2 oz. amaretto (Tempus Fugeit creme de noyaux used)
• 1 tsp grenadine
• 6 oz. orange juice

Build drink in a Collins glass by adding the first three ingredients. Then add ice and top with orange juice. Stir gently before serving. 

Lillet Noyaux

Sounding so French, this cocktail is really just the names of two ingredients. Lillet Blanc is an aromatized and fortified wine from the Bordeaux region. Creme de Noyaux is a nutty, pink liqueur made with peach pits and almonds. Together, this drink tastes very French with just a hint of gin to cut the sweetness.

Remember this cocktail for one of those low ABV drinks. The main ingredient, Lillet, is not as strong as a 80-proof gin. And the gin is a small component of the overall drink.

•  1 /12 oz. Lillet Blanc
• 1/2 oz. gin (Vitae Old Tom used)
• 1 tsp. creme de Noyaux (Tempus Fugeit used)
• orange twist

Combine liquid ingredients in a mixing glass with ice. Stir and strain into a chilled cocktail glass. Twist the orange peel over the drink and drop it in. 

St. Patrick's Day Fizzy Drinks with Proper Twelve

 

I've revisited two good drinks for St. Patrick's day, or any day so long as you have a bar stocked with Irish whiskey and some quality mix-ins. My first attempt at the Wicklow Cooler was with orgeat. This is an alternative recipe using falernum. Either way, you get one of those tropical whiskey drinks that somehow work fine. You could be enjoying this on any island, but it just so happens that the whiskey comes from the island of Ireland. 

• 1 1/2 oz. Irish whiskey (Proper Twelve used)
• 1 oz. dark rum (Vitae Barrel-Aged used)
• 1/2 oz. lime juice
• 1 oz. orange juice
• 1 tsp. falernum (homemade used)
• ginger ale

Combine all ingredients except soda in a shaker or blender. Pour into a chilled Collins glass. Top with ginger ale.

Next up is the Glenbeigh Fizz. This is a nutty and pink cocktail that should be done in a long drink. My first attempt used different ingredients, but now I have quality Creme de Noyaux from Tempus Fugit and Proper Twelve Irish whiskey. The recipe calls for medium sherry and I remember using cream sherry. This update, Amontillado or lighter sherry only, increases the nuttiness of the drink and really draws forward the grain flavor of the whiskey.

• 1 1/2 oz. Irish whiskey
• 1 oz. medium sherry
• 1/2 oz. creme de noyaux (Tempus Fugit creme de noyaux used)
• 1/2 oz. lemon juice
• club soda

Mix all ingredients except club soda and lemon slice with ice in a shaker. Pour into a chilled highball glass and fill with club soda.

Ricard Floridian

Alright. It's not Christmas anymore and this Florida-themed drink is neither a holiday treat, nor a tropical cocktail. It is a perfect example of a drink not knowing what it is. I do know, however, that it was surprisingly refreshing on crushed ice, and I can see what the bartender was thinking. This is an easy way to get tourists to try pastis in a refreshing and exotic mix.

Ricard is a strong anise and licorice spirit with a caramel color. When you add water to it, the herbs express out in a hazy cloud like absinthe. This pairs well with the boldly red Creme de Noyaux by Tempus Fugit. This is a peach pit and almond liqueur that adds a nutty sweetness to balance the bitter herbs and grapefruit in this drink. You can use amaretto or orgeat as a substitute, but you lose the effect of the bright color.

• 1 1/2 oz. Ricard
• 1 tsp. Creme de Noyaux
• 4 oz. grapefruit juice

Combine all ingredients with cracked ice in a shaker or blender. Shake or blend briefly and pour into a chilled double Old Fashioned glass. 

Mikado

I've made this cocktail before (I love this picture, too): the reason I'm bringing it back is that I love the ingredients I have on hand now. It completely changes the nature of this drink do do it with good brandy and Tempus Fugit Creme de Noyaux. This spirit is made with apricot and peach pits and almonds. It is very sweet and creamy, but it has a bitter and earthy notes that go well with a rich brandy.

Liber & Co. orgeat also makes this drink rich and nutty. I'm not sure what the flavor profile has to do with the faux Japanese-themed Gilbert and Sullivan opera, but I can better appreciate this drink as a complete, sweet and rich experience.

• 3 oz. brandy (Asbach Uralt used)
• 1/4 tsp. creme de noyaux (Tempus Fugit used)
• 1/4 tsp. triple sec
• 1/4 tsp. orgeat syrup (Liber & Co. used)
• 3-5 dashes of Angostura bitters

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

Nutcracker

Creme de Noyaux is an important part of making the Nutcracker nutty. It is made with almonds, stone fruit pits, and herbs and is more bitter than amaretto. I am using Tempus Fugit's excellent Creme de Noyaux, which is great to sip by itself--something you can't say about those bargain cremes.

The other ingredient the recipe calls for is coconut amaretto. I'm not sure that this spirit ever existed, or if it did, it was a limited run. My guess is that the New York Bartender's Guide includes this drink as a way to showcase liquors that existed at some time in the past, but I doubt that you'll find a commercially available coconut amaretto now.

So to make it I used cream of coconut, vodka and amaretto. (Note: I really only made enough coconut amaretto for one cocktail, but the basic process and proportions should hold true for a larger batch if you wish to make it.) I especially liked how this homemade spirit was reminiscent of amaretto but with a cloudy white color and coconut sweetness. Put one part coconut cream in a jar and add an equal part of vodka to it. Add several dashes of amaretto to the mixture, seal the jar and shake it until the coconut is suspended. Store it in the refrigerator for a few hours and the thicker, white and fatty parts of the coconut will float to the surface, leaving a cloudy coconut vodka underneath. Skim off the white coconut fat and you have a coconut amaretto underneath!

The cocktail itself is much simpler to make.

• 2 oz. coconut amaretto
• 2 oz. creme de Noyaux (Tempus Fugit used)
• 2 oz. half-and-half

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

Old Etonian

I'm reposting the Old Etonian cocktail as one of the rare classic drinks that use creme de noyaux. This is not even one of the cocktails in the New York Bartender's guide, but it is one of my favorites and I wanted to try it with my new bottle of creme de noyaux by Tempus Fugit. This creme is very classic itself. It goes back to the days when cremes were consumed by themselves--they were twice as strong then, as Tempus Fugit cremes are today--and were not thought of as cheap liqueurs that seldom get used.

This cocktail had its origins in England and pays tribute to Eaton College, a boys boarding school for those with wealth and influence.

• 1 1/2 oz. gin (MurLarkey ImaGination used)
• 1 1/2 oz. Lillet blanc
• 2 dashes Creme de Noyaux (Tempus Fugit used)
• 2 dashes orange bitters (Hella used) 

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

Pink Squirrel

The Pink Squirrel is one of a family of cream based drinks that takes advantage of creme de cacao and another cream. Like the Grasshopper, it is a chocolaty dessert drink but creme de noyaux makes it especially nutty.

• 2 oz. half and half
• 1 oz. creme de cacao
• 1 oz. creme de noyaux

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

Old Etonian

This is an old college drink, if it isn't Ivy League. An Etonian is someone who works at or attends Eton College. It was a little unintended, but the drink becomes layered when you add the creme de noyaux and bitters. The bitters float and the creme sinks. The lines on the glass really illustrate this effect.

• 1 1/2 oz. gin
• 1 1/2 oz. Lillet Blanc
• 2 dashes of creme de noyaux
• 2 dashes of orange bitters (Peychaud's pictured)

Combine gin and Lillet in a shaker with ice. Shake and strain into a cocktail glass. Add bitters adn creme de noyaux.

Mikado

Another drink to go with the Cherry Blossom festival, this is a Japanese-themed drink named after a Gilbert and Sullivan opera.

• 3 oz. brandy
• 1/4 tsp. creme de noyaux
• 1/4 tsp. triple sec
• 1/4 tsp. orgeat syrup
• 3-5 dashes of Angostura bitters

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