Roselyn

It's a little mysterious, the name. Roselyn could be the name of the inventor of the drink, or a famous drinker of the drink. It might be, and it's a stretch, a corruption of the name of Romeo's unrequited love. I like to think that the cocktail refers to the high-rise community in Northern Virginia.

(Roselyn as seen from the Potomac is a towering skyline West of Washington D.C.)

If indeed this drink is a shout out to this part of Arlington county, then I picked the perfect gin. Commonwealth Gin is a Virginia original made in Richmond. Is an American gin in its style--very far from dry British gin. It has an odor (an this might not be a bad thing) of ethanol and a funky and almost nutty or malty flavor that's more common in Old Tom style gins. I don't want to call it citrus-forward, because it's not, and the juniper is really toned down as well. It has a thicker feel on the palate, and feels like it is stronger than its 40 percent ABV. It really stands out and would make a nice sipper on the rocks. 

I also took this opportunity to select Mancino vermouth for my new dry vermouth. Mancino secco is an Italian dry vermouth that packs a lot of flavor into a fortified wine. The manufacturer lists sage, marjoram, oregano as Italian herbs that are added, and citrus, lemongrass, and pimento and nutmeg are some of the detectable flavors. When you use this vermouth with a subtle spirit, expect to taste it. 

So the Roselyn is a good drink depending on your ingredients. I really noticed both the gin and vermouth and lemon zest. What you won't notice is the grenadine. The portion is so small that it only affects the color and sweetens a little. You are not going to taste pomegranate. 

• 2 oz. gin (Commonwealth Gin used)
• 1 oz. dry vermouth (Mancino secco used)
• 1/2 tsp. grenadine
•  lemon twist

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

Pink Gin

I'm not sure this is a cocktail, just like I'm not sure having vodka shaken and strained into a cocktail glass makes it a cocktail. Either way, Pink Gin has more going for it than chilled booze. It has bitters!

Sloe gin is known as purple gin because of the addition of sloe berry liqueur. But Pink Gin comes from adding Angostura bitters. It is a beautiful color that comes from the proprietary blend of citrus zest, cinchona bark, (maybe angostura bark?) and a ton of secrecy that the FDA has not been able to penetrate.

The recipe asks only that you add as much bitters as you like to taste. A small amount will make the gin pink without changing the flavor much. I have several kinds of bitters, but for a pink color, I prefer Peychaud's bitters. The flavor they give is light and very dry. Not so much kitchen spice as other bitters. Angostura tends to add a brown color that Peychaud's doesn't have. Do as you wish: that seems to be the theme of this cocktail.

• 2 oz. gin (dry preferred)
• several dashes Angostura bitters to taste (Peychaud's recommended)

Combine all ingredients in a mixing glass with cracked ice. Mix until chilled and strain into a chilled cocktail glass or Old Fashioned glass.

Slow Comfortable Screw

The Slow Comfortable Screw is from the family of increasingly humorously named cocktails based on the Screwdriver. The Screwdriver (vodka and orange juice) becomes a Slow Screw when sloe gin is added, and sexual innuendo is implied. Southern Comfort makes the drink even more "comfortable."

Take this recipe and add Galliano (the key ingredient in a Harvey Wallbanger) and you get the Slow Comfortable Screw Against A Wall (Not yet on my blog.) But here is the strong but approachable (and comfortable) beach classic.

• 2 oz. vodka
• 1 oz. sloe gin
• 1/2 oz. Southern Comfort
•  orange juice

Combine all ingredients in a shaker with ice. Shake and strain into a highball glass full of ice. 

Sloe Tequila

There are a few things that are strange about this cocktail. One is that there's sloe gin in it. Another is that there's tequila and sloe gin used together. Then, it is a slushy blended cocktail. Finally, cucumbers?

What I liked about the drink though was how well sloe gin and tequila have a bite to them. It is fruity and herbal. And somehow cucumber slices soak their mellowing and vegetable flavor into the slush to make for an interesting scent and a chilly slurp. And hey, it is a tequila drink that's not a Margarita spin off. Made this one just to prove that it can be done.

• 2 oz. white tequila
• 1 oz. sloe gin
• 1/2 oz. lime juice
• cucumber slice

Combine tequila, sloe gin and lime juice in a blender with cracked ice. Blend on low until slushy and pour into an Old Fashioned glass. Garnish with cucumber slice.

Gentle Ben

I was wondering before I made this cocktail, why it gets the kind moniker of Gentle Ben. Who is this? Why is the drink named after someone whom this adjective is applied. I found after drinking it, however, that the drink is very gentle to your senses, but delivers more than four ounces of liquor. It was gone very quickly and I felt like I could have another drink.

An hour later I was buzzed out of my mind off this one cocktail. When you see the proportions, you will know why, but the magic of orange juice makes it so you hardly notice the level of toxicity sneaking in behind it. Everyone needs a Gentle Ben from time to time.

• 2 oz. white tequila
• 1 oz. vodka
• 1 oz. gin
• 1/2 cup orange juice
• 1 tsp. sloe gin
• orange slice

Combine all ingredients except sloe gin and orange slice in a shaker with ice. Shake and pour into a highball glass. Float sloe gin on top and garnish with an orange slice.

Juicy Julep

Hot days sometimes call for refreshing non-alcoholic drinks. And sometimes you want to lay off the booze without looking like you need to lay off the booze. This one fits the bill. Anybody who sees the mint in this drink will assume you have some kind of Mojito. And mint and ginger ale give the cocktail an almost-alcoholic zing. Raspberry syrup is what makes it work, though, and it is responsible for the brilliant pink color. This non-alcoholic drink is perfect for using up all those tiki ingredients before they go bad.

• 1 oz. pineapple juice
• 1 oz. orange juice
• 1 oz. lime juice
• 1/2 oz. raspberry syrup
• 5 crushed mint leaves
•  mint sprig
• ginger ale

Combine juices, crushed min and raspberry syrup in a shaker with ice. Shake and pour into a highball glass. Top with ginger ale and garnish with mint sprig.

St. Mark's Place Lemonade (Non-Alcoholic)

I guess I am becoming a blogger on all home-made drinks, not just alcoholic ones. This lemonade is very tart, with passion fruit syrup and lime juice and not a lot of sugar for balance. Of course make it to your liking, but that tartness is pretty key to the idea behind the St. Mark's Place Lemonade.

• 2 oz. lemon juice
• 2 oz. lime juice
• 1 tsp. sugar
• 2 tsp. passion fruit syrup
• orange slice
• sparkling water

Combine all ingredients except sparkling water and orange slice in a shaker with ice. Shake and strain into a highball glass almost full of ice. Top with sparkling water. Garnish with orange slice.