Let's Play Gin

This spirit takes no back seat to anyone, for in the beginning . . .

Gin was the favorite pour of the masses, as the essence of various combined botanicals stimulated the senses, and on the tongue, lending the mind’s path to clear artistic dreams. Deriving its characteristic flavor from a bouquet of Juniper, Coriander, Orris, Angelica, Cassia, Licourice, Cubeb, Grains of Paradise, Almonds and Lemon Peel, these some or all combinations result in three different types of gin: Dry and London Dry are both unsweetened gins. Old Tom and Plymouth are both slightly sweetened gins, and Dutch (Genever) is a full-flavored gin. Back then the oil of juniper was a popular diuretic, and in the 17th century a respected Dutch physician utilized the blending of juniper waters with neutral distilled spirits as an easier way to administer medicine to patients. Juniper is native to Europe, southwestern Asia, the Himalayas, and North America, usually growing in coastal sites and mountainous regions. It is an evergreen shrub with aromatic berrylike fruit and scalelike foliage. Holland is the birthplace of gin, but England is now the producer of the world’s most popular gins.

Leading off is a mid-morning drink leftover from the Irish madness in March. The Clover Leaf Cocktail goes in a standard cocktail glass and is a shake & strain drink, getting 1 ½ oz Tanqueray gin, juice of ½ lemon, ¼ oz Trader Vic’s grenadine, and 1 egg white. Garnish with a mint sprig.

Named after double agent Vesper Lynd (played by Ursula Andress) in the early 007 film Casino Royale, The Vesper, created by Gilberto Preti, is a classic drink design from the Era of the Rat Pack. In a chilled cocktail glass, it gets 2 oz of Gordon’s gin, 1oz Stolichnaya vodka, and ½ oz Kina Lillet blonde. Garnish with an orange peel.

Right when you thought this combo wouldn’t quite work, well, it actually quite does, arcing your palate with a little more to figure out. A simple, yet complex variation, the Botanical Apple goes in a chilled martini glass and gets 2 oz Plymouth gin and 1oz Dekuyper sour apple Pucker schnapps. Garnish with a slice of green apple.

And yes, you can get the real thing sent right to your home from Europe these days, if you dare. For personal use only of course, the Absinthe Minded Martini starts by atomizing the chilled glass with Noilly Prat dry vermouth, then shake & strain 3 oz of Bombay Sapphire gin along with ½ oz La Fee absinthe (136 proof). Strain in, and float a ½ oz lace of Grand Marnier over
the top, and garnish with a twist of orange peel.

If this doesn’t have shades of Elvis written all over it, I don’t know what does, but I’ll use it. You don’t have to love me true, but at least Love Me Tender. This multi-stimulator of a drink gets 1 ¼ oz Gilbey’s gin, ¾ oz dry Sherry, ¼ oz Aperol, ¼ oz Pearl peach vodka and a dash of Bols apricot brandy. Shake very cold and strain in a glass. Garnish with a thin slice of peach.

Twisting Holland into this minted mix, let’s try out a
Genever Julep for this Spring. This fresh
and clean spritzy drink first calls for muddling a small batch of mint sprigs along with ¼ - ½ oz simple syrup in the bottom of a frosted goblet glass. Then add 2 oz of Damrak Amsterdam gin, fill the glass with cracked or crushed ice, and top with a splash of club soda. Garnish with a squeeze of a fresh juicy lime and a couple mint sprigs. Stir and serve.

Bonaparte was the Emperor of the French from 1804-1815, beginning at the young age of 35. Needless to say, the Napoleon Cocktail is named after him. This is a shake & strain drink that goes in a short footed glass, getting 2 oz Magellan gin, a dash of Dubonnet blanc, a dash of Hiram Walker curacao, and a dash of Fernet Branca. Garnish with a twist of lemon peel.

This cocktail could be an essential drink to consider putting on any high-end drink menu. The classy, aromatic Jasmine goes in a cocktail glass and is a shake & strain drink, pouring 1 ½ oz Martin Miller’s gin, ¼ oz Cointreau, ¼ oz Campari, and ¾ oz lemon juice. Garnish with a twist of lemon peel.

A Taste for Spring

Drink categories to consider for your next libation get-together with friends


From the 1890’s, Bell Ringers was a strained drink made from a stirred combination of various liquors, bitters, and gum syrup (known today as simple syrup). Before straining, coat the inside of the glass with apricot brandy (known back then as abricotine), giving it a special signature taste.

A Crusta is usually served either chilled or straight-up or over crushed/shaved ice, either in a wine, sour, or short glass with the option of sugar coated rim. The inside of the glass is lined with a long strip of citrus rind. The drink consists of a liquor of choice, juice of lemon or lime, a dash of bitters, and a dash of maraschino liqueur. Garnish with a ¼ chunk of orange – peeled. Crusta is meant to have a sugar-rimmed glass.

The Daisy is an oversized cocktail, usually with more alcohol than a normal drink. Served in a water goblet or a highball glass, the drink is composed of a base spirit of choice, lemon juice, raspberry or grenadine syrup, and club soda. Served over crushed ice and garnished with a twist of lemon peel. Known classics are the Brandy Daisy, Southern Comfort Daisy, as well as the use of vodka, gin, rum, or whiskey as the base spirit.

Fancy is a cocktail consisting of a base spirit – usually bourbon, brandy, scotch or gin, triple sec, sugar or powdered sugar, bitters, and lemon peel as the garnish. Shake & strain in a chilled martini or cocktail glass.

The Julep is made of bourbon, sugar, and mint leaves. With its origins in Kentucky, it is usually made with Kentucky bourbon. Make the drink in a tall, frosted collins glass or a footed stem of choice. Place all at the bottom of the glass to be muddled together. Then add crushed ice and top off with a dash of club soda. Garnish with a mint sprig.

The Shrub is a large batch drink comprised of a base liquor (usually rum or brandy), fruit juice, sugar, and a top of club soda. The old books have it to be prepped and stored for days and weeks. Poured over ice, the club soda is not to be stored, but as a top after the prep has been poured.

Smashes are really short juleps served in an old fashioned glass. Served over crushed ice, and made with a base spirit of choice, sugar or simple syrup, crushed mint leaves, and a top of club soda. Garnish with an orange slice and a cherry. Depending on the liquor used, a twist of lemon peel can also be used. Classics are the Brandy Smash and Southern Comfort Smash.

A Swizzle is a drink made with a base spirit, citrus juice, sugar or simple syrup or a sweet liqueur such as curacao (orange). Shake and Strain over crushed ice in a collins glass, and stir with a swizzle rod until the glass forms a frosty exterior. A 40’s recipe even included a dash of bitters. Garnish with fresh fruit of choice.

Room 562 - Monastery

Warm Zen Bones for entrance into the Meditative State

Fecamp, France is where the Benedictine distillery is located. Therefore, The Benedictine Chapel shouldn’t be too far away. In a shaker cup with ice, pour in 3 oz of Boodles gin, and ¼ oz each of the following: Benedictine, Gallo sweet vermouth and dry vermouth. Shake it up cold and strain in a chilled martini glass. No garnish necessary.

Quiet down the mind’s endless chatter by first sitting down and getting the body still. Slow down your thoughts on anything and everything, eliminating all outside bothers. With enough regular practice in your routine, this relaxed and renewed mind deserves a nice, calm drink from time to time. The Silent Monk is a shake and strain drink that goes in a chilled cocktail glass, getting 1oz
Benedictine, ½ oz Cointreau, and 1oz cream.

Holding the snifter glass in the palm of your hand eventually warms the glass up, and
subsequently what’s poured inside. These three liqueurs together in the glass creates the drink known as Liquid Zen. Pour straight in, ¾ oz each of B&B (Benedictine & Brandy),Drambuie, and Grand Marnier. This attractive combination gets you thinking in the slipstream.

Sometimes when you enter into a life of meditation practice, it is mainly due to the need for slowly unravelling chaos from your current or previous existence. It can lead one to battling their own demons in order to achieve peace of mind.
Monk’s Madness is a cream drink made with 1 ½ oz Benedictine, ¾ oz Marie Brizard Wild Strawberry liqueur, 1oz Bols white or dark creme de cacao and 2 oz of cream. Shake and strain till ice cold in a martini glass and garnish with some shaved chocolate over the top.

How high up does this Buddhist tower go ? Hopefully enough stories so there’s room for you ! This Black Pagoda is best served in a stemmed cocktail glass, and stirring and straining 1 ½ oz Christian Brothers brandy, ½ oz each of Noilly Prat sweet and dry vermouth, and ¼ oz Dekuyper triple sec. Garnish with a half slice of orange.

Sitting between Ecuador and Venezuela is a country where the capital city in known as Bogota. In Winter, up in the mountains, is the ideal place for retreats, hidden away from it all. If it gets too cold on you walks during the day, try on a
Snow Cap Columbian Monk for a taste treat when you get back inside. In a large, ceramic mug, pour straight in 2 ½ oz Frangelico hazelnut liqueur, fill with strong hot coffee, and top with 1 scoop vanilla ice cream. You’ll need a spoon.

There is no guarantee that when one enters into the journey of religious or charitable work in some territory or foreign country, that you will want to do it as a work for your entire life. We all go through many changes as we live, and to leave a work where you’ve gained many good experiences as well as shared knowledge of your own to others, should never be looked bad upon if a change of direction is decided on. The Missionary’s Downfall is a blended drink that goes in a coupette glass, preferably. With ice in a blender cup, it calls for 1oz Ron Matusalem white rum, ½ oz Torani caramel syrup, 1 ½ oz Rose’s lime juice, ½ oz Hiram Walker apricot brandy, and a few pineapple chunks. Blend to desired consistency.

This one will definetly turn you into the awakened one, moving beyond both suffering and existence into a state of illumination. In a collins glass filled with cubed or cracked ice, the Sky Blue Buddha is a build-over-ice drink that starts with 2 oz Skyy vodka, 1 teaspoon Sake, 2 oz grapefruit juice, a dash of Arrow blue curacao, ½ oz each of lemon and lime juice, and a dash of simple syrup. Garnish with a slice of orange.

A hot drink going in a warm mug creates a nice sensation for the Trappist Monk. Pour straight in ¾ oz each of the following: Kahlua coffee liqueur, Trappistine liqueur, and Carolan’s Irish cream. Fill the mug with hot coffee and top with whipped cream.

In Hinduism, he is known as the 8th and principal avatar of Vishnu. Yet, everyone needs to have a cocktail now and then, so this one is named after this enlightened being. Hairy Krishna goes in a short highball glass filled with cubed or cracked ice. Pour in 1 ½ oz Ketel One vodka, ¼ oz Dekuyper Peachtree schnapps, and ½ oz Kamasutra liqueur.

UPDATE - Sorry for the tardiness on this week's (or last week's) installment. Busy week (more like swamped), what can I say. KB

Room 348 - Angels and Devils

Exercise your Demon Spirits of Choice !!!

She may have an Angel Face, but it could be nothing more than a thin disquise. In a chilled cocktail glass, shake and strain ¾ oz Magellan gin, ¾ oz Dekuyper apricot brandy, and ½ oz of Calvados apple brandy. No garnish necessary.

Taking sides, are you ? Playing the sweet tasting game when you mean just the opposite? You want to play Devil’s Advocate, you go right ahead and see where that gets you. Shake and strain the following into a cocktail glass:1 ½ oz Boodles gin, ½ oz of Laird’s Applejack, ¼ oz lime juice, and a splash of grenadine.

You can see it now. Bosley’s laying on a sunny beach in Baja, Mexico, thinking he’s far, far away on vacation where nobody can find him. The next thing you know, he gets a call from Charlie’s Angel. There’s an emergency of course, but he finishes his drink first. In a tall glass filled with cubed or cracked ice, shake and strain 1 ½ oz Maestro Citrus Mezcal, 1oz Grand Marnier, a dash of Fee Brothers orange bitters, a splash of orange and grapefruit juice. Top with Schweppes club soda. Garnish with a lime squeeze.

Fee fee, fi fi, fo fo fum, lookin’ mighty nice, well here she comes. But there’s nothing blue here. She’s a Devil in No Dress, with 1oz Hangar 1 vodka and 1oz Black Forest Devil herbal liqueur. Stir her up and strain into a cocktail glass. Sip slowly and don’t spill a drop.

Teasing and coming on strong, well, what could be nicer. For there’s no better gift than a Naughty Angel. This heavenly creation goes in a snifter glass, poured straight in and served straight up, getting 2 oz Godet white chocolate liqueur and ¾ oz Bacardi 151 rum.

A classic cocktail, but get a shave will ya ? Satan’s Whiskers goes in a chilled martini glass and is a shake and strain drink, starting with ¾ oz each of the following: Damrak Amsterdam gin, Noilly Prat dry and sweet vermouths. Then it gets ½ oz Grand Marnier, ½ oz orange juice and a dash of Fee Brothers orange bitters. Garnish with a twist of orange.

Smooth and silky, but you better hold on for your life, for where she takes you, no one knows. This Satin Angel goes in a highball glass filled with cubed or cracked ice. Pour over ice 1oz Frangelico hazelnut liqueur, then partial fill with cream, and top with ice cold Coca-Cola.

If you love the spirit of the cane, then this drink is for you. The Black Devil is a stir and strain drink, up in a chilled cocktail glass (a white frosted glass would be cool) with 2 oz of 10 Cane white rum and ¼ oz Gallo dry vermouth. Garnish with a black olive.

If you look up to the Starz on a clear night, you could be blessed with the fortune of seeing a Fallen Angel. If you catch her before she touches ground, what will happen ? One may never know, but until then enjoy the drink that’s prepared in a cocktail glass as a shake and strain, getting 1 ½ oz Gilbey’s gin, a dash of Bols white creme de menthe, a dash of Angostura bitters, and the juice of ½ lemon. Chill & strain, garn with a cherry.

For if the devil is displeased with you going against the grain of his wishes, he acts quickly and turns into the Soul Taker. A shot, chilled and strained, with ½ oz each of the following: amaretto DiSaronno, Inferno vodka, and El Charro tequila. You’re cooked now!

Update - Well, my first CD AudioBook is getting packaged as I speak. Spirits and their Popular Drinks will soon be available. I'll let you know when CDBaby.com has them on their site, along with BarProducts.com and BottlesUp.com Just recieved a proof of the coverart today, and it's truly a beautiful thing. You can also do an email purchase through me as well if you'd like. I may put it on Amazon, but I'm not sure yet. Stay tuned ! KB