Islay and Olive

Do you ever look at a cocktail recipe and think, “That’s so weird that it just might be delicious?” That was my reaction to the Islay and Olive when I first saw it in Maggie Hoffman’s book Batch Cocktails. It’s a combination of two of the coolest, classiest drinks you can order – a dirty Martini and an Islay single malt. Both of which I adore. But I never would have thought to combine these already-polarizing liquids in the same cocktail. But it works, and it works wonderfully. The smoke of the Scotch adds a whole new dimension to the savory brine of a dirty vodka martini. Olive oil and a dash of salt turn it into something really special. Admittedly, if you don’t like dirty martinis or smoky Scotch, you will probably not like this drink. But if you like both of them, you must try it. Like immediately.

As with the Principessa di Sole I posted a few weeks ago from the same book, the recipe for the Islay and Olive was printed in batched format, with quantities for 12 servings. I love that Maggie included interesting, spirit-forward drinks like this in the book as well as the usual fruity punches. Although this one isn’t exactly the kind of thing I’d roll up to a party with and expect everyone to love. So I’ve done the math and adjusted the recipe instructions for a single cocktail.

History: This drink was created by Shaun Traxler, a bartender at Vault in Fayetteville, Arkansas.

Islay and Olive

1.5 oz. vodka
Scant 1.25 oz. Islay single-malt (such as Laphroaig)
¾ oz. dry vermouth
1 dash orange bitters
1 dash olive brine
1 pinch salt
Olive oil, to garnish.

Combine all ingredients in a mixing glass with ice and stir until chilled. Strain into a coupe. Garnish with a dash of olive oil (I like using my mister for ease and drama), a lemon twist, and several Castelvetrano olives (frozen, if you’d like).

Recipe adapted from Batch Cocktails. I was provided with an advance copy of the book.

Kingston Negroni

You might define a really, really good cocktail as one that is perfect just how it is, requiring no alterations. So it's a bit funny that it's the really good cocktails that get riffed on and played around with the most. It's not a bad way to experiment, especially if you're new to designing your own drinks: take a formula you know you love and try swapping out one of the ingredients. Maybe it won't work right away; craft cocktail recipes are carefully-tuned, and switching something out may require a bit less or more of something. Figuring out exactly what works can be really interesting, and good practice for building your own recipes from scratch.

It's hard to find a cocktail more beloved (or one with more variations) than the Negroni. Its simplicity is what makes it great, and also what makes it easy to adjust. Like whiskey more than gin? Try a Boulevardier. Find Campari too bitter? Use Aperol instead. Want something a bit lighter? Substitute dry vermouth for the usual sweet. I've seen some Negroni variations get quite elaborate (and in my book it's debatable whether it's still a Negroni once you veer away from the formula of three-ingredients-including-gin) but like great cocktails, great variations are often simple as well.

In that spirit I give you the Kingston Negroni. It's simple as can be: use rum instead of gin. Specifically a Jamaican rum if you have one. Jamaican rums are quite unique. They are fermented longer than most rums, and this process often includes something called "dunder" or "muck," essentially the leftover stuff from previous distillations, which is left exposed to the ambient air and microbes before being added to a fresh batch of rum. If that sounds pretty gross, it kind of is - descriptions of the muck pits at Jamaican distilleries are not exactly appealing. But the product of this fermentation is then distilled in pot stills, leaving behind anything questionable and yielding a rum that has a truly singular quality called "hogo." The word refers to the funky, fruity flavor that separated Jamaican rum from others. As my virtual friend and rum afficionado Faith writes, the hogo of Jamaican rum is similar to the smokiness of Islay Scotch - a unique flavor quality that comes from the local practices and separates it from other spirits in the same category.

Like a smoky Scotch, a truly funky Jamaican rum can be a bit polarizing. I recently bought a bottle of Smith & Cross, the recommended rum for this cocktail, and wow is it funky. It's honestly a little much for me. I currently prefer Appleton Estate in this drink, which still has those critical qualities but tones down the funkiness in comparison. If you're a Jamaican rum novice, the Signature Blend is the bottle I'd recommend. I use it in tons of cocktails.

Jamaican rum makes the Kingston Negroni a bit sweeter and fruitier while still maintaining the balanced and bitter essence of the original drink. If you like Negronis, you've got to try this twist.

History: The Kingston Negroni was created by Joaquín Simó at Pouring Ribbons, one of my favorite bars in New York. He invented it immediately after tasting Smith & Cross for the first time.

Kingston Negroni

1 oz. Jamaican rum
1 oz. sweet vermouth (Carpano Antica recommended)
1 oz. Campari

Combine ingredients in a mixing glass with ice and stir until chilled. Strain into a rocks glass over one large ice cube. Garnish with an orange twist.

Recipe and history from Punch.

Seville

Instagram has been an amazing source of new recipes for me. I have dozens of drinks bookmarked, and when I'm interested in trying something new, I often browse the list for ideas. That's how I found the Seville. My friends over at Cocktail Detour shared this lovely drink, and it instantly became a part of my repertoire.

The Seville is a variation on the classic Martini. It's still quite dry, but the floral flavor of Lillet Blanc and nutty hints of fino sherry make it a bit sweeter and more delicate. Two dashes of orange bitters and two orange twists (one flamed) lend a hefty dose of citrus. I particularly love this drink with Barr Hill Gin, which is distilled with honey.

Let's quickly talk about flaming twists! This does not involve actually touching the flame to the peel. Instead, you express the oils of the peel the same way you do with a regular twist, but you do it through a flame, roasting them before they hit the drink. You should see the flame flare up briefly as the oils pass through. This adds a slightly smoky, toasty flavor to the citrus oil and can really change the character of a cocktail. I added a decorative twist afterwards just for fun.

History: The Seville was created by Nick Mautone, who works as a cocktail consultant in New York. (Yes, that's a job, and yes, I want to do it.) He created it for the Michelin-starred restaurant Country (now closed).

Seville

2 oz. gin (Barr Hill recommended)
3/4 oz. Lillet Blanc
2 dashes orange bitters
1/2 oz. fino sherry (to rinse)
2 orange twists

Rinse a coupe with the sherry and express one of the orange twists into it. Combine the remaining ingredients in a mixing glass with ice and stir until chilled. Strain into the prepared glass and flame the second orange twist over the top.

Recipe adapted from Cocktail Detour.

Principessa di Sole

There's nothing I love better than cracking open a new cocktail recipe book. More often than not, the entire side and/or top of the book quickly becomes bristly with little post-it tabs marking the drinks I'd like to try. It's true that there are many, many great recipes available on the internet, but there's something special about having the physical books. They're like tomes of potions or magic spells waiting to be mixed up.

If I had my way, I would own pretty much every cocktail recipe book ever published. But since I have a small budget and an even smaller apartment, I've kept my collection to a single shelf. And recently, I was overjoyed to add Maggie Hoffman's Batch Cocktails to it. It's a book of large-format drinks that you can make ahead to serve at parties or get-togethers. I was expecting a lot of citrusy punches full of fruits and syrups, and there are plenty of these, but I was very impressed by how many spirit-forward options Maggie includes as well. It makes sense - once citrus fruit is juiced, the liquid begins to change in acidity and bitterness, so you can't make citrusy cocktails as far in advance as more spiritous drinks, which you can literally age for months. The book is a really balanced collection of recipes (including non-alcoholic options), and I honestly wish it had the proportions for single drinks as well as the large batches, because I definitely want to make some of these just for me, and I'd rather not have to do math.

I freely confess that while the Principessa di Sole did sound delicious, I chose to make it primarily because of its vibrant color and lovely garnish. But I was blown away by this drink. Made with Amaro Montenegro*, white rum, raspberry syrup, citrus juices, and sparkling wine, it is absolutely, utterly delicious. It balances boozy, bitter, citrusy, sweet, and fizzy in just the right way. I will 100% be bringing a pitcher of it to my next party. But in case you don't have any upcoming social engagements, I've also figured out the recipe for a single a drink and included it below. You might wish you'd made yourself a pitcher.

*Alas, we have not talked about Amaro Montenegro much yet, and I usually like to officially introduce an ingredient before I use it so prominently in a cocktail. I discuss it a little in my post on Amari. It's one of the most popular amari out there and definitely one I recommend, but you could try substituting Averna or Cynar here.

History: The Principessa di Sole was created by Elliot Clark of Bon Voyage in San Francisco.

Principessa di Sole

For one cocktail:

1 1/2 oz. Amaro Montenegro
1/2 oz. white rum
1-2 dashes Peychaud's bitters
1/2 oz. raspberry syrup**
1/2 oz. lemon juice
1/4 oz. lime juice
2 oz. sparkling wine

Combine everything except sparkling wine in a shaker with ice and shake until chilled. Strain into a rocks glass filled with ice and top with the sparkling wine. Garnish with a mint sprig, a raspberry, and a lime wheel.

For 10 servings:

1 3/4 cups plus 2 tbsp. Amaro Montenegro
1/2 cup plus 2 tbsp. white rum
2 tsp. Peychaud's bitters
1/2 cup plus 2 tbsp. chilled raspberry syrup
1/2 cup plus 2 tbsp. lemon juice
5 tbsp. lime juice
2 1/2 cups chilled sparkling wine
10 mint sprigs
10 raspberries
10 lime wheels

At least 2 hours and up to 24 hours before serving, make the batch. Pour Amaro Montenegro, white rum, bitters, and chilled raspberry syrup into a 2-quart pitcher and stir to mix. Seal well, covering with plastic wrap if needed, and refrigerate.

Up to 2 hours before serving, prepare lemon and lime juice and stir into the pitcher mix. Reseal and return to the refrigerator if not serving immediately.

To serve, stir well. Gently pour in chilled sparkling wine, then stir mixture gently once more. Pour into ice-filled rocks glasses or punch cups. Garnish each glass with a mint sprig, a fresh raspberry, and a lime wheel. (Alternatively, serve in a punch bowl with all the garnishes thrown in - Maggie doesn't recommend this in the recipe but there's a picture of it and it's a beautiful presentation.)

**For raspberry syrup, combine 1 cup sugar and 1/2 cup water in a saucepan over medium heat and stir constantly, until sugar is dissolved. Add raspberries and stir. Cook for about 2 minutes, using the back of the spoon to mash the raspberries against the side of the pan. Remove from heat and let steep, covered, for 30 minutes. Strain through a fine-mesh strainer into a resealable container and refrigerate until chilled or up to 1 week.

Recipe from Batch Cocktails. I was gifted an advance copy of the book.