I strongly suggest using more bourbon or a higher proof bourbon in this cocktail, otherwise the bourbon gets washed out.
COCKTAIL CHRONICLES: THE IRON RANGER
Here’s another popular Bourbon based Tiki style cocktail you can find online, more along the classic style that uses pineapple as a major component:
IRON RANGER
SPIRITS: 2 Bourbon
LIQUEURS: None
FRUIT: .75 parts Lemon; 1 part Pineapple
SWEETS: .5 parts Falernum (Substitute in Orgeat if you don’t have Falernum)
BITTERS: A few dashes Angostura bitters
Add all ingredients and shake together in a cocktail shaker with ice. Pour into a glass over fresh ice. Enjoy.
The Bourbon and Falernum go great together, the smoky charred caramel and vanilla going extremely well with the spicy almond and creamy rum flavors of the Falernum. The lemony sweetness brings it all together and then the pineapple comes in on the finish. Nice little cocktail.
- Falernum is a seemingly hard to get ingredient, a rum based syrup/liqueur flavored with almond, spices and lime. If you don’t have any, just substitute in Orgeat which is the closest possible substitute.
COCKTAIL CHRONICLES: THE ANGEL EYES
Bourbon and grapefruit juice make for a shockingly good cocktail combination even though it doesn’t appear so on paper. The most famous Bourbon and grapefruit cocktail is the Brown Derby. Here’ san interesting variation I found called the Angel Eyes :
ANGEL EYE
SPIRITS: 2 parts Bourbon
LIQUEURS: None
FRUIT: 4 parts Grapefruit juice (Yes, 4 parts. Not 1 or 2 parts. A full 4 parts. See Notes below)
SWEETS: .5 parts Honey syrup (or .25 parts raw honey)
BITTERS: .5 part Amaro[/b]
Pour all ingredients into a cocktail shaker. If using raw honey, stir first to dissolve before adding ice. If using honey syrup, feel free to shake immediately. Add ice. Shake vigorously. Pour over fresh ice into a Collins style long glass. Enjoy.
Really interesting combination here. Sweet caramel and vanilla from the bourbon gives way to candied grapefruit and bitter spices from the Amaro. Harmonious cocktail with a bit of an edge thanks to the small amount of Amaro.
- This recipe calls for 4 parts grapefruit juice. This is not a typo. I thought I had made a typo mistake copying the recipe, especially since the classic Brown Derby is a similar cocktail minus the Amaro and requires just 1 part of grapefruit juice. So I reduced the amount of grapefruit juice to just 1 part. This was a huge mistake. I added another part. Still doesn’t work. You absolutely need the full 4 parts of grapefruit juice. The reason: the Amaro. When combined with the Bourbon, it makes a ridiculously intense spirit base. The full 4 parts of grapefruit are an absolute necessity in balancing out this cocktail. Trust me on this or find out for yourself as I did. This means a lot of volume and it’s a rare cocktail that requires a full sized Collins glass for serving despite not requiring any soda or tonic water addition.
COCKTAIL CHRONICLES: THE CLOISTER???
So I just made an awesome Gin cocktail which is called the Cloister per my cocktail spreadsheet, but when I Google it up I get a recipe for a completely different cocktail that also sounds really good that I should try! Did I mislabel a cocktail in my own database? ![[scratch.gif]](/uploads/db3686/original/2X/4/42a16863a8714da3c1604419e3eb9206bb87aa50.gif "scratch"){kind=small}
Regardless, this is pretty awesome and I suggest you give it a try. Since I don’t know if I have the correct name or not now, I rechristen in as the Cloister??? :
CLOISTER???
SPIRITS: 1.5 parts Gin
LIQUEURS: .5 parts Grand Marnier, Cointreau or Triple Sec orange liqueur; .5 parts St-Germain or other Elderflower liqueur (omit if using Elderflower syrup)
FRUIT: .5 parts Lemon; 1 part Passion fruit
SWEETS: .5 parts Elderflower syrup (Omit if using Elderflower liqueur)
BITTERS: .5 part Campari
Pour all ingredients into a cocktail shaker with ice. Shake vigorously. Pour over fresh ice into a glass. Enjoy.
This is a ridiculously refreshing and well-balanced tropical cocktail, made even more impressive by the fact that Gin isn’t usually associated with tropical cocktails. The gin’s botanicals enhance the tropical fruit flavors and there’s quite the mix there with elderflower, orange, lemon and passionfruit flavors in a sweet tropical candy drop mix and the Campari botanicals kick in right at the end. It’s not too sweet and not too tart. Probably my favorite Gin based cocktail to date. Really, really good.
- I found some Elderflower syrup on my last visit to Montreal. The low or no ABV movement has led to many questionable non-alcoholic “spirits” being developed, but I feel that many other non-alcoholic ingredients which would lower a cocktail’s alcoholic content are going overlooked. Syrups are a great option. Feel free to sub in Elderflower syrup in place of liqueur.
COCKTAIL CHRONICLES: THE BOURBON CLOISTER???
So I was curious as to how my mystery cocktail from yesterday would taste if I subbed out the bright botanical gin for some American Bourbon. And since I’m still not sure about the exact name of the cocktail, I have dubbed it the Bourbon Cloister???:
BOURBON CLOISTER???
SPIRITS: 1.5 parts Bourbon
LIQUEURS: .5 parts Grand Marnier, Cointreau or Triple Sec orange liqueur; .5 parts St-Germain or other Elderflower liqueur (omit if using Elderflower syrup)
FRUIT: .5 parts Lemon; 1 part Passion fruit
SWEETS: .5 parts Elderflower syrup (Omit if using Elderflower liqueur)
BITTERS: None
Pour all ingredients into a cocktail shaker with ice. Shake vigorously. Pour over fresh ice into a glass. Enjoy.
So here’s the deal. I mixed this from memory and forgot the Campari. Without it, the Bourbon took center stage and added some nice spice and vanilla to the mellow sweet tropical fruit flavors. When I took a sip and realized I forgot the Campari, I went back and added it and regretted it. Unlike with the Gin version, the Campari overwhelms the Bourbon and comes to the forefront. Still tasty, but too Campari forward. It is much better off with the formulation above without Campari.
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COCKTAIL CHRONICLES: THE CLAUSTRO???
Still on my mystery Cloister??? cocktail kick, I tried it again with Tequila and Mezcal this time, giving it a Mexican kick. So I gave it the Spanish translated name of Claustro.
CLAUSTRO???
SPIRITS: 1 part Tequila; 1 part Mezcal
LIQUEURS: .5 parts Grand Marnier, Cointreau or Triple Sec orange liqueur; .5 parts St-Germain or other Elderflower liqueur (omit if using Elderflower syrup)
FRUIT: .5 parts Lime; 1 part Passion fruit
SWEETS: .5 parts Elderflower syrup (Omit if using Elderflower liqueur)
BITTERS: .5 Campari
Pour all ingredients into a cocktail shaker with ice. Shake vigorously. Pour over fresh ice into a glass. Enjoy.
Easily as good as the original Gin version with a nice little kick of smoke and sea salt. Unlike the Bourbon version, the Campari works well with the base Tequila and Mezcal. Nice alternative to the Gin version.
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No idea how it would taste but a Benedictine Cloister would seem to be a name in search of a recipe ….
Good idea, Richard. I will try it today using Scotch as the base and replacing the Campari with Benedictine/Glayva/Drambruie which are interchangeable to me. Will post back.
COCKTAIL CHRONICLES: THE SCOTTISH CLOISTER???
As promised, I have done a Scottish version of the mystery Cloister??? cocktail using Scotch and Irish whisky as the base and Drambuie instead of Campari as the bitter:
SCOTTISH CLOISTER???
SPIRITS: 1.5 parts Scottish or Irish whisky
LIQUEURS: .5 parts Grand Marnier, Cointreau or Triple Sec orange liqueur; .5 parts St-Germain or other Elderflower liqueur (omit if using Elderflower syrup)
FRUIT: .5 parts Lemon; 1 part Passion fruit
SWEETS: .5 parts Elderflower syrup (Omit if using Elderflower liqueur)
BITTERS: .5 Benedictine, Drambruie or Glayva
Pour all ingredients into a cocktail shaker with ice. Shake vigorously. Pour over fresh ice into a glass. Enjoy.
As usual, I mixed peated Johnny Walker Scotch and sweeter Irish Bushmill’s 16 in equal parts for the whisky component. The barley from the whisky is quite prominent on the nose. On the palate, quite a complex set of flavors: Peat, cocoa, sweet barley, spices, and smoke. This turned out really well. I suspect it would work with the Campari as well.
Like the naming convention. Cocktail looks good on the glass and sounds like it worked from a taste perspective
I have a number of questions about smoking cocktails. In the back of my mind is a fuzzy recollection of a Negroni with some smoked orange zest. I can’t recall exactly how they did it though , does any one have any suggestions? The result was good (in Fall at a Glamping site a while back).
Spelunking the interweb I stumbled across this recipe
I have no idea what the Tempus Fugit is really like. Notes on their web site suggest primary flavour of rhubarb with hints of orange. Any one familiar with this? Would Campari work?
With the other ingredients being rum and oloroso Sherry, I have no idea why they suggest it’s a winterised Negroni, or am I missing something.
Looks like this doesn’t need smoking equipment other than saucepan with lid and some sort of cloche. But I have been wondering about getting a smoking gun for other purposes. Any tips for the newbie in regard to smoking cocktails? (Eg unnecessary, see above ) or suggested makes (Breville makes one of course) and other recipe ideas?
What’s the over and under for how long before I’m getting liquid nitrogen? 
I’ve never smoked a cocktail, but I often make Negronis with Mezcal instead of Gin. I love the smokiness of the Mezcal. You might want to give it a shot. Great combo!
Tempus Fugit’s Gran Classico is basically their version of Campari. Quite good and what I often use instead of Campari in most cocktails that call for it. So you’re fine subbing in Campari for Gran Classico in this recipe. You may be losing some of the earthier notes that the Gran Classico brings, but you can probably compensate some of that with a dash or two of bitters.
With the other ingredients being rum and oloroso Sherry, I have no idea why they suggest it’s a winterised Negroni, or am I missing something.
It’s a bit of a stretch IMO, but I see where they got there. The Gran Classico subs in for Campari, the sherry for sweet vermouth (think two highly aromatic fortified wines) and the aged rum for gin. Calling it a Negroni variant a bit of a stretch. Negroni and Negroni variants, to me, are for the most part roughly all equal parts in those three components (gin or other distillate, Campari or substitute, and vermouth/aromatised fortified wine), but this one is vastly different in terms of ratios which doesn’t make it a Negroni variant in my books, even if it may be Negroni inspired.
Looks like this doesn’t need smoking equipment other than saucepan with lid and some sort of cloche. But I have been wondering about getting a smoking gun for other purposes. Any tips for the newbie in regard to smoking cocktails? (Eg unnecessary, see above ) or suggested makes (Breville makes one of course) and other recipe ideas?
If you’re just looking to smoke cocktails, then you can just burn the wood chips, spices, etc. over a fire safe place, and flip a rocks glass over to capture the smoke.
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Many thanks!
So the stated rhubarb element in the TFGC is not so dominant? To me the essential core of Campari is bitter orange.
I think I’ll use Campari. I’m new to cocktails (other than Martini) and not sure I want to go crazy with adding a gazillion odd bottles of things I may not use much. My liquor cabinet is full already (mostly malts, gins, grappas, cognac, some rum and a few things for Negroni and variants I’ve been messing with lately).
Both are acceptable substitutes of one another in most cocktails that call for either in my book though each will change a cocktail slightly.
Side by side one will notice the Gran Classico’s more herbaceous profile, though there’s certainly still some of the citrus, orange peel and gentian notes one finds in Campari. Campari will be a bit more citrus driven and brighter by comparison.
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Oops , I meant to say ….
To me the essential core of Negroni is bitter orange.
COCKTAIL CHRONICLES: THE REALLY MAD HATTER
I’ve moved on from my mystery Cloister??? cocktail set to try something new. I recent acquired a large set of bitters and decided to try a number of them to jazz up an already intriguing cocktail:
THE REALLY MAD HATTER
SPIRITS: 2 parts Bourbon
LIQUEURS: None
FRUIT: .5 parts Lemon; .5 parts Lime
SWEETS: .5 parts Simple syrup
BITTERS: 1 tsp Absinthe; a few dashes Angostura bitters (mandatory for original Mad Hatter); a few dashes Cherry bitters; a few dashes Orange bitters; a few dashes Cardamom bitters
Pour all ingredients into a cocktail shaker with ice. Shake vigorously. Pour over fresh ice into a glass. Enjoy.
The original Mad Hatter cocktail only calls for Absinthe and classic Angostura bitters which make for an interesting drink it and of itself. I jazzed it up with some fruit bitters and then added more spice with the Cardamom bitters. This makes for an interesting contrast between the sharp Bourbon oak and “turpentine” accents and the spicy Cardamom and licorice flavors vs the tangy lemon-lime flavors which are accented by the Cherry and Orange. However, I could see this might be too strong of a contrast for some drinkers.
Interestingly, I thought that if the lemon and lime juices were removed along with the orange and cherry bitters to completely remove the fruit flavor components, this would make for a very interesting Ancenstral style booze-only stirred cocktail. I may try that.
There seems to be a dire shortage of red vermouth at the KGBO aside from Martini and Cinzano. No Dolin, Starlino, or Carpano.
There is this
Cucielo Vermouth di Torino Rosso
I’m looking for anything a step up from Martini for Negroni (and variants). Would this serve?
Yes. Vermouth di Torino Rosso is the only protected regional appellation for Vermouth in Italy and only one of two such protected appellations for Vermouth in the entire world (The other being Vermouth de Chambéry in France). If it says Vermouth di Torino on it you can pretty much expect it to be of a very high quality.
P.S. I personally would advise staying away from both Martini and Cinzano if you can unless there is just absolutely no other quality product you can get a hold of. If you’re really hard up for Vermouth, go to the Eataly in the Manulife Centre in midtown Toronto and find some.
COCKTAIL CHRONICLES: CANADIAN TROPIC – AN ORIGINAL COCKTAIL
Happy 2022, cocktail imbibers! ![[cheers.gif]](/uploads/db3686/original/2X/0/0ff9bfcdb0964982cd3240b6159868fbdf215b1a.gif "cheers"){kind=small}
I’m opening this year up with an original cocktail. The inside joke of the cocktail’s name is that I’m in Toronto, the warmest city in Canada where it’s currently -20 degrees Celsius with the wind chill as the entire country is stuck in the middle of a cold snap. Trust me, it’s a lot worse elsewhere. Since I can’t travel anywhere tropical, I made up an original tropical cocktail to take me away:
CANADIAN TROPIC
SPIRITS: 1.5 parts Gin
LIQUEURS: .5 Chartreuse; .5 parts St-Germain (if not using Elderflower syrup); .5 parts Grand Marnier, Cointreau, Triple Sec or other orange liqueur
FRUIT: 1 part Lemon; .5 parts Orange
SWEETS: 1 tsp Pineapple preserves; .5 Elderflower syrup (if not using St-Germain)
BITTERS: 1 part Plum Bitters
Pour all ingredients into a cocktail shaker with ice. Shake vigorously. Pour over fresh ice into a glass. Enjoy.
This turned out to be quite nice, if a little on the sweet side. The Gin and Chartreuse bring a nice herbal content which is then balanced out by the candied pineapple, floral elderflower, tart lemon and fruity plum flavors. Really, any fruit flavored bitters would do well in this – orange, plum, cherry, rhubarb, blueberry. Whatever tickles your fancy. This would probably also work nicely with Tequila or Rum as a base.
