Tuesday, April 27, 2010

My signature cocktail

I'm currently on a quest to find my signature drink. I do enjoy a Tito's (that's vodka, for those of you who live under a rock and don't know how amazing Texas vodka is) with orange juice and red bull in a tall glass. However, I feel like energy drinks are very young, and when I go to a bar or dinner with co-workers or people higher up, I want a drink they can respect, so my quest begins.

I don't want the drink to be too simple like a Cape Cod or something too fruity like a Cosmo. I want to steer clear of tequila. Milky or creamy drinks are also eliminated because they can only be drank at certain times and with certain things.

Martinis have their options because you can get them up or rocks, dry or dirty, olives or no, twist or no, and you can style them up different ways. However, so many people drink martinis and I want something slightly more original, a little less ordered.

Yesterday, I discovered my liking for Manhattans. This simple but manly drink starts with whiskey (preferably rye), adds a bit of vermouth (sweet or dry), and just a dash of bitters at the drinker's discretion. I had one with Maker's and sweet vermouth, a bit of bitters, up with a twist. It was quite tasty, but still unmistakably whiskey. I also asked for a rocks glass with some cherry juice in it (an idea I stole from a bar regular (real juice, not grenadine)), and I dabbed just a little bit into the drink over time. It's color and taste brightened only slightly, but amazingly.

I then went through the same process, but with Korbel brandy instead of whiskey, this time with half sweet and half dry vermouth. Same up and twist with a side of cherry juice. As long as the cherry is used sparingly, I do not feel like it would be easily criticized.

Though I do feel like I am going to experiment a bit further with this drink, I do feel like it may become my signature cocktail.

Any further suggestions?

1 comment:

  1. My signature drink is a beer. I am lame. I agree you do need something original. I'd expect nothing less from you. :)

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