Dry Stick
COCKTAIL INGREDIENTS:
- 22,5 / 30 ml Starka
- 22,5 / 30 ml VSOP Calvados
- 45 ml Japanese Quince Syrup
- 15 ml Amarguinha (Bitter Almond Liqueur)
- 10 ml Galliano Vanilla Liqueur
- 2 Dashes of Black Walnut Bitters
GARNISH:
- Lemon Wheel
- Dried Rose Bud
- Mint Sprig
- Powdered Sugar
INSTRUCTIONS:
• Combine all of the ingredients in a cocktail shaker.
• Add ice and shake until chilled.
• Strain into a cocktail glass over a large block of fresh ice (or pebble ice if you use full 30 ml of both spirits).
• Garnish with a lemon wheel, dried rose bud, mint sprig and some powdered sugar.
Cocktail author: Grouchy Bartender.
Recently I have been developing a cocktail with flavours of home; primarily starka (an aged rye mash distillate with notes of apple and linden blossoms) and Japanese quince syrup (a syrup that brings me back to my childhood, since every autumn we would make a small batch of this syrup to make simple tasty drinks at home during the winter).
Base of the cocktail is split between starka and calvados. This pairing brings prominent apple and oak notes laying a solid foundation for an autumn themed cocktail. Japanese quince syrup plays a dual role adding sharp prominent tartness and fruity sweetness to the mix, eliminating the need of traditional citrus in the drink. A touch of bitter almond liqueur, gives the cocktail a bit more complexity subtly altering the overall flavour profile. Addition of vanilla liqueur balances the cocktail out, while pairing well with apple and quince notes. Finally, a couple of dashes of black walnut bitters binds the cocktail together while also giving it an additional aromatic dimension.
Dry Stick (named after a song “Dry Stick” by Buddy Guy) is my latest proud creation combining flavours that I love. Overall profile of the cocktail is quite strong, thus I tried two serving methods: over a large block of ice and crushed ice; in the end crushed ice seems to provide the most pleasurable drinking experience with additional dilution lengthening the cocktail and letting it reveal itself more, but, honestly, I would drink them both without hesitation.
