Here is the third report about what I was drinking this summer. The first and the second were about Gin Fix and Tom & John Collins respectively. Now the post about Gin Daisy completes a story about gin summer adventures.
In my post about Gin Fix I’ve explained in details my vision concerning differences between Gin Fix and Gin Daisy. It’s just an opinion based on some old cocktail books and posts of respected bloggers as well.
Mixology Monday monthly online cocktail party is going on and the current event starts on Sunday thanks to Lindsay who hosts it at her Alcohol Alchemy blog.
This time MixMo is about local spirits and Lindsay wants to know what local craft spirits we have here and why we love it:
…pull out your favourite «local» craft spirit (for those of you not in US, what hidden gem from your neck of the woods do you want to give some cocktail press?)…
Well, in the Russian woods we have the only spirit and you are all know it as vodka. Actually samogon (and not vodka) is Russian craft spirit (follow the link and look for «Russia» section). Unfortunately home distilling as well as hand-craft distilleries were illegal in Russia for a long time so now we have only vodka industry alive and growing. I’m aware that cocktail enthusiasts do not love vodka so I opt for vodka infusion.
Various hand-crafted and commercial vodka and samogon infusions are widely spread in Russia.
Making infusions in autumn, I’m used to taking Antonovka apples that are in season in late September. Antonovka apple tree is an ancient cultivar that came from Central Russia and probably it appeared as a crossbreed of unknown apple cultivar and wild apple tree. Antonovka apples are very sour at first and bring wonderful and strong nose so it’s used in homemade preserves and traditional culinary. Later the stored apples become a bit sweeter and suitable for eating – usually in December and later.
I’m sure that typical Russian apple flavour will underline local peculiarities of my Antonovka vodka infusion.
Here is another refreshing drink which could be great in summer. Also it will work as welcome drink. But I see it as perfect woman’s drink – fresh, sour and sweet, sparkling and with low alcohol content. And his bright orange colour is one more thing which could attract woman’s eye.
It’s called Puccini, and I’ve learnt about it thanks to Simon Difford’s website.
My next whisky review is about another well-known and inexpensive Scotch single malt whisky, Macallan Fine Oak 12 years old by name. According to official website, that’s a starting point in Fine Oak series which includes whiskies matured up to 25 years.
The main point of Fine Oak series is to use ex-bourbon casks side by side with traditional for Macallan sherry casks. And so spirits for 12-years aged Macallan Fine Oak whisky were matured in ex-bourbon casks and in sherry casks made of American and Spanish oak.
The fifth S.I.P. event is coming, and the theme it brings in the spotlight is Tom Collins, an evergreen classic long drink.
Born John Collins, it was mentioned in Harry Johnson’s «New And Improved Bartenders’ Manual» in 1882. At that time Collins was based on Dutch gin also known as genever or jenever. When Old Tom gin has came to market, John Collins found a brother Tom Collins by name. In Tom Collins bartenders utilized English gin – Old Tom, Plymouth and London Dry, of course.
It was Tom Collins who has became popular long drink while his brother John remained little known because of genever’s limited availability.
In the second half of 20th century Americans have thought of John Collins. But for the newfound John they used bourbon whiskey and not genever. New thing is none other than forgotten old thing. Ironically, Americans pretend to be Tom Collins inventors and John Collins is a Britain-born long drink which was named after London Limmer’s Hotel bar waiter John Collins.
Очередная коктейльная интернет-вечеринка состоится 17-20 марта.