Promises, promises

Dissertation Sour

1.5 oz D&T White IPA Whiskey

0.75 oz fresh orange or tangerine juice

0.25 oz lemon juice

3 fresh cherries

0.25 oz black peppercorn simple syrup

1 small egg white

Club soda

In a small mixing tin, muddle cherries into the syrup and then squeeze in your juices and measure in the whiskey. Separate the egg white into the larger mixing tin to avoid getting shells into booze, accidentally, and then discard the yolk and shell.  Pour contents of the small tin into the large tin with the egg, seal, and give it a vigorous dry shake with no ice (careful: without ice, the froth will try to pop the tins open…RESIST!).  Carefully crack open the tin and add ice to what should be a pretty, pink, frothy mixture and shake it again…preferably until the tins are so cold it hurts to hold them any more.  Double-strain into a cocktail, fizz, or taster glass.  You can top off with club soda, or add the soda to the glass before you strain (if you already have a feel for the portions).  Optional: drop some Angostura onto the top to make a pretty pattern on the foam and give a nice woody contrast the the tart fruit on the nose.

If you ever find yourself relatively tipsy at 2 in the morning: them’s the best times to try drink recipes.
When I get the chance, I’d like to experiment with some stone fruit like white peaches or nectarines and basil. It’s a little hard to gauge exactly what will partner well with this whiskey…but damnit; I’m determined!

109º and TOASTED

Not that it’s been 2 months and moot by now or anything, but I won.

So now, as I sit here in Tucson, Arizona, where the sweltering heat has finally subsided to a mellow 93º, I find myself reflecting on the numerous new libations I’ve had a chance to taste over the past 2 months. Reminiscing over these - and weeding out those not conjured up by heat-stroke - I realized that I had yet to report on a very exciting find I had made at this years Whiskey’s of the World Expo.  And this find is from a familiar face…

:cD

 

After the release of their 2nd batch of Pilsner Whiskey that all but completely won my heart (I hold it in the same rung of excellency as A.H. Hirsh 16 year), I feel obligated to announce another (completely?) unrelated release from the epicurean wonderland that is Charbay Distillery.

Late last year, their head distiller - Marko Karakasevic - finished bottling what will be the first batch of his “dissertation” work to end his 26 year apprenticeship towards becoming a master distiller: a white IPA whiskey.  Rested in steel drums for 4 years and aged for just one day in oak barrels, “Doubled and Twisted,” (an old term attributed to the distillates from copper pot stills which tend to ‘double and twist’ on themselves as they reach ~126 proof) was born of bottle-ready double IPA (which just so happens to be my favorite style of beer.  …be still, my beating heart). I was lucky to try some before it was released and poured by Marko himself during the World of Whiskey Expo in San Francisco this past March, and was so taken with it (not to mention won over by the man behind the making; so fun!) that I had to find a bottle for myself the second it hit the shelves…even if that meant making a side-trip while visiting a friends up north.

Which I did.

Wow, I just realized that I haven’t actually reviewed a spirit in a long time!

Alright.

Let’s do this thing:

Charbay’s Doubled and Twisted White Whiskey

Taster glass: pours crystal clear; neat.

Thick, beautiful trails on the inside of the glass. The nose is unmistakeably hot, yet heavy with parsley, fresh celery and  caramelized orange (with pith).  Heat carries over to the palate where it fades away into an oily, malty sweetness leaving a hint of grapefruit rind that quickly evaporates, leaving a pleasant finish of freshly cut hay, basil and hot earth.  Lovely.

As is, this is such a young whiskey, I’d have easily classified it as an IPA Grappa.  Excellent after meals on the rocks, I’d bet…but definitely in need of a little watering down (and oh man…selling at 1 liter, that should last you a while!).  It’s a curious, beautiful lil’ bugger, and I’d be very excited to see what it will mature into after a couple of years in the barrel.  Hats of to you, Mr. (Master!) Karakasevic.

Naturally, I found myself on a quest to find a cocktail that will best accentuate it’s uncommon palate. So far, I’ve tried a Negroni, which failed miserably (maybe not miserably…but far too intense between the heat and bitterness ohmygoodness).  Next step: tone it down with a new take on a Ramos gin fizz.

Bottoms up!

D&T Whiskey.  ~$58/1.0L

Toma Tequila

GOOD NEWS!!!!

We’re all doomed.

No, actually, better news: the River Tam Cocktail has been selected as a finalist for Ortega 120’s inaugural Toma Tequila Mixology Competition! I will be preparing tasters of her alongside the 2 other finalists’ and their respective winning concoctions in order to see whose wins out, so please please please come out (all 3 of you) if you can. I’d love to see some friendlies as I muddle the hell out of some ginger.

Right. Well. I’m mildly freaking out, so I’ll let Ortega 120’s PRESS RELEASE fill you in on the deets.  Hooooooolycrap.

EXCITING!!!

‘Tis definitely not the season

A thousand apologies for failing to deliver on that alternative holiday cocktail list I mentioned months ago.  For any of you surprised or offended by this lack of follow through, take that as an indication that you clearly aren’t familiar with how on top of things the boy behind this blog really is.

Timing aside, the concept of making holiday themed cocktails that don’t employ gross amounts of sugar, peppermint schnapps and candy canes was an intriguing one, so - while inexcusably late - I have not given up on it just yet.  As a matter of fact, I had - at the original time of the post - been offered a challenge upon mentioning the evils of the overly-processed, syrupy throat-spackle we commonly refer to as ‘eggnog’ when my dear friend and epicurean artíst, Gabriell, chose to advocate on behalf of ‘quality’ eggnog.  I was skeptical (as is my nature), but after making some eggnog from scratch for myself (eggs, heavy cream, milk, raw sugar, vanilla and homemade orange/clove infused brandy), I realized that there was such a thing as palatable - nay, decent - eggnog that wouldn’t leave you in a diabetic coma after one cup (okay, maybe it may still, but at least it wouldn’t taste like it).

I must be honest with you, this has been an epic move for me in terms of venturing further into the use and consumption of ‘raw’ animal products.  Seafood was a big jump for me in high school, but for ages raw eggs always translated to “salmonella” to me (remember: Chris = hypocondriac).  But here I was, mixing a dozen raw eggs into a beverage I’d be drinking neat…guts intact.

TANGENT: While we’re on the subject, I’m going to take this time to plug a ridiculous “beernog” recipe from a brilliant beer and cheese monger, Randy Clemens.  Give it a read, then read on.  Not only is he a better writer than I; he also touches on a broader scope of all things food-and-drink.  Speaking of which, he entered his own video in a contest to be on “Grill it! With Bobby Flay,” that you should vote for.  Not only does he deserve to win the spot, but I have asked him to kick Flay in the nuts for my own personal satisfaction in the event that he win (the former being very unlikely to occur).  Seriously, it’s a bad-ass video and recipe he shares: I’d watch it just for the food porn. Go. Do it now. Read this later…

Wait. Where was I going with this?  Where did this all come from!?

Oh right.

After revisiting one of my favorite comics, I was reminded of the few egg-containing cocktails I had had (namely, a ramos gin fizz  and a pisco sour) and felt that it was time to ’speriment, myself, all the while keeping Gabe’s original request for an eggnog-inclusive cocktail.  The specifics have to be ironed out, but here’s what I’ve got so far:

Hall o’ Deck

•  1.5 oz bourbon, rum or brandy

•  1/2 oz cinnamon simple syrup

•  3 dashes Fee Bros. Old-Fashioned bitters

•  2 oz heavy creme

•  1 small (preferably ‘farm-fresh’) egg

•  Fresh nutmeg

Start by separating the egg whites from the yolk into your mixing glass. You may use either egg whites (for a lighter drink) or yolk (for a heartier one), but I doubt you’d want the whole egg in there.  With either the whites or yolk in your mixing glass, engage your mixing tin and do a quick but firm ‘dry shake’ (without ice) to gently denature the proteins from the eggs a bit so that they’ll bind less and homogenize better with the other ingredients.  Next, add your creme, bourbon, syrup, bitters (I favored Fee’s over Angostura as it has a woodier, spicier cinnamon kick that just seems appropriate, here) and ice, then snap the tin back on and shake the bejezus out of it (you want to try to build up a nice froth).  Strain into a cocktail glass or coupe and grate some fresh nutmeg over the top.
Despite taking a great picture, it still needs some work.  The taste and texture was a little too watery for my liking; ideally I’m looking for a more viscous, smooth and creamy texture.  Just a little more fiddling and I should get it down, and when I do - you’ll know about it.

*clink!*

Hawt.

Before we get rolling: my deepest thanks to Ms. Kara Newman of Spice & Ice for a lovely write up following our brief interaction in regards to my looking for a proper protocol for making habañero simple syrup (results after the jump).  Her blog is chock-full of tasty recipes and tipple tips which I’m sure you’d all do well to peruse at great lengths.   …GREAT LENGTHS.

In the meantime, however: the RESULTS of perusal, followed by the brainchild of my spicy-tooth:

Habañero Simple Syrup

•  4 fresh habañero peppers

•  1 cup water

•   1 cup sugar

Much like every other simple syrup, birthing this one plays out nearly the same; bring water to boil; stir in sugar until dissolved; take off heat and immediately throw in peppers to steep while letting the solution cool, stirring occasionally.  2 very important things to mention, however …  when handling habañeros, I STRONGLY encourage you to wear some disposable polymer-based (latex…or in my case, commandeered nitrile) gloves as you need to cut the tops off of the peppers (and preferably slice them in two) in order to expose the seeds before steeping them.  The seeds and juice have the highest concentration of capsaicin which - due do it’s molecular structure - likes to stick around greasy areas such as YOUR SKIN.  So either be very careful to wash your hands with plenty of soap before touching anything else (eyes/genitals/loved ones…I have - nor want - any knowledge of how you live your personal lives) or wear yer dag gum PPE.

I am a hypochondriac.

The Serenity or “River Tam” Cocktail

(If you get it - great - if not, do not waste your time looking for the ‘Tam River’ on a map. Thanks to Gabe for suggesting the alternate naming)

•   1.5 oz rye or blanco/reposado tequila

•   Juice from 1/2 lime (about 3/4 oz)

•  1/2 oz habañero simple syrup

•  2 slices fresh ginger root

•  club soda

Pulverize 2 slices of ginger in habañero syrup, followed by adding spirit and squeezing in the lime.  Add ice and shake.  Pour into a low ball glass filled with ice (with strainer if you don’t want to chew on bits of ginger…which I tend to like) and top it off with club soda and give it a quick stir.  If you want, you can garnish with an extra wheel of lime, but - in all honesty - I only did it for show.

You’d never be able to tell from the aroma, but this beauty isn’t for the weak of heart.  It packs a punch, BUT…it is delish (I DO say so myself).  The heat from the syrup lingers and warms the gullet after the spiciness from the fresh ginger wake up the front of the palate.  Don’t be frightened, tho - all of this fire is pleasantly quenched by the lime and soda water as the rye (or tequila) lends a large hand balancing out what would otherwise be a hell of an alternative head-cold remedy.  Hmmmm, maybe THIS should have the pharmaceutical moniker.  Hot and refreshing.  You’ve been warned.

Aye!-moxacillin

     Ear infections and lab drama aside, this has been a good year so far in terms of broadening my taste for different drinks.  With the recent openings of tequila and rum-centric “speakeasies” such as The Tar Pit on La Brea (hurr hurr) and the swank but somehow kitschy La Descarga (think ‘pre-Castro’ Cuban supper club…with no supper), I found it hard not to be drawn in to the curious and colorful new flavors each bar had on their bill.  I’m a stranger to tequila. I’d heard enough anecdotes from many a college friend involving missing clothing, dignity and general sense of decency while under it’s influence to sway me from the stuff for a good portion of my life, save for the arbitrary Margarita Mondays at the Westwood Alcapulco during my first year of grad school.

There you have it: the extent of my knowledge where tequila and cocktails are concerned.  Sad, isn’t it? Tequila -> cheap, lime Icee. I’m pretty sure I could be an allegory for breeding cultural ignorance…but I want to talk about tequila, not proliferating asinine stereotypes.

Luckily, my wary predisposition towards trying tequila has been squelched since being introduced to a variety of new and curious concoctions. Most notable at the moment: The Lil’ Jig, at the Tar Pit threw my senses for a loop. Tequila blanco, green chartreuse, thai basil and simple syrup work together surprisingly well here to make an intensely savory yet refreshing tipple so good I fear that my initial reaction to my first sip caused drinking partners Daniel and Juliet to feel a smidgen embarrassed.  It was no “When Harry Met Sally,” but I will admit: there were some…embellished sighs.

…MOVING ON:

From the puritan standpoint, I got the chance to try a phenomenal añejo tequila during my first visit to La Descarga following my expertly crafted and - come to think of it - first pisco sour, the former of which I will dedicate an entire post to as soon as I get a chance to taste it again.  In the meantime, I decided to buy my first ever (ever? dang) bottle of tequila for to make mixing with.  Inspired by the D.F. 68(?) at The Roger Room, I also picked up some jalapeno peppers to make something with kick…cause there ain’t no way I’m making something bland.  Tonight, I had my first round with this…so-called…’tequila.’

Amoxicillin

•  1.5 oz. plata tequila (I used Milagro, but any blanco over $15 a bottle should work)

•  1.5 oz. fresh squeezed honey tangerine juice (1/4 should be enough)

•  1 tsp. simple syrup

•  2 slices (wheels) fresh jalapeño

Add all ingredients into a mixing glass while leaving one jalapeño wheel for garnish.  Add ice, and shake thoroughly for at least 10 seconds.  Strain through wire mesh (to make sure no seeds get through) into lowball glass filled with fresh ice and garnish with the remaining pepper slice. *Note* - depending on how hot you want this drink to be, you can muddle the syrup and jalapeño before adding the rest of the ingredients.

Daniel noted that the smell (not spiciness) of the jalapeño garnish is the first thing that hit him before even taking his first sip (bright, sweet green pepper), which either sets you up or completely disarms (depending on how spicy you decide to make the drink).  Sweet; savory; bright and spicy.  Huh!

Good news: I’m very surprised as to how balanced (also, good!) this came out on the first try.

Bad news: Inspired to make some habañero simple syrup.  Will need to steal gloves from lab.  Wheee!

Right. What’d I Miss?

Humblest (and at this rate, perpetual) apologies for all the dead time. I’m officially a year from my graduation and I’m a little strung out.

Excuses excuses.

I’m thinking very seriously (because I am a very serious man) about making and sharing a classy* holiday-themed cocktail list later this month if I can get around to making and photographing all of them before said holiday is up.  In the meantime, here’s a teaser:

*(”classy” in the sense that the majority are not chock-full of peppermint schnapps and garnished with candy canes or laden with super-rich eggnog).

The Red Queen

•  2.5 oz London dry gin

•  3 dashes Peychaud Bitters

•  1/8 oz peppercorn simple syrup

•  2-3 fresh basil leaves

Add basil leaves, simple syrup and Peychaud bitters to a mixing glass and press together firmly but gently so as only to release the oils from the basil without tearing the leaves (over-muddling causes the flavor to be too intense and anise-laden while also resulting in unsightly floaty bits of basil in the cocktail glass).  Next, add ice and gin and stir thoroughly until well chilled and strain into a cocktail glass. Garnish with a basil sprig or leaf.

Always been a sucker for basil; and I love the contrast of colors in this one.  Don’t let the connotation of bright-red drinks fool you, here; between the Paychauds, basil and inherent character the gin, the herbaceousness of this really dominates the palate (basil, anise, red and black pepper, lavander, etc.).  A great before or after-dinner tipple, if I do say so myself.

And on to the next…

Improptu Mixology

 As a gentleman of science (not to be confused with a gentleman of leisure, whom also tend to have colorful - if not slightly less toxic - stains on their clothes), I am a sucker for experimentation.

So.

After haphazardly whipping up a batch of tellicherry peppercorn simple syrup* inspired by the first episode of Good Eats (how I love you and your bald spot, Alton), I decided to invite another fellow gastrochemist, Trenten, to aid in finding new and delicious ways to exploit it.  Here are the highlights from the night:
The New Fashion

•  3 fresh pitted cherries

• 3 oz pikesville rye whiskey

• 1 barspoon tellicherry simple syrup

Muddle fresh pitted cherries with black pepper simple syrup.  Add the rye with 4 cubes of ice and stir with bar spoon briefly.  Strain into a lowball with fresh ice.

Basil Martini

• Tellicherry simple syrup

• Junipero gin

• 4 springs fresh basil

Muddle syrup and basil leaves briefly and add ice and shake with 1 jigger gin. Strain into cocktail glass and garnish with small basil leaf.

*Black Pepper Simple Syrup

Dissolve 1 cup sugar in 1 cup water by boiling in a medium saucepan.  Once all the sugar has dissolved and the water is at a rolling boil, remove the pan from the heat and quickly add 1 cup tellicherry or other desired (whole) peppercorns.  Stir briefly, then let sit and cool while intermittently stirring the peppercorns around every couple of minutes.  Once at room temperature, pass the syrup and peppercorns through a fine mesh strainer (or cheesecloth) into an airtight container. Refrigerate. Voilá.
Naturally, failures are an integral part of discovery, and I’d be a right git if I left you thinking that my cocktail-making abilities were somehow infallible (that cliché about learning from your mistakes? Very true).  That being said, I bore witness to a couple of horrors which - for the sake of your sensibilities and my ego - I will not share here.  I will note - however - that if you’re going to use barrel-aged balsamic vinaigrette in a drink, make sure you do so using a bottle that costs at least $40.

Dang.

A Corny Evening Deserves A Corny Headline

Two months ago K&L Wine Merchants hosted a Kentucky Bourbon Distillers, Ltd. tasting at my favorite (Hollywood) brew house, with both the distributors and a whiskey sommelier pouring and discussing the specifics of what differentiates bourbon from other whiskeys (easy), as well as how and where each of their specific bourbons are made and aged (spiffy!). So, like a moth to a flame…wait, no that’s a bad metaphor…like a moth to a linen suit I was there; snifter and Moleskine tasting book in hand.

I’ll spare you most of the unimportant details; but in a nutshell, the night went like this: between 7:00 pm and 11:00 pm on a Tuesday evening, my spirit-savvy friends and I had tasted 7 bourbons and 1 rye (all but one being completely new to me).  12 bottles were emptied between a total of 45 people. And - as is always my luck - after all of the posh, rosy-faced yuppies had left in their Lexus SUVs, the portly, grey CEO at K.B.D. (who – for some reason or another – was suspiciously rosy-faced, himself) began getting rather heavy handed with the most expensive bottle of whiskey they had (Vintage 21 Year Rye) with the remaining patrons (namely: Stephen, Sarah, Oliver and I).  All-in-all an educational, inebriating, and enjoyable evening; full of laughter, merriment and hugs...some of them awkward.

I had originally intended to report back on a few select brands from the night that really caught my fancy, but then opted to fall in line with my aforementioned ‘blogkreig,’ by offering a quick and dirty description of all of them, or at least the ones I remember/jotted down notes for.  Alright let’s DO THIS:

Kentucky Vintage (90 proof)

A good starter. Very light on the nose and the palate.  Subtle maple and nutmeg, noticeably high rye content.  Pleasant overall.  I’d recommend this to anyone who want’s to break away from the more approachable wheated bourbons (Makers, Basil Hayden, etc.).  $32 / 750mL

Vintage 17 Year Bourbon (102 proof)

Sweet and delicate honey on the nose, much less dense than most bourbons.  Also unlike most bourbons, the 17 year fronts a more sophisticated, brighter palate; replacing the characteristic chewy, oaky sweetness with  more herbaceous flare: light maple and honey with touches of mint and coriander that linger long after the first sip.  Not many other people took to this one, but - being a fan of the perplexing - I really enjoyed it.  $80 / 750 mL

Rowan’s Creek Bourbon (101 proof)

I had overlooked this the first time I tried it at the 7 Grand, which I will chalk up to socializing, which always takes precedence.  Here, though, is probably one of the sweetest of any bourbons I’ve ever tried: rich with cherry, dried apricot and vanilla.  Surprisingly dense mouth-feel.  $45 / 750mL

Johnny Drum Private Stock (101 proof)

Solid, medium to full-bodied bourbon.  Rich layers of smoke and chocolate complimented by a delicious, velvety mouth feel.  I definitely need to revisit this one.  $30 / 750mL

Pure Kentucky XO Bourbon (107 proof)

 Heyo!!  Hot and spicy rye mingling with maple and oak on the nose that dissolves on the palate into creamy buttermilk and caramel.  Honestly - imagine a fresh-baked old-fashioned doughnut.  Bought me a bottle of the stuff (actually, it was for my lab) right then and there.  Yummmmm. $42 / 750mL

Noah’s Mill (114.3 proof)

Don’t let the high ABV dissuade you from trying this one.  Mellow, earthy tones of tobacco and oak on the nose which carry on to the palate.  After a rye kick, the tobacco returns, with subtle but delicious notes of cut grass, orange peel, vanilla and créme brulé.  Apparently these last two bourbons were our dessert.  I may or may not have purchased a bottle of this, as well. (Don’t judge me).  $50 / 750mL

Vintage 21 Year Rye (92 proof)

Well, this one woke us all up.  Huge rye on the nose, and an intensely aromatic, beautifully layered flavor profile.  I say “beautiful,” but I think I might mean “crazy-pants-ridiculous.”  Cherry pits, charred oak, turmeric, anise and a bit of turpentine were prominent, though I’m pretty sure there are many a varying interpretation to be had of this one.  Granted, by this time our palates (not to mention most other senses) were glossed over with all the characteristic sweetness of +6 bourbons, so I’m not sure if my recollection of this one is all too accurate despite the extra pours we were getting by the end of the evening (not complaining!).  Deserves a revisit (pending available funds).  $90 / 750mL

Next week, I plan on collaborating with my brother-in-arms-in-bars, Ryan Julio of You Me & Iowa fame as we  compare and contrast our own bottles - each representing two different batches/barrels - of 4 Roses Single Barrel Bourbon.  If you’re not giddy with anticipation, you have much less to worry about than I.

Sugar; Spice; Anything Remotely Pleasant

Forgive me for the hiatus.  Apparently Dr. By Day will - in fact - become a doctor after all.  Give it a few more months; but it’s a done deal.  So…whereas the past few months have been spent worrying and researching, I can now replace the worrying with blogging; thus making awesome science AND cocktails/whiskey reviews.  As a testament to the new lifestyle change, I plan on blitzkrieging my own site with a generous number of posts in the next couple of weeks that should stretch all over the board, so here’s the first installment.

*               *               *               *               *

Normally, seeing the word ‘cinnamon’ scrolled on a label in a liquor or drink isle would immediately illicit a face that I’d have normally reserved for listening to GW speak at press conferences.  That’s probably because cinnamon-flavored beverages - for the most part - speak LIES…thick, sticky, corn syrup-tainted, esterified lies that will no doubt adhere to the your teeth and gullet like a pile of carcinogenic, abrasive chemical hooey (think Big Red or Goldschlagger).

Okay, my hyperbole needs work.

The uncomfortable truth is; I’m not a fan of raw cinnamon, but I can’t help but acknowledge it’s prevalence in many a tasty baked treat; from apple pies, to cinnamon rolls…even churos (I miss going to the LA Zoo) and rugulah (hell of such as oy).  So, while I’m fairly sure that I’ll never be able to understand nor appreciate any product in which cinnamon is at the forefront; I can’t deny it’s versatility in many a comfort food.

Time to make a comfort drink.

Cinnamon-Orange Simple Syrup

• 1 cup water

•  1/2 cup sugar or raw sugar

• 1 rounded tbs ground cinnamon

•  1 whole orange

As is the nature of these syrups…the directions for making them are really, really…easy:

Dissolve the sugar in a medium saucepan on high heat with constant stirring. Once all the sugar is dissolved, turn down the heat to a gentle simmer and add the teaspoon of cinnamon (which should not dissolve completely) followed by the entire rind (whole or in pieces, but with as much pulp attached as possible) of the orange into the reduction and continue stirring for about 10-15 minutes.  Turn off the heat and let the mixture cool to room temperature before adding all the contents to an air-tight container.  Let the slurry sit in in the fridge for about 2 hours before straining the excess cinnamon and orange rind through some cheese cloth and into another sealable container.

While I’d imagine this would do well in an old fashioned or other whiskey/rum based drinks, I was looking for more recipes to tinker with and stumbled across the appropriately named “naked skin,” (it’s not actually appropriate; it just made me ‘tee-hee’ like a 12-year-old) while perusing the Esquire Hosting Guide (circa 1949) that my grandfather had given me a while back.  ‘Man knows how to ‘tend.

Whiskey Skin (I’ll take any other less innuendo-heavy suggestions)

• 2 tsp cinnamon-orange simple syrup

• 1 jigger bourbon

• Hot water

• Orange peel

Add all ingredients in order to a 6oz tea or coffee cup (float the orange peel on top).

Not very conducive to the weather at the moment, sure…but it really does make a great digestif or nightcap.  I recommend bourbon over rye since it’s sweeter and mixes well with the syrup to - I swear to you people - make this taste almost exactly like chamomile. Try it. Try rye with it, too if you wanna.

Toodles for now. Enjoy your toddys.