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Thursday, January 24, 2013

Try a Bobby Burns cocktail on Bobby Burns Day

Bobby Burns cocktail

Dedicated cocktailians are always searching for an excuse to try a new cocktail.  Well, look no further: January 25 is Bobby Burns Day, the birthday of the Bard of Ayrshire, famed Scottish poet, Robert Burns.   In a further stroke of luck, Burns has a cocktail named after him.  So if your taste leans toward Scotch, you might want to try a Bobby Burns cocktail, especially if you’ve never had one.  This offering has been around for a while; there is a recipe for the Bobby Burns in the Savoy Cocktail Book (1930).  The Savoy is always a good source of cocktail inspiration when you’re looking for a classic cocktail to experiment with.  That’s what the Utah Mixologist was doing when he stumbled across the Bobby Burns one cold November night, and it’s been on his short list of cocktails ever since. 

This delicious concoction contains Scotch and Vermouth with a little Benedictine thrown in as a nod to Bobby Burns’ poetic nature.  The Bobby Burns sounds a bit like the Rob Roy, another classic Scotch Whisky cocktail, but where warlike Rob Roy has a dash of bitters, the more poetic Bobby Burns takes three dashes of Benedictine.  Connoisseurs of good Scotch will want to save their single malt for sipping, so any decent blended Scotch (e.g. Johnnie Walker) is recommended for this cocktail.  You should enjoy the interesting blend of herbals in the Vermouth and Benedictine combined with the peaty taste of the Scotch.  As it says in the Savoy, “One of the very best Whisky Cocktails.”

Bobby Burns Cocktail
  • 1 ½  oz Sweet Vermouth
  • 1 ½  oz Scotch Whisky (use blended, like Johnnie Walker)
  • 3 dashes (1/3 teaspoon) Benedictine

Pour ingredients into a mixing glass ¾  full of cracked ice.  Stir briskly until well chilled, and strain into a pre-chilled cocktail glass.  Twist a piece of lemon peel over the glass, rub it lightly around the rim, and drop it in.  Enjoy while it’s icy cold.

Tuesday, January 15, 2013

Cocktail ingredients Utah update – January 2013

Bourbon is the only thing marked down that
you can make a Manhattan with this month.

When Utahans walk into the Utah DABC State Liquor Stores this month, they will know that Santa Claus has left the building.  Special Price Adjustments (SPAs) originate with the distributors of the products, not the UDABC (only Clearance item price reduction come from the UDABC).  Last month there were generous to holiday promotions.  This month those promotions are scarce.  The number of items on SPA drops from over 550 when Santa was around to a scant 200 this month.  Cocktailians in search of ingredients who didn’t stock up in December will wish they had.  If this post seems short, you now know why.

If you’re into Bourbons, Bulleit Bourbon Frontier Whiskey® (CS# 017086) is available for $23 12% off) and makes a great BLT, and there are a few other Bourbons marked down.  There is only one Scotch Whisky (a blend) marked down this month: Johnnie Walker® Red is marked down 12% to $23, so if you’re looking for something to put into your Bobby Burns give it a try.  As usual, the number of Rye Whiskies on SPA this month is low: zero.  If you need some liqueurs, Kahlua is marked down a little over 10% this month.

Tequila lovers may shed a tear at the lack of SPA tags on the Tequila shelves; if they look hard they will find three!  Your options for Tequila deals this month are a pair of Hornitos: the Reposado (11% to $24) and the Plata (12% to $22) are both marked down.  Regular readers will know that a good Silver (or Plata or Blanco) is an essential ingredient in the ever popular Margarita.  For those who love Vodka Martinis, bottles of Ketel One® are marked down 12% to $22.  There is also the usual large number of flavored Vodkas on SPA.

There isn’t much excitement in the Rum shelves this month.  Liter bottles of Bacardi Gold and Superior are both marked down around 16% to $16.  Cruzan White Rum is marked down 8% to $22 for a 1750ml bottle.  The forecast for next month is not much better than this month, so tighten up your belt and wait for March.