Must Try Classic Cocktail Alternatives

This Manhattan style cocktail contains definite flavor of dry vermouth spilling into the flavor palate. Would perhaps benefit by switching Heering Cherry Liqueur for Luxardo Maraschino Liqueur in my opinion as the Luxardo washes a bit too perfumy in this particular cocktail. Though the flavors meld together nicely the longer the drink sits in the glass. Cynar rather nice fit for this version. Might like hint more, but that is only due to my fascination with the artichoke spirit. Definite must try for bourbon enthusiasts and Manhattan cocktail lovers.

Bensonhurst

Bensonhurst 1 photo copyright Cheri Loughlin2 ounces Bourbon

1 ounce Dry Vermouth

1/2 ounce Luxardo Maraschino Liqueur

1/4 ounce Cynar

Maraschino Cherry Garnish

Combine liquids in mixing glass with ice. Stir to thoroughly chill. Strain into cocktail glass. Garnish with maraschino cherry.

Bensonhurst is a cocktail descendent of the Brooklyn Cocktail which calls for Amer Picon, a rare liqueur. This original adaptation utilizes Cynar. Named for a tough Italian neighborhood in Brooklyn. The original Bensonhurst version below is created by Chad Solomon of Cuffs and Buttons.

Bensonhurst

2 ounces Rye

1 ounce Noilly Prat Dry Vermouth

2 teaspoons Luxardo Maraschino Liqueur

1 teaspoon Cynar

Without Garnish

Amer Picon is a French aperitif with bitter sweet flavors primarily highlighted as herbal and orange.

Brooklyn Cocktail

1-1/2 ounce Rye

1/2 ounce Dry Vermouth

1/4 ounce Maraschino Liqueur

1/4 ounce Amer Picon

Combine liquids in cocktail shaker with ice. Shake to blend and chill. Strain into chilled cocktail glass.

Another variation is the Brooklyn which utilizes Canadian Whisky rather than Rye or Bourbon.

Brooklyn

2 ounces Canadian Club Whisky

1 ounce Dry Vermouth

Dash Amer Picon

Dash Maraschino Liqueur

Lemon Twist Garnish – Optional

Combine liquids in cocktail shaker with ice. Shake to blend and chill. Strain into chilled cocktail glass. Garnish with optional lemon twist.

High resolution digital photo downloads are available for brand, cocktail menu creation use and individual use at www.cheriloughlin.com within the Beverages category.

Find The Intoxicologist on Twitter, Facebook, StumbleUpon or Email: str8upcocktails@gmail.com – Copyright 2011 Cheri Loughlin – The Intoxicologist – All Rights Reserved –  All opinions, reviews and spirits’ coverage contained within are the personal opinion and decision of Cheri Loughlin, The Intoxicologist.

Summertime Cover Up

DonQ Coco Rum 1 photo copyright Cheri Loughlin

DonQ Coco Rum Tasting Notes

21% Alcohol. 42 Proof.

Aroma: Very little scent. Sugared.

Taste: Very sweet. Says natural coconut flavors on the bottle, but… tastes more artificially flavored to the taste buds. Even leaves bit of distasteful after taste. Thin. Not nearly as impressed with this flavoring as I have been with the base spirits of the DonQ Rum brand thus far.

Best conclusion for this flavoring; mix to get semblance of sweetened flavoring
while knowing the alcohol content might be exceedingly low. Borders upon liqueur factor at this point in my opinion. Many average liqueurs fall within 15 to 30 percent ABV (alcohol by volume). Rum, even flavored rum, generally speaking falls somewhere between 35 to 40 percent ABV with some higher.

Summertime means quick and easy cocktails that won’t bring on the buzz too fast. Throw on your favorite bikini and simply shake up this simple tropical Cover Up for easy, breezy sipping poolside.

Cover Up – created by Cheri Loughlin

Cover Up 1 photo copyright Cheri Loughlin2 ounces DonQ Coco Flavored Rum

2 ounces Pineapple Juice

1 ounce Coconut Cream

2 dashes Peach Bitters

2 dashes Angostura Bitters

Combine rum, pineapple juice and coconut cream in cocktail shaker with ice. Shake thoroughly to blend and chill thoroughly. Strain into chilled goblet. Place dashes of bitters over top. Serve.

Browse DonQ Rum specific posts, Rum Cocktails in general and more Reviews by following the links. High resolution digital photo downloads are available for brand, cocktail menu creation use and individual use at www.cheriloughlin.com within the Beverages category.

DonQ Coco Rum sample for review courtesy representatives of DonQ Rum. All opinions, reviews and spirits’ coverage contained within are the personal opinion and decision of Cheri Loughlin, The Intoxicologist.

Find The Intoxicologist on Twitter, Facebook, StumbleUpon or Email: str8upcocktails@gmail.com – Copyright 2011 Cheri Loughlin – The Intoxicologist – All Rights Reserved

Adding Fresh Pizzazz to the RTD Mint Julep

Ready to drink formulation cocktails from the bottle are perfect for furthering
experimentation.  Just because their main purpose is a quick and easy pour cocktail does not mean your imagination must stop there.  With a little creative
blending, you can turn the plain pre-mix into the mouthwatering delicious cocktail you would otherwise be missing.

Raspberry Mint Julep – created by Cheri Loughlin

Early Times Raspberry Mint Julep 1 photo copyright Cheri Loughlin3 ounces Early Times Mint Julep RTD

1/3 cup frozen Raspberries

1/2 cup Ice

Crushed Ice

Fresh Mint Leaves Garnish

Place Early Times Mint Julep, raspberries and 1/2 cup ice in a blender.  Blend on
puree in the blender.  Pour over crushed ice in a Collins glass or decorative glass.  Garnish with fresh mint leaves.

The raspberry bite takes a tiny bit of sweetness out of the Early Times Mint Julep without robbing the cocktail of its traditional flavor and minty charm.  The minty fresh taste lingers well through the raspberry fruit which by the way gives this cocktail a pleasantly vivacious color.  Vibrant green mint leaves add the finishing touch for extra sparkle and contrast to liven up the concoction.

High resolution digital photo downloads are available for brand, cocktail menu creation use and individual use at www.cheriloughlin.com within the Beverages category.

Find The Intoxicologist on Twitter, Facebook, StumbleUpon or Email: str8upcocktails@gmail.com – Copyright 2011 Cheri Loughlin – The Intoxicologist – All Rights Reserved –  All opinions, reviews and spirits’ coverage contained within are the personal opinion and decision of Cheri Loughlin, The Intoxicologist.

The Easy Tease

One of my favorite diet juices makes the perfect mixer for many lower calorie drinks. Ocean Spray Diet Blueberry Pomegranate Juice is wonderful on its own with ice or mixed with a variety of flavored vodkas or rums. Wild Tea Vodka pairs quite nicely with the sharpness of black tea playing off the delicious blueberry. The end result is rather satisfying for leisurely sipping.

Tease Me – adapted by Cheri Loughlin

Tease Me 1 photo copyright Cheri Loughlin1-1/2 Absolut Wild Tea Vodka

3 ounces Diet Blueberry Pomegranate Juice

Frozen Blueberries Garnish – optional

Build over fresh ice in highball glass.

Basically blueberry tea. Refreshing. Sip long without the guilt.

High resolution digital photo downloads are available for brand, cocktail menu creation use and individual use at www.cheriloughlin.com within the Beverages category.

Find The Intoxicologist on Twitter, Facebook, StumbleUpon or Email: str8upcocktails@gmail.com – Copyright 2011 Cheri Loughlin – The Intoxicologist – All Rights Reserved – All opinions, reviews and spirits’ coverage contained within are the personal opinion and decision of Cheri Loughlin, The Intoxicologist

Entertaining with Two Ingredient Cocktails

Planning a party well in advance or throwing one together on the fly just got a little easier with all the tasty bells and whistles remaining in the glass. Cocktails for crowds don’t have to be extravagantly detailed with lots of ingredients in the glass. Placing the right mix of elements in a cocktail glass for quality taste experience is exactly the same principle as combining the ideal blend of people together for a party. Favorable flavors combine for sensational taste just as complimentary personalities add sensational spark to a party. Two ingredient drinks keep entertaining fun, fabulous and flavorful.

Bulls Eye 5 photo copyright Cheri LoughlinBull’s Eye

2-1/2 ounce Beer

2-1/2 ounce Tomato Juice

Cherry Tomato Garnish

Combine liquids in highball glass over fresh ice. Garnish with skewered cherry tomato. A few splashes of Tabasco would send this simple version of the Bloody Mary into show stopper mode!

Camparosa 4 photo copyright Cheri LoughlinCamparosa

2 ounces Campari

3 ounces Grapefruit Juice

Orange Slice Garnish

Combine liquids in highball glass over fresh ice. Garnish with orange slice. Bitter, sweet and refreshingly excellent!

Depth Charge

2 ounces Schnapps

1 pint Beer

Place schnapps flavor of your choice into chilled beer mug. Top with beer.

Flying Dutchman 2 photo copyright Cheri LoughlinFlying Dutchman

2 ounces Gin

1 teaspoon Absinthe

Combine liquids in an Old Fashioned glass with fresh ice. Stir.

Highball

2 ounces Base Spirit of Choice

3 ounces Mixer of Choice

Place base spirit (Whiskey, Vodka, Rum, Tequila, etc…) in highball glass over fresh ice. Top with mixer (club soda, tonic, juice, etc…).

Rye and Ginger 6 photo copyright Cheri LoughlinRye & Ginger

2 ounces Rye

3 ounces Ginger Ale

Place Rye in highball glass over fresh ice. Top with ginger ale. Stir.

Splificator

2-1/2 ounces Bourbon

1/2 ounce Club Soda

Place bourbon in an Old Fashioned glass with fresh ice. Top with club soda to desired taste.

Spritzer 10 photo copyright Cheri LoughlinSpritzer

4 ounces White Wine

Club Soda

Lemon Twist Garnish

Place wine in white wine glass with fresh ice. Top with club soda. Garnish with optional lemon twist.

Whisky Mac

1-1/2 ounce Scotch

1 ounce Ginger Wine

Place scotch in an Old Fashioned glass over fresh ice. Top with ginger wine. Stir.

Never leave guests without a non-alcoholic option…

Italian Soda

2 ounces Italian Syrup – Flavor of Choice

3 ounces Sparkling Water

Lemon or Lime Slice Garnish

Fill highball glass with ice. Add flavored Italian syrup of choice (flavored coffee syrups or flavored simple syrups could also be used). Top with sparkling water. Stir gently. Garnish with lemon or lime slice. Other fruit garnishes could be used to correspond to the syrup flavor chosen.

Enjoy more year round hosting ideas from creative party planners and entertaining specialists:

BBQBlogHop - photo courtesy Dawn Sandomeno of Party Blue PrintsCynthia of the Daily Basics: Fabulous daily inspiration for getting back to basics and enjoying life again. @thedailybasics on Twitter The Daily Basics on Facebook

Sandy of Reluctant Entertainer: An inspiration to everyone seeking the confidence to entrain at home, and author of The Reluctant Entertainer. @SandyCoughlinRE on Twitter Reluctant Entertainer on Facebook

Dawn of Party Blue Prints: A great source for planning the perfect party, 1/2 of the Party Blue Prints team and co-author of Plan to Party.  @DawnSandomeno on Twitter

Jen of Second City Soiree: Chicago hostess and a wealth of creative ideas for hosting the perfect event. @SecndCitySoiree on Twitter Second City
Soiree on Facebook

Chris of Celebrations at Home: Virginian Event Planner offering fabulous advice for celebrations at home and Celebrations.com starlet. @CelebrateAtHome on Twitter Celebrations At Home on Facebook

Coryanne of Housewife Bliss: @housewifebliss on Twitter Housewife-Bliss on Facebook

Find The Intoxicologist on Twitter, Facebook, StumbleUpon or Email: str8upcocktails@gmail.com – Copyright 2011 Cheri Loughlin – The Intoxicologist – All Rights Reserved – All opinions, reviews and spirits’ coverage contained within are the personal opinion and decision of Cheri Loughlin, The Intoxicologist