This drink started out as a Dark & Stormy until we realized we were out of dark rum. Not to worry, we found a bottle of our favourite spiced rum, Sailor Jerry and we soldiered on. Cheers! [Read more...]
The Spicy Ginger Sailor
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Releasing the Kraken with a Perfect Storm
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This week we couldn’t help but notice the the ad for Kraken Black Spiced Rum on the back cover of LCBO’s Trend Report magazine. The distinctive bottle, colour and label artwork really caught our eye, so when we saw it on the shelf tonight at the LCBO I knew we had to try it.
The description of the black spiced rum speaks of hints of chocolate and molasses cut with vanilla, cloves and undercurrents of cinnamon. That’s a lot of tastes to absorb – we definitely get the molasses, vanilla, cloves and cinnamon – not so much on the chocolate, but we’re willing to keep trying until we find it.
The feature was accompanied by a drink recipe for The Perfect Storm, a twist on the classic rum drink the Dark & Stormy. Here’s our slightly tweaked version.
Ingredients
- 2 oz Kraken Black Spiced Rum
- 5 oz Ginger Beer
- 1 oz fresh lemon juice
- Lemon twist
Preparation
Combine the ingredients in a cocktail glass with 3-4 ice cubes. Shake, then strain into a high ball glass filled with ice. Garnish with a twist of lemon.
The Nor’easter – North meets South in a Perfect Storm
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The sap is running wild in the maple woods of the North East so this week we’re making cocktails with the sweet and delicious taste of maple syrup.
This drink recipe comes from the bar at Char No 4, Brooklyn’s home of American Whiskey with 150 types on hand for your enjoyment. Their twist on the Dark & Stormy is like a south meeting north in a perfect storm in your glass.
Ingredients
- 1 1/2 oz Maker’s Mark
- 1/2 oz fresh lime juice
- 1/2 oz maple syrup
- splash of Ginger Beer
Preparation
Combine the bourbon, lime juice and maple syrup in a cocktail shaker filled with ice. Shake 10-12 times. Strain and pour over ice in a rocks glass. Add a splash of ginger beer on top and garnish with a lime wheel.
Halloween Cocktails #8, The Dark and Spooky
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Everything always seems a little spookier on Halloween night. The sky is just a little darker, the wind blowing the leaves around makes you stop and turn, the eyes of the jack-o-lanterns are staring at you from every doorstep. 8 year-olds dressed like Snooki or Lady GaGa and hopped up on adrenalin and sugar run screaming past you, their bleary-eyed parents in useless pursuit.
After all that you’ll probably need a drink to calm your frayed nerves. One of the favorite drinks here at Madtini Intoxicology Labs is the Dark and Stormy. We’re re-naming it the Dark & Spooky for Halloween weekend and throwing in a spooky spider and serving it up with a extra shot of evil.
Cheers and Happy Halloween.
Ingredients
- 2 1/2 oz dark rum
- Juice of one Lime
- Ginger Beer
Preparation
Combine the dark rum and lime juice in a cocktail shaker. Stir, then pour over ice in a rocks glass. Top with Ginger Beer and garnish with a wedge of lime and a large black spider.
Happy 200th birthday Mexico! Feliz cumpleaños – El Diablo
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September 16, 2010 is a day of celebration for Mexico. Today they celebrate 200 years of Independence from Spanish rule and 100 years since the Revolution began in 1910 and ousted dictator Porfirio Diaz. Its a chance for Mexicans to celebrate all over the world. We’re not Mexican, but tonight the Madtini labs is hopping with the sounds of Mariachi, awkward dancing and of course ice-filled cocktail shakers. And I swear another couple of these El Diablos and we’ll be brave enough for a round of amateur bullfighting.
Ingredients
- 2 oz tequila
- 3/4 oz creme de cassis
- 1/4 oz fresh lime juice
- ginger beer
Preparation
Combine tequila, creme de cassis in a cocktail shaker with 3 ice cubes. Shake vigorously and strain into a rocks glass full of ice. Add in lime juice and top with ginger beer. Garnish with a twist of lime.
Moscow Mule with a Twist of Vanilla
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Moscow Mule with a Twist of Vanilla
Last week we created the classic vodka cocktail The Moscow Mule, and we thought since we have a fresh bottle of Smirnoff ‘Twist of Vanilla’ sitting in the freezer why not combine the vanilla flavors with the lime and ginger. And it worked beautifully, you could taste elements from all the ingredients at the same time.
Now we’re off to try the Vanilla with Creme de Cacao, stand by tomorrow for more news on our Vanilla adventures.
Recipe
Ingredients:
- 2 oz Twist of Vanilla Smirnoff Vodka
- 1 oz Ginger Beer
- 1/2 Lime
- Dash of bitters
Preparation:
Fill a martini glass with crushed ice. Pour the vodka, lime juice and a dash of bitters over the ice. Top with Ginger Beer and garnish with a lime wedge
Cheers from the labs
Flogging the Moscow Mule… but, in a good way
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The Moscow Mule
As i started researching it became clear that this particular cocktail had a lot more history to it than I realized. The Moscow Mile actually was the cocktail that kicked off the vodka craze in the 1950s in the US when Gin was the preferred clear liquor. The cocktail was ‘invented’ in 1941 by John G. Martin of G.F, Heublein Brothers Ins; an East Coast distributor of food and spirits, and John ‘Jack’ Morgan, President of Cock’n Bull Products, which produced ginger beer. Morgan was also the owner of the Cock ‘n’ Bull Tavern, a Sunset Boulevard bar that was popular with celebrities. The two combined their efforts and came up with the Moscow Mule.
The Moscow Mule was even served in a copper mug as part of its marketing in American bars, a strategy that played a major role in shifting the liquor market from to gin to vodka.
Recipe
Ingredients:
- 2 oz Smirnoff Vodka
- 1 oz Ginger Beer
- 1/2 Lime
- Dash of bitters
Preparation:
Fill a rocks glass with ice. Pour in vodka, lime juice and a dash of bitters. Top with Ginger Beer and garnish with a lime wedge
Cheers from the labs