Archive for the ‘Cocktails & Recipes’ Category

Cocktail Hour: The Time Traveller

Posted by Arctic Wolf on May 7, 2017

The Appleton Estate Signature Blend VX Rum can be a polarizing spirit. Persons new to the Appleton Rum flavour profile (which combines the funk of the Jamaican Pot Still with firm oak spice and orange peel flavours) often find the cane spirit a little daunting. However, it is equally true that once these same persons have grown accustomed to the robust flavour profile of Appleton Estate Rum, they just might be hooked for life. (Count myself in that category.)

Here is a mixed drink which attempts to bridge that gap for the cocktail enthusiast who is experimenting with the robust Appleton flagship rum for the first time. The libation is based upon the concept of the Vesper Cocktail and uses Skyy Vodka to temper the firm spicy Appleton flavour.

I decided to call my creation, the Time Traveller, as I feel that as you travel forward through time your desire for a stronger portion of Appleton Signature Blend VX Rum will grow. It would not be a quantum leap to suggest that the time will come the vodka portion will be eliminated replaced entirely by the Appleton Rum.

Time Traveller
a cocktail by Chip Dykstra (Aka Arctic Wolf)

1 1/4 oz Appleton Signature Blend VX
3/4 oz Skyy Vodka
1/2 oz Bols Triple Sec
2/3 oz Lime Juice
1/3 oz Lemon Juice
1/3 oz Sugar Syrup (1:1 ratio)
Lime Slice

Add the ingredients into a metal cocktail shaker with ice
Shake until the outside of the shaker begins to frost
Strain into a chilled cocktail glass
Garnish with a lime slice

Please Enjoy Responsibly!

If you are interested in more of my original cocktail recipes, please click this link (Cocktails and Recipes) for more of my mixed drink recipes!

Please note my reviews for Skyy Vodka and the the newly re-branded Appleton Signature Blend VX Rum will publish on Tuesday and Friday.

Chimo!

Posted in Cocktails & Recipes | Tagged: Appleton Rum, Cocktail, Mixed Drink, Signature Blend, Skyy, Time Traveller, Vodka, VX | Comments Off on Cocktail Hour: The Time Traveller

Cocktail Hour: Arctic Wolf’s Christmas Eggnog

Posted by Arctic Wolf on December 20, 2016

Back by popular demand, I am re-posting my recipe for my special Christmas Eggnog. My recipe mixes Dark Rum and Canadian Whisky with Eggs, Whipped Cream, Whole Milk and Christmas Spices. This year my chosen spirits are the very flavourful tiki rum Lemonhart Original Demerara, and the classic Canadian whisky, Canadian Club Premium. This recipe of mine does require a baker’s touch get everything just right; but the results are so good that if you serve this eggnog on Christmas Eve, you will have all of your family begging for seconds.

Arctic Wolf’s Christmas Eggnog
(Four serving recipe)

Ingredients

3 Eggs (room temperature with the yolk and whites separated)
3/8 cup White Sugar (for the yolks)
3 tablespoons White Sugar (for the whites)
1/4 teaspoon Vanilla
a touch Ground Cloves (1/16 tsp)
a pinch of Grated Nutmeg (1/8 tsp)
a dash of Ground Cinnamon (3/16 tsp)
1 1/2 cups Whipping Cream (chilled)
1 cup Whole Milk
1/2 cup Dark Rum (Lemonhart Original Dark Rum)
2/3 cup Canadian Whisky (Canadian Club Premium)

______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

Start with the Egg Yolks

Separate your egg yolks and your egg whites in two separate bowls
Whisk the first amount of sugar and the vanilla into the egg yolks
Add a touch of ground cloves, a pinch of nutmeg, and a dash of cinnamon into the yolk bowl
Add the cream, the milk and the rum and the whisky
Make sure everything is mixed thoroughly

Next the Egg Whites

This is where a baker’s touch is necessary
Beat the egg whites until they form soft peaks (3-4 minutes)
Add the second amount of sugar slowly during this beating process.

Then we Combine

Gently and with large circular motions blend the egg white mixture into the yolk mixture, trying to keep things as ‘poofy’ as possible
Gently spoon the mixture into your serving cups
Sprinkle a little left over spice on the top of each glass, and enjoy with your favourite Christmas chocolates!

________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

eggnog

Merry Christmas Everyone!

Posted in Canadian Whisky, Cocktails & Recipes, Dark Rums, Rum, Whisk(e)y | Tagged: Canadian Club, Canadian Whisky, Christmas, Cocktails and Recipes, Dark Rum, Eggnog, Lemonhart | Comments Off on Cocktail Hour: Arctic Wolf’s Christmas Eggnog

Cocktail Hour: Sense of Sensibility

Posted by Arctic Wolf on October 29, 2016

I believe that tasting and reviewing Vodka must be approached quite differently than tasting and reviewing whisky or rum. Whereas whisky and rum are generally served at room temperature and perhaps with a little water or ice; Vodka is generally chilled, and one would rarely add water or ice when drinking the spirit neat.

sensibility-sam_2849 Vodka is also a drink which should not be consumed in a vacuum. A traditional Vodka tasting would normally include food and good company. The style of food is in the vein of fresh bread or buns, potato dishes, sausage or ham, and pickled foods. The style of company of course is completely up to the individuals involved.

When I host a vodka tasting, I always add one additional element to the occasion. I make sure that I conclude the event with a nice cocktail. A tart fruity gimlet is a fantastic way to wrap up a Vodka tasting. And how each spirit performs in their respective cocktails always has a significant impact upon my review.

Here is a gimlet style cocktail which mixes a pure rye grain spirit, Extra Zytnia Vodka with fresh lemon and orange juice and a dash of Maraschino liqueur.

(A late night Black Adder marathon inspired the name of this tasty libation.)

Sense of Sensibility

2 oz Vodka
3/4 oz fresh Lemon Juice
1/2 oz fresh Orange Juice
dash of Maraschino
1/4 oz Sugar Syrup (1:1 Ratio)
ice
Orange Peel Zest

Add the five ingredients with ice into a metal shaker
Shake vigorously until the outside of the shaker begins to frost
Strain into a suitable cocktail glass
Garnish with a strip of Orange Zest

Enjoy Responsibly!

If you are interested in more of my cocktail recipes, please click this link (Cocktails and Recipes) for more of my mixed drink recipes!

My review of the Extra Zytnia pure rye grain vodka will publish tomorrow, Chimo!

Posted in Cocktails & Recipes | Tagged: 2014 Year in Vodka, Cocktails, Extra Zytnia, Gimlet, Sense of Sensibility | Comments Off on Cocktail Hour: Sense of Sensibility

Cocktail Hour: The Emissary

Posted by Arctic Wolf on October 22, 2016

emissary-sam_2845 I make my cocktails at home, and as a result I must be content with whichever ingredients happen to be in my cupboards and/or refrigerator. The Emissary is a tasty cocktail which came about when I was experimenting with different combinations of lemon, lime and grapefruit juice. I chose to accent the serving with just a hint of orange zest.

Although this particular cocktail is more complex to construct than a common sour cocktail, the results are well worth the effort.

The Emissary

1 1/2 oz Norvegia Vodka
3/8 oz fresh squeezed Lemon Juice
3/8 oz fresh squeezed Lime Juice
1/4 oz fresh squeezed Grapefruit Juice
3/8 oz Sugar Syrup (1:1 ratio)
Ice
Orange Peel (pith removed)

Add the Vodka, the fruit juice, and sugar syrup into a metal cocktail shaker with ice
Shake until the outside of the shaker begins to frost
Strain into a cocktail glass
Tie a long strip of fresh orange peel into a bow and drop it in for garnish
Enjoy!

Note: If you are interested in more of my cocktail recipes, please click this link (Cocktails and Recipes) for more of my mixed drink recipes!

Norvegia is a five-time distilled potato vodka from Norway. You may read my full review of this wonderful new potato spirit when it publishes tomorrow.

Chimo!

Posted in Cocktails & Recipes | Tagged: Cocktails, Emissary, Norvegia, Potato Vodka | Comments Off on Cocktail Hour: The Emissary

Cocktail Hour: Cognac Servings

Posted by Arctic Wolf on October 17, 2016

If you delve into the history of Cognac, you will find that the spirit was drank in a very different manner in the 18^th and 19^th centuries. In fact, if you happen to enter an old bar in France you might still see blue glass bottles with handles which used to be filled with seltzer water to be used with Cognac. The grape spirit may have remained a mixing spirit had not phylloxera arrived and ravaged the European vineyards.

Because of phylloxera, Cognac all but disappeared in the 1870’s, and it remained a relatively rare spirit until the end of the 19^th century. During this time, it was gradually replaced in bars and restaurants by whisk(e)y in both the United Kingdom and North America. When the vineyards recovered and Cognac became more readily available near the beginning of the 20^thcentury, it had to find a new market niche to occupy. For this reason, the grape spirit came to be promoted as an after dinner sipping drink rather than as a spirit meant mixed drinks and cocktails.

Brandy Crusta

However, if we go back to the roots of Cognac and how people originally preferred to enjoy the spirit, we find that as a cocktail spirit it has tremendous appeal. Cognac displays intense taste and aromas, great complexity, and a wonderful finish. The original bartenders knew this, and with cognac they created many classic bar drinks for their patrons. In fact, some of our favourite whisky cocktails, the Mint Julep, the Old Fashioned and the Sazerac were originally mixed with Brandy and Cognac.

The recipes I have selected below (click on the mixed drink servings to go to each recipe page) may seem heretical to today’s Cognac enthusiast; but they are all rooted in the true history of the grape spirit which was the original spirit of choice for bartenders who created mixed drinks and cocktails.

Please enjoy these cocktail servings and if you are interested in other libations, please click this link (Cocktails and Recipes) for more of my mixed drink recipes!

Chimo!

Posted in Cocktails & Recipes | Tagged: Alabazam, Apricot Sour, Baby Doll, Blood Orange Bitters, Brandy, Champs Élysées, Classic, Cocktails, Cognac, Crusta, Fevrier, Heretic, Hummingbird, Lime Sour, Medusa Coil, Mint Julep, Old Fashioned, Presbyterian Cocktail, Sidecar, Smash, Wisconsin Old Fashioned | Comments Off on Cocktail Hour: Cognac Servings

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Archive for the ‘Cocktails & Recipes’ Category

Cocktail Hour: The Time Traveller

Cocktail Hour: Arctic Wolf’s Christmas Eggnog