Hurricane #1 (Round 1) * * *

[Difford's Guide]

Glass: Hurricane ... duh
Garnish: Pineapple wedge & maraschino cherry
Method: Shake all ingredients with ice and strain into ice-filled glass

1-1/2 shots   Bacardi Superior (white) rum
1 shot           Pusser's Navy rum
1 shot           Orange juice
1 shot           Pineapple juice
1/2 shot        Lime juice
1/4 shot        Passionfruit syrup
3/4 shot        Rose's lime cordial

Deviations: I substituted The Kraken rum for Pusser's Navy rum.

This is going to be a long post. There's so much to talk about with this drink.

The Hurricane: so named for the hurricane lamp shaped glass in which it has been served since its creation 75 years ago. There's some dispute as to its origins, so you can choose between 1939 at the Hurricane bar at the World's Fair in New York, or in 1960 at Pat O'Brien's in New Orleans. Frankly who cares, either way it is still a cool looking cocktail.

My introduction to the Hurricane was on the animated series Archer, where a flight attendant asks agent Stirling Archer "Sir, can you find your seat for me?" Archer points toward his seat down the length of the plane. "Yeah, it's over there... can you go find some more Hurricanes for me?" and hands her an empty glass. Priceless.

Today was the perfect day for a Hurricane. It was really hot outside, and I had one hell of a whirlwind of a day: in no particular order, what does a Russian violinist, a visit to the City of Saskatoon Police headquarters, and the local symphony's downtown office have in common? Today it was me. Long story with a happy ending. Buy me a beer and I'll tell you about it.

Here is a look at everything you will need to make a Hurricane. I know what you are asking: where do I find passionfruit syrup? I just happened to find some today while shopping for lamp shades at HomeSense in Stonebridge, Saskatoon. They carry a modest selection of Torani syrups (the kind that your local specialty coffee shop has lined up on the back wall to add flavour shots). This one set me back $8 before tax.

This rendition of the Hurricane was much too tart for my tastes. Lime is the predominant flavour, and the passionfruit syrup, which is characteristic of any Hurricane recipe, was sadly lost at sea - I only caught a glimpse of it before it slipped away in this rum-laced perfect storm. I would have liked to have tasted more passion fruit. And this is coming from a guy who LOVES limes.

I would recommend adding only one third to one half of the prescribed amount of Roses' Lime Cordial (or cut it out altogether), and would encourage the use of a fresh lime, rather than ReaLime. Yes, that stuff is convenient, but it can't compete with fresh stuff.

Nevertheless, despite the tartness it is quite refreshing and the rum for the most part is a hidden player behind the stage. This really shocked me considering I used The Kraken Rum and was certain it would attempt to steal the show.

This drink certainly has a lot of potential. I will definitely make it again with some adjustments to the recipe in order to dial down the lime and give the drink more balance. There's a lot of good stuff in this drink, and every player needs an equal share of time in the limelight. Wait a second...

Explorers Be Warned! Despite its pleasantly fruity sails, this ship is packing a 100-gun punch worth of rum below deck. Before finishing this article I knocked over the empty glass and suffered my first bar glassware casualty. Now I have to go to Walmart and pick up another hurricane glass for $2. Damn. Consider yourself warned: hurricanes are dangerous.

Product Review: St-Germain Elderflower Liqueur

I was a little hesitant to purchase this rather curious product of France. It runs for $46 before tax at a Saskatchewan liquor store, and this was well into the "is it worth the risk?" zone. Especially considering I had absolutely no idea what it would taste like. All I knew was that St Germain is an elderflower liqueur. I have never smelled an elderflower, let alone seen one, and so it was going to be a bit of a gamble. But given the frequency with which St Germain is called upon in Difford's Guide, I felt the potential reward outweighed the risk.

And it did. St Germain is an acquisition without any regrets. The liqueur  has a most pleasing aroma, and I suspect will add this quality to drinks in which it is mixed. The aroma is similar to the linden tree in bloom, although more delicate. It reminded me at once of a Summer Mist brand wine kit of Passion Fruit Papaya wine that my father made last year.

The taste is simply exceptional. As with the aroma, the taste instantly calls to mind passionfruit and papaya, however also pear, peach, grapefruit, and starfruit (if you can believe all that - you will once you try it). One really can't put a finger on which of those flavours it is, and so St Germain is truly something unique in its own right. This of course makes the liqueur ideal for imparting a subtle intriguing influence on a drink. At 20% alc. by vol. it has a reasonable balance of sweetness, though in my opinion could be a bit dryer. The flavour is quite delicate, though without being obscure (the latter being something akin to kirsch, for which I argue is completely lacking of cherry flavour). The taste lingers long after consumption, but in a pleasant way (unlike how Jack Daniels is on the breath the following morning - long story there and not one of my finer moments).

St Germain is created from fresh elderflower blossoms and presumably some other botanicals. The flowers are harvested during the few weeks in which they bloom. It contains no preservatives or stabilizers. It is a very pale gold in colour, much like any white wine. St Germain also comes in one of the most attractive bottles conceivable, sure to add some Belle Epoch French class to any liquor cabinet (and I am a sucker for interesting bottles. Curse you Crystal Skull Vodka and your irresistible design!).

As its makers claim, the liqueur is subtle, delicate, and captivating. For more information on this surprisingly good liqueur, visit the St-Germain Website. Cocktails with St Germain in the coordinates may be expected soon on The Log.

Aroma    *****
Taste       *****
Colour    *****
Cost        $$$$

Kentucky Jewel 1/2

[Difford's Guide]

Glass: Martini

Garnish: Seasonal Berries

Method: Shake all ingredients with ice and strain into a chilled glass.

1-1/2 shots    Maker's Mark bourbon

1/4 shot         Triple Sec

1/4 shot         Chambord black raspberry liquer

2 shots          Ocean Spray cranberry juice

This was my first venture into the uncharted waters of bourbon... and it was not a pleasant one. After seeing that so many cocktails in Difford's Guide call on bourbon, I figured I should get a bottle. On DG's recommendation and some cursory online research, I settled on Maker's Mark bourbon. I could tell from the moment I opened the bottle and took a whiff that I would likely not enjoy it. Unfortunately the bourbon completely annihilated the cranberry juice and Chambord (which I mourned... such a waste of good Chambord). There was only the faintest suggestion of berry among the bombastic bourbon. Perhaps this drink could have benefitted from a different bourbon, but something tells me that I doubt it. The bourbon is simply overpowering. As the War Amps say: Never Again!

Given the plethora of cocktails that call for it, I am certainly willing to give bourbon many more tries. I am hoping this was only an unusual misfortune of a bourbon-based drink and that future exploration into that sea reveals less rocky shores. Though as my brother would say, "acquired taste is Stockholm Syndrome for the senses."

Bird of Paradise * * 1/2

[Difford's Guide]

Glass: Martini
Garnish: Dust with grated nutmeg
Method: Shake all ingredients with ice and fine strain into chilled glass

1-1/4 shots   Tequila 100% Agave
3/4 shot        White Creme de Cacao
1/2 shot        Amaretto liqueur
1 shot           Cream (18%)
3/4 shot        Milk

A nice balance of milk chocolate and hazelnut, thought the tequila is not especially clandestine. You can distinguish the tequila right on the first notes of a sip, though toward the end of the drink you notice it on the final notes of each sip. Regardless, the tequila does impart a certain exotic quality that would otherwise be lacking. I am not the greatest fan of tequila, but in this cocktail it is a necessary evil (though evil in this case is more along the lines of a girl wearing clip-on devil horns at halloween rather than Satan rising in smoke from the depths of hell - yes, there are tequila based drinks that match the latter, in my opinion). Unfortunately the cream is for the most part lost in this cocktail, rather than adding to the overall appeal as in the Coco Cabana. It is a decent drink, inoffensive for the most part, but not one I would likely desire to explore again.

Brands: Jose Cuervo Especial Silver Tequila (made with blue agave)

Coco Cabana * * * * *

[Difford's Guide]

Glass: Martini
Garnish: Pineapple wedge
Method: Shake all ingredients with ice and fine strain into chilled glass

1/2 shot          Midori green melon liqueur
1-1/2 shots     Malibu coconut rum liqueur
2 shots           Pineappple juice
3/4 shot         Milk
3/4 shot         Cream (18%)

Really? First log a five star? Yes, and justly so. This drink is the reason I started this blog in the first place. After discovering this incredible cocktail I felt that I needed to share this with others. And for someone as busy as myself, it takes a lot of convincing to take up yet another thing with which to occupy myself. But I digress; onto the drink!

This drink has exceptionally well-balanced flavours. Each flavour can be picked out free of guessing and work together in perfect harmony. This cocktail is the liquid version of "The Avengers" movie with regard to balance. It has just the right creamy richness, and the alcohol mostly disappears. It is not overly sweet and is quite refreshing. This is a perfect summer cocktail and would be enjoyed by any palate. I look forward to enjoying this one again!

Note: Midori and Cocktail are not to scale. Else that would be one hell of a big martini glass punch bowl, or a 50 ml bottle of Midori; either of which would woefully impractical.

Cocktail Cartography

The first think any level headed explorer requires is a map. Without a suitable cartograph, one can waste precious provisions on a foolhardy venture. In other words, if you don't follow a recipe you may very well create an abomination from some very fine ingredients. That isn't to say that you should only stay the course exactly dictated by a recipe, but it is best to first take the tried and true route to a destination for the first time before exploring alternatives and variations.

I currently have two maps at my disposal: Difford's Guide, and Mixologist.

Difford's Guide is the undisputed authority on cocktails, and is deserving of its full title "Cocktails: The Bartender's Bible". I will be following the 11th edition. This book is truly incredible, with more than 3000 recipes, all of which are illustrated. The preface chapters contain detailed directions on the various methods of mixing drinks, the preparation of garnishes, tools of the trade, and various types of glassware in which drinks are served.

Mixologist is an app I downloaded on my iPod Touch five years ago. It is the paid upgrade to the app Mixology. This app would be brilliant if it included illustrations, but alas it does not. It has an impressive number of recipes, and I would recommend this resource for those who have an affinity to the more common contemporary drinks like the "porn star" and "jagger bomb". Difford's Guide is more the type to offer the "porn star martini" and the "jagerita", if you catch my drift. Both resources have their place and relevance, and for beginners I would suggest Mixology over Difford's Guide.

Map in hand, it is time time venture into the deep blue curacao!

Jeff's Liquor Log: A 'Spirited' Journey

I have recently embarked on the voyage that is the exploration of mixology: the study and art of mixing drinks. I have long had a fascination with bartending, even at an early age. As a child I remember peering with unbridled curiosity at the lounge car in The Station Place Restaurant, deigning to go inside for a closer look. Perhaps it was the plethora of intriguing shaped and coloured bottles of spirits and liqueurs, their sophisticated names, and dizzying variety. This blog chronicles my journeys to uncharted places of the palate, isles of imbibing, and coves of concoction. I shall provide the coordinates (ingredients) for each destination and an account of my impressions. I trust this log will entertain as much as intrigue, and hopefully aid you in your own expeditions to libations at distant latitudes.