Horizontal Thrust

• 2.0 oz. London Dry gin
• 0.25 oz. Oloroso sherry
• 0 25 oz. Benedictine
• 0.25 oz. Crème de Noyaux (Tempus Fugit)
• 0.25 oz. dry vermouth
• dash of Abbot’s bitters

Stir with ice and strain into glass.

This was a Gentleman’s Guide to Love and Murder cocktail, created for Reverend Lord Ezekial D’Ysquith, thus the Benedictine, Abbot’s and sherry (which I’m sure he indulges in). Gin seemed the right base and the noyaux was added for nuttiness. Finally, the vermouth mellowed and lengthened the drink.

The name comes from one of his quotes remarking on the chapel’s architecture, but of course with much of his observations there is a sexual undercurrent. Unintentional, of course. But here in my naming completely intentional. Who names a drink after architecure?

The Lady and the Rose

• 2.0 oz. New Western gin (Corsair)
• 0.5 oz. Dr. Brambles Pomegranate and Rose liqueur
• 0.25 oz. cinnamon syrup
• 0.25 oz. lemon juice
• dash of Peychaud’s bitters

Shake with ice and strain into coupe.

I picked up the Dr. Brambles and didn’t realize it was the same flavor pairings as Edinburgh. Is rose and pomegranate a thing? I guess. So I combined it with cinnamon and lemon, with just a dash of Peychaud’s. Done and done

Pomegranate always makes me think of Persephone. Plus the rose. And I like the name. That’s about it.

Siam Queen

• 2 oz. Vietnamese gin (Song Cai)
• 0.50 oz. cinnamon syrup (Monin)
• 0.25 oz. basil liqueur (St. George)
• 0.25 oz. lime juice
• dash of cardamom tincture

Rinse a glass with creme de menthe (Tempus Fugit) and pour out. Shake ingredients with ice then strain into glass. Smack a basil leaf, draw around the rim then discard.

Had the Vietnamese gin and wanted to mix with some complementary flavors to the region. Cinnamon and basil worked well. I tried mint in the mix and it was hard to find the balance. The rinse in the end was the perfect amount.

Siam Queen is the name of a basil strain, so seemed kind of fitting, though obviously a different area of the map. Siam Queen is a type of Thai basil, though, and is used in Vietnamese pho, so there’s still a connection. Long live the queen.

My Special Purpose

• 2.0 oz. Porter’s Tropical Old Tom gin
• 0.25 oz. vanilla liqueur (Giffard)
• 0.25 oz. Green Chartreuse
• 0.25 oz. Velvet Falernum
• 0.25 oz. lemon juice
• dash of El Guapo Polynesian Kiss bitters
• dash of El Guapo Barrel-Aged Vanilla bitters

Shake with ice then strain into glass.

The Porter’s Old Tom has hints of passion fruit, and I’ve always enjoyed that flavor with vanilla so added that liqueur. Lemon adds to the tropical feel and the acid, and I balanced it with some falernum sweetness and herbal Chartreuse.

The name was roundabout from the early Steve Martin movie The Jerk. I won’t go through the loose logic that got me there. But I’ve finally found My Special Purpose!