The Sophisticated Urbanite

Asked for a Cosmo on Saturday night and had no cranberries nor any desire to reprise SJP, this is what I came up with instead.

The Sophisticated Urbanite

45mls Smirnoff Black, 7.5mls Cointreau, 7.5mls Aperol, one dash Fee’s West Indian Orange Bitters, 30mls freshly squeezed blood orange juice, 5mls fresh squeezed lime juice. Combine over ice, shake and double strain up.

I was told it was better than a Cosmo, I’m not sure if I should have replied “that’s not hard,” but I went with humble acceptance of the compliment and a sneaky shot of Don Julio.

The Tuxedo

This drink is a much wetter take on the Martini, with a couple of flavorful additions. I like it because I get to have a traditionally dark spirits garnish, the brandied cherry, in a Gin cocktail.

The history of this one is mixed, appearing in the Savoy book, but also being associated with the Ritz in Paris. The use of Anis as opposed to Absinthe or Pastis, makes me lean toward the French on this one. Whichever way, it remains a great way to kick off a weekend.

The Tuxedo Cocktail

50 mls Tanqueray No. Ten, 20 mls Noilly Pratt, 5 mls Maraschino Liqueur, 5mls Marie Brizard Anis (substitue absinthe or pastis, should you have none) 3 dashes Fee Brother’s Orange Bitters.

Combine all ingredients in a tin over ice, stir and strain up. Garnish with a twist of lemon and a brandied cherry. Exhale, imbibe. Relax.

Oh Gosh! has got this recipe as well, although made with Hayman’s Old Tom Gin. I prefer the addition of the orange bitters, over the version without in Dale De Grof’s “Craft of the Cocktail”

The Jumbo Mumbo

I wrote a few days ago about Ben Simpson’s amazing Gunpowder Rum, at last, the third and final of a limited series of cocktails that feature the unique spirit.

Ben entered this as a contender in this year’s competition to find the official cocktail of Tales of the Cocktail is this Tiki inspired drink.

This drink is partly based on the Zombie and the Planter’s Punch recipe given in the Mr. Boston cocktail book.

The Jumbo Mumbo

30ml Man O’War Gunpowder Rum
30ml Lustau Don Nuno, Dry Oloroso sherry
15ml hibiscus syrup
2 lime wedges
1 ruby grapefruit wedge
2 dashes green tea syrup
2 dashes Fee Brothers Bitters
Rose Wine

Muddle the fruit with the syrups then add all but the wine. Shake with demonic possession then strain into ice-filled glass of appropriate Tiki-ness. Top with the rose wine and garnish with hibiscus flower, a cherry, grapefruit wedge, a wet mint sprig rolled in caster sugar, etc.

The Brothers Fee, now in Sydney

Mr Heinz built his global business on the strength of 57 varieties. Fee Brothers bring no less than 83 different cocktail products to the market. If you read much on cocktails being written around the world, it won’t be long before a recipe stipulates the use of one or more of them in the production of a brilliant new drink or a faithful reinvention of something from the distant past.

The company’s roots go right back to 1863 in San Fransisco, but mass production and distribution only really started during Prohibition when the Fee’s cordial flavourings were a popular addition to homemade hooch to cover up the heads and tails. Global scale has only really occurred since the mid nineties, where a change in labelling aligned with a global expansion of the cocktail business and a new generation of self styled mixoligists went looking for something a little different.

They grace the back bars around town easily enough, but I had been struggling to find them as a mere home enthusiast. Gouldburn Wines and Spirits now have it in stock. You can find them on Brisbane St, which is just off the lower end of Oxford St. Google Map it here.

The entrance might not look much, but the selection as enough to make you giddy.Anything you can’t find in Sydney, this would be a good option to track it down.

The taste profile of the flavoured bitters can be a lot different for those you might have experienced from the Houses of Angostura and Peychaud. I particularly like the Rhubarb Bitters, and I’ll be looking to build my collection and make some great tasty drinks.