A couple of years ago I grabbed a drink with my good comrade, Randall Lucas. He suggested Mistral Kitchen because he had the inside scoop on a renowned bartender who could create high art with a rocks glass and mysterious bitters from places unknown. The bartender in question was Andrew Bohrer; if you’re a fan of mixology you should definitely check out his blog, Cask Strength.
After a few minutes of indecision, Andrew proposed that I described the “essence” of a drink I wanted and he’d concoct something to match. Ah, a noble challenge.
Imagine a dark, dank cave lit only by a rusted and weathered oil lamp. Cob webs drape the rough hewn walls. In a dimly lit back corner of the cave a single cask sits among ailing, rusted farm implements and exotic curiosities long forgotten. The cask markings are unreadable. Above the cask, a narrow plank shelf secured to iron spikes driven deep into the wall. Small, dusty bottles with mostly dry corks clutter the shelf. A few corks, however, have saved their contents from the elements. After some trial and error, making the most of the mysterious liquids within… here’s what you end up with….
The John Cameron:
2 oz Vermouth: either Torino or Carpano Antica
.5 oz Ardberg 10yr old scotch
2 dash orange bitters
1 dash persimmon vinegar
Good luck finding a bartender who knows how to make this one. But feel free to pull up this page next time you’re sitting across the bar from your favorite mixologist.
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