I have noticed that when I walk into work sometimes, there is this inexplicable smell. It's not musty, nor unpleasant. It is more familiar than anything. After living in a building that is over 100 years old I have become comforted by that old smell. The smell is only found in places with history, true establishments. The Seelbach hotel has earned the smell of the aged wood it presents to its guests and staff alike. Stepping into the Ante Room evokes a feeling of true nostalgia. The prohibition era billiards feel still haunts those walls. My bar itself is a speakeasy style bar, with its service window being a painting when not in use! I wanted to maintain that air by providing prohibition era cocktails and cocktails that stretch back to its invention. These names will be familiar, the flavors are unforgettable, and they are made in their true fashion each and every time.
Supposedly created by the American mother of Sir Winston Churchill, Jennie Jerome, in the Manhattan Club in New York City, 1874. This cocktail consists of bitters, whiskey, and sweet vermouth. The classic amber tint and solitary bright red cherry paint a picture representative of the cocktail as we know it. My method uses Kentucky bourbon, providing a smoother, more complex flavor when compared to most blended or Canadian whiskeys. I then use a trio of bitters: Peychaud, Angostura, and blood orange. I then add in sweet vermouth and ALWAYS shake. These ingredients need a good shake to incorporate fully, otherwise it will not hit the tongue in a uniform manner. I finish the drink with a single cherry and flamed orange oil. This is my favorite of the classics, due mainly to the process. It has been called by many, "The best Manhattan I've ever tasted". Come and see for yourself...
This is not the blended form that has decimated the legitimacy of this cocktail in recent time. This cocktail originated in 1916 in the "Recipes for Mixed Drinks" book by Hugo Insslin. Originally deemed The Cuban Cocktail, this is the first recorded recipe and right in time for the prohibition. This is the only way to enjoy a good rum in a cocktail. By adding the juice of one lime and cane sugar syrup, the rum maintains its leading role. I recommend 10 Cane rum to most of my guests, for it is just amazing when it comes to sweet and complex flavor. Vanilla and citrus are the flavors of this cocktail with other subtleties changing with the rum.
The Sazerac
This is a true taste of the American cocktail capital, New Orleans. Cemented on a foundation of two New Orleans originals, Herbsaint and Peychaud bitters, this cocktail is the taste of the 1800's era cocktails. Taking its name from the name of the original cognac used in the recipe, the Sazerac dates back to 1879. When a cognac shortage came about, rye whiskey was used in its stead, and the herbsaint replaced the absinthe while cleverly keeping its letters (look closely). Old Overholt Rye, peychaud bitters, and a Herbsaint rinsed glass comprise this drink.
The Bourbon Old Fashion
Originating from Louisville, this cocktail of old hails from the Pendennis Club. Col. James E. Pepper was a proud member, and is credited for taking this recipe far and wide, including the old Waldorf Bar in New York. I muddle orange and cherry with bitters and sugar to create the base, add a touch of blood orange, and then bourbon and a splash of soda. It is a difficult feat to lighten bourbon on the palate, but citrus and cherry really act to present bourbon in a way that is unique only to this cocktail.
If you cannot tell by my descriptions I am a bit of a history buff when it comes too a drink's origins and it is my hope to share many more with you over a cocktail...
