101 Best New Cocktails: El Habano by Julien Lopez, Papa Doble, Montpellier, France
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El Habano
Adapted from a recipe by Julien Lopez, Papa Doble, Montpellier, France
“[I’m a] big fan of rum and cigars, [so] the idea of this cocktail was to reproduce the entire range of aromatic Cuban cigars through a beverage of character. To do this I use an old rum with rich aromas, Pedro Ximenez sherry for notes of dried fruit, and to add complexity, bitters aged in oak whiskey barrels for aromatic persistence and a little bit of brown sugar molasses. The glass is sprayed with particularly peaty whiskey to make any side “cigar burn” to the entire cocktail. Finally, a long orange peel will take place to provide the necessary freshness. This Cocktail is on the Papa Doble (Cocktail bar from Montpellier) menu for more than a year and was recognized in 2012 trophies bar in France,” Julien Lopez.
Ardbeg 10-year-old scotch, to rinse the glass
50 ml (1.7 oz) Banks “7 Golden Age” rum
50 ml (1.7 oz) brown sugar canne syrup
50 ml (1.7 oz) Pedro Ximenez sherry
4 dashes Fee Brothers Whiskey Barrel Aged Bitters
Sweet spices (Cinnamon, star anise, cocoa)
1 orange twist, as garnish
Rinse a whisky-tasting glass with the Ardbeg, then stir the ingredients over ice, and strain into the prepared glass. Add the garnish.
gaz sez: This is my kinda drink. Stout, strong, spicy, smoky, and you can play around with different combinations of spices to tailor-make it to suit your guest’s palate. Great job, Julien!