101 Best New Cocktails, 2012: Black Lodge by Tommy Klus, Kask, Portland, OR.

Saturday, August 25th, 2012

Black Lodge

Adapted from a recipe by Tommy Klus, Kask, Portland, OR.

“This was part of a cocktail that was going to be two versions. While I have not perfected the White Lodge yet, the Black Lodge remains a favorite at Kask. I’d say it lives in the Manhattan family, using Cynar and Regans’ as the bitters and the 400 year old recipe of rouge adds a nice subtle hint of the bittered cherry. The White Lodge was going to be an un-oaked clear spirit version.” Tommy Klus.

45 ml (1.5 oz) Michter’s Single Barrel rye whiskey

15 ml (.5 oz) Cynar

15 ml (.5 oz) Roi René Rouge cherry liqueur (by Combier)

15 ml (.5 oz) Carpano Antica Formula

1 dash Regans’ Orange Bitters No. 6

1 orange twist, as garnish

Stir quietly over ice and strain over a large piece of ice resting in a chilled double old-fashioned glass. Squeeze the twist over the drink, then add as garnish.

gaz sez: Big thanks to Tommy Klus for turning me onto a liqueur I’d never heard of before I saw this recipe. The Combier Rouge is pretty darned fabulous. Here’s what their web site says about the product:

Roi René Rouge’s all-natural cherry liqueur recipe has never been modified from the original 17th century ingredient list and manufacturing process developed by the highly revered Benedictine nun, Reverend Mother Gautron of the Benedictine Abbey of Saumur. Comprised of a blend of hand-picked wild guignes cherries from France and morello cherries from southern England (chosen for their sweet and sour flavors), Roi René Rouge is a gentle but sweet cherry liqueur that will make any cocktail blush.

And it’s this cherry liqueur that provides the bond that’s needed to wed the Cynar and the Carparno Antica Formula (and the fabulous orange bitters, of course . . .). Meanwhile the Michter’s rye, complete with top hat and whip, is the ringmaster in this drink. It’s a benevolent dictator, though, and although it’s impossible to ignore its power and its glory, this whiskey allows all the other ingredients to have their time in the spotlight, too.

This is one of 2012’s 101 Best New Cocktails.

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Tags: 101 best new cocktails, Carpano Antica Formula, Cynar, gaz regan, Michter's Rye, Mixellany, Regans’ Orange Bitters No. 6, Roi René Rouge cherry liqueur
Posted in 101 Best New Cocktails 2012 |