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Million Dollar Cocktails
Created by Jacques Bezuindenhout
As featured in San Francisco Chronicle, CitySearch
Chow Magazine, KRON, KTVU Mornings on 2,
Where Magazine, San Jose Mercury News,
SF Magazine, 7x7 Magazine"
The Heavenly Dram. $80
Macallan 25yr, Garvey Pedro Ximanez
Sherry , Lemon Juice & honey Syrup. Served on the stem.
1 1/2oz Macallan 25yr.
3/4oz Pedro Ximanez Sherry
1/2oz Lemon Juice
2 Bar spoons Honey syrup
Macallan 25 yr Single Malt (Established
1824)
This is known as The Chateau of Malt Whisky. The Macallan
is located in the Speyside region of Scotland. Macallan
is known for it’s rigorous standards and exceptional quality.
Macallan has some of the smallest copper stills in Scotland,
which produce a very dense rich spirit. Mostly it is recognized
for its sherry barrel-aging program. Macallan buys Spanish-grown
oak and has it coopered in Jerez. Then they loan the barrels
to Sherry Bodegas to age sherry in for a couple of years
before shipping them back to Scotland to fill with Whisky.
The Macallan 25yr is an exceptionally complex whisky.
It has a subtle smokiness that is enhanced with dried
fruit & cinnamon notes from the Sherry Casks. The finish
is long and dry.
Sacristia de Garvey Pedro Ximenez
Sherry.
Pedro Ximenez is a Spanish grape varietal and commonly used
to make Sherries. Generally this is a sweeter style sherry.
This Pedro Ximenez sherry from the Garvey Bodega has some
sherry from 1860 in the Solera blend. This Gran Orden sherry
is dark, rich and is described as smelling the Perfect Raisin.
The Cocktail
As Macallan is known for its Sherry wood influence, I wanted
to enhance this by adding Sherry into the mix. I wanted
to add a little sweetness to the drink so I decided on the
Pedro Ximenez sherry. This particular one has incredible
raisin flavors. This adds to the 25yr Macallan, which also
has dark fruit and nutty characters from the use of sherry
barrels. The Honey syrup adds great flavor and a silky mouth
feel. The fresh lemon juice balances all the flavors.
Drinking the Stars $325/$650
Chateau De Ravignan 1979 Bas
Armagnac infused with Madagascar Vanilla Bean, Orange Peel,
Raisins & served with Dom Perignon.
1 1/2oz Armagnac infusion
4oz Dom Perignon Champagne
Serving per Table:
6oz Armagnac infusion
Bottle of Dom Perignon
Dom Perignon
This is one of the most prestigious and well known Champagnes.
The Benedictine Monk Dom Perignon is credited with inventing
champagne. The best fruit is used for this champagne and
it ages for 7 years on the lease before we are able to drink
it. It has great citrus and toasty notes and the bubbles
are magical. So much so that Dom Perignon upon his discovery
was quoted as saying “Come I am drinking the Stars”
Chateau de Ravignan 1979 Armagnac
The making of Armagnac dates back to 1411 long before Cognac.
It essentially uses the same grape varietals but only goes
through a single distillation in a Alambic Armagnacais still.
Therefore Armagnac is often more robust and rich. Chateau
de Ravignan is one of the most well respected Armagnac producers
in the region. The 1979 is an incredible Armagnac and it
has Apricot, Vanilla and Raisin notes with a long finish.
The Cocktail
It is traditional in Gascony to make different Champagne
cocktails with Armagnac. I wanted to add to the raisin and
vanilla notes of the Armagnac so I infused the Armagnac
with raisins, orange peel and madagascar vanilla beans.
This adds a little sweetness to the spirit and makes it
exceptionally rich in flavor. By adding a small amount to
a flute full of Dom Perignon the whole cocktail comes together.
The toasty citrus in the champagne work well with the armagnac.
Each bubble that comes to the top brings out more of the
Armagnac’s flavor.
Angels Share $200
Remy Martin Louis XIII, Domaine
Charbay Walnut Liqueur, Porto Rocha 20yr Tawny served in
a snifter washed & flamed with Chartreuse VEP.
1 1/4oz Louis 13th
3/4oz Charbay walnut liqueur
1/2oz Rocha 20yr port
1/8oz Chartreuse VEP
Remy Martin Louis 13th
The art of Cognac lies in the Master Blender of the house.
It is his job to blend different barrels of Cognac at different
ages together to create a masterpiece. In the case of Louis
the 13th the youngest Cognac in the blend is 50yrs old.
There is a small amount of cognac in the blend that is up
to a 100yrs old. This is an exceptional Cognac with many
complex flavors and a finish that goes on and on.
Domaine Charbay Nostalgie Black
Walnut liqueur
Domaine Charbay is a small distillery located in St Helena.
The family has decades of experience in the art of distillation.
They infuse Black & English walnuts in their own brandy
for two years. They finish of the liqueur by blending it
with Herbs & Spices. This is a delicious liqueur with dark,
sweet walnut flavor.
Rocha 20yr Tawny Port
This 20yr Tawny from the Douro region in Portugal has a
rich Nutty flavor that works well with the other spirits.
It is an aged Tawny that picks up many dark fruit and nutty
notes through the barrel aging.
Chartreuse VEP
The Carthusian Monks have been making this elixir since
the 1600’s. The VEP is 108 proof and contains 130 different
Plants & Herbs in the spirit. Only 3 Monks know the recipe.
This elixir is wonderfully herbal and rich.
The Cocktail
This cocktail I do not mix with ice as all the flavors are
very complex but delicate due to all the years spent in
wood. I wanted to add to some of the Nutty flavors of the
Cognac by using the Walnut Liqueur and the port. The port
gives the cocktail a little acidity and tannins. The Snifter
is heated by setting the Chartreuse a blaze. This burns
off much of the alcohol in the Chartreuse and adds a great
dry herbal finish to the cocktail.
Elegancia $90
Herradura Seleccion Suprema,
Chateau Dy Quem Sauternes, Rooibos Tea and Orange Bitters
served on the stem.
1 1/4oz Herradura Seleccion Suprema
1oz Chateau DyQuem
3/4oz Rooibos Tea (Only grown in Cape Town)
Orange Bitters
Herradura Seleccion Suprema
This 100% Agave Tequila is one of the benchmarks in super
premium tequilas. Herradura is one of the first tequila
distilleries to experiment with extended wood aging. This
Anejo Tequila spends up to 5yrs in used Bourbon Barrels.
Because of the hotter climate in Mexico is the equivalent
of a 20yr old single malt or a XO Cognac. This is phenomenal
tequila that has complex wood flavors and a deliciously
rich agave flavor.
Chateau DyQuem 1994 Vintage
This Premier Cru Superieur Sauternes from the Sauternes
region in France is one of the most renowned dessert wines.
They are known for their noble rot wines that have incredible
aging potential. There have been tastings with d’Yquem from
the late 1800’s. These wines are incredibly rich with Apricot
and Orange blossom flavors.
Rooi Bos Tea
The Rooi Bos tea leaf is grown on the mountains in Cape
Town. They are known for their antioxidant qualities and
contain no caffeine. This particular tea has great Orange
and Orange blossom flavors with some tannins.
The Cocktail
The d’Yquem has apricot and Orange flavors that work really
well with the tea and compliment the tequila. As the flavors
in the tequila are complex but delicate I could not use
Orange juice or citrus juice as it over powered the tequila
and the sauternes. The tea has delicate flavors that bring
it all together. The Orange bitters dry the flavors in the
cocktail and provides a perfect finish.
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