#17 Cocktail: Algonquin

      It is said that the cocktail was named after the famous Algonquin Hotel in New York City, although when exactly was created is unclear. The hotel, build in 1902, was known as a "dry" hotel well before the Prohibition times. In all the writings about this cocktail it is said that it was created around 1930's, when the known literati of the time frequented what was known as the Round Table in the Algonquin Hotel.
      There is no reference about this cocktail from that time. There are few recipes from '45 and '51, but they use sherry and light rum.
      Whether it was during the 30's or later it doesn't matter, because this is and will remain one of the great classic cocktails

1 1/2 ounce rye whiskey

3/4 ounce dry vermouth

3/4 ounce chilled pineapple juice

#16 Cocktail: Alabama Slammer

     The legend has it that the Alabama Slammer was invented  at the University of Alabama in 1975, although further details about the origins of the cocktail are hazy. It is claimed to have been made famous by Green Bay Packers quarterback, Brett Favre. However, the drink was popular with the college crowds as early as the 1980s when it was served as a shaker shot in many bars and also available as a pitcher in T.G.I. Fridays and other chain restaurants

1 ounce Sloe Gin

1 ounce Southern Comfort 

1 ounce amaretto

2 ounces fresh orange juice

#15 Cocktail: Alexander

   The mixing of gin, creme de cacao and cream was devised prior to 1917. The mixing might sound strange, but is delicious.

       A rehearsal of " Red, Hot and Blue" was in progress. The star of the show, Jimmy Durante, sat on a shaky chair tilted against the bare bricks in the back wall of the stage. He looked as if he were trying to get as far away from the other humans as possible. His face was haggard. When he took his cigar out of his big, ragged mouth his hands shook.
     "I can't drink" he said shivering. Only my great sense of responsibility forced me to show up at this pickle works today. I can't drink. It's alright if I take a glass of vermouth or some red wine. Yeh, that's alright. But last night I'm feeling thirsty so I go to the joint across the street and I say to the bartender, "recommend me something". So he gives me what he called an Alexander. I had about six of these Alexanders, and I get dizzy. When I go home I hit the bed and it whirls around like an electric fan. I am sick . I'm in an awful fix. I want to die" 

- Joseph Mitchell, My Ears Are Bent

2 ounces Gin

1 Ounce Creme de Cacao

1 ounce Cream

#14 Cocktail: Apple Martini

     Not a classic like the normal Martini, but still an enjoyable drink. I think I like it more than the normal Martini, maybe because of the sour flavor the apple liqueur gives to the drink.
  A simple and tasty drink

2 ounces vodka

1 ounce apple liqueur

#13 Cocktail: An Apple a Day

 I saw a lot of recipes on the internet for this cocktail, but none of them are using gin. This was adapted by Gary Regan from a recipe by Audrey Saunders, New York's Liberation Goddess and, as Gaz Regan says "is a complex potion that should be made with the exact quantities"

1 ounce Gordon's gin

1 ounce Sour Apple Pucker liqueur

3/4 ounce fresh lime juice

1/2 ounce simple syrup

1/4 ounce maraschino liqueur

1/2 ounce fresh grapefruit juice

#12 Cocktail: Apricot Sour

  Not much to say about this cocktail. It's just a sour with no history. Probably it has one, but is unknown.
   But if  you like sours, then this is a delicious cocktail.

2 ounces apricot liqueur

1 ounce lemon juice

1 orange wheel, to garnish

1 maraschino cherry, to garnish

#11 Cocktail: Alfonso

  The Alfonso cocktail was created for Alfonso XIII- dethroned Spanish King. The Alfonso cocktail looks like French, but first print mention we find in Craddock's "The Savoy Cocktail book".
   The cocktail is a variation of the classic Champagne Cocktail.

1 sugar cube soaked in Angostura bitters

1 ounce Dubonnet Rouge

4 1/2 ounces Champagne

1 lemon twist, for garnish

#10 Cocktail: Americano

  The cocktail was first served in creator Gaspare Campari's bar, Caffe Campari, in 1860's. It was originally known as "Milano-Torino" because of the ingredients: Campari, the bitter liqueur is from Milano and Cinzano, the sweet vermouth is ffrom Torino.
   It is popular belief that in the early 1900's the Italians notice a surge if Americans who enjoyed the cocktail. As a compliment to the Americans, the cocktail later became known as "Americano"

1 1/2 ounces Campari

1 1/2 ounces Sweet Vermouth 

2  ounces club soda

#9 Cocktail: Arawak

    The Arawak are a group of indigenous peoples od South America and historically of the Caribbean.
     The Arawak cocktail was created by Gaz Regan for the Trotter bar in Trinidad and it's a variation of the Algonquin cocktail.
     It is not -one of my favorite cocktails out there, but it is not bad at all. The predominant taste is  the bourbon but you can feel in coming from the back the pineapple and the tamarind flavors.
    From what I know, this is the only cocktail (from what I've seen) the uses the tamarind juice.

2 ounces bourbon

1/2 dry vermouth

1/4 pineapple juice

1 dash tamarind juice

Angostura bitters to taste (I used 2 dashes)

1 pineapple cube, for garnish

#8 Cocktail: Aviation

      The Aviation cocktail was created by Hugo Ensslin, head bartender at the Hotel Wallick in New York, in the early twentieth century. The published recipe for the drink appeared in Ensslin's 1916 "Recipes for Mixed Drinks.
       Harry Craddock's influential "Savoy Cocktail Book" omitted the creme de violette, calling for a mixture of two-thirds dry gin, one-third lemon juice and two dashes maraschino liqueur.
  In my cocktail I tried to follow the original recipe using a violet liqueur

2 ounces dry gin

1/2 ounce maraschino liqueur

1/2 fresh lemon juice

1/4 violet liqueur (optional)

#7 Cocktail: Apple Sidecar

 Another recipe adapted by Gaz Regan from Ryan Magarian of Restaurant Zoe in Seattle. The recipe asks for Clear Creak apple brandy, but unfortunately I couldn't find this in any of the stores so I made the cocktail using Calvados which is a french apple brandy and I can say it did it's job. The cocktail is amazing.
  The shredded tangerine zest, I find it pointless. Doesn't add anything to the flavor and looks like you have dust in the glass

1 1/2 ounces vodka

1/2 ounce Clear Creak apple brandy

1 ounce fresh lemon juice

1 ounce simple syrup

1/2 ounce fresh tangerine juice

shredded tangerine zest, for garnish 

#6 Cocktail: Allies

 The cocktail was adapted by Gaz Regan from the "The Savoy Cocktail book" by Harry Craddock.
    Because I am not a fan of the Martini and the recipe is not far from the one for the martini cocktail, I was afraid I won't like that much this cocktail. I have to tell you that it surprised me....it is delicious. And the kummel is not overpowering the other 2 ingredients

2 ounces gin

1 ounce dry vermouth

1/4 ounces kummel

#5 Cocktail: Astor Martini

 This recipe was adapted by Gaz Regan from the Astot Palace, Miami. it can be made in a highball glass and the amount of campari or grapefruit juice can be increased

2 ounces Ketle One vodka 

1/2 ounces Campari

1 ounce fresh grapefruit juice

#4 Cocktail: Apricot Fizz

 A refreshing and delightful drink with a perfect sweet and sour balance

2 1/2 ounces apricot  brandy

3/4 ounces fresh lemon juice

top with soda 

#3 Cocktail: Amaretto Sour

   Like all sours, this cocktail is very refreshing and tasty. And the Amaretto......mmmm, I like the Amaretto

2 ounces amaretto

1 ounce lemon juice

1 maraschino cherry, for garnish

1 orange wheel for, garnish

#2 Cocktail: Alaska

     I have no idea why this cocktail is called Alaska and I don't care. The cocktail is refreshing and the Chartreuse completes the gin with more herbal flavors.
     I also used a small dash of Angostura orange bitters and I don't regret doing that :)

1 1/2 ounces Gin

1/2 ounce yellow Chartreuse 

1 dash Angostura Orange bitters (optional)

#1 Cocktail: Abbey

       A drink created in 1930's which can be made using different types of bitters, but where the gin ratio should not be changed.

11/2 ounces Gin

3/4 ounces Lillet

3/4 ounces fresh orange juice

2 dashes Angostura

       I decided for an orange twist garnish, even if the recipe doesn't say that the drink is served with a garnish

Introduction- Gary Regan cocktail challenge

      My passion for creating cocktails is rather new and it started while I was watching the movie "Killing Them Softly" (no relation to the cocktails whatsoever). I'm not going to tell you the plot of the movie now (if you want to know, watch it), but there is a scene in that movie in which James Gandolfini and Brad Pitt are having a conversation in a bar. During that conversation, James Gandolfini knocks back about 6 Martinis like drinking water. Watching that scene, a craving for that cocktail started to grow in me so I immediately searched and bought from Amazon the cheapest cocktail set. I found a Martini recipe online and created my first cocktail at home.
         Since then, I've bought all the almost all the tools needed to make any cocktail possible.
    To be honest, I am not a fan of the Martini but through this little drink I discovered that a cocktail is more than mixing a lot of juices and a drop of alcohol in a huge glass.
     This Christmas I received "The Joy of Mixology" by Gary Regan  which I think every cocktail enthusiast should have in their library. It has all the information you need to create a proper cocktail (tools, techniques, glasses, recipes).
     Reading this book, I decided to create a cocktail every day using the receipes from the book, starting with the first receipe and preparing them in the order they appear. Of course, since I am not a millionaire, I will not use the most expensive spirits but also not the cheapest products. Balance is key, as they say.


So........Let's start.