Mixology Monday LXXVII Roundup: SMOKE!

A BIG thanks to everyone who participated in this month’s Mixoloy Monday! Recipes that call for setting something on fire hold a dear place in my heart. So many impressive posts, and a number of participants even put up multiple recipes, showcasing tons of ways to get smoke into a cocktail.

To the newbies, welcome to the party. For those of you coming out of hibernation, welcome back! And to those familiar faces here, thanks for sticking around. All of you make this close-knit community a fun place to be.

So let’s begin at the beginning. After the jump!

UPDATED: FrogPrincesse from the Tartines to Tikis comes at this challenge head on with FOUR impressive cocktails! Using Islay Scotch as the base of all four cocktails, she is able to accent the drinks all in unique ways. First, the flavor of smoke goes on a journey as it is mixed with sweetness and bitter in the “End of the Road” cocktail. In the “Start of a New Road”, this daiquiri-esque cocktail is enhanced by a strong smoky base. A new twist on a Martini, smoke creates the illusion of a dry martini in Audrey Saunders’ “Dreamy Dorini Smoking Martini” (that does sound beautifully dreamy). For her last submission, “Pete’s Word”, FrogPrincesse makes a variation on the Last Word cocktail replacing the gin with the Islay to create a crisp yet smoky take on this classic cocktail.
Stew from 901 Very Good Cocktails joins us back at Mixology Monday with “Clock Water and Smoke”. Inspired by his son’s desire to eat ‘clock water and smoke’, Del Maguey Mezcal (a favorite of mine) and the earthy-spiciness of habanero shrub provide the requisite smoke in this tequila-based drink.

Nick from the Straight Up gives us two cocktails this month. First he whips out his smoking gun as he rebuilds the Diamondback as the “Apple and Snake” with the inclusion of more Apple brandy, Peat Monster Scotch and smoked applewood chips to enhance the theme of smoke. I’m a fan of anything unapologetically boozy, which this promises to be. For his second cocktail, Nick went wild with Smoke in “Smoke Signal”. Smoked Rye, Lapsang Souchong Demerara Syrup AND a Laphroaig rinse?! Smoky, maple-y, nutty… a perfect drink to start off Autumn.

Andrea at Ginhound went Smoky and Local for her submission. The “Gefion Sour” utilizes Danish dill aquavit, Nordic cherry liqueur, smoked lavender (grown right out in her garden) and home made horseradish syrup (what?!). The Nordic half of me is salivating over the idea smoked salmon and dil Aquavit right now. (Credit for using local spirits should go to Joel DiPippa, who championed that idea on twitter.  I couldn’t find the St. George whiskey so I failed at that task).

Frederic from the outstanding Cocktail Virgin Slut blog, and current Ring Master of Mixology Monday, digs into the library vaults this month and returns with the “Copper Creel” cocktail. Smoke comes to us by way of Laphroaig 10 Year Single Malt Scotch, used here as the base of the drink. It proves again how powerful smoke can cut through the sweet for a balanced cocktail.

Next up, Craig at A World of Drinks welcomes Fall and Winter with the hearty Smoked Apple Flip. A MxMo first timer, this flip finds inspiration from his experience bartending in England’s West Country (and also from the harmonious pairing of Scotch and Cider Brandy). Anyone else have an urge to test out this hot poker style of making a flip?

Raffaele at The Shorter Straw blog crosses oceans and continents to bring us the “Ceci n’est pas une jasmine” cocktail, a re-interpreting of the Jasmine, by Paul Harrington. I am an enormous fan of “High Tea”, and here that is combined with the Japanese Tea ritual for a smoky blend of cultures. Beefeater 24, sake and citrus are cold smoked in Sencha tea (in a tea pot!) into a dehydrated Campari-laced tea cup. Served alongside some finger sandwiches? Yes please!

This month for Mixology Monday, the Booze Nerds burned just about everything in the pantry for their submission until they found a smoke winner. Chai Tea (and cardamom) are smoked and shaken with bourbon in the “Hearthstone”. A spicy, smoky, warm and inviting drink with a name to match.

Rafa at DrunkLab  also brings us two cocktails this month. Smoke by way of an Islay scotch in the “Black Francis”. A dark, bittersweet and spicy sounding tipple. And the “‘Burn Notice” with Lapsang Souchong infused Smith and Cross rum (whoa!), cynar, ginger and yuzu. That’s one powerful sounding drink!

Now let’s take a short break from all this alcohol and enjoy a smoky glass of iced tea. Dagreb from Nihil Utopia brings us another use for Lapsang Souchong tea… actually making tea with it. The “Rusty 2-60D“ takes that wonderfully smoky tea and combines that with saffron, cloves and honey for what sounds like an incredibly complex and spicy iced tea. This might be a good Fall transitional drink for those of us in Southern California, where it’s almost October and 90 outside.

Let’s welcome a brand NEW blog to the mix! Root and Glass joins us this month with two entries.Channeling memories of backpacking in Istanbul, “Istiklal Caddesi” has a subtle smokiness with lapsang souchong syrup, cardamom syrup and sumac tincture on an Apple Brandy base. Their second offering, “Newton’s Fog”, continues to play on Turkish themes. A splash of the potent Laphroaig Cask Strength serves as the smoke here with Laird’s Apple Brandy, Batavia Arrack and Luxardo Amaretto. Hookah recommended, but not required.

Mark from Cardiff Cocktails is back in action this month with his two cocktails, and a technique you will probably see on my site soon because it’s a pretty awesome idea—the smoked blackberry garnish. This garnish tops the “Clermont Cocktail”, a bourbon base with the surprising ingredient of Underberg. His second drink, the “Cathays Cocktail”, Mark riffs on P.D.T’s Newark cocktail substituting Penderyn Peated Welsh whiskey in for Apple Brandy to add some smokiness.

Mike at Grow.Eat.Mix.Drink. finds inspiration from the Mr. Boston cocktail book with his submission, “The Sfozando”. It’s not an Italian superhero, but it is smoky Mezcal and Rye (two of my favs too Mike) based with some subtle chocolate and orange flavors. Another reason to break out the chocolate bitters folks!

Celebrating Mezcal Monday as well, Forrest at a drink with forrest… gives us the “Smoke & Honey” cocktail. A Fall inspired drink (whose title also makes me want to eat some fried chicken and honey), Forrest combines Don Amado Rustico and Ron Miel (Honey Rum) for his delicious take on Smoke.

Finding a way to make Mezcal even smokier, Joel from Southern Ash created the “Tezcatlipoca” cocktail. Here he infuses Mexcal with smoked sweet peppers (I wish my local farmer’s market did that!), adds some rosemary smoke to the glass and balances the whole thing with bianco vermouth and Cointreau.

Kate at Feu de Vie does some magic to transform Vermouth into SMOKE this month. Her cocktail, “The Distance”, features the warm flavors of Buffalo Trace Bourbon, Don Julio añejo tequila and a tawny port infused with the essence of Vermouth in smoke format. That’s not a tree growing out of her glass, her beautiful garnish is fresh oregano!

Changing it up, Rowen at Fogged in Lounge gives us a smoked beer cocktail. Inspired by the Seelbach Cocktail, the “Smoky Mountain Boogie” invokes a lot of Fall flavors for me with bourbon, apple & orange bitters and topped with the oak smoke Schlenkerla Doppelbock. I need to keep an eye out for this beer!

Scott from Shake, Strain & Sip modernizes (and smokes) the Apple Jack Rabbit with his “Smoked Jack Rabbit” cocktail. A Laphroaig rinsed glass gives us the base for this update on the crazy classic. The pinch of salt is a nice touch (an ingredient I believe should be utilized more in cocktails) in addition to the orange cream citrate.

Our last entry this month is JFL from Rated R Cocktails. Camus Cognac and Rum star in the “Phantom of the Luau” alongside some fresh coconut syrup nestled in a smoking coconut. Dang, I need more smoking vessels to serve cocktails in now…

My submissions this month included some smoky whisky in the “Green Hell” cocktail, a smoke tincture, and great swells of smoke in “The Royal Affliction”.

I hope you all had fun with this theme, maybe left your comfort zone a little bit, and discovered some new blogs to read. Can’t wait to hear what next month’s theme will be!