12 Aug 2023: The Highfalutin

I have a deep appreciation for gin, my favorite style being London, and the juniper-y the better.

Tonight’s cocktail comes from J.M. Hirsch’s Shake Strain and Done (purchase options, highly recommended) and even though the headnotes suggest this would be a tasty cocktail in Autumn, I enjoyed it immensely on an 80+ degree New England August evening.

The characteristics of this drink are strong, sweet and fruity. I agree! And I’d also add that it was one of the smoothest cocktails I’ve had in a long while. The proportions for this concoction are found on p 101 of Shake Strain and Done and I’ve included the spirit list below.

The Highfalutin

• gin (Bombay Dry)

• sweet vermouth (my go-to is always Cocchi Torino)

• maraschino liqueur

• Angostura bitters

07 June: The Pavan Aviation

I’ll admit it, I bought Pavan because of the cool bottle. Well, that and that champagne cocktail that included Pavan on a visit to Ma Maison in Boston.

Armed with a fairly large quantity of Pavan in our liquor cabinet, it seemed to me that I needed to figure out how to use it for more than the occasional champagne cocktail. From the resulting internet search, I discovered the Pavan Aviation, a variation on the Creme de Violette-laced original, on First Order Gin’s website. Serve in a well-chilled coupe, a perfectly easy cocktail to assemble.

Ingredients

• 1.5 oz. Gin

• 0.75 oz. Lemon Juice (fresh)

• 0.50 oz Maraschino liquor

• 0.50 oz Pavan

• Garnishes: Lemon and/or Luxardo cherry

Instruction

1. Chill the coupe glass a bit

2. Combine Pavan, Gin, Maraschino Liquor and Lemon juice in an ice-filled shaker

3. Shake for about 30 seconds

4. Strain into chilled coupe

5. Garnish