“Cocktail College” is brought to you by Zacapa No. 23 Rum. Listener, I want to talk to you about aging today, specifically about solera aging. You probably know it from the fine wines in Jerez, Spain, and you’ve probably noticed that it’s become something of a trend these days in distilled spirits. Well, for Zacapa No. 23 Rum, that’s always been the process — a blend of 6- to 23-year-old rums using the solera method — but not only that. Here’s what’s super interesting: that aging takes place in some of the highest-altitude facilities in the world. They call it “the house above the clouds.” And when you start to get that combination, that unique combination of solera and altitude, what you end up with is an aged rum that is truly unique. Here’s what else is unique: the petate weaving on every bottle. They’re handwoven, and I’m a sucker for bottle design, so I wanted to point that out. But folks, that is Zacapa No. 23. The bottle looks great, the liquid tastes great, and it’s got a really unique story you can share with friends. Head to www.zacaparum.com right now to learn more.
Seldom does a cocktail arrive with the specific technique used to make it included in its name. Plenty allude to their flavor profile, like sours. Others give some indication of their appearance, like the Blue Hawaii. Preparation technique, however, is a distinction almost exclusively reserved for the Queen’s Park Swizzle and the extended swizzle family. The technique itself is exactly what it sounds like: a drink is built in glass and brought to temperature and dilution by swizzling the ingredients with ice using a branch from the Quararibea turbinata tree, a.k.a. a swizzle stick.
For those unfamiliar with the art of swizzling, get ready for a crash course. Joining us for her second appearance on “Cocktail College” today is partner of New York’s Clover Club, Leyenda, and Milady’s Julie Reiner, and she’s here to explore this technique as well as the Queen’s Park Swizzle. In this episode, we discuss Trinidad’s “grown-up Mojito” and dive deep into an array of topics ranging from swizzling to the modern state of mixology. Tune in for more.
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Julie Reiner’s Queen’s Park Swizzle Recipe
Ingredients
- 10 mint leaves
- ½ ounce Demerara syrup (2:1)
- ¾ ounce lime juice
- 2 ounces aged rum
- 4 dashes Angostura bitters
- Garnish: mint bouquet
Directions
- Add mint to a chilled Hurricane glass and top with liquid ingredients.
- Swizzle with a swizzle stick while slowly adding pellet ice to chill and dilute, keeping mint at the bottom of the glass.
- Once fully chilled, top with more pellet ice.
- Garnish with mint bouquet.
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