Trend Alert: All Things Punch

 

If you've been reading this blog for a while, you know that I have a thing for punch. It's been the centerpiece of every event The Dizzy Fizz has thrown, from last year's Holiday Puncheon to the recent 18-punch smorgasbord at The Summit Bar's First Anniversary bash. Of course, we've been spoiled with delicious punch in NYC for some time, thanks to cocktail havens such as Clover Club, Death & Co., and Prime Meats.

Thanks to some recent press, it seems that the idea of serving bowl-sized cocktails has gone mainstream, and with the holidays around the corner, I can only predict that we'll be seeing more ladled goodness:

• Dave Wondrich was recently interviewed by esteemed food writer Frank Bruni for The New York Times about his forthcoming book, "Punch: The Delights and Dangers of the Flowing Bowl," out next month. As Bruni says, the book's subtitle says it all: “An Anecdotal History of the Original Monarch of Mixed Drinks, With More Than Forty Historic Recipes, Fully Annotated, and a Complete Course in the Lost Art of Compounding Punch.”
• Check out this recipe for 19th century Roman Punch, featuring a meringue topping, from "The Essential New York Times Cookbook" by Amanda Hesser, coming soon.
• Time Out New York recently selected Cienfuegos' Anchor Punch as one of its 100 Best Things to Eat and Drink. The punch, just one of the East Village bar's menu of rum punches, features Seven Tiki spiced rum, apricot brandy, guava juice, ginger juice and nutmeg.
• And at the recently revamped Fourty Four at The Royalton Hotel, we can thank The Cocktail Collective for having the vision to replace the outdated clubby tradition of bottle service with punch service. According to ChiChi212 blogger Brittany Mendenhall, the punch bowl arrives to your table with a large block of ice and servers pour rum concoctions from two giant shakers. The servers then top the punch with grated nutmeg and sliced fruit, which is "much sexier than a vodka cranberry with a poorly cut slice of fruit," says Mendenhall. Check out Fourty Four's punch menu here.

File Under: Hot Dates

 

• Feel like a kid in a gourmet liquor shop as you sip your way through a dizzying array of top-rated adult beverages at the Ultimate Cocktails, Spirits and Wine Blast this Fri. Oct. 15. Sample hundreds of tipples judged by F. Paul Pacult's inaugural Ultimate Beverage Challenge earlier this year. Expect world-class bartenders, author signings, seminars and savory bites. Bloomspot and Time Out New York are offering discounts on tickets (enter the code “TONY1015” for 50% off), priced at $90 ($110 VIP). From 6:30 to 10 p.m. (VIP 5 to 10 p.m.) at Marriott Marquis, 1535 Broadway (44th and 45th Sts).
• On Sun., Oct. 17, Frankie's Sputino and Prime Meats in Carroll Gardens are holding their annual Oktoberfest with traditional Bavarian fare and drinks. The party goes from noon to 6 p.m. in the backyard, with a special music performance following. 457 Court St., Brooklyn.
• Oy--also on Sun., Oct. 17, is the Tenth Annual NYC International Pickle Day, featuring free samples of all sorts of pickled veggies, fruits, meat and cheese. What's this got to do with cocktails, you ask? Well, if you've ever had a pickle back (a shot of whiskey followed by a shot of pickle juice) you might appreciate the variety of "briiiine." From 11 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., at the parking lot on Broome between Essex and Ludlow.
• With the recent success of San Francisco Cocktail Week and this week's London Cocktail Week, it's no wonder that Portland, Ore., wanted to get in on the celebration of their cocktail culture as well. Get ready for Portland Cocktail Week, Oct. 21 to 24, in conjunction with the Great American Distillers Festival. Highlights include a tiki bash, a meat tour and a Benedictine ball.
• And you have until Oct. 31 to submit your entries for the Bols Around the World Cocktail Competition. The theme this year is "Mix Your Way to Cocktail Heaven," seeking the most divine drink containing a Bols product. Two North American finalists, as judged by John Lermayer, will win a three-day trip to Amsterdam to compete with six other international finalists in February of 2011. Up for grabs are some hefty cash prizes: first place gets 2,500 Euros (about $3480 US), the second-place winner will receive 750 Euros (about $1045 US) and the third-place winner goes home with 500 Euros (about $696 US). You must be a working bartender to enter and your submission must contain at least 3/4 of an ounce of a Bols liqueur.

Bottlerocker of the Week: Nicolas de Soto

 

"The world is a book, and those who do not travel read only a page." -- Saint Augustine

For as long as the craft of bartending has been a viable career, the opportunity to travel has been one of its biggest perks. We know that Jerry Thomas, father of the American cocktail, spent time in San Francisco, New Orleans, and Chicago, in addition to New York, and that Harry Craddock found refuge at London's Savoy Hotel during Prohibition. And few books have been as influential to today's bartenders as Charles H. Baker's Jigger, Beaker, and Glass: Drinking Around the World, which chronicles the author's favorite drinks sampled on every continent. Bartenders travel not just for the exotic romance, but to add new techniques and nuances to their repertoire, not to mention new flavors and recipes.

Parisian Nicolas de Soto, bartender at Dram and Painkiller in New York for the past six months, is following the tradition of the traveling bon vivant, and will soon be leaving us for London later this month. Nico has made quite an impression on the cocktail community here, not just due to his disarming accent, but also for his poise behind the stick, undoubtedly polished over the years at several bars around the world. He first got into bartending in Paris in 2005 at a high-volume bar not known for its cocktails before moving on to a bar where he learned the Parisian "classics" at the time: Blue Lagoon, pina colada, mojito, caipirinha, etc.

In 2007, he moved to Australia, where he had lived previously, and delved into more serious cocktails in Melbourne. After a year he returned to Paris, working in China Club, a serious cocktail bar in Bastille, and then he managed the bar at Mama Shelter (a Philippe Starck-designed boutique hotel) before joining Paris' most respected cocktail bars, the Experimental Cocktail Club and Curio Parlor.

Before moving to NYC and utilizing his connections to get the job at Dram, Nico traveled through Peru, Ecuador, Colombia, Panama, Costa Rica, Nicaragua, Cuba, Guatemala, and Mexico before flying to Vancouver for the Winter Games where he worked as a guest bartender. Other than bartending, tennis, and cinema, Nico's passion is, you guessed it--travel. He says of the 51 countries he's visited, his favorites are Australia, New Zealand, Japan, Argentina, Indonesia, Bolivia, Peru, French Polynesia, and Singapore; while his favorite cities are Paris, NYC, Vancouver, Melbourne, Sydney, London, Berlin, Singapore, and Barcelona.

“The Dizzy Dozen” (The Same 12 Questions We Always Ask)

Q: What is the first thing you drink after you wake up?

A: A strong black coffee, followed by a protein shake.

Q: What is the first thing you drink after a hard day’s work?

A: Either a whole glass of fresh grapefruit juice or a well made fresh daiquiri (2 oz. Chairman's Reserve rum, 3/4 oz. fresh-squeezed lime, 1/2 oz. cane syrup). I don't like beer, sadly.

Q: What is the most delicious ingredient in your liquor cabinet?

A: Noah's Mill 15-year-old bourbon. Just discovered it recently and I love it.

Q: If you could sit at the bar between any two people (alive or deceased), who would they be?

A: Sasha Petraske and Adriana Lima. No need to say why.

Q: Three favorite NYC bars: • Milk & Honey: Magic place, the Michael show. I haven't seen Sam at work yet. It's Sasha's. It's where everything started. • Death & Co: You'll never be bored, amazing drinks, and some of the most talented bartenders on Earth. I always bring my friends and dates there. • Dutch Kills

Q: Three favorite non-alcoholic hangouts: • My rooftop: 360º view, two blocks from the East River in Williamsburg, the Manhattan skyline view is amazing. • McCarren Park: Tennis court and grass, what else? • Paris of course -- my friends, my family, my heart.

Q: Average night’s sleep:

A: From 5 a.m. to 1 p.m. usually. Eight hours is a good number.

Q: What is your favorite place to shop for your bar?

A: Cocktail Kingdom: Bar tools, books, great place.

Q: Where do you find inspiration?

A: Bartenders I work with, meet, and watch. Bars I visited. The countries I visit. I visited 51, worked in five, spent two years in Australia. People, no books -- people.

Q: If you woke up on a desert island, what bottle would you hope to have wash ashore?

A: On a desert island, with the heat, damned a bottle of coconut water. On a cold island, send me a Zacapa 23-year-old.

Q: Do you have any bar-related good luck charms?

A: I had a blade that I carried around the world with me, but I lost it recently.

Q: Do you have a nickname for yourself when you’ve had too many?

A: Nico, that's it.

Nico's going-away parties are at Painkiller this Wednesday night and at Dram on Sunday night. Bye Nico, you will be missed!

Elsewhere in the Liquiverse...

 

• September is Bourbon Heritage Month (complete with these NYC events and the Kentucky Bourbon Festival Sept. 14-19), and naturally, this is cause for celebration. Kick off the brown spirit-soaked festivities tomorrow night at Brooklyn Bowl, where Maker's Mark is hosting the first Brooklyn Bourbon Bowl. You can count on two reserved lanes of free bowling, live music, and $5 Maker's Mark drinks, Brooklyn Pilsner and Maker's Mark frozen slushies from 8 p.m. to midnight. Don't miss Brothers among the rock 'n' roll lineup, featuring actual twin brothers Dylan and (Prime Meats bartender) Damon Boelte. 61 Wythe Ave., Brooklyn. Free; Maker's Mark drink specials.
• Audrey Saunders' iconic NYC cocktail bar Pegu Club recently turned 5; check out Sonya Moore's recap here. Meanwhile, Alphabet City mainstay Louis 649 turns 6 tomorrow, with a happy hour from 6 to 9 p.m. featuring half-priced bottles of wine and beer and $9 cocktails.
• Autumn is the season for new bar openings in New York, and Metromix has a long list of watering holes on the horizon. And you can add Whiskey Brooklyn, Peels (from the Freemans team) and Lambs Club at The Chatwal Hotel (bar program by Sasha Petraske) to the list of just-now-open bars--go warm up those fresh bar stools!

Breaking: Experimental Cocktail Club Expanding to London in December

 

Super! Last night at Dram in Williamsburg, I had the good fortune to bump into Romée De Goriainoff, co-founder of Paris' Experimental Cocktail Club, who was there to visit Nicolas de Soto, a former ECC bartender, behind the stick. Opened at 37 Rue Saint Sauveur in  2007, the ECC is Paris' premiere cocktail speakeasy and is one of the few bars in the city open after 2 a.m. on weekends. The clandestine 40-seat lounge oozes with 1920s charm and features tipples such as the Experience #1 (Hendrick's gin, elderflower liqueur, lemongrass, lemon juice and basil) for 10 to 12 euros.  Following the success of ECC, its owners opened Left Bank outposts Curio Parlor Cocktail Club, at 16 Rue des Bernadins, and Le Prescription Cocktail Club at 23 Rue Mazarine in the sixth.

Romée said the Experimental Cocktail Club London is expected to open in the SoHo district (about a quarter of a mile from Milk & Honey London in Soho) this December, and the bar will be open until 3 a.m.

File Under: Prepping for Tales

"The heat's no so bad if you stop on every corner for a Sazerac."

This time next week, I'll be packing up and shipping out for my virgin excursion to Tales of the Cocktail in New Orleans, the premiere liquor industry gathering for bartenders, brand reps, cocktail historians, writers and enthusiasts from across the country and around the world. Most of the events at Tales take place at the French Quarter's Hotel Monteleone (which features a Carousel Bar), and from what I've heard, everyone ends up congregating by the pool. I'm hoping to avoid paralyzing hangovers so that I can keep up with a slew of seminars, tastings, and parties, and still be coherent enough to report all of the juicy recaps for you here.

Fortunately, veteran bloggers such as Camper English of Alcademics, Tiare Olsen of A Mountain of Crushed Ice, and Kaiser Penguin have posted a number of informative articles on how best to prepare for Tales and what to bring. Read Camper's tips on what to expect and what to pack, Tiare's lessons, and Kaiser Penguin's 10 Rules to Follow at Tales. Is it your first time going to Tales too? In addition to Camper's advice, here are some pointers from bartenders that I've spoken with, as well as my own packing essentials:

• Bringing bar tools to Tales? You may want to ship your tool kit to your hotel in advance of your arrival so that you won't have to deal with the TSA confiscating your citrus knives and ice picks.
• If you are bringing liquor with you to Tales (this really only applies to those with exciting new spirits that others will want to taste), pack large bottles with your checked luggage. You may not carry any bottle or container of liquid on to a commercial flight that holds more than 100 ml, or 3.4 ounces of liquid, except if: the bottle was purchased in the security zone of the airport you are departing from; the liquid is baby formula, milk, or juice for an infant and you are travelling with an infant; or the liquid is a prescription medication and the the name of the patient on the prescription label matches the name of the traveller.
• Leave extra room in your suitcase or bring an extra bag for all of the awesome swag you'll be bringing home. Or, if you end up with a number of bottles of booze and heavy items, FedEx them home from the Monteleone's business center.
• Going to the seminars? Be sure to give yourself an extra 30 minutes to get to any that are on the upper floors of the Monteleone.
• Speaking of timing, try not to over-schedule yourself--just like visiting the Louvre, you can't possibly do it all. Pick what interests you most.
• Every day of Tales, there are four tasting rooms at the Monteleone, and brands are switched every two hours. According to Cheryl Charming, this is the best place for networking and meeting new people during Tales.
• Whether or not you have tickets to events, there are plenty of free things to do. Check out this schedule for complimentary events, including happy hours, bicycle tours, and Tales After Dark.
• Stay hydrated. I plan on carrying a water bottle (I hear they are provided at Tales) and stocking my hotel room with coconut water, Gatorade, and perhaps even Pedialyte.
• Stay sunscreened--sunburns and intense heat are a recipe for illness, add a hangover and you are destined for misery.
• Just because you can drink for free doesn't mean you have to slurp every cocktail. Tasting and spitting might save you from embarrassment, nausea, or worse, a blackout.
• And for all of those unavoidable hangovers, bring plenty of aspirin, milk thistle supplement, and Alka-Seltzer Morning Relief.
• Bring business cards, and lots of them. Or if you're fully ensconced in the digital age, have a business card app on your phone such as Dub or Bump.
• If you have long hair, bring plenty of hair ties. I'm bringing all forms of frizz-fighting ammo.
• As crazy as it sounds, I've been told not to forget to eat or sleep--although I can't imagine forgetting either. A big breakfast is important to buffer daytime drinking, and I've been told to expect to sleep 5 hours or less each night--which means finding time to sneak a nap.
• Be careful when traveling outside the French Quarter and always have a taxi buddy.
• Don't forget your bathing suit and flip flops for the pool!

Food tips:

• Shrimp and grits at The Old Coffee Pot
• Breakfast at Mother's or Antoine's Annex
• I'm allergic, but Acme Oyster House is a New Orleans institution
• Pecan praline ice cream sundae with bacon caramel sauce at The Green Goddess
• Make a reservation for a cajun dinner at Cochon
• Eat French-Italian fare at Lilette
• Po'boys
• Beignets

Other tips:

• Be sure to visit the Museum of the American Cocktail and The Old Absinthe House
• Catch live jazz at venues such as Vaughn's Lounge in the Bywater
• The Alibi is the unofficial bartender's bar during Tales
• If you meet Chris McMillian (which I hope to!), you won't find him at his post at Bar UnCommon during Tales, but you can ask him about his mint julep. Dale DeGroff says McMillian's juleps are "made with poem and mallet."

Looking forward to arriving in New Orleans the night of the 21st! If we haven't met yet, look me up and let's toast a Ramos Gin Fizz!

Elsewhere in the Liquiverse...

• In reponse to the Gulf oil spill crisis, The New Orleans Culinary and Cultural Preservation Society will be selling a limited-edition bar towel during Tales of the Cocktail at the Tales Gift Shop. With a suggested price of $5, 100 percent of proceeds from the sale of this bar towel will go directly to oyster shuckers who have recently been laid off due to the heartbreaking spill.
• Also in response to the oil spill, Don Q Rum will host the Louisiana Coastal Rehab Benefit Party featuring Cowboy Mouth and ReBirth Brass Band at 10:30 p.m. on July 22 at Tipitina's in the French Quarter. Tickets are $10 and cocktails will be sold for $4 each, with 100 percent of proceeds going to the Greater New Orleans Foundation Gulf Coast Restoration Fund. Star mixologists are even expected to jump behind the stick!
• And while we're on the subject of New Orleans, The Bitter Truth's Creole bitters ($15) will be arriving on U.S. store shelves soon. Described as bitter, sweet and spicy, the bitters include notes of anise, caraway and fennel. [I can't wait to try it!]
• Don't snuff out those vuvuzelas just yet--the World Cup comes to a hot international climax this Sunday, and you can catch all the action at a massive block party hosted by Brass Monkey. The tri-level bar has secured a permit to take over the block of Little West 12th in front of the bar, where they’ll convert a parking lot into a beer garden with picnic tables, two movie screens, and refrigerated beer trucks filled with 200 kegs of Blue Moon, Coors Light and Spaten for $6 (that’s per cup, not per keg, homeslice). You can also expect a variety of sandwiches and bar fare available for purchase. The outdoor beer-soaked festivities start at 11 a.m. and go ‘til 6 p.m., while inside the bar, flatscreens on both floors plus a screen on the rooftop will keep things kicking ‘til 4 a.m. Brass Monkey, 55 Little West 12th St. (10th Ave. and Washington)
• New Yorkers looking for plans on Sunday night, look no further--hereby consider yourselves invited to the July edition of LES Salonnieres, a monthly artists' salon, supperclub and speakeasy held in an abandoned rooftop tenement. In addition to a potluck BBQ, burlesque, live painting, live butchering (and cooking) of a chicken, yours truly will be mixing up cocktails and punches using Maker's Mark and Bluecoat Gin for $6 a pop. This event, organized by the luminary Adam Aleksander, is not to be missed! The revelry goes from 7 to 11:30 p.m. 124 Ridge St. (Stanton and Rivington Sts.)

File Under: Hot Dates

• File under sipping & swinging: Just a few mere hours left to purchase advance tickets for the Liberty Belle Spectacular, a real treat of a Fourth of July showcase channeling the roaring '20s--complete with a view of the fireworks. Hosted by Dances of Vice, The Champagne Riot, The Salon, and Wit's End, the rooftop swing party will feature Brooklyn vaudeville duo Gelber & Manning and the Star Spangled Orchestra, rockabilly ballads, boogies and blues by SIT & Die Co, bugle boy extraordinaire Bob Leive, performances by tap sensations The Minsky Sisters, mesmerizing burlesque by Jezebel Express and Perle Noire with special guests The Rhinestone Follies, cocktails by mixologist Fredo Ceraso from Loungerati, and the dapper MC Dandy Wellington! Hurry, tickets are $20 in advance and $25 at the door. 7 p.m. to 3 a.m. July 4, Empire Hotel Rooftop, 44 W. 63rd St.
• You have not one, but two upcoming opportunities to taste Maker's 46, the first new product from Maker's Mark in more than 50 years, for free: a tasting party from 8 to 10 p.m. Monday at Rye House featuring Maker's 46 cocktails as well as food, and a more education-oriented session from 7 to 9 p.m. on Tuesday at Louis 649's Tuesday Night Tastings. To make the 46, original Maker's Mark ages for several more months in casks lined with seared French oak staves, giving the signature Kentucky bourbon a more prominent toasted spice profile. Rye House, 3 W. 17th St.; Louis 649, 649 E. 9th St.
• Also on Tuesday, Justin Noel and Martim Ake Smith-Mattsson bring a taste of Jamaica to the Bowery with a night of specially-priced Appleton Estate Rum cocktails from 7 to 10 p.m. Madame Geneva, 4 Bleecker St.
• Harlem's 5 & Diamond is joining with Domaine Select Wine Estates to host a summer cocktail tasting from 5:30 to 7:30 p.m. on Wednesday. Expect farm-to-table nibbles from chef David Santos and Jonathan Pogash behind the stick. Five and Diamond, 2072 Frederick Douglass Blvd. (Corner of 112th St. and 8th Ave.)

Elsewhere in the Liquiverse...

• Casa Mezcal, a ground-level mezcal bar within a three-story property that will soon include a Oaxacan gallery and a basement-level bar/cinema, opened at 86 Orchard St. in early June. Featuring a wide variety of sipping mezcals, including some obscure varieties, the bar also offers a cocktail menu designed by Junior Merino. A Mexican food menu will be added as soon as the gas is turned on, until then complimentary bites include fried grasshoppers and pico de gallo. The mezcaleria is within stumbling distance of two of NYC's most rambunctious cocktail bars--Painkiller and The Randolph--creating a "Cocktailian Bermuda Triangle," if you dare.
• Legislation that could have a severe impact on NYC nightlife is on the table. Eater reports that State Senator Daniel Squadron has submitted a bill that would revoke a bar's liquor license if police receive six or more noise or disorder complaints within a 60-day period. This comes on the heels of a bill from Brooklyn Assemblywoman Joan Millman that would impose an 11 p.m. curfew on rooftop and backyard bars on weekends and 10 p.m. on weeknights, as reported in the Wall Street Journal. Let's hope both of these bills go nowhere--NYC nightlife generates renevue that the city can't afford to lose.
• Tribeca cocktail den Ward III celebrates its first anniversary this weekend, offering specially-priced cocktails, as reported by NY Barfly. Check out Hendrick's Gin drinks tonight and Maker's Mark tipples tomorrow night.
• Speaking of Maker's Mark, the Kentucky distillers will be launching their first new bourbon in 50 years, Maker's 46, next month. Check out blogger DrinkBoston.com's report from Louisville on how the special edition bourbon is made--the secret lies in the seared French oak staves. Retailing for $35, the 46 (named for the fact that it was simply the 46th recipe) will be a toasty addition to any Maker's lover's liquor cabinet.
• Tales of the Cocktail in New Orleans is just around the corner--July 21-25, and the 2010 Spirited Awards nominees were recently announced. New York swept the awards last year, and based on the high number of talented bartenders and bars up for honors this year, the city could see another coup--good luck!
• Sam Mason, formerly chef at now-shuttered SoHo restaurant/cocktail den Tailor, has opened a no-frills dive bar, Lady Jay's, at 633 Grand St. in Williamsburg next to Bushwick Country Club. The bar, which Eater reports is across the street from his apartment, has neither fancy cocktails nor food--just whiskey, beer, shuffle bowling, a jukebox and standard hipster decor--antlers on the walls. 

Elsewhere in the Liquiverse...

 

• Hot on the heels of news that William Grant & Sons has purchased Philly's Art in the Age of Mechanical Reproduction brand, including its ROOT liqueur, AITA is now bottling its next organic spirit, SNAP, based on a Pennsylvanian Dutch black strap molasses ginger snap recipe. The bottles will be on Pennsylvania shelves later this summer; widespread distribution of both SNAP and ROOT to be announced.
• Craft beer fans (like myself) will sate their thirst and then some at this Saturday's Fourth Annual New York Brew Fest on Governor's Island. More than 300 styles of beer from more than 100 breweries from New York and beyond will be sampled from 3:30 to 8 p.m. Tickets are $55 and include water taxi to and from the island.
• It's that time again--the New York Bar Show is this Sunday and Monday at Javits Convention Center. Although last year's show seemed to highlight the clash between nightclub-style bartending and cocktailian bartending, it will be interesting to see if this year's show will take itself a little more seriously. The agenda includes Le Cognac's cocktail competition awarding $3,000 in prizes, USBGNY mixology demonstrations, and a cognac seminar led by Dale DeGroff, Dave Wondrich, and F. Paul Pacult. Tickets are $50 for the floor show and $150 for all-access to seminars.
• And on June 23, the Indy Spirits Expo rolls into town from 6:30 to 9 p.m. at Touch nightclub. [Odd venue for this, but the club is centrally-located.] The expo will feature tastings and presentations from some of the best artisanal spirits producers around. Tickets are $55.
• Earlier this week, the team behind Scottish gastropub Highlands got approval to turn the former Allen & Delancey space into their next concept, Mary Queen of Scots. Billed as "Highlands meets Vivienne Westwood and the Sex Pistols," the brasserie will feature whiskey cocktails and is slated to open in the fall.
• Scientists are getting closer to growing livers, which is good news for those of us who may be beating them up more often than we'd like to admit. [No need to worry Mom, I take my milk thistle!]
• Summer cocktail season is upon us, and I was honored to contribute a write-up of the best summer cocktails in town for this week's issue of Time Out New York. It was hard to choose from so many delicious drinks at so many of my favorite bars, but for you, dear readers, this is the kind of research I go to great lengths to do.
• In case you haven't heard already, Albert Trummer, proprietor of Apotheke and the recently-unveiled Theater, was arrested Saturday night after undercover fire marshals witnessed his signature fire show at Apotheke. The Apotheke bartenders I've spoken with say given the size of the bar, it's doubtful that the flames were six feet wide, and the bar also does not have curtains, as The New York Times reported. The bar, which does not have an open flame permit, reopened the following night. Trummer is facing charges of reckless endangerment and criminal nuisance, both misdemeanors.

Dizzy Recap: Beefeater Summer Launch, St. Germain Can-Can Classic, Zagat's Preview of Theater and Absolut Brooklyn Launch!

 

So many parties, so little time! June officially kicked off summer party season in NYC, and so far it's been quite the bender:

Beefeater Gin launched its limited-edition Beefeater Summer  featuring hibiscus, elderflower and black currant at the Ace Hotel. This gin has balanced sweetness and can be sipped straight--clearly Master Distiller Desmond Payne knows what he's doing. Refreshing summer cocktails by Jamie Gordon, fish and chips, and a live twitter screen made this event a hit among the bartender, blogger and cocktailian crowd.

St. Germain's Third Annual Can-Can Classic brought 13 bartenders from across the states to compete in a cocktail competition judged by Dave Wondrich, Andy Seymour, Lynnette Marrero, Toby Maloney and Phil Ward. The top $5,000 prize went to of Bobby McCoy of the Eastern Standard in Boston (winning cocktail recipe below). Afterwards, St. Germain kicked off its 1920s-themed Harvest Fair Party at the Bowery Hotel, complete with sword swallowers, carnival games and a live band.

Zagat Survey hosted this week's much-anticipated reveal of Theater, the new Tribeca cabaret-themed cavern from Apotheke's Albert Trummer. Also billed as a celebration of Internet Week New York, Trummer opened the doors to his not-yet-officially-open space at 114 Franklin St. featuring a bar designed to look like a stage, a VIP room behind the stage, and an upstairs balcony and DJ booth. Zacapa rum cocktails and Sigmund Pretzelshop pretzels kept this party going strong.

And just last night, hordes of Brooklynites packed into the PowerHouse Arena in DUMBO to celebrate the launch of Absolut Brooklyn, featuring a red apple and ginger flavor (although more like a hint of ginger). With special guest Spike Lee, DJ Spinna keeping the crowd bumping, professional dancers and a steady supply of refreshing cocktails, this party was off the heeze and further proof that Absolut throws some of the best parties in NYC! For more pics, check out Ucwhateyec.com.

Whew! Off to drink more water and take a nap... until the next!

Elixir Alpestre by Bobby McCoy, Boston, Eastern Standard

2 oz. Bols Genever 3/4 oz. St-Germain 1/4 oz. Becherovka 1 Dash Angostura Orange Bitters 6 Drops Pernod Absinthe

Combine all ingredients in a shaker tin over ice and shake.  Strain into a large coupe glass.  Garnish with a lemon twist.

Dizzy Recap: ¡Gracias! At The Summit Bar

Summer solstice may be around the corner, but the hot party season is here! Lots of recaps in the pipeline, but first I have to give you the word on ¡Gracias! at The Summit Bar, held Sunday night. I hosted my first punch party there in December, and then threw the big punch affair at Ramscale Gallery during Manhattan Cocktail Classic, so naturally, third time around was quite the charm. The turbulent storms that were forecasted held off, and by sunset the bar was full of bartending industry insiders, writers and cocktail enthusiasts from NYC and beyond.

The Summit Bar's Hamid Rashidzada and Greg Seider wanted to thank the cocktail community for their support since opening in the fall of last year, so of course I agreed to join in the showing of gratitude--The Dizzy Fizz has had phenomenal launch as well! And since the party fell during the same weekend as the Gourmet Latino Festival (recap to come), we decided to offer Latin-themed punches created by Seider. The punches featured Corralejo Tequila, Ilegal Mezcal, Leblon Cachaca, Ron Zacapa Rum, Pisco 100 and a myriad of Latin spices and flavors. The invite-only event also featured tacos, Latin dance music spun by DJ Kimiko and a piñata full of fun surprises. (Which I wholeheartedly busted open!)

A big fat gracias to all who came and made the night a sizzling fiesta!! Special thanks to: Carmen Operetta, Abigail Gullo, Leo Borovskiy of Lush Life Productions, and the entire staff from The Summit Bar!

Gracias! Punch Recipes by Greg Seider at The Summit Bar

Multiply proportions by number of servings:

Cinnamon Girl

1 ½ oz. Leblon Cachaca ¾ oz. Mexican cinnamon-infused agave nectar ¾ oz. fresh lime juice Dash grapefruit bitters 2 oz. ginger beer

Ilegal Activity

 1 ¼ oz. Ilegal Mezcal Reposado ¾ oz. Pisco 100 1 ½ oz grapefruit, cilantro and jalapeno pepper puree ½ oz. Dimmi liqueur Splash soda water

Succulent Senorita

2 oz. Corralejo Blanco Tequila 1 oz. fresh lime juice ¾ oz. agave nectar ¾ oz red pepper puree Dash orange bitters Slice muddled cucumber

 From Dusk ‘Til Diablo

1 oz. Zacapa 23 year Rum 1 oz. Chilean Cabernet ½ oz. black pepper and clove-infused agave nectar ½ oz. lemon juice 1 oz. coconut water Dash Fee Bros’ whiskey barrel-aged bitters

Peruvian Passion

2 oz. Pisco 100 2 oz. pineapple and Serrano chili pepper puree ¾ oz. agave nectar ½ oz. fresh lime juice Dash orange bitters Splash soda water

Elsewhere in the Liquiverse...

 

• Summer is the season of gin, so it was a nice surprise to take home the first place prize recently for New Amsterdam Gin's "Next Gin-eration" Cocktail Challenge. Set up Iron Chef-style, I was among a dozen or so bloggers and cocktail enthusiasts (no professional bartenders allowed) asked to create a tasty drink within 10 minutes using ingredients onsite at The Back Room. My winning number, as judged by Alex Ott and the New Amsterdam team? The "Greenmarket Smash," featuring 1 1/2 oz. New Amsterdam gin, 1/2 oz. liquified honey, 1/2 oz. elderflower liqueur, 1 oz. fresh orange juice, 1 oz. cranberry juice, and muddled basil. I won a catered dinner for 10 and bragging rights, woot!
• Harlem gets another cocktail den next to 67 Orange with the opening of Five and Diamond, featuring a fresh-ingredient cocktail menu created by Jonathan Pogash of The Cocktail Guru. With top bartenders like Moses Laboy behind the stick, this sounds like another uptown destination worth the trip. See the full cocktail menu below! 2072 Frederick Douglass Blvd.
• Ready for another rumor to get  The Jane Hotel's neighbors in a tizzy? [The Ballroom is finally open again, BTW.] Word on the street is the owners are designing an even more exclusive enclave within the landmark building--a penthouse bar.
• This weekend's first annual Gourmet Latino Festival is shaping up to be a star-studded affair of not only chefs inspired by flavors from Latin America, but renowned mixologists too. Check out the full schedule of educational seminars and tastings featuring the likes of Dale DeGroff, Steve Olson and Junior Merino.
• According to this whiskey blog, Tuthilltown's Hudson Whiskey has been bought by William Grant & Sons, which would mean worldwide distribution of the whiskey created in 2003 by Brian Lee and Gable Erenzo. According to the article, Tuthilltown will remain its ownership of its non-whiskey brands.
• And if you haven't caught the latest viral video series featuring mixologists, head over to Combier's "Shaker Faces" campaign, which will award the bartender with the best shake $500. Hurry up and check out the four-way shake by the Edison's (LA) Joseph Brooke--the ladies will not want to miss that one!

Five and Diamond's Cocktail Menu

The Five and Diamond: Hangar One Buddha’s Hand Vodka, Grand Marnier, honey syrup, fresh lime, cranberry juice, fresh pineapples and Jarritos lìmon soda. ($12)

Spiced Raspberry Bellini: Fresh raspberries, spice syrup, rhubarb bitters and Cava. ($12)

Hold Me, Ransom: Ransom Old Tom Gin, St. Germain elderflower liqueur, fresh lemon juice, egg white, Jarritos tamarindo soda and Angostura bitters. ($13)

Blackberry Sage: Fresh blackberries and sage, vodka, Grand Marnier and fresh lemon juice ($12)

Replenish: Chamomile-infused Plymouth Gin, Domaine de Canton ginger liqueur, Fever-Tree ginger beer, Vita-Coco coconut water and fresh lemon juice. ($12)

Diamond Daiquiri: Rhum Clement Premierre Canne Rum, demerara syrup, fresh lime juice and fresh strawberries. ($12)

Raspberry Tarragon Margarita: Siembra Azul Blanco Tequila, Cointreau, fresh lime juice, agave nectar, fresh raspberries and tarragon. ($12)

Smokey Sour: Sombra Mezcal, Benromach single malt scotch, fresh lemon juice, orange marmalade, and egg white. ($12)

Dizzy Recap: Manhattan Cocktail Classic and Tastemaker's Punch!

"Alcohol is a misunderstood vitamin." --P.G. Wodehouse Well hot damn--the Manhattan Cocktail Classic flew by like a bat out of Eyjafjallajökull. I had the wild idea to put on an art exhibit/punch party so I only attended the Gala at New York Public Library and the Three Hour Tour around Manhattan Island--smashing good times all around involving well-dressed cocktailians from all over and addictive libations. I'll be looking to other bloggers to tell me what I missed at the seminars, Behind the Bars, and other events.

Speaking of other bloggers, MCC just happened to kick off the night after World Cocktail Day, aka my first blogiversary, which coincidentally is the same for LA cocktail culture blogger Daniel Djang, aka Thirsty in LA. I've been reading Daniel's watch on the budding LA cocktail scene and only recently realized that we shared the same blog bornday. I was stoked when I heard Daniel would be visiting for MCC. He met a bunch of us at Death & Co. right after landing in NYC to share a toast with me, and then we rolled to Painkiller where we had a few too many sips of Scorpion bowls, Mai Tais and Singapore Slings. I'm not sure this was necessary the night before MCC, but it was a blast. It also didn't hurt that Tony Abou-Ganim, Eric Alperin, Mindy Kucan, and Johnny Iuzzini were among the crowd at Painkiller that night.

I don't even know where to begin with the Gala--event of the year?! Lesley Townsend, Georgia Tan, and their production team all deserve a collective bow from the cocktail community for pulling off such a massive, glamorous affair. All four floors of the New York Public Library were transformed into an endless open bar full of random wonders--you know, Oompa Loompas and the like. Towards the end of the night, most everyone made their way to the air conditioned basment which Diageo turned into the "Stork Club," named for the historic New York nightclub run by ex-bootlegger Sherman Billingsly from 1929 to 1965.

In between spouts of event planning, I managed to make it onto the Royal Princess for the Tippling Point's inaugural event, the "Around the World in Five Cocktails" sunset cruise. The weather couldn't have been more perfect as we sipped cocktails from Moet Hennessy's line of fine spirits--Hennessy, Belvedere Vodka, Ardbeg, 10 Cane Rum, and Grand Marnier, all mixed by world-class mixologists: Jacqueline Patterson of Heaven’s Dog (San Francisco), Thomas Waugh of Death & Co., John Lermayer of The Florida Room (Miami), Richard Boccato of Dutch Kills and Painkiller, Sean Kenyon of Steuben's (Denver), H. Joseph Ehrmann of Elixir (San Francisco), and Danny Valdez of Cure (New Orleans). At sunset, the cruise ship paused in front of the Statue of Liberty next to a vintage sailboat for a patriotic and picturesque moment, reminding me of our freedom to imbibe.

And on the fourth night of MCC, my big night finally came to fruition -- Tastemaker's Punch! I can't express how thrilled I was to see artwork from Jill DeGroff, Claw Money, Nicole Desmond, Charles Hardwick, Elba Giron, Jackie Neale Chadwick, Vanessa Bahmani, and Leo Borovskiy on the walls of Ramscale Gallery. And of course there were the punches (recipes below) by Enzo Lim, Maxwell Britten, Abigail Gullo, Orson Salicetti, Frank Cisneros, Erick Castro (of San Francisco), Payman Bahmani, Aaron Doherty, The Cocktail Guru's Hal Wolin, and The Tippling Point's Jason Littrell. DJs from the monthly Discovery party at Santos Party House, VDRK and Free Magic, kept the good times flowing, and sushi and ceviche from Richard Sandoval's ZENGO was devoured just as fast as we could pass it out.

Dave Wondrich led us through a long list of historical figures whom we have to thank for the wonderful gift of punch, starting with British sailors who discovered the five-ingredient concoction in India in the 16th century. Dave announced that his book on all things punch, "Punch, or the Delights and Dangers of the Flowing Bowl," will be out this November. And yes, it also just happened to be my birthday that night (along with Eryn Reece and Meredith Modzelewski!), so thanks Jason for taking over the mic to have everyone sing happy birthday while I blushed in the corner. How many people get to say that they had Dave Wondrich, Jill DeGroff and Claw Money at their birthday party? Even Gary "Gaz" Regan made a latenight appearance, helping himself to some punch.

So many to thank: Bols Genever, Pierre Ferrand Cognac, Mathilde Fruit Liqueurs, Leblon Cachaca, Laird's Bonded Applejack, Plymouth Gin, Tuthilltown Spirits, Catdaddy Moonshine, Milagro Tequila, Sailor Jerry Rum, A.B. Smeby Bittering Co., Vita Coco Coconut Water, Mana Fine Arts, and the MCC team: Lesley, Georgia, and Don Lee. I also want to personally thank Kerry Hoffman, Lincoln Chinnery, Russell Davis, Gail Schoenberg, Nosa Garrick, Erin Garcia, Amy Kelly, Olga Boyko, Mark Garcia, Iman Kedir, Ashley Klanac and Nora Worthington.

Note: the silent auction to benefit the Museum of the American Cocktail, planned to take place during the punch party, will be rescheduled for the near future.

Here are the punch recipes, all using fresh-squeezed juices:

Pacquiao's Punch by Enzo Lim of Painkiller:

33.8 oz Sailor Jerry Rum 11.3 oz pineapple juice 11.3 oz lemon juice 11.3 oz Domaine de Canton ginger liqueur 5.6 oz demerara syrup .5 oz Smeby's Buddha's Hand Lemon and Kaffir Lime Bitters .5 oz Bitter Truth Lemon Bitters (serves 20, scale accordingly)

Gin Lane Royale Punch by Maxwell Britten of Freemans

150 oz Plymouth Gin 75 oz lavender-infused Dolin Blanc Dry Vermouth 75 oz lime juice 75 oz grapefruit-nutmeg syrup 75 oz Moet Imperial Champagne

Don't Shoot the Messenger by Hal Wolin of The Cocktail Guru & Jason Littrell of The Tippling Point

1 1/2 oz Laird's Bonded Applejack 1/2 oz Mathilde Pear 1/4 oz orgeat syrup 1/2 tsp Don's Spices 1/2 oz pineapple juice 3/4 oz lemon juice 1 dash Fee Brothers Whiskey Barrel Aged Bitters (multiply by number of servings)

Chinese Bootlegger Punch by Payman Bahmani of Umamimart.com

5 cups Catdaddy Carolina Moonshine 5 cups brewed Oolong tea (less than boiling water, steeped 5-6 min) 3.75 cups grapefruit juice 1 cup lemon juice 1 cup agave nectar syrup .75 cup cinnamon syrup .5 cup A.B. Smeby Forbidden Bitters .5 cup A.B. Smeby Spiced Grapefruit Bitters (serves 20, scale accordingly)

Spring Fever Punch by Erick Castro of Rickhouse, San Francisco

150 scoops of Caipirinha Sorbet 50 cups Leblon Cachaca 12.5 cups Mathilde Pear 18.75 cups lime juice 12.5 cups honey syrup (1 to 1) 12.5 cups cucumber juice 25 cups sparkling water 200 pinches of salt

Goblin Punch by Orson Salicetti of Covet

12 bottles of Bols Genever 2 honeydew melons, juiced 8 green bell peppers, juiced 2 lb fresh celery, juiced 2 lb green seedless grapes, juiced 2 lb kiwis, juiced 2 lb green apples, juiced agave nectar lime juice dash of mixed peppercorns

Halfmoon Mountain Jam by Abigail Gullo of RyeGirlNYC and Bar Celona

12 bottles Spirit of the Hudson Apple Vodka (Tuthilltown Spirits) 2 bottles Mathilde Orange 1 gallon lemon juice 4 750-ml bottles sparkling cider Thyme-infused maple syrup Forest berry jam Blackberries Raspberries

Raspberry Beret Punch by Frank Cisneros of Dram

125 oz Pierre Ferrand Cognac 50 oz grapefruit juice 25 oz Mathilde Raspberry 50 oz vanilla syrup 100 oz lemon juice 50 oz raspberry syrup 100 oz soda water "secret amount" homemade Chamomile bitters

Madre Sazonada (Spicy Mother) by Aaron Doherty of Jack the Horse Tavern

10 bottles Milagro Reposado Tequila 65 oz lime juice 65 oz habanero demerara syrup 50 oz pineapple juice 50 oz Mexican lager, roughly 1 six pack 12 sprigs Rosemary 1 tbsp toasted curry salt

Everyone should feel proud for helping make the first Manhattan Cocktail Classic a huge success! Can't wait to do it again next year, only bigger and better!

File Under: Hot Dates

 

• Just when you thought the Manhattan Cocktail Classic couldn't get soaked with any more liquids, hometown heroes The Tippling Point have gone and put together an event that actually floats--on New York Harbor, specifically. Tickets for "The Three Hour Tour," as it's been dubbed, went on sale today, and they are moving fast. The booze cruise aboard the Royal Princess Cruise Liner at sunset on May 16 will feature a live band and DJ, live ice carving by Shintaro Okamoto, and five cocktails by some of the best bartenders in the states:  Jacqueline Patterson of Heaven’s Dog (San Francisco), Thomas Waugh of Death & Co. (NYC), John Lermayer of The Florida Room (Miami), Richard Boccato of Dutch Kills & Painkiller (NYC) and Danny Valdez of Cure (New Orleans).  Moet Hennessy USA is sponsoring (10 Cane Rum, Ardbeg Scotch, Grand Marnier, Belvedere Vodka, and Hennessy), so you might as well be screaming "I'm a boat" the entire time. To make this happen, Jason Littrell teamed up with Gianfranco Verga, Tad Carducci, and Paul Tanguay to form the company The Tippling Point. Come through for this, the Gala, and of course, the Tastemaker's Punch, and you'll have your party points for the year--not to be missed! Use code TONY for 25 percent off on all Manhattan Cocktail Classic events!
• May 1 means Derby Day, the quintessential day to sip a mint julep and wear a hat for at least two minutes. This year is the 135th Kentucky Derby at Churchill Downs, and with the resurgence in brown spirits it seems like a lovely reason to celebrate. Most recipes call for bourbon, but Harry Johnson's 1888 recipe with brandy and a dash of Jamaican rum, copied below, sounds equally as delicious.
• On May 3 and 4, bartenders from all over will converge in NYC to take a master class in Japanese cocktail technique from Kazuo Uyeda.  The most famous bartender in Japan, Kazuo is author of "Japanese Cocktail Technique," which is being released for the first time in English by Cocktail Kingdom/Mud Puddle Books, sponsors of the event. Two days of rigorous education (including hard shake demonstrations) take place at Hiro Ballroom in Chelsea, where everyone will also let off steam with Suntory cocktails the night of May 4. Contact christina@cocktailkingdom.com for ticket requests.
• And wow, what a difference a year makes--on May 13, we celebrate World Cocktail Day! The day marking the first public mention of the word "cocktail," this date also commemorates the first full year of The Dizzy Fizz! Coincidentally, I have the same birthday as one of the best cocktail culture blogs on the West Coast, Thirsty in LA. Since NYC is the place to be this month, Thirsty in LA's Daniel Djang will actually be here and we're going to celebrate our "blogiversary" together! Deets to come!

Mint Julep, adapted from Harry Johnson, "New & Improved Illustrated Bartender's Manual:"

Serving vessel: a glass.

1/2 oz. sugar 2 oz. water or seltzer 3 to 4 sprigs of mint

Muddle mint in the sugar and water to extract the flavor of the mint, then remove and discard the mint.

Add:

6 oz. brandy

Fill with shaved ice, stir. Garnish with a mint leaf, berry, pineapple and orange.

Add:

1 dash Jamaican rum.

Sprinkle with sugar, serve with a straw.

Springtime = Party Time!

Are you ready for another event brought to you by The Dizzy Fizz? I'm pleased as punch to announce that tickets are now on sale for "Tastemaker's Punch," happening from 7 to 11 p.m. on Monday, May 17 as part of The Manhattan Cocktail Classic!

In New York City, art is everywhere you look - it's even in your glass of punch! You are invited to celebrate the creativity of NYC cocktailians with a stylish soiree featuring punches made from artisan ingredients. Featuring special guest and toastmaster, Dave Wondrich, the puncheon will stimulate your senses while you take in contemporary artwork in a West Village penthouse gallery with terraces overlooking the Hudson River. Exhibiting artists will include saloon artist Jill DeGroff, graffiti artist/designer Claw Money, cocktailian/painter Charles Hardwick, cocktailian/painter Nicole Desmond, cocktailian/photographer Elba Giron, and lots more. Spring-inspired punches will be created by top NYC mixologists. And of course, it wouldn't be a Dizzy party without a slammin' soundtrack and plenty of surprises. Come see what NYC's tastemakers are up to!

Sponsors so far include: Bols Genever, Pierre Ferrand Cognac, Mathilde Fruit Liqueurs, Tuthilltown Spirits, Laird's Applejack, and Vita Coco Coconut Water. (More to be announced soon!)

Monday, May 17th, 7:00pm - 11:00pm RamScale Gallery, 463 West Street between Bank and Bethune Street

Must be of legal drinking age. Includes complimentary admission to the Official Bar of the Manhattan Cocktail Classic (plus one drink ticket) on Monday.

Can't wait to get started on some seasonal party action? If you are in NYC, come out for drinks for two great causes on Sunday, April 25 at The Delancey. Co-hosted by Tales of the Cocktail and Nosalikes, "From NY With Love" will raise money for rebuilding efforts in Haiti and New Orleans. An open bar from 7 to 8 p.m. will feature the Sazerac, the official cocktail of New Orleans, along with Oloffson’s Punch, invented at the Grand Hotel Oloffson in Port-au-Prince and made with the famous Rhum Barbancourt of Haiti.

The suggested donation will be $5 per person during an open bar from 7 to 8 p.m., and $10 per person from 8 to 11 p.m. Drink specials will be in effect throughout the night. All proceeds will be split between the SOS Children’s Villages of Haiti and United Saints Recovery Project of New Orleans.

NYC DJs Kraff Swagger, Djette Luna Vega, and DJ Treats will spin music throughout the night. The event is sponsored by Sazerac Rye Whiskey, Rhum Barbancourt, and Herbsaint Original.

The benefit will be held at The Delancey, 168 Delancey St., New York, NY 10002.

Can't make it? We'll still take your money! We will be setting up a Paypal account shortly, so stay tuned for that.

Dizzy Recap: Winter is for Whisky

Now that it's officially spring [despite the fact that I'm still wearing a sweater], I can say there was an overarching theme to my drink of choice this winter--a spicy, amber-hued theme. Considering that the winter of 2009-2010 has been more tenacious than in years past, I don't think it's too surprising that I've turned to Scotch whisky to keep warm and stay sane.

What is it about whisky that makes it so warming? All alcohol is warming--although in reality, alcohol increases bloodflow to the extremities, which lowers the core body temperature--but whisky/whiskey and bourbon in particular seem to heat the tongue and the body much faster than other spirits.  Curious, I posed this question to a few whisky enthusiasts, and got some interesting theories:

"It's a perception due to the complexity of the spirit," said Robin Robinson, brand ambassador for Compass Box Whisky. "The congeners present are full of fatty lipids. Our senses interpret these as we do all fats, essential to the energy engine of the body, translating to a sense of well-being. It's why we like comfort foods. We interpret that as 'warmth.'"

Dr. Bill Lumsden of Glenmorangie attributes the warming effect to the amount of time the whisky sits in wood casks, which he believes creates a chemical reaction in the body.

And then there were the more cryptic answers from Richard "The Nose" Paterson of The Dalmore: "only whisky is distilled with warmth and love;" and Sam "Dr. Whisky" Simmons of Balvenie: "Why does butter make life better? Why does music played on records sound better than on CDs or (eek!) MP3s? Why is the heart-warming feeling you get from receiving 100 birthday emails equivalent to receiving just one letter in the mail any other day of the year? Why can Nina Simone send more shivers than a bucket of ice water? If whisky be the water of life, drink on."

Hey, I'm with you there, Dr. Whisky, but if there's any reason to have a little whisky science experiment, I'll be a happy lab rat. If anyone wants to dig deeper into this "hot" mystery, let me know.

Earlier this year, I veered from a 10-day veggie detox straight into the arms of The Macallan at "Flight Through the Decades" at SoHo House. Graeme Russell, East Coast Brand Ambassador for The Macallan Single Malt Scotch, led a room packed with discerning bloggers (tweeting all the while) through drams ranging from fresh-off-the still new make spirit to 50- and 52-year old vintages. Each dish paired with the aged Scotch beautifully, and I had the added bonus of meeting NotCot, immaculate infatuation, cool hunting, and photographer cwhateyec (check out more photos from the event here). It was definitely a luscious (or is it lush-ous?) way to ring in a new year of drinking!

Then to kick off February, I sat in on "For Peat's Sake," a roundtable discussion at Beekman Bar & Books, listening to some whisky scholars (aka fanatics) discuss the finer points of peaty Scotch. Peat - dried bricks of decayed bog vegetation, historically used as fuel in Scotland, is roasted during the distillation process, leaving a smoky, spicy essence unique to the region. John Henry of Pipeline Brands moderated the meeting of minds, and speakers included Sam "Dr. Whisky" Simmons (brand ambassador for Balvenie), Jeffery Karlovich (Whisky Life magazine, Whisky Guild social network), Robin Robinson (brand ambassador for Compass Box), Peter Silver (Malt Maniacs), and Simon Brooking (brand ambassador, Ardmore and Laphroaig). It was a treat to sit by the fire and learn about peat's earthy flavors and hear how China and India are flooding the demand for peaty Scotch. To learn more about what we drank, head over to Teleport City  - Keith Allison took way better notes than I did.

And I can't believe I tasted $4,000 Scotch during the launch of Highland Park's limited edition 1968. Please show my Examiner page some love for the details on that one - let's just say it was one elegant evening that quickly took my mind off that evening's monsoon.

And just when it seemed like seasonal affective disorder might kick in, Glenmorangie came to the rescue with an "Inside the Whiskey Maker's Lab" tasting at Apotheke. Signet, Nectar D'Or, a fire show by Albert Trummer - if that doesn't take the edge off during winter in NYC, well I don't know what will. And unfortunately I missed the lovely "Women & Whisky" fundraiser earlier this month sponsored by Compass Box Whisky and LUPEC NYC at Astor Center, but I heard it was a smashing success. Check out Wine Mag for a roundup the drool-inducing whisky cocktails I missed out on - sad I couldn't make it.

So long as this cool weather lingers, I'll be reaching for that aged, amber dram... and I'm not complaining! Looking for a dram? Here's a list of some of the best whisky/whiskey bars in NYC.

Saloon Stakeouts: Opening Season

The snow's a-meltin' and the birds are a-flutter--could it be that spring is about to, you know, spring? Considering all of the hot new cocktail bars looking to open in the next month or two, I'd say NYC is going to have quite the warm awakening:

• Dram: On the cusp of "officially" opening after two years of being in the works, this Williamsburg cocktail den from Thomas Chadwick will add to the budding excitement of South 4th Street, where Pies 'n Thighs recently relocated nearby (and just two blocks from Bar Celona). Although the menu will rotate constantly, bartender Nick Jarrett has a stirred drink on the menu called "The Devil's Pocket" (aged rum, Armagnac, Amaro del Capo, and Rainwater Madeira) that I hope to try soon. Dram's also offering a Mai Tai with housemade toasted orgeat. 177 S. 4th St., Brooklyn.
• Painkiller: Dutch Kills' Richard Boccato and Giuseppe Gonzales are mixing scorpion bowls, pina coladas and a more laid-back way of drinking with the gritty style of NYC's Lower East Side--sounds like paradise to me. Keep your eyes peeled for an opening by the end of the month. 49 Essex St.
• Zengo: Richard Sandoval's forthcoming Latin-Asian restaurant, to feature former Elettaria chef/owner Akhtar Nawab as chef de cuisine, will offer a tequila library--I for one am looking forward to getting schooled. Near Grand Central.
• Empire Room: On the ground level of the Empire State Building, this latest gem in the Hospitality Holdings' line of upscale bars is expected to open soon. Look for an Art Deco theme and a cocktail menu by Jonathan "Cocktail Guru" Pogash, president of the USBGNY. 350 5th Ave.
• Lighthouse: From the owners of Macao Trading Co./Employees Only, this Williamsburg restaurant will feature a Mediterranean menu, oyster bar, and pickles--no word on the cocktail plans just yet. Construction is now underway. 145 Borinquen Pl.
• Freemans Upstairs: Last month, Freemans was finally granted approval to move forward with plans for a second bar upstairs. With Star Chefs' Rising Star Mixologist Maxwell Britten behind the stick, this is one Lower East Side addition to keep an eye on. End of Freeman Alley.

Red-hot, fresh-off-the-mill rumors:

• Albert Trummer, owner of Apotheke, is working on opening a new bar in Tribeca.
• A rum-centric bar in Lower Manhattan may be in the works from the owners of Mayahuel.
• A whiskey-centric bar may be coming to Williamsburg soon.
• Sasha Petraske, owner of Milk & Honey and other fine tippling establishments, is working on opening a new jazz and cocktail bar called Hi-Note on 39th St. & Lexington Ave., if the funding comes together.

File Under: Hot Dates

• On Sunday night, March 7, the top U.S. finalists in 42 Below's World Cup cocktail competition will throw down at the Ace Hotel in NYC. Special guest judges include Dale Degroff, Chef Sam Talbot, and founder of the Bartender’s Academy of New York, Charles Ohlbaum. Ten countries, including the United States, United Kingdom, China, Australia, Ireland, Germany, France and Italy are sending finalists to an extreme cocktail competition in New Zealand from March 23 to 28. This event is invite-only.
• In honor of International Women's Day, the NYC chapter of LUPEC (Ladies United for the Preservation of Endangered Cocktails) will get behind the stick at Astor Center to mix up crafty cocktails featuring Compass Box Whisky. Five dollars from each $30 ticket will benefit Dress for Success, which provides professional work attire to disadvantaged women. Organized by Laren Spirer of Sweet Blog o' Mine, expect lots of #WomenWhisky tweeting to go with your tippling--also, men are more than welcome. Monday, March 8, 6:30 to 8:30 p.m. Purchase tickets here.
• LUPEC NYC is also celebrating Rosie the Riveter's 90th birthday with cocktails featuring PAMA Pomegranate Liqueur at Rye House. Founding LUPEC members Lynnette Marrero and Eryn Reece will be slinging drinks, and LeNell Smothers is expected to make an appearance via Skype. RSVP here and tweet #rosietheriveter if you're cool like that.  Tuesday, March 9, from 6 to 8 p.m.
• And not that you need an excuse, but it's currently Martini Week in NYC through March 14, brought to you by Thrillist and Tasting Table. Specialty gin and vodka martinis are $10 at participating restaurants from 5:30 to 8:30 p.m. nightly.
• Need suggestions on where to get a warming winter cocktail or meet someone new to raise your temperature? Check out some of my latest round-ups: The Best NYC Bars for Singles, NYC Bars to Warm Your Spirits, and the Seven Scotch Bars in NYC.

Elsewhere in the Liquiverse

• BarSmarts Wired is now open for registration through March 31. Created by Beverage Alcohol Resource and Pernod Ricard USA, the online bartender training program is available for two-month intervals twice a year. While BarSmarts Advanced is invitation-only, the Wired version is open to any bar enthusiast 21 and older. The $45 course fee includes a messenger bag packed with essential bar tools, shipped to you whether you pass the course or not.
• For reasons yet unknown, Audrey Saunders has left her helm at the Tar Pit in L.A. She told The New York Times that she and the other bar owners disagreed over the swanky retro bar's promotion: "It’s not our style to promote our beverage program through cable programs, etc — and that became a stumbling block for us."
• New York sales of Fernet Branca jumped 50 percent in 2009, undoubtedly thanks to NYC's cocktail community--but the saturation here still doesn't match San Francisco, which drinks more than half of the Fernet sold in the entire U.S.!
• Save the dates for the first-ever Ultimate Beverage Challenge series, starting with the Ultimate Spirits Challenge at Astor Center on March 1-3, followed by the Ultimate Cocktail Challenge on April 12-14. For the cocktail challenge, spirit and wine categories will be meticulously mixed in classic cocktails to determine which ones work best, such as the best gin in a dry martini. The judging panel will include founder F. Paul Pacult, Jacques Bezuidenhout, Dale DeGroff, Steve Olson, Julie Reiner, Audrey Saunders, Jim Meehan, Doug Frost, Andy Seymour, David Wondrich and more.
• Liquor industry giant Diageo is leading efforts to stop New York grocery stores from selling wine, as proposed in a current bill from Gov. Paterson.
• Today is National Margarita Day! I like mine spicy:

Spicy Cucumber Margarita by Kara Newman, author of "Spice & Ice":

1/2 small cucumber, peeled and cubed 1 slice jalapeno pepper, minced 1 ounce reposado tequila 1/2 ounce freshly squeezed lime juice 1/2 ounce Cointreau or Grand Marnier Ice 1 small jalapeno or cucumber or lime wheel for garnish

In a shaker, muddle the cucumber and jalapeno. Add all liquid ingredients, and fill halfway with ice. Shake well, for at least 30 seconds or more, then strain twice into a chilled cocktail glass. Garnish with the small chili pepper or cucumber or lime wheel.