A Stiff Drink for Winter’s End
DogMaster’s spin on a famed Irish cocktail.
I am Van Hawxby, the owner of DogMaster Distillery here in Columbia. We produce whiskeys, rums, and vodkas, and we source our grains and barrels from Central Missouri suppliers. We like to say that you can taste a little bit of Missouri in every sip you take. In addition to the high quality spirits we produce, we also have a tasting room where we craft simple, well-made cocktails: ones you can easily make at home.
I have over six years of experience working as a professional bartender, and I enjoy experimenting with different ingredients to craft new and creative drinks. But I also have a passion for classic cocktails, which is how we end up with a drink like this.
Luck of the Whiskey
In the spirit of St. Patrick’s Day, we’re going to put an American twist on an Irish whiskey cocktail, the McGlashan. The McGlashan is a rather stiff cocktail with warm flavors of orange and ginger. I feel it makes a wonderful cocktail for the winter months. The McGlashan originated at the Dead Rabbit Pub in New York City, recognized as one of the top Irish pubs in the world.
You will need:
3 ounces DogMaster whiskey
1 ounce ginger simple syrup (see recipe below)
1 tablespoon orange marmalade
Juice of ½ lemon
4 or 5 dashes of The Bitter Housewife barrel-aged bitters
Orange wedge to garnish
Directions:
Combine all ingredients in a cocktail shaker with ice. Shake vigorously for 10 to 15 seconds. Pour in a rocks glass that contains a large ice ball (molds can be found at many local retailers). If you are unable to find an ice ball, you can substitute a few cubes of ice, but be sure not to use too many — you would not want to dilute this cocktail. One might find that this drink is a pleasant departure from the traditional Manhattan or old-fashioned while still staying firmly in the realm of whiskey.
Ginger Simple Syrup
8 ounces grated ginger
2 cups water
2 cups stevia sweetener (you can use sugar, but stevia tastes great and keeps the cocktail’s calorie count down)
Combine all ingredients in a sauce pan and boil for at least five minutes. Strain the liquid from the ginger and store in a bottle in the refrigerator. Don’t be afraid to experiment with the ginger simple syrup. It’s great in other whiskey cocktails.