We at Downtime Cocktails are always looking to develop great new recipes using aquavit as the base, and we often look to some of our country's most talented bartenders for inspiration.
Recently, while searching the cocktail menus of America's most notable watering holes, we came across a number of truly intriguing aquavit-centric recipes that we thought we'd share with you. We're very encouraged, by the way, that with every year that goes by, there seem to be more and more menus that include at least one delicious-sounding aquavit concoction. You'll note that there are two recipes here from Death & Co., which is no accident. They have been on the forefront of creating aquavit-based cocktails for many years now—way ahead of the crowd.
Fault Line
From Shannon Tebay, Death & Co., New York City
Bartender Shannon Tebay recalls her inspiration for this cocktail recipe. She remembers musing, ‘What would a carrot Negroni look like?’ The aquavit base, as she says, “seasons everything with caraway” and is complemented by artichoke-flavored Cynar as well as a small measure of Reisetbauer carrot eau de vie.
Ingredients
- 1 1/2 ounces aquavit
- 1 ounce vermouth, preferably Cocchi di Torino
- 3/4 ounce Cynar
- 1 teaspoon carrot eau de vie, (we love Reisetbauer)
- Garnish: orange twist
Directions
- Combine all ingredients in a double rocks glass over ice and stir well.
- Garnish with an orange twist
Nordic Honey Punch
From Alex Andersen, Cure, New Orleans
Clarified milk punches are all the rage with bartenders these days, so here's a tasty aquavit-based milk punch for you to make and share with friends.
Serves 5
Ingredients
- 8 ounces aquavit
- 4 ounces bianco vermouth (we love Dolin Blanc)
- 2 ounces Gran Classico
- 2 ounces honey/agave syrup (2:1)
- 2 ounces lemon juice
- 8 ounces whole milk
- Garnish: dill sprig
Directions
- Combine the honey syrup, Gran Classico, and vermouth in a pitcher and whisk until the honey is incorporated.
- Pour the milk into a pan and bring to a boil.
- Turn off the stove and immediately add the lemon juice and stir. Let sit for five minutes, then add the aquavit.
- Strain through a cheesecloth into the pitcher with the vermouth mixture, then strain the entire mixture again.
- Double line a large coffee filter and strain the remaining liquid again.
- Bottle and serve in a rocks glass over ice.
- Garnish with a dill sprig.
Southern Nights
From Alex Jump, Death & Co., Denver
Evidently, bartender Alex Jump started this recipe with the idea of creating a cocktail that tasted like carrot cake, but none of her attempts yielded anything satisfying. She did, however, wind up with a delicious dessert-like concoction that consists of aquavit, Cognac, peanut-infused oloroso sherry, lemon, and mascarpone, which is topped with crushed ice and peanut brittle. Say what?
Ingredients
- 3/4 ounce aquavit
- 3/4 ounce Cognac, (we love Pierre Ferrand Ambre)
- 3/4 ounce peanut-infused oloroso sherry (see prep note)
- 1/2 ounce cane syrup (2:1, cane sugar:water)
- 1/4 ounce lemon juice
- 1 barspoon mascarpone
- Garnish: peanut brittle
Directions
- Combine all ingredients in a mixing tin and shake with ice.
- Fine strain into a double Old-Fashioned glass and top with crushed ice.
- Garnish with peanut brittle.
Prep Note:
Peanut-Infused Oloroso Sherry:
Ingredients
- 180 grams raw peanuts
- 1 750mL-bottle oloroso sherry
- Gently toast the peanuts until they are golden. Cool and place in a vacuum bag with the sherry. Seal the bag tightly and store in the refrigerator overnight. Strain through a coffee filter lined strainer (a chinois or cone-shape strainer is best) and rebottle. Store in the refrigerator.
Hideaway Honey
From Erick Castro, Raised by Wolves/Gilly's, San Diego
Erick Castro is the force behind some of San Diego’s most notable and popular cocktail bars, including Polite Provisions, Noble Experiment, Raised by Wolves, and—most recently—Gilly's. This uniquely delicious cocktail marries aquavit with yogurt, which makes for a sweet, creamy, and citrusy drink that's super refreshing.
Ingredients
- 1 1/2 ounces barrel-aged aquavit
- 1/2 ounce yellow Chartreuse
- 3/4 ounce lemon juice
- 1/2 ounce honey syrup (1:1, honey:syrup)
- 1/2 ounce Indian yogurt
- club soda, to top
- Garnish: edible flowers (optional)
Directions
- Combine all ingredients in a mixing tin and shake.
- Strain into a Collins glass over ice and top with club soda.
- Garnish with edible flowers, such as nasturtium or edible pansies.
The Rorschach Test
From Patrick Smith, The Violet Hour, Chicago
This cocktail balances savory aquavit with a few sweet-tart fruit elements—Amer Picon (an orange and gentian bitter), lemon and grenadine—all made sparkling and bubbly by a generous topping of pale ale.
Ingredients
- 1 1/2 ounce aquavit
- 1 ounce Amer Picon
- 3/4 ounce lemon juice
- 3/4 ounce grenadine
- 2-3 ounces light pale ale
- Garnish: rolled orange peel on a skewer
Directions
- Combine all ingredients (except beer) in a cocktail shaker with ice.
- Shake lightly and pour, ice included, into a hurricane glass.
- Top with beer.
- Garnish with rolled up, skewered orange peel.
As you can see from these recipes, mixologists are incorporating aquavit with a wide variety of other ingredients. Sherry, yogurt, pale ale, and Cynar—the possibilities seem almost limitless. We hope these recipes will inspire you to create some exciting new cocktails at home and to look for the more adventurous cocncoctions when you're out at your favorite bars.