Booze

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17 August, 2026

Recipe: the Negroni Svegliato

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I spotted this a few months ago and got around to trying it. Take a nice tumbler, throw some crushed ice in it. Add an ounce of gin (I prefer the Botanist or Edingurgh Gin’s Seaside recipe), an ounce of good sweet Vermouth, and ounce of Campari.

While you’re doing that, you can either use a moka pot (or briki, if you’re Greek), or an espresso machine to make a shot. 1 ounce is better than two for balance, here; but two works, as well, for a more coffee flavor. Add the espresso to the Negroni and give it a stir. Toss in a slice of orange for color.

A friend of mine described it as tasting like a Long Island Iced Tea. I disagree. The one nice thing is the caffeine gets those blood vessels opened so the alcohol can give you a good smack in the forebrain — and you’re awake.

Ingredients: 1oz. Gin, 1oz. Campari, 1oz. sweet vermouth, 1 oz. espresso

 

13 September, 2023

A Decent Little Experiment: Bourbon & Apple Brandy Cocktail

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it rained all over me today while riding to work. So after a day of freezing my ass off in wet jeans while dealing with my students, I came home to the desire for something bracing. Here’s what I made:

2 oz. Bulleit Bourbon, 2 oz. Santa Fe Distillery Apple Brandy, a teaspoon of the juice from the Maraschino cherry jar (plus one cherry). Stir and serve room temperature. Tastes good, bit of a kick, and very simple.

 

18 April, 2020

Making a Quarantini

Posted by blackcampbell under Booze, General Ramblings | Tags: |
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So this started out as a joke drink, thanks to all the online stupidity at the start of the current stupidity that has engulfed the planet. There were internet rumors that Tito’s vodka cured the ‘Vid, and i figured, “well, Vitamin C is good for the flu”, so here it is, the Quantini:

What you need:

2 measures of Tito’s Vodka (for the joke, really any vodka or gin), a measure of sweet vermouth (dry is fine but loses some of the citrus), 1/2 measure of lemon juice for Vitamin C, a few shakes of orange bitters (normal is good, too. Combine in a shaker over ice, and shake. You could stir, but that makes you a alcohol heathen.

What you’ll get a nice smooth libation with a nice citrusy, sweet flavor and a nice kick.

Enjoy.

 

26 December, 2014

Quick Review: Colkegan Single Malt

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So I head an intriguing ad on the radio while in the car the other night about a New Mexican distillery that was producing a single malt finished in mesquite. I loves me some single malt action — I have a couple bottles of Scotch in the house at the moment, but figured what the hey, hit Total Wine (great prices!), and picked up a bottle of Santa Fe Spirits Colkegan Single Malt.

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So how is it — in a word: great. It’s a powerful 92 proof, as compared to the strong 86 proof of my favorite, Lagavulin. The flavor is very different from Socttish single malts — it has a nice light honey color, much like a Speyside, and the nose is pretty mild with a bit of a floral/fruity note. However, the flavor is strong, warm, and spicy. Once swallowed, the aftertaste flares up with a nice woody, spicy note.

It runs about $46 a bottle and might not be available too far from New Mexico — this looks to be a single barrel bottling.

 

27 December, 2010

A Drink for the Season (Or Any Season…)

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There’s a place here in Albuquerque (Nob Hill Bar & Grill) that makes a fantastic drink called the “Ginger Maker” that I attempted to emulate:

1 part Maker’s Mark bourbon (I used Knob Creek…so let’s call it a Ginger Knob.  It sounds…dirty…), 3 parts ginger beer, not ginger ale.  Freshly grated ginger and lemon zest to taste (or you can drop three drops of lemon juice, if you don’t want to assault a lemon for its skin.)

Shave ginger and lemon zest into the glass, add crushed ice.  Add bourbon, then ginger beer to taste.