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A Spontaneous Libation for your Consideration

From the Knowledge Vault

On the ’Rack

The Curious History of an Early Spirit

It went like this, but wasn’t. Some four thousand years ago in Mespotamia, the perfumers at the court of King Zimrilim created a technique to separate the essential oils of precious woods and flowers from the woods and flowers themselves in order to embalm their dead. Originally, this probably involved soaking flower petals in warm water and capturing the fragrant oils that rose to the surface. What they called this method is lost, but other cultures refined their work into the art and science now known as distillation.

Many ancient scientists ran up against this phenomenon. In the fourth century BCE, Aristotle realized that seawater could be made drinkable by distillation, and that the process could be applied to wine and other liquids, though there is no record of his actually distilling wine. To the ancient Egyptians, Romans and Greeks, distillation must have seemed like magic, and their knowledge was guarded from unknowing eyes.

A major advancement in distilling came between the 3rd and 4th century CE with the invention of the alembic (from the Greek ambix – a cup, typically made of glass) by Zosimos of Panopolis, an Egyptian. Having two vessels, one with the liquid to be distilled and one to catch condensed vapors with a tube running between them gave much more control and finesse to this delicate process. With a few modifications, this device is now known as a pot still.

Recent Additions

  • Tigers Claw — Reposado Tequila, Coffee liqueur, Orange bitters, Pineapple juice, Lime juice, Cinnamon syrup
  • Boozy Mont Blanc — Irish whiskey, Coffee liqueur, Coffee, Heavy cream, Orange juice, Rich demerara syrup 2:1, Salt Solution
  • I'm Mr.Pink — Gin, Lychee liqueur, Peychaud's Bitters, Tonic water, Lime juice, Agave syrup
  • Chilcano de Maracuyá — Pisco, Bitters, Ginger ale, Passion fruit puree, Lime juice, Mint
  • Ironbottom Sound — Rum, Bourbon, Junmai Sake, Orange liqueur, Grapefruit juice, Lime juice, Orgeat, Cinnamon syrup, Mint

Recent Discussion

  • Re Don Draper's Bitter End, 12 hours 39 minutes ago Shawn C commented:

    This one is high ABV, nearly 83 proof before ice dilution if using a 100 proof rye. While it isn't bad, in this case it doesn't quite work because the drink is also semi-dry. (Then again, Don Draper had become an embarrassing lush midway through....so the potency is thematic.) Shockingly, Fernet is mostly hidden behind the masking alcohol heat. The dry Curacao seems to lend an odd bitter orange chemical aspect in the finish. Averna's character is somewhat muted. I am not sure what the solution is, perhaps using an 85 proof rye, and a low ABV orange aperitivo (vs. 80 proof dry Curacao), would improve the character while retaining key elements.

  • Re Chilcano de Pisco, 1 day 19 hours ago Shawn C commented:

    Curated: Dead reference link updated with archive link to the original. Corrected long standing error in bitters quantity vs. the reference, should be 3 drops, not 3 dashes. From what I can tell from making it, 3 dashes makes it too orange in color to match the hue of Chilcano de Pescado soup. Some recipes use no bitters, but most recipes call for 2 to 4 drops of bitters and I suspect some of the recipes calling for 2 dashes might have been influenced by the drop vs. dash error here. A Spanish language bartender video I watched from ~2010 states 3 dashes, but does three very small dashes--similar to what one might get from a Japanese dasher bottle. Interestingly, Simon Difford's 2019 recipe and a 2020 Forbes article listed 3 dashes of Amargo Chuncho bitters--which is the bitters I suggest for this, although not in such a large quantity.

  • Re Know Knots, 6 days 6 hours ago Kindred Cocktails commented:

    Curated for creator and garnish as per creator

  • Re Know Knots, 6 days 9 hours ago alansheels commented:

    This is my drink. I would garnish with a large swath of express orange peel and glass is optional. Not sure how it got on here.

  • Re Trinidad Especial, 1 week ago Shawn C commented:

    Note: updated dead links with archive links.
    I have mostly stuck with Chilean pisco in cocktails (and sipping)...because that is what I started with and I liked it. I have some Peruvian pisco (Barsol) and it is good, but not as smooth. I did a quick comparison with Bolivian Singani 63. The latter has elements that are like a mild slivovitz, but with some floral, and slight butter (diacetyl) in the nose.