A Simple Quandary

1 oz Aquavit, North Shore
1 oz Gin, Uncle Val's Botanical
1⁄2 oz Sweet vermouth, Carpano Punt e Mes
1⁄2 oz Bénédictine
2 ds Orange bitters, Regans' orange bitters
Instructions

Stir, strain, chilled cocktail glass.

Notes

For a less spice driven flavor, use a more traditional Aquavit. Very complex with multiple layers or flavors and aromas.

History

This recipe lead me to being a finalist for the 2013 Uncle Val's Best Botanical Gin Contest held at the Night Club & Bar Show in Las Vegas.
Also just named one of Gaz Regan's 101 Best New Cocktails of 2014.

Picture of A Simple Quandary
2011 Kindred Cocktails
YieldsDrink
Authenticity
Your original creation
Creator
Scott Diaz, Seattle, WA
Source reference

http://www.gazregan.com/category/101-best-new-cocktails/101-best-new-co…

Curator rating
Not yet rated
Average rating
4 stars
(29 ratings)
From other users
  • Trying this in 2024. Delightful. Made with Brecon Botanicals gin and O.P. Anderson Eko Aquavit. Bitter and earthy, enough sweetness to balance.
  • A solid stirred offering, as expected. Made with Brenevín. I'd like to try again with an aquavit with more spice/intensity.
  • Sweet, but the herbal flavors keep it from being too cloying. — ★★★★
Similar cocktails
  • May Fair — Gin, Sweet vermouth, Aquavit, Bénédictine, Bitters, Peychaud's Bitters, Orange peel
  • Gasper Cocktail — Gin, Absinthe, Simple syrup
  • Food for Thought — Aquavit, Gin, Aromatized wine, Jasmine Liqueur, Maraschino Liqueur
  • One, One, One — Aquavit, Gin, Bianco Vermouth, Orange bitters

Congratulations, Scott, on Gaz's 101 Best New Cocktails 2014. I just got the newsletter from Gaz, read the recipe, and thought, "Hey, that sounds familiar...."

Thanks very much, it was neat to be added a second time in 2 years.  I recommend trying this with other more "traditional" aquavit as well.  Cheers!

A very, very nice cocktail. Aquavit can often overpower other ingredients in a cocktail, resulting in a drink with a somewhat unpleasant taste. This recipe overcame that problem with the use of a botanical gin (my two favorites being The Botanist and St. George Terroir Gin; each has a different taste, but both are spectacular) Tonight I used St. George and I also used Blood Orange bitters instead of Regan's No. 6; I also used a grapefruit twist (my twist--no pun intended--as an additional garnish) This cocktail deserves all of the accolades it has received.
P.S. One user found A Simple Quandary "sweet." If a botanical gin is used, there is no way this cocktail can be sweet; in fact, with the combination of Aquavit and Benedictine, there is no way A Simple Quandary can be "sweet," regardless of the gin used.

Thanks for the compliment Michael.  This is definitely one of my favorite cocktails I've done over the years.  As for the sweetness, originally I used North Shore which has a heavy cumin spice notes to it, so it wasn't intended to be a sweet cocktail, but more savory spiced one.  Since then, I've adapted the recipe to use more balanced Aquavit such as Linie or even Krostad which make it far more accessible to most peoples palates.  Cheers.

Hungarian Like The Wolf

1 oz Zwack liqueur
1 oz Tequila, Lunazul Reposado
3⁄4 oz Pimm's No. 1 Cup
3⁄4 oz Lemon juice
1⁄4 oz Agave syrup
9 dr Bitters, Fee Brothers Old Fashion
Instructions

Put all ingredients into a shaker and shake with ice. Strain over large cube or sphere of ice. Garnish with the peel of an orange.

Notes

The drink has herbal notes from the Zwack and Tequila. The agave and old fashioned bitters are natural compliments to the Tequila. The Pimms gives a bit of a fruit note. Complex yet approachable.

YieldsDrink
Year
2011
Authenticity
Your original creation
Creator
Doug Monroe, The Patterson House, Nashville, TN, US
Curator rating
Not yet rated
Average rating
4 stars
(7 ratings)
From other users
  • Margarita-like. The Zwack gets a bit lost underneath the sweetness, tequila, and agave. Might try to increase the Zwack if I made again.
  • A relaxing, sippable drink. Suggest 0.50-0.65 oz lemon juice, which otherwise can overwhelm other ingredients. I found no need for the ice ball.
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  • Oddfellows Local 151 — Demerara Rum, Bigallet China-China, Jamaican rum, Pimento bitters, Lime juice, Honey syrup
  • Anchor Scar — Blanco tequila, Amaro Meletti, Grapefruit bitters, Allspice Dram, PInk grapefruit juice, Lime juice, Orgeat
  • Bitter About My Hot Friend — Reposado Tequila, Campari, Pepper tincture, Lemon juice, Agave syrup, Lemon peel

Birch Booze

2 oz Root liqueur
1⁄2 oz Fernet Branca
3⁄4 oz Lemon juice
3⁄4 oz Simple syrup
Instructions

Shake on ice, strain into old fashioned glass with ice

YieldsDrink
Authenticity
Your original creation
Curator rating
Not yet rated
Average rating
3.5 stars
(2 ratings)
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Stick and Carrot

2 oz Gin, Leopold Brothers
3⁄4 oz Ginger liqueur, King's
1⁄2 oz Carrot juice
1⁄2 oz Lemon juice
4 ds Bitters, Angostura
Instructions

Shake all ingredients with ice, double strain into a chilled cocktail coupe.

Stick and Carrot
2012 The Venture Mixologist
YieldsDrink
Authenticity
Your original creation
Source reference

http://theventuremixologist.blogspot.com/2012/03/hail-king.html

Curator rating
Not yet rated
Average rating
3.5 stars
(2 ratings)
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  • Birds & Bees — Gin, Sweet vermouth, Fernet Branca, Honey syrup, Lemon juice
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Double-Barrel Cocktail

1⁄3 jig Sweet vermouth (Suggest Carpano Antica Formula)
1⁄3 jig Dry vermouth (Suggest Dolin)
1⁄3 jig Whiskey (Rye most likely was used in 1900)
2 ds Bitters, Angostura
2 ds Orange bitters (Suggest Regan's)
Instructions

Mixing-glass half-full fine ice, two dashes Angostura bitters, two dashes orange bitters, one- third jigger French vermouth, one-third jigger Italian vermouth, one-third jigger whiskey. Mix and strain into cocktail-glass.

Notes

One-third of a jigger is only 1 Tablespoon. Cocktails at the end of the 19th century were smaller than today's so instead of using 1/3 of a jigger one can use 1 ounce each of sweet vermouth, dry vermouth and whiskey and increase the bitters to 4 dashes each for a contemporary size cocktail (i.e., 3 ounce)

History

The original recipe does not identify the brand of vermouth or the type of whiskey. Based on the date of publication, rye whiskey was most likely used.

YieldsDrink
Year
1900
Authenticity
Authentic recipe
Creator
George J. Kappeler
Source reference

"Modern American Drinks"
by George J Kappeler
Akron, Ohio: Saalfield Publishing Co., 1900

Curator rating
Not yet rated
Average rating
3.5 stars
(9 ratings)
From other users
  • Very good. I follwed the directions in comments to change to 1oz and 4 dashes. I might try 1oz rye and .75 each of the vermouth.
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The Pretender

1 oz Old Tom Gin, Ransom
1 oz Rye
3⁄4 oz Sweet vermouth, Carpano Punt e Mes
1⁄4 oz Crème de mure
1 ds Bitters, Bitter Truth Jerry Thomas’ Own Decanter
1 twst Lemon peel (Garnish)
Instructions

Stir, strain, chilled Old Fashioned with a large ice cube. Garnish with expressed lemon peel.

YieldsDrink
Authenticity
Your original creation
Creator
Scott Diaz, Seattle, WA
Source reference

http://shakestrainandsip.blogspot.com/#!/2012/07/old-tom-has-new-pair-o…

Curator rating
Not yet rated
Average rating
3.5 stars
(5 ratings)
From other users
  • More like a 3.5. Used Old Overholt and Massenez CDM
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British Buck

1 1⁄2 oz Old Tom Gin, Hayman's
3⁄4 oz Lime juice
1⁄2 oz Simple syrup (Cucumber syrup)
3 ds Bitters, Fee Brothers Rhubarb
2 oz Ginger beer
Instructions

Shake without ginger beer, strain into an ice filled Collins glass. Top with ginger beer and garnish with a lime wedge or wheel.

Picture of British Buck
2011 Kindred Cocktails
YieldsDrink
Authenticity
Your original creation
Creator
Scott Diaz, Seattle, WA
Source reference

http://shakestrainandsip.blogspot.com/#!/2012/07/old-tom-has-new-pair-o…

Curator rating
Not yet rated
Average rating
3.5 stars
(7 ratings)
From other users
  • Used grenadine and Peychaud's instead of other ingredients — ★★★★
Similar cocktails

Light and refreshing, I muddled 1 slice of cucumber since I don't keep cucumber simple syrup around. The rhubarb/cucumber/ginger make a great combination in these proportions. I used Fever Tree Ginger Beer which adds a slight peppery heat to the finish. (Note that the reference URL is long dead and seems to be Indonesian/Malay now. I didn't come a cross a replacement link with the Wayback machine.)

Dark Day

2 oz Rye
3⁄4 oz Grapefruit juice
1 t Wild hibiscus syrup
1 t Bitters, Angostura
1 t Amer Picon
Instructions

Shake, strain, chilled cocktail.

Notes

Since Amer Picon is nearly impossible to get in the states, any reputable substiute will do. I used Amer Boudreaux.

History

Wanted to create something in the veil of the Brown Derby or Blinker. Dark Day is a term used when there is no horse racing.

Picture of Dark Day
2011 Kindred Cocktails
YieldsDrink
Authenticity
Your original creation
Creator
Scott Diaz, Seattle, WA
Curator rating
Not yet rated
Average rating
3 stars
(1 rating)
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  • De Rigueur — Scotch, Grapefruit juice, Honey
  • The Comet — Cognac, Triple sec, Drambuie, Grapefruit juice, Grapefruit peel

Eden Terrace Fizz

1 1⁄2 oz English-style rum, Appleton V/X
1⁄2 oz Aperol
1⁄2 oz Sloe gin, Bitter Truth
1 oz Lemon juice
1⁄2 oz Simple syrup (1:1)
1 oz Soda water (to top)
Instructions

Shake all ingredients except soda water in a cocktail shaker, double strain into a highball over ice and top with soda. Garnish with an orange twist.

Notes

Use a lighter style Sloe Gin, Haymans being too heavy.

History

First made for a female customer that wanted something 'fruity' and refreshing, I was going to use white rum but the house pour ran out and I was too lazy to go get a new bottle, so I reached for Appletons. Tweaked for an Appletons competition with Appletons Rum being the dominant flavor and easily accessible ingredients in mind.

YieldsDrink
Year
2012
Authenticity
Unknown
Creator
Egor Petrov, Corner Store Bar, Auckland City, New Zealand.
Curator rating
Not yet rated
Average rating
4 stars
(8 ratings)
From other users
  • Light and refreshing but still a serious drink — ★★★★★
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COVO

1 oz Grappa (Muscat 7 year old)
1 oz Campari
1 oz Lemon juice
1⁄2 oz Tart Apple Syrup
1⁄2 oz Egg white
Instructions

Add all ingredients to a shaker, shake with ice and double strain into a cocktail glass. Garnish with a Peychauds Bitters Swirl

Notes

To make Tart Apple Syrup.

Juice Granny Smith Apples, reduce by half over heat and mix with white sugar 1:1.

History

Made for Ivan, owner of 'Covo' Italian Restaurants in Auckland. Ivan came into Cartel on a quite Tuesday night and started off with a Negroni, then asked for something different but in the same style, after around 4 different cocktails, this is the one he concluded his night with.

YieldsDrink
Year
2012
Authenticity
Your original creation
Creator
by Egor Petrov. Cartel Bar, Auckland City, New Zealand
Curator rating
Not yet rated
Average rating
4.5 stars
(2 ratings)
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