Rescued from relative obscurity by the craft cocktail revolution, the Negroni is now a fixture on ‘most popular’ and ‘need to know’ lists worldwide and even my local pub, not renowned for its mixology, is happy to whip one up.
Explainer
We teamed up with some of Australia’s finest cocktail venues to chat about what makes the best cocktail whiskey, and to bring you a collection of curated cocktails created using Bushmills Black Bush Irish Whiskey.
‘Amaro’ means bitter in Italian (‘amari’ is the plural), and covers an incredibly wide category of bitter herbal liqueurs made by steeping botanicals in spirits or wine, and adding sugar. Amari were originally made by monks and thought to be medicinal (where would we be without those tonic-touting monks?! Living in a much less flavourful world, that’s for sure).
What goes into a bar becoming a bartender’s bar? It could be the proximation to a bunch of other bars, a late-night license and something to snack on after a shift. Perhaps an extensive back bar, Resch’s on tap and the ability to get a drink into your hand swiftly.
As our guests become more knowledgeable than ever, it’s also a good time to whip out a fun fact about Scotch Whisky to flex as they consider your well thought out offering. Here are some well-known tidbits and perhaps a few new ones for your arsenal.
‘Single Cask’ and ‘Small Batch’ monikers brought Bourbon into the elite world of other drams existing under that giant international umbrella of Whisk(e)y. Arguably, one of the biggest Bourbon makers actually started the whole small batch thing internationally with Booker Noe’s influence over at Jim Beam.
Ask any bartender about their sherry selection and their eyes will light up with a feverish passion. And port, once the preserve of red-nosed captains of industry straight out of a Dickens novel, has finally taken its rightful place on cocktail lists alongside the vermouths and quinquinas who have reigned as undisputed champions of the fortifieds for far too long.
“If it was up to me I’d have a shrub in half my drinks. I think a bit of vinegar helps add a lovely tang to a lot of cocktails, especially sours. When you make a sour with a shrub it gives you an extra thick foam with a luxurious mouthfeel.” – Ian Guthrie of J&M’s in Sydney
I’ve never been one to follow any trends or do what other bars are doing. Rather, how can we attract more guests to our bar at a time when we might otherwise be quiet? And how can we do this by implementing some drinks programming that might actually help shape the identity of the bar into the future?
Who are the most famous whisky drinkers? Here’s a quick run-down, including some you may be surprised to see on a list of whisky connoisseurs.
Starting well back in 1631 as a ‘modest religious holiday’ to celebrate the life of St Patrick the Patron Saint of Ireland. Interestingly the man in question wasn’t even Irish, instead born Roman British around 1373 and at the age of 16 was captured by an Irish raiding crew and taken back to be sold into slavery.
“Long hours, physically and emotionally demanding work, patchy pay… It’s not difficult to see why there was an exodus of seasoned hospitality professionals, and those that have stayed are more aware of their worth and what they will tolerate.”