Cocktail Note: Scratch Negroni with Bluecoat

Wrote a rambling article (and what other kind do you ever write, snarky people are saying now) on mixing up a "Scratch Negroni" while snowbound.

Here's the kernel of the piece:

I considered my haul: Bluecoat Gin from Philadelphia; Dolin Vermouth from Chambery, France; and Amaro Montenegro from Italy.

Although I deviated from the standard ingredients for a classic Negroni, I adhered to the classic measurements, with equal parts of the three components, along with with an orange peel for garnish. Since my stash had been in the unheated garage storage area, ice was neither required nor desired, so a good stir was all that was required.

The results? Most certainly different than a classic Negroni, with the absence of Campari and the substitution of the amaro. The Dolin served admirably in its vermouth capacity, and was a bit on the drier and earthier side: different, but not at all in a negative way. Oddly enough, the only problem I had in this Negroni was the Bluecoat Gin!

Bluecoat is a very good small-batch process American dry gin with an exceptionally clean neutral spirit base that allows clear, even blatant, expression of the botanical base. And although that botanical base is the usual secret formula, there is the obligate juniper, quite obvious citrus (likely fresh and dried peel; equally likely lemon and orange), some florality ( orris root, perhaps), and a meaty woodiness (which could be gentian, but I suspect is outspoken angelica root; angelica root always seems to connote woodiness to me).

Whether I guessed right or wrong on the botanicals is immaterial, though. What is material is how those botanicals in combination express themselves when the gin is being consumed. And here's what disconcerted me, what surprised me just a bit: the Bluecoat Gin did not play all that well with its glassmates. Combined with the amaro and the vermouth---well, with this amaro and this vermouth anyway---the Bluecoat was overly assertive, clashing with the other ingredients and attempting to dominate them with botanical zeal.

Please understand: Bluecoat is undeniably a high quality gin. For one thing, it has won the Best of Class in the San Francisco World Spirits Competition, which is no mean feat. For another, it has an acknowledged cult following in the world of gin. It is well made, highly aromatic, and unique in its aromatic profile and brisk mouthfeel.

It's simply that on this night, with these ingredients, the Bluecoat did not show all that well. That is likely because I prize balance and harmony in my cocktails above all else, and the Bluecoat un-balanced the overall cocktail. Had I used the classically called for Campari, a noticeably more bitter and citrusy amaro than the Montenegro, it probably would have been different. Had I used an Italian vermouth rather than a French Chambery, likewise and ditto. But the Bluecoat/Montenegro/Dolin combination simply did not work exceptionally well.

And for anyone interested, here's the blog link for the article in its entirety:

http://violentfermentation.blogspot.com/2014/02/scratch-negroni-musings-or-bluecoat.html

Good experiment, Hoke.
Bluecoat sure is one dominant character. I love the flavor of it but I've had trouble using it a mix. 50/50 martini seems to be my favorite use of it so far.

That said, do you think the lack of dilution had an impact on the overall playfulness of the ingredients?

That said, do you think the lack of dilution had an impact on the overall playfulness of the ingredients?

Well, sure; definitely any dilution would have caused a change in the perception of the drink. I don't believe it would have improved the drink however, except perhaps to lessen a distinct phenolic bitterness, almost a metallic edge, at the finish of the Bluecoat. didn't imagine that edge either, as I took care to go back and taste the Bluecoat separately to check on it

After some serious reflection, I do think the additional sweetness of the Montenegro sent things off in a different direction, which the Campari would not have done; also that there was a kinda absinthium thing in the Montenegro I don't get in Campari (though I don't know the herbal/root blend, of course).

What it came down to for me was: the Bluecoat was so heavy handed in its wallop that it did not play well with others, and wanted to keep dominating/obliterating their qualities. Maybe I had one of the off batches. Maybe Bluecoat is better martini-style than negroni-style. Maybe a couple of dashes of your Sunshine Bitters would have snapped things back in focus (wish I'd thought of that at the time, but sadly didn't).

Good experiment, Hoke.
Bluecoat sure is one dominant character. I love the flavor of it but I've had trouble using it a mix. 50/50 martini seems to be my favorite use of it so far.

That said, do you think the lack of dilution had an impact on the overall playfulness of the ingredients?

Did you say 50/50 martini mix? I'd say that connotes a Bluecoat that REALLY doesn't play well with others! A bully that has to be bullied back so it behaves?

Anyway, I'm putting Bluecoat for now up on that troublemaker shelf, along with the Nolet's. Entirely different reasons, of course---Nolet's is just so profusively perfumed and floral-sticky, while I love it in small doses I can't figure out what the hell I can use it for as a mainline in a cocktail. So for now it's a ristretto.

Did you say 50/50 martini mix? I'd say that connotes a Bluecoat that REALLY doesn't play well with others! A bully that has to be bullied back so it behaves?

Precisely!
Although the 50/50 martini is that wonderful turn-of-the-century creation (with a dash of orange bitters, of course) 8+)

Did you say 50/50 martini mix? I'd say that connotes a Bluecoat that REALLY doesn't play well with others! A bully that has to be bullied back so it behaves?

Precisely!
Although the 50/50 martini is that wonderful turn-of-the-century creation (with a dash of orange bitters, of course) 8+)

You'll love this then: with a bartender friend I am putting together what I hope will be a boffo seminar/tasting for the SWE Annual Conference in Seattle this August.

It's entitled "The Entire Unexpurgated History of the Martini in Eight Cocktails"

And since you can't pre-batch martinis for dick, we're going to have a cadre of bartenders small-batching and pouring each of the eight cocktails in succession, from the earliest to the most modern---but drying the fucking line at anything that says "martini" and has chocolate in it. Because a man has to have some kind of standards.

I'm quite certain that orange bitters will be used in the course of this seminar.

That sounds most excellent, Hoke!

A 'tender friend plus Lill and I did a podcast recently and hit the history of Martini in 4 steps (as we didn't have time to fill in all the blanks!). We talked history but made more modern variations of most.

We did a genever cocktail, Martinez (with barolo chinato and Hayman's), 50/50 (Nolet's and Lillet blanc) and Nick & Nora (w/Plymouth and Dolin).

Did you say 50/50 martini mix? I'd say that connotes a Bluecoat that REALLY doesn't play well with others! A bully that has to be bullied back so it behaves?

Precisely!
Although the 50/50 martini is that wonderful turn-of-the-century creation (with a dash of orange bitters, of course) 8+)

You'll love this then: with a bartender friend I am putting together what I hope will be a boffo seminar/tasting for the SWE Annual Conference in Seattle this August.

It's entitled "The Entire Unexpurgated History of the Martini in Eight Cocktails"

And since you can't pre-batch martinis for dick, we're going to have a cadre of bartenders small-batching and pouring each of the eight cocktails in succession, from the earliest to the most modern---but drying the fucking line at anything that says "martini" and has chocolate in it. Because a man has to have some kind of standards.

I'm quite certain that orange bitters will be used in the course of this seminar.

What are the 8 cocktails, if you can reveal without spilling the beans?

You'll love this then: with a bartender friend I am putting together what I hope will be a boffo seminar/tasting for the SWE Annual Conference in Seattle this August.

It's entitled "The Entire Unexpurgated History of the Martini in Eight Cocktails"

And since you can't pre-batch martinis for dick, we're going to have a cadre of bartenders small-batching and pouring each of the eight cocktails in succession, from the earliest to the most modern---but drying the fucking line at anything that says "martini" and has chocolate in it. Because a man has to have some kind of standards.

I'm quite certain that orange bitters will be used in the course of this seminar. [/quote]

What are the 8 cocktails, if you can reveal without spilling the beans?[/quote]

LOL. When the bartender impresario makes up his mind finally, I'll give you the list. Basically, we're starting with a "martini" that no one ever thinks of when they think of a "martini", with sweet red vermouth no less. Then we document the changes and variations on the drink that led it to be what it is to be today. One caveat: we stick with gin. Well, two caveats: there won't be any frickin' chocolate either.

Nice work with the Negroni. With all of the gins, vermouths, and amari that are available, there's a lot to play with. My pal Nilo makes his own version of Cocchi Americano that he calls "Moschino". It's the traditional muscat wine base with a variety of herbs, roots, etc. steeped into it. It makes a damn good Negroni when matched up with a London dry and Vya.