Drinks

Mamie Taylor Cocktail

September 27, 2019 by Jennifer

A few weeks ago I talked about a new vodka out there called Infuse where they infuse their vodka with different flavors made from all natural ingredients. I tasted their lemon vodka made with real lemon peels and was absolutely blown away. So, when I heard they were releasing their new Single Oak Series whiskey, I just had to try it.

Unlike the vodka which is infused with real lemons, peaches, apples etc., their whiskey is made in the classic style in new oak barrels. But because it’s under the Infuse moniker, they chose to Infuse their whiskey as well. So, after six months in oak barrels, Seth Benhaim and his Infuse crew transfer the distilled whiskey to steel tanks and add a variety of staves (the broken oak slats from previously used barrels) to infuse the whiskey and rye with its flavor. Each whiskey is a delicious blend of French Oak, Ex-Bourbon Casks and Sherry Casks, a blend Benhaim calls his “oak bill”.

The original Infuse whiskeys and rye are splendid, but Benhaim wasn’t content making just another craft whiskey or rye. He wanted to do something special with those broken barrels. So, he’s releasing a limited number of blended whiskeys under the Broken Barrel Single Oak Series label. There’s the Mizunara made with staves from Mizunara whiskey, the Cask of Amontillado made with staves from sherry casks and my personal favorite, the Isle of Peat made from, you guessed it, scotch staves. It’s strange that I love the Isle of Peat because I am not a scotch fan. As a matter of fact I stay as far away from scotch as I possibly can. It’s just too peaty for me.

But Hubs, he loves his scotch.  McCallan, Glenfidich… if it’s single malt, he’s all in. He even likes Laphroaig, the peatiest of them all, and my least favorite. But guess which staves Infuse uses for their Isle of Peat? That’s right, Laphroaig. So, it literally makes zero sense that I would love this scotch. But the combination of Benhaim’s oak bill and those peaty staves makes for one hell of a whiskey. It’s rich, sweet and there’s just the subtlest hint of smoke on the finish. I love this whiskey. I’ve tasted it several times and every time I take a sip I like it even more. It’s great straight and it’s even better on the rocks, which is usually how I sip it. There’s just one catch: only a limited number of bottles will be released on Tuesday. So, grab yours while you can because once they’re gone, they’re gone.

It’s for that reason I grabbed a couple bottles after I tasted it. Once I had the bottles, I just had to make a cocktail; it is Friday after all. Now, I’ve been making cocktails a long time, and if there’s one thing I’ve learned, it’s that while crappy liquor can turn into a decent drink, a phenomenal liquor can make a spectacular cocktail. So, I took the Isle of Peat and I whipped up a classic that usually calls for blended scotch. But since I don’t like scotch, I thought the smokiness from the Broken Barrel would be a great alternative. I was right. The combination of ginger ale, lime juice and Isle of Peat is strong, sweet, and perfect for an afternoon. Better still, because it’s made with whiskey and bubbles, this is a cocktail you can enjoy in the height of summer or the dead of winter.

I found the drink in my 1941 Here’s How book, where it says “nobody seems to know who Mamie Taylor was…”. But that’s not really true. Turns out Mamie Taylor was a famous opera singer around the time the drink was created. She had supposedly just returned from an outing on a hot summer day and was in desperate need of something to cool to drink. She requested a Claret Lemonade which is simply red wine mixed with lemonade and a popular thirst quencher of the time. The bartender was unable to fill her request, and so whipped up this light and tasty option instead. Taylor took one sip and was sold. Because of her popularity, the drink became a fast hit and is still around today thanks to the current classic cocktail renaissance.

So, this Tuesday, grab yourself a bottle of the brand new Broken Barrel Isle of Peat and whip up this delicious classic. Not only will you have a great drink to usher in the fall, you’ll have a phenomenal bottle of whiskey.