Queen of Ashes Cocktail
As you all know, I’m a huge fan of the classics. Classic movies, classic cocktails, classic clothes… put it in another era I’m all in. So, that’s why I’m kinda embarrassed to admit something. I’ve never seen Game of Thrones. Yup, never watched a single episode. I know, a show that’s all about kings, queens and dragons… All those amazing costumes and locations, I’m just as shocked as you are.
But I have a lot of friends that watch. I mean, every conversation I have recently, every podcast I listen to, they’re all Game of Thrones related. Even food and cocktail blogs seem to be GOT-themed. So, I’m jumping on the band wagon. Better late than never, right? While I usually recreate vintage cocktails, with all the GOT craziness out there, I wanted to step outside my usual and create a Game of Thrones-themed cocktail, especially since the season finale is Sunday.
Although I’ve never seen the show, I know plenty about it. I know there are lots of battles. I know there are kings and queens. I know there’s lots of blood… the Red Wedding, anyone? There’s even a dragon. So, I took everything I know or have learned about the show and created a drink.
Daenerys Targaryen – from IMDB and HBO
With all the sex, gore, and fire that GOT is known for, I knew I had to make something smokey. Something that had bite and something that used a dark liquor. Then a friend of mine told me about Daenerys Targaryen (who I refer to as the dragon lady) and how she never wanted to be the Queen of Ashes. That was it! That was the name of the drink I was going to create. Ashes immediately made me think of smoke, something I knew there was plenty of in the show. And that meant I finally had the opportunity to use my smoking kit.
I’ve wanted to smoke a cocktail for awhile now. But I didn’t want to update those classic drinks I love so much. I just needed to find the right opportunity, and what do you know, Game of Thrones came along. So, I had the smoke for the ashes and the rye for the bite, but since Daenerys is a woman, I also wanted to use something floral and sweet. Pomp & Whimsy was the perfect choice. As a gin liqueur, it’s adds a sweetness while providing a subtle floral flavor that worked well with both the rye and the smoke. I then finished the whole thing off with a real Maraschino cherry (as a nod to GOT’s frequent bloody battles) and I ended up with a delightful cocktail and a perfect way to bid adieu to the epic show… If only I were a fan.
Ingredients
- 2 ounces Woodford Rye
- 1 ounce Pomp & Whimsy
- A couple dashes of Angostura bitters
- smoke
Instructions
- Pour the rye, Pomp & Whimsy and bitters into a mixing glass. Add ice and stir until chilled.
- Using your smoking kit, allow your smoke to fill a jar. Add the mixed cocktail to the jar, cover, let sit for at least a minute or two. Swirl the cocktail inside the jar with smoke. Uncap the jar and allow the smoke to escape.
- Pour cocktail into a chilled rocks glass with ice, garnish with a Maraschino cherry and serve.
