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The Original American Man's Brandy

Peach Brandy BarrelPhoto: Robert Haynes-Peterson


Peach brandy may not seem like the most masculine of spirits, but it was one of George Washington's favorite cocktails. And who's going to argue with the Father of Our Country?

Not the five American distillers who met in Mount Vernon last week to brew a batch of this original American dram. Standing around buckets of bubbling peach juice, they occasionally stoked fires warming the high-proof liquid, much like George Washington's distiller may have done more than two centuries ago.This particular batch of peach brandy will be aged, bottled and sold similarly to the limited-edition rye whiskey that disappeared in a quick three-hour public sale this summer.

Lance Winters of St. George Spirits, in California, cut peach slices while David Pickerell of Whistlepig Rye dipped his fingers into a stream of brandy trickling into a wooden bucket. "We started with about 300 gallons of peach juice and will end up with about a fifth of that in brandy once it's ready for barreling," said Pickerell. This is almost the exact amount of peach brandy recorded in the Mount Vernon distillery's production ledger in 1799.
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Filed under: Drinks

Cherry Blossoms - LeNell It All

Photo: LeNell Smothers


When a friend in New York sent a picture of his fluffy, pink cherry blossoms in full bloom in his backyard, I was reminded of the beauty of the Brooklyn Botanic Garden blossoms this time of year. The Garden hosts its annual blossom festival May 1st and 2nd.

The Japanese name for cherry-blossom viewing is hanami, and I did find a cocktail named such with three parts sake and one part cherry brandy claiming it can be served over ice or warm. I think I'd rather have a Cherry Blossom.

A few variations on a Cherry Blossom exist with brandy as their common thread. Keep in mind that when a recipe lists cherry brandy, you may not know whether the author intended cherry-flavored brandy liqueur, which is very sweet, or the more expensive real cherry brandy sometimes called kirschwasser, kirsch, or cherry eau de vie, that is not sweet at all.

Read more about Cherry Blossom cocktails after the jump.
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Filed under: Drink Recipes, Drinks

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Happy Brandy Alexander Day!


Happy Brandy Alexander Day!

This classic dessert drink spikes brandy with a chocolate flavor with the addition of dark crème de cacao in a silky blend often likened to an alcoholic milk shake. Though brandy is the most popular modern-day base, as the cocktail's name suggests, earlier versions of the quaff actually used gin instead.

The drink is typically served cold in a cocktail glass, but can also be served crushed over ice, as a frappé. For an extra indulgent adult treat, eschew the ice and cream for some vanilla ice cream to heighten the silky texture.

We suggest you decide your preferred rendition yourself -- photographer Chuckumentary's libation pictured above mixes equal parts brandy, creme de cacao and cream with a "splash of Kahlua and a dash of cinnamon" for some added flavor.

Become a member of the Slashfood Flickr pool to get a shot at having your photos featured on the site.

Filed under: Drink Recipes, Holidays

Cocktail Ingredients Quiz

Can you identify the ingredients in a martini, cosmopolitan, Manhattan, Mai Tai, Long Island Iced Tea, Harvey Wallbager and more? See how well you know your cocktails.

Cocktail Ingredients Quiz

Crazy for Cosmopolitans? You'll need vodka, Cointreau or triple sec, lime juice, and one other ingredient to shake 'em up at home.

  • Grenadine
  • Orange juice
  • Cranberry juice
  • Pink grapefruit juice

Some folks get fancy with the recipe, but a traditionally-made Mai Tai gets its signature flavor from lime juice, dark rum, grenadine (or simple syrup), curacao and what other key ingredient?

  • Almond syrup
  • Mango juice
  • Coconut milk
  • Orange juice

Shaking up vodka, cream, and this variety of liqueur results in a White Russian.

  • Coffee
  • White chocolate
  • Vanilla
  • Peppermint

The rim of a Sidecar glass is coated in what tasty substance?

  • Sugar
  • Salt
  • Cocoa
  • Honey

The non-alcoholic classic Shirley Temple contains ginger ale (or lemon-lime soda), orange juice and a sweet splash of what?

  • Fruit punch
  • Cranberry juice
  • Grenadine
  • Pineapple juice

Vodka or gin would need just this ingredient to be shaken or stirred into a gimlet.

  • Roses Lime Juice Cordial
  • Olive juice
  • Fresh lime juice
  • Pickle juice

Rye (or bourbon), vermouth, bitters and a cherry are the components of which classic cocktail?

  • Negroni
  • Old Fashioned
  • Manhattan
  • Rob Roy

Mix up rum, lime and Coca-Cola to make this drink.

  • Cuba Libre
  • El Presidente
  • Bronx
  • Corpse Reviver

Mint, sugar, lime, soda water and this liquor come together to be muddled into a mojito.

  • Cachaca
  • Tequila
  • Rum
  • Pisco

Standard ingredients in a Negroni include gin, vermouth and what other liquid?

  • Lemon juice
  • Egg whites
  • Angostura bitters
  • Campari

It's not just a punchline -- the Harvey Wallbanger is a fern bar staple featuring vodka, orange juice, and this odd liqueur.

  • Goldschlager
  • Rumplemintz
  • Galliano
  • Peach Schnaaps

When this is popped into a Martini in lieu of an olive, it becomes a Gibson.

  • Jalapeno pepper
  • Lime wedge
  • Gherkin
  • Cocktail onion

James Bond may be more commonly associated with the Martini, but writer Ian Fleming also had him slugging down Vespers, which are concocted from Lillet Blanc and which two liquors?

  • Brandy & Scotch
  • Gin & Vodka
  • Vodka & Bourbon
  • Bourbon & Brandy

Mix orange juice and this spirit for a hard-hitting Screwdriver.

  • Rum
  • Vodka
  • Champagne
  • Whiskey

Sure, you could ask for a vodka & cranberry with a lime wedge, but it's much more festive to order it this way:

  • Greyhound
  • Salty Dog
  • Cape Cod
  • Madras

If you've got bourbon, mint, and a splash of soda, you're on the right track to make the Derby Day classic, a Mint Julep. What's still missing?

  • Lime
  • Sugar
  • Bitters
  • Nothing

The Bloody Mary is a brunch standard, but this addition transforms it into a hearty Bloody Bull.

  • Beef broth
  • Red Bull
  • A whole hot pepper
  • Pepper vodka

Creme de menthe and cream are terribly tasty together, but if you want a Grasshopper, hop to the store for a bottle of:

  • Vanilla vodka
  • Creme de Cacao
  • Green food coloring
  • Mint extract

A Greyhound gets its distinctive flavor from vodka and this mixer:

  • Sweetened lime juice
  • Pineapple juice
  • Cranberry and orange juice
  • Grapefruit juice

We all know that a Long Island Iced Tea has no tea in the mix, but what liquor isn't part of the standard recipe?

  • Bourbon
  • Vodka
  • Rum
  • Tequila

Filed under: Quizzes, Drink Recipes

If You Want to Drink Like the Rich and Famous


The Luxury Institute has released its annual Luxury Brand Status Index (did you know that even luxury brands have their own status index?) for the wine and spirits category. The index is based on surveys of the wealthy, sampling more than 1,200 American consumers with an average weighted income of $342,000 and an average weighted net worth of $2.9 million. Here are the top-rated brands in each category:

Champagne and sparkling wine: Dom Perignon
Cognac: Courvoisier
Gin: Hendricks
Liqueur: Grand Marnier
Rum: 10 Cane
Scotch: Macallan
Table wine: Opus One
Tequila: Patron
Vodka: Grey Goose
Whiskey: Woodford Reserve

Filed under: Trends, Drink Recipes

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