- Mixology -

This is my first time participating in Mixology Monday, the once-a-month activity that brings all the cocktail blogs together to focus on a single topic. The new topic is "Limit One," thanks to our host this month, Rick, at Kaiser Penguin. I was pleased not only to dig up an interesting and eligible cocktail but, in fact, to have discovered a new entry in my top five cocktails. What a wonderful surprise!

My selection is actually just a footnote to a different cocktail, in Ted Haigh's Vintage Spirits & Forgotten Cocktails. I was reading over The Straits Sling, and liked it up until the soda water. I don't usually stock soda water, and don't typically enjoy cocktails with it present. An aside at the bottom of the page caught my eye: "By the way, if you leave out the soda water and strain the drink into a cocktail glass, it makes a wonderful cocktail -- one that I call the Singapore Strait Jacket." Now we're talking cocktails!

I've been interested in exploring the cherry eau de vie, kirsch, recently, and so the deal was cinched. My first attempt, pictured below, used the kirsch I had on hand: Maraska. The cocktail was excellent, but I noticed this on the bottle:



I think Maraska forgot to look up the definition of an "eau de vie," before producing their version. I went out in search of a true kirsch, and was extremely pleased to find Etter, which is simply amazing.

The Singapore Strait Jacket

• 2 oz Gin
• ½ oz Kirsch
• ½ oz Benedictine
• ½ oz Lemon juice
• 2 dashes Angostura bitters
• 2 dashes Orange bitters

Shake with ice, strain into cocktail glass, garnish with a lemon twist.

Please ignore the bottle of Maraska, in the photo. This should be made with as good a kirsch as you can find, as it makes a huge difference. These tasting notes were made while sipping the cocktail as made with the Etter, which I can't recommend highly enough.

The dry, black cherry notes hit first, and quickly deepen into dark fruits and herbs. The finish begins with a surprising hint of banana and then lingers with the bitters' pleasant balance and authority. I've never had a cocktail with such defined, distinct phases or perfectly-balanced flavors and aromas. This is an instant favorite and needs way more attention from the community.

This has inspired me to try more kirsch-inclusive cocktails, so if you know any good ones, please leave a comment!