Oregon’s Brown Spirits Come of Age The tradition of American whiskey is long and varied, with origins and influences as diverse as America’s melting pot. With historical inspirations from around the globe, the flavor and character of new American whiskies are each individual and distinctive. More specifically, Oregon has become something of a Mecca for innovative Northwest spirits with distillers pioneering their very own flavorful takes on tradition. TASTE Ransom Spirits The Emerald 1865 Straight American Whiskey Emerald Whiskey, from Ransom Spirits in the Willamette Valley, is a delicious interpretation of a traditional Irish whiskey. Although the recipe is based on historic Irish whiskey mash researched by their pal and spirit historian David Wondrich, the ingredients are all grown locally and milled, mashed and fermented at the Ransom distillery and farm in Sheridan, Ore. This highly aromatic and rich spirit is a modern homage to the almost lost but colorfully described 19th century whiskies of the Emerald Isle. The Dublin Redhead whiskey sour cocktail is a riff on Seattle bartender Keith Waldbauer’s take on the classic cocktail. The drink is topped with a foamy cap of creamy Believer Double Red Ale brewed by Eugene, Ore.-based brewery Ninkasi. The end result is a tasty cocktail that showcases beer and whiskey in a whole new way. MAKE Dublin Redhead This cocktail uses beer to make a fluffy foam cap. The beer is foamed into a canning jar and then spooned onto the drink. You can place the lid on the jar and “reshake” to top multiple cocktails with foam. Makes 1 drink 1 ½ ounces Ransom Spirits The Emerald 1865 Straight American Whiskey ¾ ounce fresh lemon juice ¾ ounce simple syrup* 1 chilled bottle Ninkasi Believer Double Red Ale Measure the whiskey, lemon juice and simple syrup into a cocktail shaker. Fill with ice, cap and shake vigorously. Strain into a rocks glass. Give the beer bottle a little shake and empty half of the beer quickly into a wide-mouthed quart canning jar—the goal is to make a LOT of foam. With a large spoon skim off some of the foam and lay it across the top of the cocktail to make at least one inch of beer foam. *To make simple syrup: combine 1 cup water with 1 cup sugar together in a small saucepan and bring to a boil over medium-high heat. Immediately remove from the heat and cool. Store refrigerated for up to 1 month. TASTE Clear Creek Distillery McCarthy’s Oregon Single Malt Whiskey McCarthy’s Oregon Single Malt Whiskey would be a single malt Scotch if Oregon happened to be in Scotland. Made from peat-malted barley brought in from Scotland, McCarthy’s closely resembles Lagavulin in character. The barley is fermented into a “wash” (an un-hopped beer) by Portland’s Widmer Brothers Brewery, highlighting Oregon’s collaborative culture. This unique whiskey is amazingly smooth and clean for such a young, limited-production spirit. The Valentino cocktail takes a cue from the Blood and Sand, a time-tested libation named after Rudolph Valentino’s movie of the same name, and one of the few classic cocktails to include Scotch whisky. The enticing smoky quality of McCarthy’s combined with house-made Tart Cherry Syrup in place of the traditional Cherry Heering liquor and blood orange standing in for orange juice, takes this handcrafted cocktail to a pinnacle level. MAKE Valentino If fresh blood oranges are not available, substitute fresh orange juice. Makes 1 drink 1 ounce Clear Creek McCarthy’s Whiskey ¾ ounce tart cherry syrup (recipe follows) ¾ ounce sweet vermouth ¾ ounce fresh squeezed blood orange juice 1 dash Fee Brothers Cherry Bitters Garnish: blood orange twist Measure the whiskey, cherry syrup, sweet vermouth and blood orange juice into a cocktail shaker. Add a dash of bitters. Fill with ice, cap and shake vigorously. Strain into a large martini glass and garnish with a blood orange twist. Tart Cherry Syrup This syrup is also great just mixed with some soda water and a squeeze of lemon over ice, for a lovely non-alcoholic beverage option. Makes 1 1/2 cups 1 cup pitted frozen tart or pie cherries 1 cup sugar 1 cup water Combine cherries, sugar and water in a small saucepan. Using a potato masher, mash or press the cherries to break them up. Bring to a boil over medium-high heat. As soon as mixture comes to a boil immediately remove from the heat and cool. Let the mixture steep in the pan for 1 hour. Strain and store refrigerated for up to 2 weeks. TASTE Ransom Spirits Henry Du Yore’s Straight Bourbon Whiskey Named for the famous moonshiner, Ransom Spirit’s Henry Du Yore’s Straight Bourbon Whiskey is in the bourbon boundary with its more than 51 percent of corn in its mash, but also boasts a healthy dose of both rye and barley. Aged for a minimum of four years in American oak bourbon barrels and then finished in French oak, this whiskey yields a nice rye bite and the smooth character of bourbon. The Old Fashioned Cocktail is the iconic classic cocktail made with four simple ingredients: spirit, sweetener, bitters and water (ice). In the Decadent Old Fashioned, I combine Du Yore’s Bourbon Whiskey, local bold flavored Scrappy’s Chocolate Bitters and house-made Rich Orange Syrup. Swiftly stirred and served over an ice sphere, this cocktail is sure to please any Old Fashioned lover. MAKE Decadent Old Fashioned In Old Fashioned Cocktails, I like to use a rich simple syrup made with two parts sugar and one part water, which adds a lovely mouth feel. Seattle-made Scrappy’s Chocolate Bitters adds that final decadent layer of flavor. To make a snazzy orange peel garnish, peel a wide strip with a vegetable peeler, then trim the edges with a paring knife. Use small garnish cutters to cut out interesting shapes. Makes 1 drink 2 ounces Henry Du Yore’s Straight Bourbon Whiskey¼ ounce Rich Orange Simple Syrup (recipe follows) 1 dash Scrappy’s Chocolate Bitters Garnish: wide orange peel strip Measure the bourbon, simple syrup and bitters into a mixing glass. Fill three-quarters full with ice. Stir with a bar spoon until well chilled. Strain over a large ice sphere in an old fashioned glass. Tuck the orange peel strip into the glass around the ice ball. Rich Orange Simple Syrup Makes 2 cups 2 tablespoons orange zest 2 cups sugar 1 cup water Combine orange zest, sugar and water in a small saucepan. Bring to a boil over medium-high heat and immediately remove from the heat and cool. Let the mixture steep in the pan for 1 hour. Strain and store in the refrigerated for up to 1 month VISIT: Multnomah Whiskey Library Portland has an amazing array of bars dedicated the craft of the cocktail. The new Multnomah Whiskey Library is a veritable temple to whiskey, under the knowledgeable direction of the “Head Librarian” Stuart Ramsay. This super luxurious hideaway touts spirit-lined shelves that reach to the sky, displaying their 1500-plus spirit collection, just waiting to be served to you via cart service. Barmen ascend up ladders to reach your spirit of choice, while snazzy small plates come through a secret door in the wood paneled walls. Try a whiskey flight or try a Scotch Lodge, a cocktail crafted with Bowmore Legend, Punt e Mes, Cynar Rouge and orange bitters. WATCH For more whiskey cocktails such as the Dubious Manhattan check out my website and cocktail show at LiquidKitchen.com. Kathy Casey is a chef, mixologist and entertaining expert. She is known as the Original Bar Chef. Her newest book is “D’lish Deviled Eggs,” which is a great accompaniment to any cocktail. Follow Kathy on Twitter @KathyCaseyChef and on her blog at dishingwithkathycasey.com. Recipes by Kathy Casey Liquid Kitchen®
