ZACAPA RUM No.23
How about we play today some old fashion way? Classic movies, classic cocktails, vintage music and good old Old Fashioned. Our player with number 23 is ready. We read that before. He has a good ground for Old Fashioned cocktail.
He just needs some improvements, to beat cold ice, which is not his ground. He is a warm and sweet guy, that’s why he needs some wind at his back provided by the bartender like me.
OLD FASHIONED 23
Instead of sugar which we already have enough in Zacapa No.23, I decided to try with 1cl honey water, but in 1:1.5 ratio. One part honey, 1.5 parts water. I don’t want to lose one of the basic aromas in one hand, but on the another hand I want to reduce the sweetness, which in Zacapa No.23, as I said it before we have quite enough.
Combining 1cl of honey water with 5 cl of Zacapa Rum I got some interesting aroma.
Water woke up some sleepy aromas in Zacapa, but honey continued to keep warm personality of our player. We needed some bitterness to face with ice and sweetness, and to break the ice. I got help from 2 dashes of Plum Bitter. Fee Brothers Company really made a good job with this bitter.
Final result?
NOSE
On the nose we got plum and honey of course. But what is interesting there was no whiskey notes at all, even there were some raisins and apricot notes.
PALATE
Just as one Old Fashion should be. Bitter and aromatic, but we need to forget what we know about bourbon old fashions. This player plays total different game now. Plum and orange are here. They have to be because of the bitter and orange peel, but what we woke up is banana with honey also. Although the honey was outnumbered by water and rum.
FINISH
I was not expecting that final after taste will be solid and long, but surprising the end of the sip leaves a long after taste where near banana and honey, we can find some apple, what is quite interesting because that taste till now I didn’t find.
Short film about Old Fashioned 23 you can find here.
IL PADRINO
Speaking of movies…I am big fan of mafia movies what means Godfather(s) are one of my favorites.
That’s why I decided together with our player to “massacre” the famous cocktail Godfather.
First I changed the name into Il Padrino, which on Spanish means Godfather.
Then our player decided to take out the whiskey and he took his place. The godfather without whiskey is not a godfather, so I added a whiskey barrels bitter. Which immediately changed the whole philosophy of two ingredients cocktail. It became a three ingredients cocktail.
For end, or almost end we decided to not use Amaretto Dissarono. We gave a chance to a “cheap” no name amaretto from Lidl, which personally I find much better. So forgive me Lord and all fellow bartenders, but we played a good game.
NOSE
Dried Banana! Again with total different ingredients.
PALATE
I am an afraid to say but this sweet vanilla version with bourbon taste is much better then original. Very intensive aromas of toffee and caramel. I must say not ordinary game, but well played.
FINISH
The next sentences will be also the last sentences about Player With Number 23, and I am happy that I had great honor to enjoy in November with Zacapa No.23.
I had also great time combining it with various aromas, I met his soul, and I am glad that Il Padrino was the last combo I tried. Because it left a solid caramel creamy finish with banana notes at the end. I will remember it definitely, so as you if you decided to make it at home. Whole recipe and video you can find in section Classroom.
Till next Christmas Holiday Sunday…
