What are some of your cocktail favorites? This week our guest was Melinda Maddox from Old Elk Bourbon. She is a world renowned mixologist who has helped shape Old Elk Distillery into a recognizable brand by teaching bars and restaurants how to properly mix and serve their whiskey. She also help make The Reserve by Old Elk one of the most beloved bars in Fort Collins. I personal don’t have a favorite cocktail. Maybe it’s because I have never had a perfect one made for me. I always seem to catch bartenders and mixologist at their busy times where I feel their skills are rushed. Could one of Mel’s recipes be a game changer for me? We shall soon find out as she shared a few.
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Don’t get me wrong, I have had some pretty spectacular cocktails. Of course some of my go to whiskey cocktails like the old fashioned, the Manhattan and the Kentucky mule are easy to make, I just haven’t had one that made me think wow I have to come back here and get that. With that said I’m adventurous and will almost order anything off a menu that has bourbon in it. I like a bourbon mimosa for breakfast, but I don’t know that I consider that a cocktail because I only drink it in the mornings with breakfast. Mel certainly had my mind racing as she listed off the cocktail she would make with each of Old Elk’s expressions. So when I look at https://www.oldelk.com/bourbon-cocktails I can see Mel’s Handy Work with some of the following cocktails. From their list.
OLD ELK ROSEMARY CLEMENTINE MULE: INGREDIENTS, 1.5 oz. Old Elk Bourbon, 1 oz. Clementine Juice 0.5 oz. Lime Juice 1 sprig of Rosemary Ginger Beer METHOD, Combine Old Elk Bourbon, clementine juice, and lime juice in a copper mug with ice. Stir to combine and top with ginger beer. Garnish with a rosemary sprig.
HOT SAZZY: INGREDIENTS, 1.75 oz. Old Elk Blended Straight Bourbon Whiskey, 0.75 oz. Simple Syrup, 0.25 oz. Peychouds Bitters, Top with Absinthe Whipped Cream METHOD,
Combine Old Elk Bourbon, simple syrup and peychouds bitters in a hot toddy glass. Top with hot water and stir to combine. Garnish with Absinthe whipped cream and lemon zest.
BLACKBERRY SMASH: INGREDIENTS, 2 oz. Old Elk Bourbon, .75 oz. Simple Syrup, 2-3 Blackberries, 3-4 Mint Leaves, 2 squeezed Lime Wedges METHOD, Combine all ingredients in a shaker with ice and shake vigorously for 20-30 seconds. Strain and pour into a rocks glass over ice. Stir and garnish with mint leaves and a blackberry skewer.
On the fly like a medieval Alchemist, Mel was quick to conjure up a cocktail in the middle of the podcast episode that sounded absolutely magnificent. So after work with her recipe in hand I went to the store grabbed all the ingredients and went to back to making this soon to be classic cocktail. Was it as good as if she would have made it? I’m certain that it wasn’t but it still hit the spot after a long day at work and made for a beautiful photo. My only mistake was not making one for my wife. Is it my favorite cocktail now? It was great but I will still be on the hunt or I might have to pay Mel a visit at Old Elk Distillery. Give her cocktail a try and let us know how you like it. Here is her recipe for you to follow.
( The Bourbon Road) PEACH & RYE COBBLER: INGREDIENTS, Muddle 5 slices of really ripe peach with 3 leafs of fresh mint, 1 oz sherry (optional), .50 oz to 1 oz maple syrup the real kind, 2 oz Old Elk Rye Whiskey Shake everything really briefly with ice and pour over fresh ice or not.
So with your cocktail made, kick back to listen as Jim and I take another trip down The Bourbon Road with Mel Maddox from Old Elk Bourbon. Cheers
Mike (Big Chief)
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