Great stuff last night at the Whistler, as they hosted their first-ever themed cocktail party . . .
e-mail from The Whistler wrote:
The Whistler is excited to announce it's first official cocktail party! On Monday, December 13th, at 6:00pm, head bartender Paul McGee will be stirring and shaking up a menu of over 30 cocktails from Charles H. Baker Jr.'s inimitable cocktail trove, Jigger, Beaker & Glass.
Charles H. Baker Jr.'s two volume culinary and cocktail guide, The Gentleman's Companion, are documentation of Baker's world travels in the name of the finest cuisine and cocktails available in the 1930s. Yachtsman, raconteur, drinking companion of Hemingway and Faulkner -- Baker's collection of recipes are as exotic and esoteric as the man himself. Around The World with Jigger, Beaker & Glass is Baker's 1946 edition of his 1939 publication, The Gentleman's Companion: Being an Exotic Drinking Book.
I stopped in early and had a few rounds. It was great to experience Paul's take on some of these legendary cocktails, which I've been reading about for some time. I started out with a Pendennis Club's Special, which is made with London Dry Gin, Apricot Liqueur, Lime and Peychaud's Bitters. I loved the the way spice and complexity of the gin imparted a new depth to the apricot. Next up was a Rosy Dawn, which was bouncier than the first drink but very stiff. It's made with London Dry Gin, Orange Liqueur, Cherry Brandy, Lime and Soda. The strength of the gin really came through but was balanced deftly by the well-calculated fruit elements. My third cocktail was the Admiral Schley Punch, which combined rum and bourbon, along with Lime and Demerara Syrup. I really liked the way the rum and bourbon -- my 2 favorite spirits -- worked together. I cannot remember ever having them together before in any drink other than egg nog. Last, I had a Cap Haitian Rum & Honey, which combined Demerara Rum, Haitian Rum (Barbancourt 4-year) Honey Syrup and Angostura Bitters. This was the sweetest cocktail of the quartet. I liked the complexity created by the combined rums, and the herbal notes in the honey and bitters complemented them nicely.
The night was made even more special by the little touches that were included. Paul created a written menu, which included quotes from Baker with every cocktail. Some were direct references from Baker to the drinks with which they were listed. Others were just general quotes from Baker that fit well with the cocktails with which they were paired. None of the 30+ different drinks on the menu were pre-batched, which made the entire undertaking even more ambitious. Also, Paul's wife Shelby put together an awesome, era-appropriate playlist, which gave the evening a fantastic vibe.
Paul told me they plan to have these themed cocktail parties on a regular basis, with the themes being based on specific cocktail authors and their books. In fact, he referred to them as 'book nights.' Next up is likely to be a Tiki night, based on the books and recipes of Jeff Berry.
Also, it was great to run into and finally meet kl1191. We seem to be 2 of the biggest fans of the Whistler around here, so it made perfect sense for our paths to cross on this night. I hope they cross again soon.
I'm so glad that in the dead of winter, even on a Monday night, I dragged my lazy ass down to Paul's place. It was a truly special experience.
=R=
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I just wanna live until I gotta die. I know I ain't perfect but God knows I try. --Todd Snider
Twitter: ronniesuburban