(Gerry Furth-Sides) Making cocktails properly has always been a considerable skill. These days it is considered an art. Knox & Dobson President Rob Levy and Creative Director Peter Lloyd Jones, formulation and product development director, agree. They would know, being involved with the most highly esteemed of bars, (The Raymond 1886, Everson Royce Bar). So they found a way to create the perfect ready-made ones in Knox & Dobson’s new bottled cocktail collection. https://www.knoxanddobson.com

It starts with the shape and look of the bottles. Everyone at our small tasting was impressed with the flat-sided shape of the bottle makes it easy to hold and almost impossible to roll around. “This is absolutely perfect to take to events, such as the Hollywood Bowl,” emphasized one guest. “It even feels so good in the hand.”

We did our tasting with well-experienced catering company bartender, Donald Herman. He advised chilling the glasses for the Martini. We worked out way from cocktails with the least amount of ingredients to the most. They also happened to be from the least sweet to the sweetest. Bartender Herman praised each and every one of the cocktails because they were “made in the perfect classic manner.”

A “proper” martini in its original form contained gin, vermouth and orange bitters.” Liquor historian David Wondrich writes that bartenders have always referred to a martini made according to the original recipe as a “silver bullet” or a “crisp cocktail” because of its incredibly clean and fresh flavor.

Donald inserted the classic imported Spanish queen martini olives into each glass to add to the somewhat gin and vermouth herbal flavors. Perfection. When at home, its easy to make variations such as a “dirty Martini” with olive juice. It also zings without an olive.

The The Knox & Dobson Whiskey Cocktail is rightfully labeled an “improved” version. It is straight aged rye whiskey, Maraska Maraschino Liqueur and Angostura bitters.  This cocktail has a spiced flavor profile and is combined with American oak, citrus, along with bright and deep cherry notes.

The less specific origins of the Manhattan, a cousin of the martini, lead to the Manhattan Club, a social organization for Democrats in New York. Another more spiffy story envisions Lady Randolph Churchill, mom to Sir Winston, ordered a combination of rye and vermouth for a toast during a visit to the Manhattan Club.

The Manhattan is prepared with Spicy rye, sweet vermouth, and two dashes of Angostura, stirred, strained. Garnishing it with a brandied cherry can make you feel like a true class act.

We also loved the The Old-fashioned with its copper color. Know & Dobson advised popping a Luxardo Maraschino cherry into it. This is a bright, fresh and fruity Old Fashioned with big citrus character so the cherry worked to balance this. We tried it both ways and loved each.

Aromas and flavors of freshly expressed orange peel, caramelized citrus, peppered almonds, raisins, and toffee with a supple, crisp, sweet medium body and a warming, intricate, long finish with suggestions of hints of licorice, violet, and sweet oak.

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