elements, the bar blog

Monks are wonderful people.  Aside from their many other contributions to society they’ve been good enough to support their monasteries for centuries by producing such excellent goods as wine, cheese, beers, and spirits for the rest of the world.  Chartreuse is made by Carthusian monks north of Grenoble, France; and has been for centuries.  With over 130 aromatics in it, it’s one of my favorite things in the world.

Somewhere around this time last year we had a private party for a local jewelry store showcasing watches from the esteemed watchmaker Panerai.  We had three special cocktails created just for that event; and I was so happy with one of those, the Luminor, that I added it to the cocktail list for the rest of the summer.  It works the less intense Yellow Chartreuse in with rye whiskey.

Well- summer is definitely back.  Luminors will ease the heat and quench the thirst it brings.

the Luminor

2 oz Rittenhouse Bottled-In-Bond rye, 3/4 oz Yellow Chartreuse, 1/2 oz ginger beer syrup, 1/2 oz elderflower syrup, 1/2 oz fresh lime juice, 3 dashes house bourbon/citrus bitters.  Shaken and strained onto a big chunk of ice, topped with 1 oz seltzer.   One of our regular guests, Steve, suggested the mint sprig for garnish.  Thanks for that, friend.  It works well.

Banks 5 Island Rum

Recently we brought in a rum that is brand-new to market.  Vegetal, peppery and very full-bodied; it’s a blend of aged rums from Jamaica, Trinidad, Guyana, Barbados and Indonesian Java.  That last island, Java, is known for their particular variant of rum known as Arrack.  A popular component of many punches well over a century ago, this special rum is known for the intensely aromatic pitch it can lend.  Utilizing only a bit at a time added just the right amount of depth to punch, and with that same knowledge in mind Banks crafted this rum so that it could stand apart from the crowd.  It is very unique, very tasty, and fun to play with.

I thought we’d start with something simple and refreshing.  It is very hot outside after all; and few things cool one down better than the classic Aviation.  Here’s ours made with Banks 5 Island rum instead of gin.

Aviation Variation

2 oz Banks 5 Island Rum, 1/2 oz Luxardo Maraschino, 1/2 oz fresh lemon, and just less than 1 tsp Rothman & Winter Creme de Violette.  Shaken well, strained and garnished with a twist of lemon.