BIDDING WILL CONTINUE AT LIVE AUCTION 4/20/18

Hamilton Parent and cocktail expert Martin Thomas created and barrel-aged two custom cocktails just for the Black and White Party! You can't buy THIS at BevMo!

The winner will receive two 16-oz bottles: a Barrel-Aged Black Manhattan infused with coffee and a Barrel-Aged White Negroni infused with tea.

1.  16 Ounce Bottle of a Barrel-Aged Black Manhattan

Ingredients:

• Uses a base of George Dickel Rye for a hint of spiciness


• In place of Sweet Italian Vermouth, a Black Manhattan uses Averna Amaro, part of a family of Italian herbal bitter after-dinner liqueurs called an “Amaro.” Averna Amaro in particular is thick, sweet, and has a hint of herbal, citrusy bitterness; its dark color is responsible for the name of the drink


• My homemade herbal bitters

Flavor Profile:

A Black Manhattan is less sweet and more earthy than a regular Manhattan, but the barrel-aging helps mellow out the bitterness, contributes flavors of vanilla, and overall creates a smoother drinking experience. I infused this one with Jones Coffee Roasters “Pasadena Blend” whole coffee beans, to add a different dimension of flavor.

2.  16 Ounce Bottle of a Barrel-Aged White Negroni

Ingredients:

• Equal parts of Gin, Bianco Vermouth (I used half Cocchi Americano and half Lillet Blanc), and Salers Gentiane (a French apéritif made from gentian root and white wine, which is much less bitter and more botanical than the standard Negroni ingredient, Campari)


• Instead of the standard London Dry style gin that many people don’t like, I chose a Plymouth Gin, which has a softer, earthier, and less juniper-forward flavor.

Flavor Profile:

• Although it is a combination of “strong, bitter, and sweet” like a regular Negroni, as the name implies, this is a lighter version. It is much less bitter than a standard Negroni, and falls a bit closer to botanical versus bitter. The combination of the two different vermouths add a sweetness.


• This particular White Negroni was aged in a barrel that previously held both Italian Barolo Wine and then a standard Negroni, so it has picked up a bit of those flavors as well as a slight pinkish hue. As with the Black Negroni, the barrel-aging smooths and mellows out the flavors. 


• I infused this one with Jones Coffee Roasters Masala Chai tea leaves, the spiciness of white perfectly compliment the sweetness of the vermouth.