As we approach the Kentucky Derby on May 2nd, we'll be talking about bourbon here at Embury. One of my favorite drinks for daytime, and a wonderful one to turn someone onto is The Seelbach. If you've never heard of it it could sound sketchy--a dining companion at Union Square Cafe on a recent Saturday afternoon was extremely dubious at the thought of bourbon and champagne together, but he smiled when he tasted it.
THE SEELBACH (from Gary and Mardee Regan’s New Classic Cocktails)
1 oz bourbon
1/2 oz Cointreau
7 dashes Peychaud’s bitters
7 dashes Angostura bitters
5 oz Champagne
Pour the liquor and bitters into a Champagne flute and stir. Add Champagne and stir again. Garnish with an orange twist.
Lauren Clark of Drink Boston offers this slight, very sensible variation on the Regans' recipe: I prefer to stir the liquor and bitters lightly over ice and then strain them into the Champagne flute before adding the Champagne. It makes a pleasantly chilled drink that is not so cold or watered down that it dulls the spirits’ character.
One's choice of bourbon is always key, of course, but The Seelbach is quite versatile and can be adapted to what's on hand. I'm always a fan of the delicate Basil Hayden but the malty honey of Makers Mark more than compensates for a less than glorious champagne, and knocks a Seelbach out of the park every time. Peychaude's bitters are great to mix with Angostura, but either will do. On a recent Saturday afternoon at Union Square Cafe the bartender doubled up the Angostura due to lack of Peychaudes-to no ill effect. fact, I'd consider the Seelbach to be marvellously flexible-just stick to bourbon, bitters and something bubbly on top and a litle something sweet and you'll acheive the same response. The one in this photograph was sourced over a long day in Key West, pulling Pechaudes from friends at the Island House, Angostura from
Bad Boy Burrito, Martini & Rossi Proseco from Fausto's and Evan Williams Bourbon from my dad's liquor cabinet. An Exacto knife in the toolshed (same toolshed I'd made so many other drinks in) proved to work fine to cut twists, in this case lemon twists-heresy to some as orange is called for, but the lemon added a nice kick. When my dad looked a little wary even after he'd taken a sip, I remembered this was missing something sweet. With no Cointreau or simple syrup around Ijust spooned in some raw sugar, stirred it up and handed it back to him. That got the smile.
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