Newly released spirits and cocktail recipes for your warm weather gatherings.
By Kelly A. Magyarics
New Malibu Red is a combination of coconut rum and silver Tequila.
Mount Gay Eclipse Nautical “G” Rum
Mount Gay's new limited edition rum pays homage to the brand's sailing roots.
Whether you spend summer weekends sailing on the Chesapeake, or just dream of owning your own boat one day, a new rum on the market appeals to those of us with wanderlust for the open water. Barbados’ Mount Gay Rum has been connected to the sailing community for other three centuries—from the first barrels of rum to set sail from the Caribbean island in 1703, to sponsoring over a hundred regattas in the U.S., to the launch of “Sailing Spoke Here“, an online community exclusively designed for sailors. To honor the company’s commitment to the world of sailing, Mount Gay just released Eclipse Nautical “G” limited edition rum. The striking bottle features the nautical flag design for the letter “G”—a perfect edition to the galley or deck of your 42-footer (a boat is still a pipedream for me, so for now I’ll have to be content with setting it on the backbar shelves of our nautical-themed bar.) Eclipse Nautical “G” is releasing this month at select stores nationwide, and retails for $17.99. Try it in cocktails like the Nautical Golden Coco, where coconut water and fresh grapefruit juice give the libation a tropical vibe.
Nautical Golden Coco
2 oz. Mount Gay Eclipse Nautical “G” Rum
4 oz. coconut water
1/2 oz. freshly squeezed pink grapefruit juice
Grapefruit wedge, for garnish
Add ice to a rocks glass. Add rum, coconut water and grapefruit juice. Stir to combine, and garnish with a grapefruit wedge.
SKYY Infusions Coconut
When I say “coconut”, what’s the first that comes to mind: Palm trees? White sand beaches? Tiki bars? Evoking the alluring taste of the tropics, SKYY Infusions Coconut is made with natural coconut, complemented by aromas of citrus and Tahitian vanilla bean. It works in drinks where you want the appealing tropical notes of coconut, but a more neutral taste than that provided by flavored rum. I really enjoy it in the Coconut Basil Gimlet…and you could just as easily replace the basil with mint and muddled pineapple.
Coconut Basil Gimlet
Courtesy of Gruppo Campari
1 1/2 oz. SKYY Infusions Coconut
1/2 oz. lime juice
1/2 oz. simple syrup
Fresh basil
Muddle small pieces of basil in a cocktail shaker with simple syrup. Add lime juice, SKYY Infusions Coconut and ice. Shake vigorously, and strain over fresh ice in a chilled rocks glass. Garnish with a basil leaf.
Tap 357
Whiskey gets hit with a tinge of natural sweetness in this new offering. Tap 357 combines a blend of Canadian rye whiskies that have been cask-aged for 3, 5 and 7 years, with rich maple derived from
Tap 357 combines Canadian rye with real maple syrup.
trees tapped at the first hint of spring in the province of Quebec. After the maple is added, the whiskey is matured further, which mellows the bitey rye. Tap 357 just hit the shelves around the country, and retails for $29.99. Try it in a sweeter version of the New Orleans classic the Sazerac, where the traditional ingredients (rye, Absinthe and Peychaud’s) are joined by a touch of dark chocolate vodka.
Snazerac
Created by Jonathan Pogash, The Cocktail Guru
2 oz. Tap 357 Canadian Maple Rye Whisky
1/2 oz. Van Gogh Rich Dark Chocolate Vodka
3 dashes Peychaud’s bitters
Lucid Absinthe, for rinse
Orange peel, for garnish
Pour a small amount of Absinthe into a rocks glass, swirl to coat glass, and discard Absinthe. Chill glass. Stir first three ingredients well with ice and strain into the prepared rocks glass. Garnish with an orange peel.
Malibu Red
Awhile back, during a trip to the Bahamas, we often drank a blend of frozen pina colada and frozen margarita while relaxing in the resort’s huge Jacuzzi surrounded by waterfalls and rock formations (it was obviously a rough vacation…) Anyway, the blend of coconut rum, lime and Tequila made for a sublime beachfront sip. If you just can’t stand the thought of reaching for (gasp!) two bottles of booze when you are lounging by the pool this summer, a new bottle from Malibu Rum has got you covered. Malibu Red is a delicious blend of smooth Malibu Rum and fiery silver Tequila brought to you in collaboration with the Grammy Award Winning Singer, songwriter and actor Ne-Yo. Sip it over ice with fresh pineapple juice, or enjoy it in a riff on the classic Margarita.
Malibu Red Margarita
1 ½ oz. Malibu Red
½ oz. Cointreau or Triple Sec
1 oz. lime juice
Lime wedge, for rimming glass
Coarse salt, for rimming glass
Moisten half of the outside of the rim of a Margarita glass with the lime wedge, and then coat with Add all except salt to a cocktail shaker. Add ice, and shake to chill. Strain into the chilled prepared Margarita glass.
Kelly Magyarics is a wine and spirits writer, and wine educator, in the Washington, D.C. area. She can be reached through her website, www.kellymagyarics.com, or on www.twitter.com/kmagyarics.
