We went to the best bar in the world to find out what the drink of the summer will be — here’s the verdict

Hollis Johnson

The Dead Rabbit.

Summer is drinking season.

Every year, a new breed of cocktail emerges as the drink du jour. But what is the ultimate summer cocktail? The one you can drink year in and year out, without worrying about frilly, hard-to-follow trends?

That’s what we wanted to find out, so we donned our deerstalker hats and made our way downtown.

We call it: “Business Insider and the case of the missing drink of the summer.”

We decided to begin our search at the Dead Rabbit, a favorite hangout of Wall Streeters and delicious cocktails. If we could find the drink of the summer anywhere, it would probably be there.

The Dead Rabbit was recently awarded the prestigious “Best Bar in the World” designation by Drinks International magazine. We couldn’t think of a better place to search for the drink of the summer.

Source: Business Insider

Our man behind the bar, Long Thai, was more than happy to help us with our search. His advice and expertise would prove invaluable. The drink of the summer would soon reveal itself.

Thai picked out six drinks that he thought were the most deserving of the title — the six most suspicious characters on a menu full of them.

SUSPECT #1: Bachelor Pad

Our first suspect was the Bachelor Pad. It’s a relaxed drink — maybe too relaxed? This made us suspicious, and we made note of it.

The drink is a new take on a White Lady cocktail. 

With a base of Scottish gin and lemon juice, the drink also includes a poppy seed-infused syrup, pink grapefruit liqueur, and a dash of pale cream sherry.

The Bachelor Pad is shaken, not stirred.

There’s a lot going on, but the drink isn’t overpowering.

It’s not overly sweet, nor is it overly tart, despite the citrus-y ingredients. It’s exceptionally balanced in all flavors, melding and perfectly complicating each other. It has a foamy finish that comes courtesy of the shaken egg white, and it elevates the experience.

Nothing seemed out of the ordinary, and yet we couldn’t quite shake the feeling that something wasn’t quite right with this one. It’s too perfect.

We’re keeping an eye on it.

SUSPECT #2: Iron Man

We moved on to the next: the Iron Man.

It’s a daisy-style cocktail with a base of Irish whiskey and Guyanese rum. Yellow chartreuse and pale cream sherry complicate the flavors, as does an apple and tarragon-flavored syrup.

It’s finished with a shot of dry cider and a dash of chamomile tincture, with a nutmeg garnish.

Thai strained the drink into a mustache cup before serving it to us. We were entertained.

Like the superhero himself, Iron Man is bold.

Its flavors are pronounced and distinguished. Instead of melting together, each is identifiable. 

With its heavy liquors, it is heartier than you might be looking for in a summer drink. Though it is refreshing and fruity, its spicy apple flavors reminded us more of fall than summer.

The Iron Man seemed impregnable, but it slowly began to reveal itself after sustained interrogation (i.e. sipping).

SUSPECT #3: Show-Off

With a name like Show-Off, we weren’t sure what to expect. What exactly was it going to do to try and impress us? A whole lot, it turns out. 

The drink is a flashy Champagne cocktail with brandy, a green apple liqueur, kiwi and lemon juices,  and flavors like vanilla and macadamia. Champagne is added to the flute before pouring.

One thing is certain: The Show-Off is a splashy drink.

There’s no subtlety here. As the name implies, the green apple, the vanilla, the kiwi, the lemon, and the champagne flavors all announce themselves in the strongest terms.

And yet, the drink doesn’t collapse under the weight of all those flavors. It’s actually fun, with a rooftop drinking vibe. It’s both sweet and tart, and it’s refreshing as hell. We could see ourselves sipping it on a rooftop this summer.

It seems the Show-Off is exactly what it appears to be. It’s a cocktail that is serious about tasting good, and it just wants to have a good time.

SUSPECT #4: Fun Lovin’ Criminal

With a name like Fun Lovin’ Criminal, we were sure we’d hit the jackpot.

A relatively simple ingredient list — tequila, vermouth, apple brandy, grapefruit, and hops — belies the work it takes to put it all together.

Fun Lovin’ Criminal is an alcohol-forward kicker.

It doesn’t have the fancy-long list of ingredients that the other cocktails have, but the criminal stands on its own. It doesn’t hide its tequila, vermouth, and brandy, with just enough from the grapefruit and hops to bring a mellow taste.

But watch out, because the alcohol catches up with you — you’ll feel it in the backbite. The drink is feistier than you might first assume, but it ends up charming you in the end.

We couldn’t linger long with the Fun Lovin’ Criminal, though it surely made an impression on us.

 

SUSPECT #5: Hammer and Tong

The Hammer and Tong is a bit deceptive.

While it looks like a relatively straightforward drink — gin, rum, mezcal, vermouth, and some flavorings (cacao, vanilla, hibiscus, and lavender absinthe) — the drink is actually complex.

The herbal infusion in the Argentinian gin mixes with the additional flavors in unexpected ways, making something completely new.

A minty herbal concoction, the Hammer and Tong is clean and sharp.

With its Argentinian gin, cacao, and vanilla, the Hammer and Tong is a bit like a herbal grasshopper shot. It was nothing like we’d ever tasted before.

The herbal minty flavors are pronounced in the drink, giving the drink a taste similar to one of your favorite minty summer drinks. It’s refreshing and cool.

Mint is a quintessential summer flavor, so it was hard not to just arrest this drink on the spot. Intuition told us there was more to see, however, so we moved on.

SUSPECT #6: Coup d’Etat

Now this was a suspicious character if we’d ever seen one.

A take on an Old-Fashioned, but ratcheted up several notches with cognac and various liqueurs, cinnamon syrup, and garnished with orange oils, the Coup d’Etat was a drink best saved for a rainy day.

The drink calls for a block of ice, chiseled right in front of us by the the bartender.

One taste of the Coup d’Etat begets one thought: that’s a lot of alcohol.

Every ingredient is a liquor, apart from the cinnamon syrup, and you can feel it. It was at once familiar and entirely new.

And while that’s true, it’s definitely not a bad thing. The cognac, the cachaça, the vermouth, the chartreuse, and the amaro tip-toe across your tongue in unison, forming something that goes down surprisingly smooth and easy.

A hint of honey surprises on the initial sip, while the cinnamon aftertaste lingers.

 

So which one of these phenomenal drinks are we going to award the coveted distinction of being Business Insider’s drink of the summer?

It wasn’t easy, but the winner was clear. Among the six drinks we tried, one drink in particular’s story just didn’t add up.

WINNER: Bachelor Pad

For its supreme ability to delight, its complex yet melded flavors, and the fun of drinking a foamy drink with some egg whites in it, the Bachelor Pad is crowned our Drink of the Summer.

For a drink similar to the Bachelor Pad, ask any bar for a White Lady. Be warned that we cannot guarantee it’ll be as delicious as the Dead Rabbit’s version.

We’re not letting this one out of our sight.

Read more stories on Business Insider, Malaysian edition of the world’s fastest-growing business and technology news website.

✍ Sumber Pautan : ☕ Business InsiderBusiness Insider

Kredit kepada pemilik laman asal dan sekira berminat untuk meneruskan bacaan sila klik link atau copy paste ke web server : http://ift.tt/2qOfiKe

(✿◠‿◠)✌ Mukah Pages : Pautan Viral Media Sensasi Tanpa Henti. Memuat-naik beraneka jenis artikel menarik setiap detik tanpa henti dari pelbagai sumber. Selamat membaca dan jangan lupa untuk 👍 Like & 💕 Share di media sosial anda!