Thai Time

From time to time I like to experiment with the concept of converting flavors from the culinary world to their counterpart equivalent in the glass.  Recently, this led me to the exploration of one my favorite cuisines, the fragrant dishes of Thailand.  Possessing character that spans sweet, sour, salty, and spicy, the bright layers of herbs and piquant spices lend themselves well to how I envisioned a parallel universe of Thai flavors in a cocktail.  

XXQC - Vieux Carré

Bourbon.  One of my favorite aged spirits, and truth be told, the reason I stumbled into the world of mixology.  Yes, were it not for my interest to branch out and discover what other components played nice with my beloved whiskey, I might still be only sipping the stuff neat or on the rocks...not that there's anything wrong with that at all.  But after my inaugural venture with the preparation of an Old Fashioned (albeit with the high rye bourbon, Basil Hayden), I was hooked.  Naive enough at first that the intended rye whiskey was a foreign spirit, I pressed to discover what other drinks married with this relative of bourbon.  The Manhattan and Sazerac, largely as expected, showcased the spicy rye in all its glory...but in seeking something entirely different, I eventually was introduced to the Vieux Carré (voo kah-ray).  'The what?', I thought.  Thankfully, however, I gathered up the missing components and mixed one up.  Mirroring my inaugural enthusiasm for the interplay of spirits, bitters, and liqueurs, this was a definitely a cocktail that further fueled my interest and inspiration.  The Vieux Carré, a simple yet distinct blend very much worth your time, and another of the XXQC.