The Duchess & The Week of April 25, 2010

We're cutting right to the chase this week, and drinking on a Monday!  No rest for the weary.

Quickly though, I do want to tell you what we're drinking this week: In addition to The Duchess, we'll be drinking a unique cocktail called the Beauty Spot, and later this week we'll be paying close attention to Mint Juleps in light of the Kentucky Derby that takes place this weekend.

The soundtrack this week is the streaming preview of the new The National album, "High Violet."  You can find the streaming audio here, accompanying a stellar article about the band.  The National may be my favorite band of the moment.  Their last two albums are off-the-charts good.  Upon first listen, "High Violet" is more outstanding work.

The album drops May 11th, and if you haven't already done so, I highly recommend pre-ordering it on Amazon so that it arrives on your doorstep the date of its issuance (link, if you're so inclined). 

Now, we drink:

The Ultimate Bar Book, page 214

Duchess

1 oz Pernod
1 oz dry vermouth
1 oz sweet vermouth

Shake the ingredients vigorously with ice.  Strain into a chilled cocktail glass.

This is the Good and Plenty of cocktails.  One sip, and you will immediately be transported to the last time you tasted a Good and Plenty candy.  You either liked or were revolted by its licorice shell.

As mentioned in the Sazerac post, licorice jelly beans were always my favorite candy.  I know that this preference places me squarely in the minority.  Still though, it has its benefits - like enjoying the flavor of this cocktail.  Others would likely turn away in disgust while I sip with pleasure.

There isn't a strong licorice aroma to the cocktail, but each drink will provide a dominating anise flavor profile that is unavoidable.  The vermouths, both of them, are a bit of filler mostly, perhaps meant to cut out the strongest of the licorice flavors in the Pernod.  I've had Pernod straight, and while I enjoy the first couple sips, one does become a bit numb to the taste after 3-4 sips into the glass. 

The licorice flavor in straight Pernod is too powerful after a few drinks.  Ever heard of the notion that your first bite of a particular food gives you something like 75% of the pleasure, and that it's diminishing returns from there?  Pernod is like that, though, you can boost the percentage to around 95%.

The same cannot be said here.  Here, the licorice and vermouth pair well, to provide a nice licorice flavored cocktail, while not beating you over the head with a single-note of Pernod.

The Duchess is for licorice lovers only - and though I recommend everyone expand their horizons when it comes to cocktails, knowing ones' preferences should be commended and rewarded.  If you're not down with Good and Plenty's, then you're probably not going to be down with The Duchess.

Looking forward to another stellar week.  The Beauty Spot will definitely be a change of pace, and I am very much looking forward to dissecting the Mint Julep...until then...



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