To kick off Cocktail Week, Eater teamed up with some of our favorite bars around town and asked them to create special drinks. While last year we reached out to no less than twenty watering holes for special drinks, this time we chose only five to feature specially crafted Eater Cocktail Week drinks. The five bartenders who created the drinks are all women and each of them chose one or more Colorado spirits to mix in their beverages. They are not only offering these cocktails at their bars all week, but they also shared the recipes so you can make them yourself.
Before we talk recipes, you are tasked with going to these five bars and trying these five drinks:
Williams & Graham: Leo's Revenge created by bartender Allison Widdecombe
the Kitchen Denver: Tartan Spritzer created by bartender Kyla Ostler
Colt & Gray: Maeby from bartender Amy Kempster
Ace: Press & Cask from bartender Regan Horacek
Acorn: the Vice President from bartender Alex Parks
Allison Widdecombe of Williams & Graham, a Hawaii native who fell in love with bartending in New York City over a decade ago, chose Leopold Bros. as local spirit to feature. She aimed to use as much of the distiller's product as possible and wanted a warm, rye whiskey, Manhattan-esque drink. "It's a good answer to the recent chill in the air," Allison said.
Ingredients:
2 ounces Leopold Brothers Maryland Style Rye Whiskey
.75 ounces Amaro Montenegro
.25 ounces Leopold Michigan Tart Cherry Liqueur
Leopold's Absinthe rinse on glass.
Stir first three ingredients in mixing glass.
Rinse chilled cocktail glass with absinthe, strain drink into glass. Express a lemon twist over the cocktail, drop into glass. Can be served on hand-cut ice as well.
Cheers!
Allison Widdecombe [Photo: Adam Larkey]
· The Cocktail Heatmap: Where to Drink Now [EDen]
· Donnell Cowell On Williams & Graham's Late Night Waits, Bribery, and A New Ice Company [EDen]
· All Cocktail Week 2013 Coverage [EDen]