The Jeamus

Recently, I was tasked with the honor of producing a signature cocktail for a betrothed pair of buddies (buddy and buddiette?). It was a daunting challenge, made so more by my own expectations than by anything that was asked of me. Really, they just asked "Can you make drinks?", but I heard "Can you make us a drink?", which of course meant "Can you invent for us a cocktail that is singularly representative of our respective personalities AND the love that we share?" ... Oh, well since you asked: Challenge accepted.

So the race was on. After questionnaires, focus groups, and weeks of 'research and development', I put together a recipe that told the story: A spicy Irishman who moved to Baltimore falls in love with a sweet, nuanced girl, and together - with their bubbly personalities - they can make it through the bitterness of a dark and stormy world to live a happy and fruitful life together.

The recipe for this success is below...

The Jeamus
2 oz Cinnamon-infused Whiskey
1.5 oz Rosemary-infused Simple Syrup
1 oz Dark Rum (Gosling's)
1 spiraled Kumquat
Top with Champagne (~3 oz, or to taste)
Dash of bitters
Pro-tip: Mouse-over each ingredient to see how they fit in the story above

Simply combine in the order listed.

Cinnamon-infused Whiskey - Mix whiskey with cinnamon sticks and let them sit together. I used about one stick per 100ml of whiskey and let them sit for 48 hours. For a full 750ml bottle I'd just drop in an even 10 sticks. If you're pressed for time, you can cheat by mixing the whiskey with powdered cinnamon, shaking once in a while and letting it sit for a couple hours, then putting the mixture through a coffee strainer... This is not as good though. Originally, I planned to use Jameson, but mostly because of the Irish groom and similarity to the intended name of the cocktail. Ultimately, I decided that the richer taste of rye whiskey worked better, so went with Pikesville Rye.

Rosemary-infused Simple Syrup - 500ml granulated sugar, 500ml water, lets say... 20 sprigs of rosemary? (However many come in your standard supermarket bundle), put on the stove, bring to a boil while stirring, remove from heat and let sit anywhere from 3 to 48 hours. At the end of all that, you'll have about 750ml of rosemary-infused simple syrup. This is the most delicious thing you have ever put into a cocktail. You know how much sugar went into it, so you probably won't go drinking it from the bottle, but keep it away from your guests as they won't know any better and will give themselves a belly-ache. If you remove the sprigs, I'd probably trust the resulting syrup for a week or two... Add a couple shots of liquor and it should last you months, but I don't work for the CDC, so you have no reason to trust me on that...

P.S. Be careful. This drink can destroy you. Drink Responsibly.