Sharkbait’s Cocktail of the Week: Gentlemen Of Leisure

It’s always interesting when you get a text message like this: “I need a second / third opinion on this cocktail”. Checking the link, I was surprised when I saw it was a split base cocktail. Not so much on the fact that it was a split base, but more so the type of base spirits that went into this concoction: whiskey and tequila. I’d honestly never peg those two spirits as being able to pair well together. So, full of curiosity, I replied back that I was more than happy to provide a second opinion on this recipe. For science, of course.

As previously noted, my whiskey supply down here on the Cape has been limited to a single malt Ardbeg, so no mixing of that. Fortunately, my two week self quarantine expired last Friday, so I was able to run out and do a small booze re-supply. I picked up a bottle of rye for cocktailing (or sipping neat), so I’m all set in the whiskey department. As to the tequila, my brother in law left a bottle in the back of the liquor cabinet here over the winter, so I claimed eminent domain and utilized that.

Man of Leisure

1 ½ ounces whiskey
1 ounce silver tequila
½ ounce lime juice
¼ ounce simple syrup
top with about 1 ½ ounces ginger beer
3 dashes Angostura bitters
lime wedge, for garnish

Combine whiskey, tequila, lime juice, and simple syrup in a cocktail shaker with ice. Shake and strain into a snifter with ice. Top with ginger beer, Angostura bitters, and garnish with a lime wedge.

In a bit of a surprise to me, I only get a very subtle ginger-lime scent. Maybe a hint of bitters mixed in there? I thought I would get more of a boozy smell, given the two base spirits. Perhaps the ginger beer acts as a mask for booze odors?

The first sip is an interesting mix of flavor. Of the two base spirits, the tequila is the one that comes through the most. I can taste the rye a bit at the end but the flavor isn’t anything overwhelming. The sip finishes with a touch of sour which I attribute to the lime juice and the tequila playing off of one another. The dash of bitters on top adds a nice finish as well. Floating them on top makes sure they aren’t lost in this melting pot of flavors.

Due to glassware limitations (sadly I am snifter-less down here),  I was only able to add about an ounce of ginger beer at the finish. Either I added too much ice to it, or the rocks glass I was using was not big enough for everything. After a sip down or two I was able to add more and it improved it as I thought it would. I am pleasantly surprised how well tequila and whiskey play together.

Once again, this would be a great summer drink. It takes a little time to construct it, but it is well worth the effort. Not sure if you could scale it up and make a giant batch, but I suppose you could, and then top with the bitters and ginger beer as needed. Just be careful. this is a deceptive drinker. It does not taste overly boozy, and goes down way too easy (phrasing).

(Banner image found here)