It’s here! It’s finally here! The unofficial start of Summer! Despite my love of hockey, I’m much more of a summer and beach person than cold winter sports. So, I’m definitely ready for the warmer weather and the longer days for sure. To celebrate, I’m trying a classic cocktail: The Fizz from the Waldorf Astoria Bar Book.

The Fizz is a great cocktail since  it is highly customizable. Most people know the Fizz as a ‘gin fizz’ since that is the classic recipe. However, changing the base liquor keeps it a fizz, but just changes the flavor to what you want. Originally was going to use gin for this, but at the last minute I decided to go with rye to just be different. Technically the rye fizz is called a ‘Murdock Fizz’. The book doesn’t specify where the name comes from, but oh well.

The instructions say to fine strain into a tumbler OR a Collins glass. I chose the tumbler (rocks glass in my case). Even though it didn’t say to, I added a large rock. I think it improves it aesthetically (looks like a fuller drink compared to the glass size) as well as it will keep it cold. Maybe at the expense of the chilled soda water, but that’s a risk I’m willing to take.

Fizz

1.5 oz. Chilled club soda

2 oz. Beefeater London dry gin or Tanqueray Old Tom gin (Or for the Murdock Fizz, use rye)

1 oz. Fresh lemon juice

.75 oz. Simple Syrup

Add chilled club soda to small Collins glass or tumbler. Add remaining ingredients to a mixing glass. Add ice and shake well. Fine strain into small Collins glass. No garnish.

The nose here is almost all lemon. I get some rye in there, but not much. Right off the bat you know there’s gonna be some strong lemon flavors at work here.

The sip is rather interesting. It is light, lemony (as expected) slightly sweet and ever so slightly boozy. The lemon and the club soda hit your taste buds first. Which means the drink starts out bright and bubbly, a rather welcome and pleasant start. Then after a second comes the more sour lemon notes cutting through the flavorless water. The simple syrup addition really helps keep the lemon from completely taking over at this point, turning the bright fizziness of the drink into a sweet and sour bubbler on the palate. This is the point where the rye starts to shine through. I get the distinct whiskey notes, but not the “spice” that a rye whiskey usually brings to the party. I think that subtle flavor is lost in the complex flavors going on. No matter, I still like what it brings to the table here.

The end is a nice blend of all the flavors together, It finishes well, and doesn’t leave a palate coating or any kind of aftertaste whatsoever. Which makes the Murdock version of a fizz a really good candidate for drink of the summer this year. I should really track that and see what I end up making the most of this summer…

(Banner image courtesy Matthew Tetrault Photography)