Sharkbait’s Cocktail of the Week: Sorry For The Ear Worm

Holy damn what a week. I’ve been in certification training starting at 7a for the past two weeks. Today is thankfully the last day. My brain is fried, and I need a break. On top of that, I really need something strong this week. Keeping on the rum theme, because I’ve really been enjoying the Smith and Cross rum I picked up last week, so I wanted to feature it once again. I found a drink called the Careless Whisper that sounded right up my alley. Also, sorry (not sorry) for getting that sweet George Michael saxophone solo stuck in your heads.

Careless Whisper

Stir with ice:

1 oz Smith & Cross Traditional Jamaica Rum

1 oz Cocchi Vermouth di Torino ‘Storico’

1 oz Dolin Dry Vermouth de Chambéry

1 dash orange bitters

1 dash Angostura Bitters

Strain into a coupe.

variation on the Whisper, Savoy Cocktail Book

Definite aromas of the vermouths up front, faint, but theyre there. Not as much rum as I would have expected. But its still very pleasant.

Hoo boy this is strong, and also exactly what I needed this week. You start out with a hint of the rum, and then you’re met with a twin vermouth stack almost immediately. The sweet leads the way, with the dry undercutting it and making it well, slightly on the drier end. After a second or two, the rum really shines through and mellows out the vermouths. It’s a welcome flavor change from the slightly aggressive vermouth front. More of what I was expecting this drink to turn out to be. The unimpeded rum flavor ends up carrying the flavors the rest of the way of the sip. It isn’t a lot, but there is a little bit of linger on the palate after. Its actually not the worst. I kinda like it since I was looking for a strong rum drink, and this reenforces what I was hoping to get out of this. A quick side note here, as I’ve let this sit out (as I’ve not rushed it’s consumption) the longer it sits, the mellower the vermouths get. Which I find very odd, and somewhat surprising.

I’d absolutely make this again, but I think I can do better. I know I didn’t have the proper vermouths on hand. I think the extra dry swap is probably the closest to what the original intent was. I dont necessarily think the same of the sweet vermouth. It works here, but I think it would be better if it was what they called for. Not all sweet vermouths are as easy as a 1 to 1 swap, and this is perfectly illustrated here. It’s good. More than good actually, but I think it can be so much better with the proper tools. Quick! to the liquor store!

(Banner image courtesy Matthew Tetrault Photography)