We were lucky enough to have The Bitter Truth send us a little care package of bitters and liqueurs to try out and review: A travel kit of bitters including Jerry Thomas, Aromatic, Creole, and Celery (sadly, the orange didn’t survive the trip from Germany, but if we had to lose one, at least it was the most common of the flavors!), and small bottles of their Violet, Apricot and Pimento Dram liqueurs.
Our friend Becky, Jen and I set them all out and gave everything a taste to see what we were working with, and overall, I’ve got to say we were pretty impressed. The Jerry Thomas bitters were spicy and woodsy, while the aromatic was in the same flavor neighborhood, but more subtle and complex. The creole bitters had some anise flavor to them, although in a milder way, almost like a mixture of red and black licorice. The celery bitters were in the same ballpark as other celery bitters we have tried, but less pungent and more savory with hints of citrus. The violet and apricot liqueurs were both really sweet and drinkable, but having bottles of Rothman & Winters in both of those flavors somewhat took the magic away. They were great, but not incredibly different from what we’ve tried. The Pimento Dram (the Caribbean use of pimento, meaning allspice rather than a pepper), on the other hand, was unlike anything that any of us had ever tasted. It had an intense, spicy flavor that struck all three of us similar to mulling spices; something that might go great with wine or cider.
It was that strong impression that made me want to try out the Pimento Dram in a cocktail, and I’ve got to say, it came out pretty damn well. Check it out after the break!
Vacation
1 oz Landy Cognac
1 oz Bitter Truth Pimento Dram
0.5 oz Strega
0.25 oz Honey Syrup
2 dashes Scrappy’s Cardamom Bitters
0.25 oz lemon juice
Shake well with ice and strain into a cocktail glass. Garnish with a lemon peel and serve up.
NOTES: First pass, I tried this without the lemon juice and it was good, but a little dry on account of the Pimento Dram. Jen suggested either cutting it back or adding lemon, and that really did the trick. It ended up being just a really smooth, spicy and complex drink that went down a bit faster and easier than it probably should have. If we can get our hands on a full-size bottle of the Dram, this one may find it’s way onto the menu at our next cocktail party.
Thanks to The Bitter Truth for letting us check out their products. You can find them at the-bitter-truth.com or Twitter at @YOURBITTERTRUTH
