Leatherneck Cocktail
2 oz. blended whiskey
3.4 oz. blue Curacao
1/2 oz. fresh lime juice
Shake in an iced cocktail shaker and strain into a
cocktail glass. Garnish with a lime wheel.
The Green Man
1 measure Irish whiskey
1/2 measure blue Curacao
1 measure fresh lemon juice
1 dash egg white
Shake all ingredients with a little ice until well
frosted. Pour into a medium-sized tumbler or glass and fill up with more
ice.
I normally stick to one recipe at a time, but
on this outing I'm compelled to do a two-fer. I was paging through Alex
Barker's 1001 Cocktails and a drink called the Green Man caught
my eye. The list of ingredients looked familiar, and I was wondering...hadn't
I seen this drink masquerading somewhere else under a different name?
Almost. I realized it bore a decent resemblance
to the Leatherneck Cocktail from Ted Haigh's Vintage Spirits and
Forgotten Cocktails. This obviously left me with only one course
of action: try 'em both in an old-fashioned taste test!
Up first was the Leatherneck. The first thing
I noticed was the spiffy green-with-a-bit-of-blue color. This is a drink
that would not look out of place being sipped by someone/something on an
episode of Star Trek.
The whiskey (I used Canadian Club) definitely
takes a back seat to the lime & Curacao. Despite this, the flavor still
comes through somewhat, and using the blended stuff here is a good move.
The milder tone of blended whiskey meshes better with the other two ingredients.
Something like Bourbon or rye would be a bit too sharp here.
Also, the Leatherneck has an almost "proto-tiki"
taste but still retains a classic cocktail character. A festive quality
is grounded in whiskey warmth, resulting in a great interplay between the
fruit flavors and the base spirit. Its got a short ingredient list and
simple preparation, but it's flirting with a tropical vibe. The best of
both worlds in many ways.
The Green Man also pours a nearly identical
blue-green color. The egg white adds the barest touch of froth, but if
you don't have any chicken fruit handy, don't worry...it won't be missed.
The whiskey (in this case Jameson's) is nearly
undetectable. The other ingredients eclipse it, with the lemon ending up
the dominant flavor...I'd reduce the amount of lemon juice a bit to balance
things out a bit more. However, left as it is, this would be a good recipe
for someone who doesn't like their drinks to come on too strong.
Overall, it's a matter of personal preference.
I'd recommend the Green Man for anyone who likes their drinks on the citrusy
side and not too boozy. That being said, it comes off a little lackluster
when compared to the Leatherneck, which definitely has more depth. But
I suggest trying them both for yourself.
And while you're at it, rent one of those
great 50's sci-fi flicks where our men in uniform go toe-to-toe with the
flying saucer jockeys. How can you say no to that kind of symmetry?
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