Blinker Cocktail
A couple weeks ago I talked about a new liquor out there called Infuse. They make vodka and whiskey, and because they’re under the Infuse moniker, both are infused with different flavors. While the vodka is infused with different fruits, the whiskeys are infused with… well whiskey. Or rather whiskey barrels.
See, after six months in oak barrels, Seth Benhaim and his Infuse crew transfer the distilled whiskey to steel tanks and add a variety of staves (the broken oak slats from previously used barrels) to infuse the whiskey and rye with its flavor. Each whiskey is a delicious blend of French Oak, Ex-Bourbon Casks and Sherry Casks, a blend Benhaim calls his “oak bill”. And while the original Infuse whiskeys and rye are splendid, Benhaim wasn’t content making just another craft whiskey or rye. He wanted to do something special with those broken barrels. So, he’s released a limited number of blended whiskeys under the Broken Barrel label. He’s calling it his Oak Series. There’s the Isle of Peat made from scotch staves, the Cask of Amontillado made with staves from sherry casks and finally the Mizunara made with staves from Mizunara whiskey.
Japanese whiskey is huge right now and Mizunara is one of the most popular. Mizunara is a Japanese whiskey aged in Mizunara oak barrels. That oak gives the whiskey a very distinct flavor which is why Benhaim chose it as one of his new oak series. It’s light and absolutely delicious with notes of vanilla and honey. I love how smooth this whiskey is. I’ve enjoyed it straight, on the rocks and in a cocktail. Drinking whiskey straight is very unusual for me, that’s more my husband’s M.O. I usually enjoy a good whiskey on the rocks or mixed into a cocktail. A cocktail just like this.
The Blinker dates back to the 30’s and is a wonderful mix of whiskey, grapefruit juice and grenadine. It’s light, sweet and a great way to usher in the fall. A drink like this demands a lighter whiskey. Something with sweeter notes that won’t overpower the citrus or grenadine, but rather blend into a mellow tipple. It’s not just the smooth Mizunara that makes this the perfect fall cocktail, though. The citrus and grenadine remind us that winter is coming and this whiskey cocktail is something that should be sipped by a crackling fire before, after or during dinner… you know, if you’re not in the mood to drink it straight.
Ingredients
- 1-1/2 ounces Broken Barrel Mizunara whiskey
- 2 ounces grapefruit juice
- 1/2 ounce grenadine
Instructions
- Pour all ingredients into a cocktail shaker. Add ice and shake vigorously until chilled. Double strain into a cocktail glass and serve.
