Feb6

The Castle Dip

Castle Dip

I was nearly 100% sure I would find this cocktail foul and evil. I’ve never eaten an apple with licorice before. But I imagine if I smashed the two together in my hand, this is what it would smell like.

I took a quick photo-snap of what happened to be on my table at the time. Think what you will …

Castle Dip

  • 1 1/2oz apple brandy (used Laird’s bonded)
  • 3/4oz creme de menthe (used Marie Brizard)
  • 1/4oz pastis (used Herbsaint)

Flavor

Somehow the herbal-goodness of the pastis referees a delicate joust between the apple brandy and the creme de menthe. Many wine reviews include the word “quaffable.” This cocktail fits such a description quite well. I look to my glass and find it mostly gone, ready to craft another. It has nice legs too. From the creme de menthe perhaps?

KP Questions

  1. What are your favorite recipes that use creme de menthe?
  2. Any better brands than Marie Brizard?

8 Responses to “The Castle Dip”

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8 Comments to “ The Castle Dip”
  1. This actually sounds quite tasty! And, believe it or not, your desk is still neater than mine!

  2. anitaNo Gravatar says:

    The only se for creme de menthe in our house is grasshopper pie: http://marriedwithdinner.com/2006/11/27/yes-grasshopper/

  3. OuroborosNo Gravatar says:

    That is an intimidating list of ingredients.
    And a beautiful desk.

  4. EricNo Gravatar says:

    I found the creme de menthe to be quite overpowering in this drink (then again, I was using cheap stuff). I tried 2oz Bonny Doon Calvadoon, 1oz Xtabentum (picked this up in Playa del Carmen last year and have been waiting to try this in something – if anyone knows any good drinks for this, let me know), and 0.25oz simple syrup, shaken. Quite tasty.

  5. SeamusNo Gravatar says:

    I haven’t been using much creme de menthe recently, but I think a stinger is always nice (though I tend to make them with bourbon or gin rather than cognac). Paul over at Cocktail Chronicles had a recipe for a stinger variation that called for bourbon and Branca Menta (but you could just do what I did and mix equal parts Fernet Branca and creme de menthe instead).

    As for brands. . . I think the Get series are nice. They make two distinct versions, green and white. The Get 27 is the green version – lower alcohol and sweeter. The Get 31 is their white creme de menthe, and is higher alcohol (I guess 31 degrees by volume versus 27), and has a different type of mint flavor. The Get 31 is an intense peppermint-candy-cane type flavor – almost the type of thing that would clear out a blocked nose. The Get 27 is more like like a slightly herbal mint tea – not to say it tastes like swamp water or anything, just that it has a softer taste. Maybe it’s like the difference between a creme de menthe (Get 27) and a peppermint schnaps (Get 31)?

    I can’t remember now who owns Get. I think they are run under one of the big liqueur companies – could even be Marie Brizard.

    I don’t think I have ever done a side by side comparison of Get and Marie Brizard. I did do Get versus Bols (the European version not the supposedly very nasty US one) and Get 27 came out way ahead of Bols creme de menthe.

  6. RickNo Gravatar says:

    Lady Amalthea, That’s actually my kitchen table :)

    Anita, Not a fan of creme de menthe? Do you have The Art of the Bar? If so, I’ll point you to a recipe in there that is quite nice.

    Ouroboros, An intimidating list indeed. What other cocktails have scary receipts yet are a joy to drink?

    Eric, I bet the creme de menthe was overpowering because of the calvados. Laird’s bonded is anything but mild.

    Seamus, I’ve never heard of the Get brand before; is it available in the states? Now you have me excited! Equal parts Fernet Branca and creme de menthe. I’ll be mixing up one of them right now.

  7. Dr. BambooNo Gravatar says:

    I want this. I just need to find a decent brand of creme de menthe (I don’t think my lone bottle of Jacquin’s will do this recipe justice ;-)

  8. ScomorokhNo Gravatar says:

    Hi!

    I use Peppermint Green (White) Liqueur by Bols. It is so good, but no more better then M.B. I see, you use the white liqueur.

    My favorite recipe with white creme de menthe is American Beauty (http://www.scienceofdrink.com/2007/11/15/american-beauty). It has unique taste and it contain Port.

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Kaiser Penguin is a cocktail blog featuring original recipes, homemade ingredients, classic cocktails, and tiki drinks.

Why on Earth did you name your blog “Kaiser Penguin?”

It is a well-known fact that penguins are members of high society and enjoy fine cocktails. Our very own kaiser penguin would like me to mention that he also enjoys various treats from the sea.

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