Bentley Old Fashioned

Bentley Old Fashioned - a chocolatey warm twist on a classic - a spirit forward favorite that everyone will cheers to!

Day Four of Whiskey Week!

Anyone else wanting me to extend this, even by a few days? I will see what I can do - I may have a couple more spirited recipes I can share.

Today, I have a deliciously warming cocktail, the Bentley Old Fashioned. I also want to share with you the book this recipe came from - a book that any whiskey aficionado would love!

Whiskey Week is the perfect time to share with you a great gift of a book, The North American Whiskey Guide From Behind The Bar : Real Bartenders' Reviews of More Than 250 Whiskeys.

Who better than a bartender to know the ins and outs of all kinds of whiskeys? This is a true insiders guide, indeed:

Chad Berkey is the general manager of The Aero Club Bar in San Diego, which features over 800 different kinds of whiskey. Aero Club was named one of America's Top Bars by Maxim and was featured in the New York Times 36 Hours in San Diego.

Jeremy LeBlanc is the senior bartender and head mixologist at ALTITUDE Sky Lounge, also in San Diego. Condé Nast names Altitude among the top ten rooftop bars in the world.

Jason is the resident whiskey wiz in this house - he has an affinity for the old scotches and wants to visit Southwest Scotland someday - Islay is the county where many of his favorites come from (the campfire variety I mentioned the other day). I am still very much in the learning phase. We both love this book - it really is great for all levels of whiskey wisdom, and it is available this coming Tuesday, December 9th.

The reviews themselves are detailed - including interesting summaries, fun facts, origin, barrel type, proof and percentage, and comments from the bartender. The reviews are grouped by type - bourbon, Tennessee, rye, Canadian, blended, wheats, malts, and more.

In addition to the more than 250 reviews, there are 30 recipes with full color photos, a whiskey and cigar pairing chart, and the really fun part - The North American Whiskey Drinkers Bucket List. This is a checklist of their favorites - the stand outs, the limited editions, the anniversary releases.

I consider this list a personal challenge.

Bentley Old Fashioned

YIELD: one cocktail

INGREDIENTS:

2 oz (60 ml) Breaking and Entering Bourbon
2 dashes chocolate bitters
½ oz (15 g) orgeat syrup
ice
70% dark chocolate, for garnish

INSTRUCTIONS:

In a bucket glass, add the bourbon, bitters and syrup. Then, add a large cube or ball of ice, stir well and garnish with shaved dark chocolate over the top.

Challenge accepted.

by Chad Berkey and Jeremy LeBlanc - recipe printed with permission of Page St. Publishing