The Handmade Cocktail Company presents the first two cocktails from its nascent “Experimental Series Range”: Hanky Panky and Boulevardier. Since 2011 The Handmade Cocktail Company has produced a collection of classic cocktails that conveniently require little preparation to serve, with this latest range originating in February as part of a competition for Masters of Malt lovers to guess the ingredients of a “Secret Leap Year” cocktail. The winner of that competition gets to name the cocktail, which is then released by the Experimental Series. The most popular bottlings will continue being added to the collection over the next few months, and will permanently join the ever-expanding list of ready-to-drink cocktails. But don’t let the word cocktail fool you. This isn’t any “Skinny Girl Margarita” bullshit, it’s the real deal. As you could probably tell from our feature of their “No-Age Statement” whiskies a little bit ago, these master liquor makers don’t mess around as their new ready-made cocktails range from a stiff 30-32% alcohol percent. That’s enough to get your swerve on real quick.
Tasting notes & full view of “Experimental Series Range” cocktail bottles after the Jump…
Tasting Notes:
Hanky Panky 20cl – 31.9% – £13.95 (approx. $23 USD)
Nose: A warm aroma of mixed spice and barley sweets gives way to powerful herbal sweets and freshly stewed mincemeat.
Palate: The palate is sweet and syrupy with notes of barley sugar, dried oranges and a re-occurrence of herbal sweets off-set with a touch of menthol.
Finish: The finish has a pleasing bitter edge and lingering notes of allspice.
Overall: This is a cocktail that offers something greater than the sum of its parts. The herbal and menthol notes are refreshing whilst the bitterness on the palate is excellently balanced against any residual sugar.
Boulevardier 20cl – 30.4% – £14.95 (approx. $24 USD)
Nose: A big burst of sweet Bourbon with cranberries, glacé cherries and nutmeg.
Palate: The mouth-feel is soft with vanilla and goji berry flavors and a spiciness the tingles on the tip of the tongue.
Finish: The finish is perfectly dry and bitter with developing notes of stewed strawberries and raspberries.
Overall: The bigger Bourbon notes are brilliantly fused with red fruit flavors and herbal bitters to create this delicious cocktail.
[…] bottled by The Handmade Cocktail Company. We saw their first two ready-bottled beverages not too long ago, and now they’ve added four new twists on classic recipes that will have you on you’re […]