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Tuesday, March 16th, 2010
Double Shot From Hell
2 1/2 oz. 1800 Tequila
1 oz. Absolut Mandrin vodka
1 oz. Bombay Sapphire gin
Add all three of the ingredients into a cocktail shaker with ice. Shake moderately and strain into a double-shot glass. Serve. Enjoy ! {Discover additional trick within review for an added treat}.
This was a shot recipe brought in today by that guy on the taste panel that thinks he’s funny all of the time. When he’s really not. Not at all.
No, not me jackass.
The guy we had to suspend for part of a week for causing a disturbance with his bad comedy ? And then being heavily involved in a recipe that was very close to one we had sampled before ? You know….that guy. The one that office lackey Keith filled in for very admirably over the rest of that week and almost stole his spot on the panel ? Yes…..that guy.
Well today he brought in a very interesting recipe in an effort to redeem himself. This is a double shot ( 4 1/2 oz. ) that seems to want to get your attention. It’s called the Double Shot From Hell. It calls for three pretty creative ingredients to throw together. It starts off with 2 1/2 oz. of Tequila 1800……..although we are going to suggest that you can use any of your favorite tequila brands (Patron, Sauza, Cuervo, Cazadores, or something else really lip smacking). But it starts off with a good helping of some good tequila.
Then we get really creative and add in some Absolut Mandrin vodka–which is one of the flavors offered by Absolut that we have not yet tried in any of our 100+ recipes. Do not deviate on this ingredient. Go with the offering by Absolut. Your bar stock should have at least two or three different flavors from the Absolut family. We recommend Kurant, Peppar, Citron, and Mandrin here at ShareMyShot.com
So you have your fine-ass tequila. You have your top-notch Absolut vodka. And we need one more thing.
The final ingredient is another label that we have not previously called upon in prior recipes. You add in some Bombay Sapphire gin. This is a product offered by the tentacles of Bacardi that has a unique flavor influenced by ten different ingredients including almond, juniper berries, and angelica. You can get a bottle for around $23–30 at a good liquor store.
So there we have it. A very creative and interesting trifecta of flavors in a double shot throwdown.
The taste panel absolutely loved this shot. And it was even more appreciated with a little trick we threw in. Most of the panel liked the shot more when we seasoned the rim of the shot glass. We tried it with both salt ( for the tequila element ) and with sugar ( for the mandarin vodka element ). And both times, the panel liked the shot better than with the unseasoned, plain shot glass.
But the taste of the shot was a terrific blend of the vodka and the gin. We could see why the tequila is doubled as compared to the other ingredients; to maintain some sort of recognition in this taste explosion. And you can still taste the tequila….don’t get me wrong. But the multiple flavors of the gin blend together perfectly with the subtle mandarin flavor of the Absolut vodka. And then there’s the wisp of the tequila.
ShareMyShot.com gives this double shot of flavor a 5 on our scale of 5. The panel all had four shots (one plain, one with sugar on the shot glass, one with salt, and then the drinker’s favorite). The shot was creative in nature. It utilized some tasty, creative ingredients. And it certainly packs a punch. A double shot at a time. Very, very good.
Someone actually said it should be named the Double Shot From Heaven.
Cheers !!
Posted in 5 Star Shots, Absolut, Absolut Mandrin, Absolut flavored vodkas, Bombay Sapphire gin, Cazadores tequila, Jose Cuervo gold, Patron, Patron Silver tequila, Sauza tequila, Tequila 1800, flavored gin, flavored vodka, gin, mandarin vodka, specialty shot glasses, tequila, vodka | No Responses »
Thursday, March 11th, 2010
Happy Birthday Motherf*cker
1/2 oz. Absolut Citron vodka
1/2 oz. Tanqueray gin
1/2 oz. DeKuyper Raspberry Pucker schnapps
1/2 oz. triple sec
1/2 oz. Mr and Mrs T sweet and sour mix
1/2 oz. Minute Maid orange juice
1/2 oz. Bacardi O rum
Add all of the ingredients into a cocktail shaker half-filled with ice cubes. Shake well. Strain into a double shot glass. Serve. Enjoy !
Today the panel was all set with the recipe they wanted to share today. Apparently they set it up over the last few days so that we would have all of the ingredients ready and the only thing to do would be to prepare the shots and drink ‘em. Sometimes we’ll spend 20-25 minutes just deciding what shot to sample. But today the group was insistent that Happy Birthday Motherf*ucker would be the shot we’d drink.
In honor of me, it would seem. Today is my 40th birthday.
My liver thinks it’s our 65th. Dumb liver.
So today we have a rather elaborate recipe to share with you in honor of my parents’ successful coupling a mere 40 years (and nine months) ago. Happy Birthday Motherf*cker employs flavored varieties of vodka and rum with some tasty Raspberry Pucker schnapps thrown in for good measure. Some additional sweetners in the form of sweet and sour mix, triple sec, and orange juice make this close to a tropical drink/shooter. And those often taste pretty damn good.
Obviously you don’t have to use Minute Maid orange juice if your family drinks Tropicana or a store brand. Just use what you have in the ‘fridge. Same goes for whatever triple sec, and sweet and sour mix you use. Go with whatever is in your bar stock.
But you do want to go with the specific vodka blend and flavored rum that is called for. Both Absolut and Bacardi are well respected distillers who take great pride in their flavored products. And not every other vodka and rum producers offer the flavors called for here (citrus and orange). So stick to the recipe on those ingredients. As well as the Tanqueray.
The shot tasted awesome ! Happy birthday to me ! All but one panel member agreed that it tasted fantastic except one. And even that member agreed it was very favorable. He just prefers his shots a little less fruity and sweet. He’s more of a whiskey-based shot man. But he certainly acknowledged the merits of Happy Birthday Motherf*cker.
The raspberry and the orange elements blended together nicely and the Tanqueray didn’t get completely blotted out. There was still a wisp of the flavor that is so unique to the classy Tanqueray. The shot was sweet and fruity. But not in any way so dominating as to turn off the drinker. It is a shot for a hot day. Ladies will like its taste.
And as the panel found out by surpassing the company policy of 4 rounds (by just a few) in honor of my birthday, the shot does creep up on you. There are enough high quality ingredients to announce their presence.
ShareMyShot.com gives the Happy Birthday Motherf*cker a 5 on a scale of 5. It is creative with a lot of ingredients trying to steal the show. But they all play together nicely and deliver a smooth, refreshing flavor. And then there’s the punch it eventually will deliver. Use some sense drinking these.
So thank you to my taste panel compadres and everyone at ShareMyShot for a delicious birthday surprise.
Cheers !!
Posted in 5 Star Shots, Absolut Citron, Absolut flavored vodkas, Bacardi O, Bacardi orange rum, Baja Bob's Sweet and Sour Mix, Caribbean, Cointreau Triple Sec, DeKuyper Raspberry Pucker, DeKuyper Triple Sec, Minute Maid orange juice, Mr and Mrs T Sweet and Sour Mix, Raspberry Pucker, Sweet and Sour Mix, Tanqueray, Triple Sec, Tropicana orange juice, citrus rum, comfort shots, flavored rum, flavored schnapps, flavored vodka, fruit juices, gin, orange juice, raspberry schnapps, rum, schnapps, tropical fruit shots, vodka | 1 Response »
Monday, March 8th, 2010
Cluster Fuck
1/2 oz. Jack Daniels Tennessee whiskey
1/2 oz. Wild Turkey Kentucky bourbon whiskey
1/2 oz. 1800 Tequila
1/2 oz. Bacardi light rum
1/2 oz. Skyy vodka
1/2 oz. DeKuyper butterscotch schnapps
1 oz. 99 Apples schnapps
Pour the Tennessee whiskey, the Kentucky bourbon, the tequila, the rum, and the vodka into a cocktail shaker half-filled with ice cubes. Shake well, and strain into a double shot glass. Add the butterscotch and the apple schnapps in at the end. Serve. Enjoy !
Perhaps another name for today’s recipe could have been The Kitchen Sink. Because obviously, this shooter has everything in it but the damn kitchen sink. But instead, this seven ingredient poison party is known as Cluster Fuck.
Now I’ve been familair with this term for some time….often I hear people throw a ” Mongolian ” at the front of it. For instance, when you are talking to a friend at the bar and you ask, ” Say, how did that huge project turn out at work ? ”
And their reply is, ” Oh Christ !! It was a Mongolian Cluster Fuck ! ”
Or sometimes some of the guys I watch football with on Sunday may throw this term out. Such as after the Chicago Bears fail to score a touchdown after having a first down on the one yard line. Inevitably, someone says, ” Well that was the usual cluster fuck by the Bears ! ”
But today, we hope that the Cluster Fuck is more of a friendly beast. It seems friendly enough—-what with the wide array of ingredients including a couple of tasty contributors like Jack Daniels and 1800 Tequila. Then there seems to be a couple of tamer schnapps thrown in on top to temper the potency of the prior ingredients. And thankfully for once, neither of them are peach schnapps !
So we have an eclectic collection of powerful libations finished off with a butterscotch / apple topping to it. I’m game !
The shot was interesting to say the least. And perhaps the funny thing is that the panel was almost duped into trying four rounds of this powerful punch in an effort to identify which tastes stood out and which ones were muted. And after four rounds of a double shot glass of Cluster Fucks, well……..you really do start to feel it.
Some really felt that you could taste the schnapps more than anything else with that element laying on top of the whole shot. And of the schnapps, the apple seemed to be most prominent. Perhaps it should be that way as there was twice as much apple schnapps versus any other ingredient. And it was on the top. Others on the panel felt that the whiskeys were at the forefront more than the other libations. The vodka and the rum seemed to be the most muted of the ingredients. And one panel member strongly felt that the tequila was the most recognizable. So there was a variety of opinions on what flavor was the most potent. And all agreed that the shot was mighty strong.
What prevented the shot from earning a really high mark on our scale was the overall taste. It wasn’t bad as some of the shots with so many components can be. But it wasn’t a lip smacking blend the way some fruity liqueurs work well together to make more of a tropical shot. Or how fruit juices like orange juice or cranberry juice can work well with vodka or rum. This shot struggled to define a true taste identity.
The Cluster Fuck was indeed a true cluster fuck.
And as a result, ShareMyShot gave it a 3 on our a scale of 5.
Cheers !!
Posted in 3 Star Shots, 99 Apples schnapps, Absolut, Apple Pucker, Bacardi white/light rum, DeKuyper Butterscotch Liqueur, DeKuyper Sour Apple Pucker, Evan Williams whiskey, Grey Goose Vodka, Hiram Walker Butterscotch schnapps, Hiram Walker schnapps, Jack Daniels, Jim Beam, Jose Cuervo gold, Ketel One vodka, Knob Creek, Patron, Patron Silver tequila, Popov vodka, Sauza tequila, Skyy vodka, Smirnoff's vodka, Stolichnaya vodka, Tequila 1800, Thor's Hammer Vodka, Wild Turkey, apple schnapps, butterscotch schnapps, flavored schnapps, rum, schnapps, tequila, vodka, whiskey | 1 Response »
Wednesday, February 24th, 2010
Love Potion
1 oz. Absolut vodka
1 oz. Amaretto almond liqueur
1 oz. 99 Peaches schnapps
1 oz. Tropicana orange juice (no pulp)
1 oz. cranberry juice
Pour all of the ingredients into a shaker with ice. Shake well and serve on the rocks (or without ice in a double shot glass). Enjoy !
If you read yesterday’s column, then you know that today’s recipe was submitted by Keith, whom we usually refer to as the office lackey. However, he is a lackey no more. Today and for the rest of the week, he is a full-fledged member of the taste team panel.
We had told him to do a little research and select what he really believed to be a tasty shot for us to try. And we made it clear he was to be absolutely certain that it was not a shot we have already sampled or reviewed. So what does this promising young kid do? He brings in three different recipes just to be safe and said he thought this one was a shooter that ” both the women and the guys might like “.
I think he’s aiming for a full-time spot on our panel.
So today, courtesy of Keith, we’d like to share the Love Potion shot with you.
The vodka and orange juice combination is a quite natural pair (screwdriver). And none of us thought factoring in a little cranberry juice would exactly hurt anything. So the interesting part would be seeing how the amaretto and the peach schnapps blended in. You can feel free to substitute your favorite brand of vodka for this drink. We used both Absolut and Skyy labels and they both worked well within the recipe.
Now one thing we do want to point out is that not only does the recipe call for shaking the ingredients in a shaker with ice, but it also suggests that you serve it in a glass on the rocks. The insinuation being a hi-ball glass or something similar. We did not do that. The orange juice and the cranberry juice were already cold as obviously we keep them refrigerated. And upon shaking all of the ingredients with ice in a shaker, we didn’t feel the need to then also serve it on the rocks. We taste test shots at ShareMyShot….not cocktails exactly. So we just poured the concoction into double shot glasses and it was chilled enough for our palates.
The Love Potion provided for some lively discussion by the panel. Ironically enough, Keith wasn’t a huge fan of the shot, although he didn’t make any faces or think it outright sucked. But the rest of us seemed to enjoy it more than he did. This may be because we have tasted a shot that combined Absolut, amaretto, and orange juice before in a shot called the Dirty Diaper. That is not to say that this was a duplicate recipe, though. There were additional ingredients in the Dirty Diaper such as Midori melon liqueur and Chambord raspberry liqueur. So this was definately something different.
The Dirty Diaper earned a 4 out of 5 from our panel, so we obviously thought the flavor combination tasted good. However, this shot didn’t have quite the exotic fruit flavor. A few of us aren’t huge fans of peach schnapps and having that in the mix versus Chambord raspberry liqueur might have been the difference maker. As strange as it may sound, the Love Potion just wasn’t quite as good as the Dirty Diaper.
It’s kind of funny to even find myself typing that.
But we gave the Love Potion a 3 on a scale of 5. It was still decent tasting and somewhat creative. It doesn’t pack that much of a punch. So we thought that since it wasn’t quite on a level with the Dirty Diaper, it deserved a solid 3 on our scale.
Thanks for doing a good job on your homework Keith, and maybe tomorrow we’ll find a recipe more to your liking.
Cheers !!
Posted in 3 Star Shots, 99 Peaches schnapps, Absolut, Amaretto almond liqueur, Caribbean, DeKuyper peach schnapps, Grey Goose Vodka, Hiram Walker peach schnapps, Hiram Walker schnapps, Ketel One vodka, Popov vodka, Skyy vodka, Smirnoff's vodka, Southern Comfort peach liqueur, Stolichnaya vodka, Tropicana orange juice, comfort shots, cranberry juice, flavored liqueurs, flavored schnapps, fruit juices, liqueurs, orange juice, peach schnapps, schnapps, tropical fruit shots, vodka | No Responses »
Tuesday, February 16th, 2010
Tarheel Shot
1 oz. Smirnoff Vanilla Twist vodka
1 oz. Godiva white chocolate liqueur
1/2 oz. Blue Curacao liqueur
Shake the first two ingredients in a cocktail mixer with ice. Strain into a shot glass. Add the Blue Curacao slowly until the appropriate color blue (North Carolina Tarheel blue) is obtained.
Today’s shot was brought in by one of the women on our panel that I’ve always gotten along with pretty well. Besides the obvious common interest we share of enjoying the pleasure in throwing down shots, she is a graduate of the University of North Carolina.
I’ve always been a huge Tarheels basketball fan since I was an adolescent. And I didn’t just hop on in 1983 when Michael Jordan was there. I had already been a fan a few years earlier when the likes of James Worthy and Sam Perkins hit the scene. And to me, Dean Smith is the best college coach ever. Of course, Jordan enhanced the program even more. But the stars just never stopped coming….Brad Daugherty, J.R. Reid, Rasheed Wallace, Jerry Stackhouse, Vince Carter, and most recently Tyler Hansbrough.
It never ends out there in Chapel Hill. They just keep winning.
Except this year, the Heels are only 14-11. Katie (the girl on our taste test panel) and I have been suffering. But when one is suffering, there’s always downing a few shots to drown your sorrows. So today Katie brought in her recipe for the Tarheel shot. And after a few groans from some of the other panel members who have grown tired of our North Carolina banter, the mood swung around when she gave us the ingredients.
The shot is a nice combination of vanilla vodka and a high quality white chocolate liqueur that we have used previously—-Godiva. Actually, we have used Godiva’s chocolate liqueur in the past. Their white chocolate liqueur is outstanding as well. It is exceptionally rich, silky smooth, creamy, and delicious.
The blue curacao is chiefly used to shade the shot into a light blue color that is the trademark of North Carolina sports teams. If you are a fan, the motto is that you “bleed blue”.
Which Katie and I do.
The shot itself was delicious and we may have even earned a few converts to the Tarheels. The vanilla vodka meshed beautifully with the white chocolate liqueur to make a creamy concoction that tasted like a little piece of white chocolate candy bar that you let dissolve on your tongue. However, it wasn’t so thick that it tasted like melted ice cream or anything. The thinness of the vodka prevents that from happening.
You have to carefully add the blue curacao so as not to make the drink too blue. It isn’t supposed to be a dark shade; it is closer to “sky blue”. Maybe just a tiny little bit more blue than that….but not much. So this is why you should add that last ingredient after you have poured the vodka and white chocolate liqueur into the shot glass.
ShareMyShot gives this first team All American, NCAA champion of shots a 4 on a scale of 5. The creativity and unique appearance of the shot were there. The taste was awesome. The only thing missing from a perfect score was the power behind the shot. It would likely take several of these to ring your bell. But I could see myself doing several when the Tarheels win their next NCAA Tournament crown.
Perhaps the greatest part of today’s taste session was watching another panel member reluctantly acknowledge how good this shooter was.
He graduated from Duke University. And if you know anything about college basketball rivalries, you know how painful and difficult that was for him.
Cheers !!
Posted in 4 Star Shots, Blue Curacao liqueur, Godiva Chocolate Cream Liqueur, Godiva White Chocolate cream liqueur, Lady Godiva chocolate liqueur, Marie Brizard Creme de Cacao White, Potters Creme de Cacao White, Smirnoff Vanilla Twist vodka, Smirnoff's vodka, chocolate cream liqueur, comfort shots, dessert shots, flavored liqueurs, flavored vodka, liqueurs, vodka | No Responses »
Monday, February 15th, 2010
Oompa Loompa
1 oz. Bacardi Razz rum
1 oz. Stoli Razberi vodka
Pour the Bacardi Razz raspberry-flavored rum and the Stoli Razberi raspberry-flavored vodka into a large shot glass in equal parts. Enjoy !
After a short hiatus wherein the generous ownership group of the ShareMyShot corporation sent the staff of its handful of websites out to Las Vegas for the Super Bowl, we are back and ready to share more unique and delicious shot recipes. Before I get down to today’s shooter, I do want to thank the owner of the company and our Vice President for giving the staff such a wonderful experience when times are so tough. While in Vegas for the big game, we were able to do a lot of research and picked up a number of recipes from some of the club bartenders that we will be posting in the weeks to come.
Today’s shot is not one we picked up on in Vegas. But it does have a Las Vegas connection. There’s a rather infamous picture of me from about five years ago when I was standing on Fremont street in the older part of Vegas under the incredible canopy of colored lights. I have one of those football-sized beers in my hand (literally served in a full-size plastic football) and I’m obviously standing under a stretch of red lighting. Although I was not sun-burned in the least, my skin looks worse than John Candy’s burn in the movie Summer Rental.
I literally looked like I spent 24 hours in a tanning bed. My girlfriend and my best buddy give me shit to this day that I looked like an Oompa Loompa from Charlie and the Chocolate Factory. To this day, whenever we are all hanging out together, they will both inevitably bring up the picture and start chanting the damn song……” Oompa, Loompa, doompadee doo. Oompa, Loompa, I’ve got another puzzle for you! “
Drives me nuts. Although I do admit I look pretty damn red in the picture.
Anyway, today’s shot is indeed an Oompa Loompa and it too is red in hue. It is a somewhat basic combination of two libations and you should not deviate from them. They are specific to getting the proper taste and color of a true Oompa Loompa. One ingredient is Bacardi Razz rum and the other is Stoli Razberi vodka. We have posted recipes utilizing both of these components in the past. They just weren’t combined together.
If you like raspberry flavor—-which personally I do—-then you will likely find this shooter to be a nice treat. The vodka and the rum work well together and there is a distinct raspberry jolt that makes it go down nice and smooth. A shot like this is hard-pressed to earn our highest marks because of its simplicity and small number of ingredients. But ShareMyShot does give it as high of a rating as we thought possible in rewarding it a 3 on a scale of 5.
There was a lot of discussion of giving the shot a 4, but with just the two ingredients we concluded that a 3 was as high as we could go. It would also take a good five or six rounds of this fruity shooter to rev your engines. So that was the deciding factor in sticking with a rating of 3.
Still, it is a shot that would make Willy Wonka and his whole team of Oompa Loompas proud. It is sweet in nature and very flavorful. A great shot for a group of friends out having fun that aren’t trying to prove their manhood or put hair on their chests.
Perhaps the only bad part of this shot is that now I’m gonna have that damn song in my head the rest of the day.
Cheers !!
Posted in 3 Star Shots, Bacardi Razz rum, Stoli Razberi vodka, berry flavored shots, comfort shots, dessert shots, flavored rum, flavored vodka, rum, vodka | No Responses »
Monday, January 25th, 2010
Cowboy Up
1 oz. Crown Royal Canadian whisky
1/2 oz. Absolut Peppar vodka
3/4 oz. Firewater cinnamon schnapps
3/4 oz. DeKuyper vanilla schnapps
1 oz. Hpnotiq liqueur
Shake ingredients in a cocktail shaker with ice. Strain into large shot glass. Enjoy !
I was turned on to this recipe by a friend of mine over the weekend. While not currently behind a bar, he has done some bartending in the past. But we were watching a stand-up routine by Arte Lange; the comedian who has been a regular on the Howard Stern radio show. He was doing a bit on the movie Brokeback Mountain about a couple of gay cowboys. And his punch line was that ” Heath Ledger and Jake Gyllenhal are NOT gay cowboys. “
” Tony Romo……now there’s a gay Cowboy ! ”
As avid football fans who hate the Dallas Cowboys, the joke drew a chuckle from me and my friend. And a few minutes later, he asked if I had ever tried the Cowboy Up shot ? I replied that I hadn’t, but was perfectly willing to try. Unfortunately, he didn’t have any Hpnotiq in his house. Nor Absolut Peppar. Nor DeKuyper vanilla schnapps.
Hey ! I said he was an avid football fan and an out-of-work bartender…….not a liqueur connoisseur ! He did have some Crown Royal on-hand, so we settled for a couple of those on the rocks.
But I brought the recipe into the office and the team was totally up for giving the recipe a sampling. We didn’t have any Hpnotiq on-hand either. It is a rather expensive liqueur. So we sent office lackey Keith down to the liquor store once again to procure a bottle of this fine libation. Hpnotiq is a liqueur made from vodka, cognac, and tropical fruit juices. It has only been around for about 9 or 10 years. But it is a very fine tasting drink and quite popular on the club scene.
The rest of the ingredients were in the corporate liquor cabinet, so with the addition of the fresh bottle of Hpnotiq, we were ready to Cowboy Up. We had the part-time bartender that performs other duties here at ShareMyShot mix the shooters for us. The drink has a nice combination of fixings and we wanted to make sure it was prepared correctly. The shot sounded like it had a lot of potential.
The taste team’s opinions on the shot were rather divided. I thought it was pretty good overall, but I could definately see the point that others made that the shooter was just a bit too busy. It was hard to distinguish a number of the ingredients. The cinnamon schnapps was noticeable as was the Hpnotiq. But the vodka and even the Royal Crown elements were a bit muted. And there was the slightest suggestion of the vanilla schnapps, but it took two or three rounds to conclude we did indeed taste a trace of that component.
ShareMyShot gives this rootin’ tootin’ shooter a 3 on a scale of 5. It did pack a punch after we sampled four rounds. Any more and we would have reached a higher “buzz” plateau. And it is a creative and eclectic array of ingredients. But overall, it didn’t quite measure up to the more delicious and elite shots we have awarded higher grades to. As more than one team member said, ” It’s not bad at all. But it’s just too busy. I can’t really tell what part I like and what part I’m not even tasting. “
So if you have a bottle of Hpnotiq behind the bar, feel free to rustle up one of these shots. But if you don’t, just settle for a Crown Royal on the rocks.
Cheers !!
Posted in 3 Star Shots, Absolut, Absolut Peppar, Absolut flavored vodkas, Aftershock cinnamon schnapps, Canadian whisky, Crown Royal, DeKuyper vanilla schnapps, Firewater cinnamon schnapps, Hpnotiq, cinnamon schnapps, flavored liqueurs, flavored schnapps, liqueurs, schnapps, vanilla schnapps, vodka, whiskey | No Responses »
Wednesday, January 20th, 2010
Coup de Gras (or Coup de Grace)
1 oz. Skyy vodka
1 oz. White Godiva chocolate cream liqueur
1 oz. Dr McGillicuddy’s peppermint schnapps
Pour all three ingredients into a cocktail shaker with ice and give it a few gentle shakes. Just enough to create the slightest froth. Pour it in the shot glass. Enjoy !
The exact translation of the term coup de grace is ” blow of mercy “. It specifically means delivering a death blow intended to end the suffering of a wounded animal or creature. However the phrase can extend to include friends or enemies (as in battle)—given with or without their permission. In more everyday language, it is often used figuratively to describe the last of a series of events; to bring about the end of something. Some cooks refer to adding the final ingredient of a delicious dish as the coup de grace. Or a waiter may use the phrase in reciting a meal of many courses. But the real definition is to carry out the blow of mercy to put something or someone out of their misery.
Pretty serious shit, huh?
So when we heard about this recipe and the origin of the phrase from research and development, a couple of taste team members squirmed in their seats a little bit. Then we were told the ingredients.
Reluctance and fear soon turned to anticipation and thirst. This Coup de Grace sounded pretty damn good !
The combination of chocolate liqueur and peppermint schnapps conjured up visions of a spoonful of chocolate mint ice cream or a candy bar. And the vodka didn’t sound intimidating; it sounded like the power punch complementing the dessert imagery.
Before we get to the taste and the grade this shooter earned, let’s quickly address the ingredients. There is only one deviation we will approve of when it comes to both the chocolate liqueur and the peppermint schnapps. You want the chocolate liqueur to be creamy and top shelf. White Godiva is an outstanding brand and you should try and stick with that label. However, we have used Vermeer Dutch Chocolate Cream liqueur in prior recipes and that is also a terrific brand. So if you have Vermeer behind your bar already and don’t want to buy a special bottle of White Godiva, then we approve of it as a suitable substitute. But if you have neither and need to buy one or the other, then purchase the White Godiva per the recipe.
And when it comes to the peppermint schnapps, the only substitute for Dr McGillicuddy’s that earns our approval is Rumple Minze. You want the peppermint schnapps to be powerful in both its taste and its kick. Don’t go with a cheap peppermint schnapps on this one.
Finally, you can use any really good vodka that you like. Go with Skyy, Absolut, Ketel One, Thor’s Hammer, or Grey Goose. Any of those labels will suffice here.
The shot was magnificent. The taste team loved it and had 5 rounds before we pushed ourselves away from the table. The combination of a strong peppermint schnapps and the chocolate cream liqueur was as good as anticipated. The vodka and the schnapps combined to pack enough of a wallop to give us a slight buzz after the fifth round. Which is why we called it quits there. We’re a taste test team doing scientific research….not trying to get shit faced.
ShareMyShot gives this mercyful shooter a 5 on a scale of 5. It had a chilled creaminess that almost resembled a York Peppermint Patty. It combined a few delicous ingredients and could qualify as a dessert shot. But it still had enough of a kick to earn our highest mark.
If this is a “mercy blow” designed to put me out of my misery, well then thank you sir…..may I have another?
Cheers !!
Posted in 5 Star Shots, Absolut, Dr McGillicuddys peppermint schnapps, Godiva Chocolate Cream Liqueur, Grey Goose Vodka, Ketel One vodka, Lady Godiva chocolate liqueur, Rumple Minze, Skyy vodka, Thor's Hammer Vodka, Vermeer Dutch Chocolate Cream Liqueur, chocolate cream liqueur, comfort shots, dessert shots, flavored liqueurs, flavored schnapps, liqueurs, peppermint schnapps, schnapps, vodka | No Responses »
Wednesday, January 13th, 2010
Spank the Monkey
3/4 oz. 99 Bananas schnapps
3/4 oz. Smirnoff Vanilla Twist vodka
1/2 oz. Bacardi 151 rum
In a double shot glass, pour the 99 Bananas schnapps with the Smirnoff Vanilla Twist. Top off with the Bacardi. If your shot glass is clear, the shooter will actually look banana-yellow in color. Toss it down and enjoy !
When this shot was first suggested by one of the guys on the taste team, one of the women thought it was a follow-up to yesterday’s recipe for the Tiger Tail. And it wasn’t even because it mentions another member of the animal kingdom. She wondered if this is what Tiger Woods is resorting to since he won’t be getting much more Tiger Tail. But we do believe it is named because of the banana taste and the color involved. Thus, we proudly bring to you the Spank the Monkey !
The recipe calls for 99 Bananas schnapps which is a very good brand produced by Barton. This is a breezy, premium banana flavored schnapps that is actually 99 proof. So more than most banana schnapps or liqueurs, this label will have you swinging from the vines. Or at least prompt someone to run around with the lampshade on their head. If you really had to, you could go with another banana liqueur like Marie Brizard’s Creme de Banana. But we do strongly discourage it. The creme de banana liqueurs are definately a different animal than 99 Bananas schnapps. Pardon the pun.
The drink really demands the 99 proof schnapps. Combined with the Bacardi 151 rum, the shooter is meant to really give you a zing. And we haven’t even mentioned the vodka component yet. You don’t want to deviate from the Smirnoff Vanilla Twist either. These ingredients specified in the recipe are meant to do three things: 1) Provide a shot with a slight aesthetic value wherein the color is very close to a yellow banana (2) Provide a rare and very special flavor combination and (3) Provide a shot that if you drink enough of these deceptive jungle drinks, they’ll knock you on your ass.
We didn’t call on Bartender Tony to mix this one for us. The directions aren’t very hard. You do want the Bacardi to go in the glass last. But it’s not like there’s some delicate layering going on here. The overall blend of these three ingredients should result in a banana colored yellow appearance.
There’s no other way to say it but this shooter was scrumptious. The taste team literally went ape shit over it. We had about 5 rounds and the promised kick really came thru. The taste was very smooth….no harshness. The flavors melded together into one delectable delicacy. No one component dominated the other except for the fact that it is a banana themed drink. The vodka and the rum let the banana schnapps have center stage. But it wasn’t so banana-y that it tasted weak or strictly for the ladies.
ShareMyShot gives this jungle juice a 5 on a scale of 5. It had the creative aspect, the knockout punch that is often missing from tasty shots, and a nice combination of respectable ingredients.
If Tiger Woods is indeed no longer getting any Tiger Tail, then he really should consider turning to Spank the Monkey.
Cheers !!
Posted in 5 Star Shots, 99 Bananas schnapps, Bacardi 151, Marie Brizard Creme de Banana, Smirnoff Vanilla Twist vodka, Smirnoff's vodka, banana liqueur, banana schnapps, comfort shots, flavored schnapps, rum, schnapps, vodka | No Responses »
Tuesday, January 5th, 2010
Panty Dropper
1 oz. Stoli Razberi vodka
1 oz. Hiram Walker blueberry schnapps
1/2 oz. cranberry juice
Pour the Stoli raspberry vodka and the blueberry schnapps into an ice-filled cocktail shaker. Shake, and pour into a shot glass. Top off with the cranberry juice and serve. Enjoy.
In the past we’ve shared recipes for shots called the Leg Spreader and the Naughty School Girl. While I’m not so sure about the two females on the taste team, I know that the guys are always very curious to see if those kind of shots live up to their names. So when Keith in our human resources department came in to the office with the Panty Dropper, it was obvious to the boys that his was a recipe we were going to try right away. So far, neither of the forementioned shooters had the girls peeling off their clothes. But a man can still hope, right?
Plus, this recipe had a few ingredients in it that we haven’t played with before. So it was an ideal recipe to share with our loyal readers.
Stoli Razberi vodka is quite obviously a raspberry flavored vodka marketed by one of the heavyweights in the vodka arena–Stolichnaya. It has a raspberry ripple creaminess balanced by the sweet spice of rye and wheat grain vodka, with hints of pepper and wild raspberry cane. At least that’s what research and development told the members of the taste team. What the hell all that means……we have no idea. But much like Absolut offers their Kurant and Peppar flavors, Stoli offers Razberi, Blueberi, and the like.
I have tasted Stoli Razberi vodka all by itself and it isn’t bad at all. You can taste the subtle flavor of red berries. It’s not an overwhelming taste sensation like most any flavored vodka; but it is decipherable. You can pick up a bottle at a decent liquor store for around $20 or so. We assumed the cranberry juice would be a very nice complement to the vodka as it is a popular combination {cranberry and regular vodka}. It was the addition of the blueberry schnapps that would make or break the shot.
Because you’d probably have to go out and buy both components special to prepare this shooter, we’ll just suggest you stick with traditional labels on the schnapps like DeKuyper or Hiram Walker Blueberry Passion (both about $9-11).
So if you spend about $30 altogether, you’ll have a bottle of each ingredient and enough booze to make a lot of women drop ‘dem panties….allegedly.
So does the shot live up to its name? Well……I can tell you this. When the tasting session was done, all of the females were still fully clothed. Hell, I don’t even know if they wear panties. But I digress.
The shot was pretty damn good. The blueberry and the subtle raspberry flavors blended together in a lip-smacking combination. The cranberry juice was actually more identifiable than the raspberry. But this fruity trifecta went down very nicely even if the shot doesn’t provoke women’s ”delicates” to do the same.
ShareMyShot.com gives this false advertising—-but really delicious shooter—-a 4 on a scale of 5.
We couldn’t give it our top score because there’s just not enough punch behind it to get girls out of their undies. But that doesn’t mean you shouldn’t mix up a batch of these and serve them to your female guests. They will enjoy the smooth taste for sure.
Even though that makes us oh-fer-3 on the prospect of seeing some fun parts with these deceivingly named shots.
Cheers !!
Posted in 4 Star Shots, DeKuyper Blueberry schnapps, Hiram Walker Blueberry Passion, Hiram Walker schnapps, Stoli Razberi vodka, Stolichnaya vodka, cranberry juice, fruit juices, schnapps, tropical fruit shots, vodka | No Responses »
