Post #709251 by Destro100 on Mon, Feb 24, 2014 7:32 AM

Are my taste buds dying? I kind of like this:

Drink 35: Fogg Cutter

Ingredients I used:

Fresh orange juice
Fresh lime juice
Simple syrup (1.5-1 ratio sugar-water)
Flor De Cana - 4 Year - Light Rum
Coruba Dark Jamaican Rum
Courvoisier VS Cognac
Brokers London Dry Gin
Pure almond extract

I find it interesting that on paper this drink should make no sense: equal parts dark rum, light rum, brandy, and gin. This sounds ludicrous.I would expect someone with no experience making cocktails to try something like this at a Jamaican resort cocktail competition (here's looking at you Sandals - been there, done that - endless shame). Alas, it works. I don't know how, but it works.

I suspect the almond extract is the savior. I think it does what the orgeat tries to do in the other Fog Cutter recipes. In the other recipes, the nuttiness of the orgeat is mostly lost; yet in this version, the strength of the almond extract manages to hit the back of the palate, as well as the swallow, with a great nutty-bitterness. Without it, all you get is a sweet-sour-strong mess of liquor that you find in the original Fog Cutter.

However, the same weakness that you find in all the Fog Cutter recipes can be found here as well. Don't use quality liquor. Your ability to differentiate what you're drinking is hopeless. All you will know for sure is that you are drinking something quite strong and inoffensive.

I opted to switch from the Warwick Gin I've been using in the other Fog Cutters for Brokers London Dry instead. For those that aren't familiar with Brokers, it is a fantastic budget ($17-$20) London dry style that works nicely in most classic cocktails. Highly recommended - Nice juniper and lemon peel flavors that won't overwhelm any drink; instead it compliments flavors nicely.

Final notes - for some reason I kept thinking that adding carbonation to this drink would work well. It would create a unique tiki-soda flavor profile that could enhance the drink. Someday perhaps.

I was torn - is this a 3 or a 3.5? I think I will leave it at a 3 because I can't hold my head up high and use four different base spirits in one drink and be entirely proud of the results. A man must have some standards to live by.

My personal rating: *** (3) out of ***** (5)

SCORECARD:
4 - EXCELLENT - 5 drinks and counting
Colonel Beach's Plantation Punch /Aurora Bora Borealis / Outrigger / Bourbon Special / Beachcomber's Gold (Hollywood and Palm Springs)

3.5 - VERY GOOD - 10 drinks and counting
Beachcomber's Punch / Coronado Luau Special / Hawaii Kai Treasure / Coconaut / Castaway (slightly modified) / Don's Special Daiquiri / Banana Daiquiri / Captain's Grog / Viking Fog Cutter / Navy Grog

3 - GOOD - 10 drinks and counting
Eastern Sour / Astro Aku Aku / Kapu Kai / Western Sour / Beachcomber's Gold (Waikiki) / Red Tide / Samoan Fog Cutter / Gold Cup / Headhunter / Fogg Cutter

2.5 - ABOVE AVERAGE - 4 drinks and counting
Jasper's Jamaican / Derby Daiquiri / Carioca Hawaiian Cocktail / Hawaiian Room

2 - AVERAGE - 5 drinks and counting
Beachcomber's Gold (Chicago) / Lychee Nut Daiquiri / Fog Cutter / Von Tiki / Planet of the Apes

1.5 - BELOW AVERAGE - 1 drink and hopefully not too many more
Boo Loo