There’s No Place Like Home … Cocktails with a Sense of Place – Part 1

CAMUS Cognac and a handful of Chilled 100 Ambassadors celebrate their sense of place by discovering what it is about their hometown, city, or state that speaks to them.

Camus Borderies VSOP bottle with garden background

Camus Borderies VSOP

CAMUS is the world’s largest independent producer of cognac. Family-owned for five generations and more than 150 years, CAMUS is renowned for its expertise in extracting a sense of place and converting it into a product. It has done just that with its award-winning VSOP Borderies, made from grapes grown in the smallest and most sought-after region of Cognac (also home to the CAMUS estate), as well as with this year’s release of Lambay Irish Whiskey Small Batch Blend. Named after a private wildlife sanctuary off the coast of Dublin, Lambay Irish Whiskeys are made from the finest Irish whiskey distillates, finished in cognac casks with a touch of Trinity Well water from the island that bears its name.

The Chilled 100 Ambassadors each received bottles of VSOP Borderies cognac and Lambay Irish Whiskey Small Batch Blend. In part one of this series, we’ll check out the unique cocktail recipes they created using VSOP Borderies cognac and the sense of place that inspired them.

L'abricot Voyageur <em>(The Traveling Apricot)</em>, bottle and cocktail with garnish

L’abricot Voyageur (The Traveling Apricot)

Photo by Jose Salinas

L’abricot Voyageur (The Traveling Apricot)

Created by Joel Cockerill – Flock and Fowl, Las Vegas

“The wonderful balance and structure of CAMUS VSOP Borderies coupled with the notes of orange zest made me think of a paper plane in terms of how we balance cocktails on our end. I took some liberties on the equal parts structure in order to balance out the slightly tart nature of the Umeshu and Cappelletti, as well as allowing each ingredient to shine through. Choya Kokuto adds in plum and apricot flavors to bolster the stone fruit notes in the infusion, and the China China, and the yuzu up the complexity of the bitter and citrus notes. The Cappelletti adds a slightly sweeter, summery flavor over the Aperol.”

Ingredients:

  • 3/4 oz. Apricot and Lemon Peel Solar-Infused CAMUS VSOP Borderies*
  • 3/4 oz. Cappelletti Vino Aperitivo American Rosso
  • 1/2 oz. Choya Kokuto Umeshu
  • 1/4 oz. Bigallet China China Amer Bitter Liqueur
  • 1/2 oz. Yuzu Juice
  • Ripe Local Apricot and Lemon Peel (for Garnish)

Preparation: Add all ingredients to cocktail shaker; shake and double strain into a coupe glass. Garnish with Apricot and lemon peel.

*Apricot and lemon peel infusion

Add dried apricots and CAMUS into an airtight container and steep for about 12 hours. Remove and add lemon peel; let sit for another 12 hours.

Meet Joel Cockerill

Chilled 100 Member, Las Vegas

Joel Cockerill is a Canadian native who found his love for food and beverage at a young age. When he moved to Las Vegas, he fell in love with craft bartending as he saw the marriage between the culinary and bartending world. Joel is currently behind the bar at Flock and Fowl in downtown Las Vegas, with the incredibly talented and supportive Adam Rains at the helm.

Joel Cockerill of flock and fowl

Joel Cockerill – Chilled 100 Member, Las Vegas


The J Street cocktail with garnish, brick wall background

The J Street

The J Street

Created by Jessica Weinstein – Hank’s Cocktail Bar, Washington D.C

“When most people think of D.C., dark hotel bars and the steakhouses come to mind, but underneath that white tablecloth is a diverse and transient city that I call home. The J Street cocktail represents what our unique city has grown into—it melds the sights and smells of old school D.C., like cognac and scotch, with the bright and adventurous flavors of new school creativity. It represents the amazing food, beverage, and arts scene that exists in our nation’s capital today. ‘J Street’ is named after the only lettered street that you won’t find listed on a sign above the road … it’s named after what you’ll find underground.”

Ingredients:

  • 1 oz. CAMUS VSOP Borderies
  • 1/2 oz. Lambay Whiskey
  • 1/2 oz. Lime Juice
  • 1/2 oz. Creasum
  • 1/2 oz. Orgeat
  • 2 dashes Angostura Bitters (to Top)
  • Mint (for Garnish)

Preparation: Shake ingredients; drop into flask and fill with crushed ice. Top with 2 dashes Angostura and garnish lavishly with mint.

Meet Jessica Weinstein

Chilled 100 Member, Washington D.C.

Jessica Weinstein started her career as a server at Addie’s of Black Restaurant Group in Washington, D.C., in 2011. As she learned about food and beverage, she worked her way up, and in 2013 became the training and development manager for the group’s newest venture, Republic. In 2015, she joined JL Restaurant Group as part of the opening team for the Italian concept, Hank’s Pasta Bar. After great success, Jessica remained within the company and took over the bar program for its flagship restaurant, Hank’s Oyster Bar in Dupont Circle, and one of its newest ventures, Hank’s Cocktail Bar. Jessica is currently the beverage director for JL Restaurant Group, leading the bar programs at all six properties and bringing her positive energy and passionate touch to each cocktail she creates.

Jessica Weinstein - Chilled 100 Member, Washington D.C.

Jessica Weinstein – Chilled 100 Member, Washington D.C.


Perverse Nature

Perverse Nature

Perverse Nature

Created by Josue Gonzalez – The Broken Shaker, Miami

“Simply stirred, I was inspired to make an elegant cocktail reflecting the tropical weather of Miami, using the Pamplemousse as a backbone to highlight the floral notes of the cognac, and accompanying it all with a dry fino sherry to help balance and blossom its minimalism.”

Ingredients:

  • 1 1/2 oz. CAMUS VSOP Borderies
  • 3/4 oz. Giffard Pamplemousse
  • 1/4 oz. Tio Pepe Fino Sherry
  • 3 dashes Peychaud’s bitters
  • Lemon twist (for Garnish)

Preparation: Combine all ingredients into a mixing glass, add ice, and stir until desired dilution and temperature acquired. Strain into a Nick & Nora glass. Garnish with lemon twist and enjoy.

Meet Josue Gonzalez

Chilled 100 Member, Miami

Miami native Josue Gonzalez was still a culinary student at Johnson & Wales University when he realized if he wanted to land a position in the kitchen, he’d have to gain experience anywhere he could. He soon found himself working as a barback at Miami’s Zuma, which opened his eyes to the world of cocktails. Life behind the bar allowed Josue to pursue his passions for culinary and hospitality at the same time, and before long he was working high-end catering gigs and tending bar at a Who’s Who of Miami hotspots.

Currently, Josue is working with Bar Lab, where he works events and helps out with their consulting projects. If you want to catch him behind the stick, he’ll be bartending most nights at one of the Bar Lab venues called 27 Restaurant & Bar, located next to the The Broken Shaker.

Josue Gonzalez - Chilled 100 Member, Miami

Josue Gonzalez – Chilled 100 Member, Miami


The Edith Piaf Cocktail

The Edith Piaf Cocktail

The Edith Piaf Cocktail

Created by Allison Buchanan – Nobu Matushisa, Denver

“I love working with cognac. I especially love creating stirred cocktails with cognac because the flavors of the cognac can really shine through.”

Ingredients:

  • 1 1/2 oz. CAMUS VSOP Borderies
  • 1/2 oz. Sweet Vermouth
  • 1/2 oz. Amaro Nonino
  • bars poon Leopold Bros. Michigan Tart Cherry Liqueur
  • Bittermens Mole Bitters
  • Expressed Orange Peel (for Garnish)

Preparation: Combine all ingredients, stir and strain over a large cube. Express the citrus peel over it.

Meet Allison Buchanan

Chilled 100 Member, Denver

Allison Buchanan hails from the big island of Hawaii, and after many years traveling and moving through the big cities of the world, now calls Denver home. After several years working at Williams & Graham as part of its dynamic bar family, she now works at Matsuhisa Denver. Allison loves making various concoctions and especially likes getting creative with what she can grow at home.

Alisson Buchanan - Chilled 100 Member, Denver

Alisson Buchanan – Chilled 100 Member, Denver