It seems lately the lady drink selection is limited to wine, wine, or wine. But some of us are more than interested in expanding our boozy palates. That’s why we’re challenging ourselves to consider a bolder libation: whisky.
I’ve long been a fan of whisky-based cocktails. My husband mixes a mean Manhattan: a 2-to-1 mixture of rye and sweet vermouth on the rocks, garnished with a dash of bitters and a Maraschino cherry (or three). And it seems now I’m not alone. According to the latest stats, women and whisky are already friends and our relationship is growing every day.
WHY WHISKY IS TAKING WOMEN BY STORM
Whisky distilling can be a process as elegant as winemaking. Take Pike Creek Whisky, a small batch produced boutique-style Canadian whisky that’s been aged in white oak bourbon barrels and then finished in vintage port barrels. The 10-year aging process takes place in a non-temperature controlled warehouse where the barrels are exposed to Canadian fluctuations in temperature and humidity, imparting the bronze-hued liquid the most incredible rich flavour with a slightly bitter finish.
It’s not every day that a cocktail is mixed in your honour but it turns out we are lucky that way! Thanks to Pike Creek Whisky and Corby Spirit and Wine Limited, we spent an afternoon celebrating the unveiling of our very own cocktail: the Brazen Boulevard.
This drink is so sophisticated, so smooth, and so deliciously daring that we can’t wait to share the recipe with you. It isn’t at all frilly or fancy but it is feminine. In fact, there’s almost a lady loose in an old boy’s club quality to it. But beware, boys. She’s not loose; she’s just in charge. Combining sweet vermouth, which plays well with the fruity notes in Pike Creek, and Campari to balance the bitter notes, the Brazen Boulevard delivers a delicious and complex cocktail that’s bold enough for any man and brazen enough for the right kind of woman. It’s best served in a chilled coupe glass, which is essentially a deeper champagne saucer or a flat-bottomed martini glass, rimmed by and garnished neatly with a piece of orange rind.
THE BRAZEN BOULEVARD: A Canadian version of the classic Boulevardier
