Photography by: Saturnine Studios
Mixing together a berry sweet and coffee cocktail for the judges. The “Kinda Blue” cocktail, featuring Johnnie Walker Black Label blended scotch and Mr. Black’s original coffee liqueur. This caffeinated reinterpretation of the classic Rob Roy would bring home a 3rd place victory under Bishop Mixology and was my first solo competitive presentation. Of course, there’s no time for nerves when the microphone goes on…
Not to start this one off on an exasperated note, but I was probably about as excited for this one as I was nervous (that’s going to be a common theme). Being as truthful as usefully possible, I’ll admit that one of the biggest issues I have yet to solve and always to contend with is my own procrastination. I walk that fine line between doing nothing and “waiting for inspiration”. The reality is not so spiritual: I tend to panic when trying something new, and these kinds of competitions need a sense of pragmatism in their approach that I just am not naturally gifted with. I like when ideas and concepts have a certain kind of order and a method of approach, and the freedom of the craft becomes a double-edged sword if I allow that freedom to translate into lethargy. I find, however, that as long as you stay attuned to the task at hand, there’s a magnetism that exists which will draw the answers to you…and you’ll hear them as long as you’re listening. In this case, the answer sounded like music…another manifestation of the form of style and improvisation that was so perplexing at first but clear as day once I heard. It was jazz.
The idea was to split the template in such a way to include the base spirit along with the other components that it would fit brick-for-brick and come back with something more unique and intentional. Instead of sticking to 2 ounces of scotch, I poured 1.5 ounces and stuck the liqueur in to fill the other half ounce. I could still use the same amount of vermouth that would’ve gone in the Rob Roy, and the few drops of bitters wouldn’t make too much of an impact on the total volume at all. It just seemed to make sense to me.
I got inspired by the great Miles Davis when that track “So What?” comes on at the beginning of the “Kind of Blue” album, shortly after writing out some flavor syllogisms as I had learned from one of those Death&Co. books I have kept away at home. The idea here was to make a flavor “A”, “B”, and “C”, and had drunkenly written jazz as a “flavor” that would pair with smoke. Immediately I remembered the brand of individually wrapped cigars that was flavored as jazz…and I knew I was onto something. How to put it together? Coffee, smoke, and blue…berries? Yes. Coffee, particularly Ethiopian blends can lend some blueberry notes. So I crushed some blueberries and cherries together, tossed in a couple cloves and a cinnamon stick for good measure, and began extracting the flavors for a bitters.
Toward the end of the competition, I was learning some tangible lessons about myself. I was, in fact, capable of the kind of creativity I was so desperately hoping for. There’s nothing that will give you confidence like experience, and you won’t have some experiences unless you just go for it. Nothing to be scared of…I’m all the more confident, curious, and ambitious now for taking the chance. I’m not so much concerned now with the competitive outcome as I am about growing in the skills I believe are necessary, and besides…my friends were there, too! Perhaps the most important thing in building and keeping this community together is that we show up as much as we can to support each other. In other words, like it or not…I’ll see you at the next one.
cheers,
Deme
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