An apple a day keeps the doctor away. Or so the saying goes. So what does the distilled essence of a bushel-load of apples get you? A damn fine cocktail and, near as I can discern, immortality. The Honeymoon Cocktail is another drink where the fresh apple flavor of the calvados really makes the drink pop. To make sure it really was the fruitiness of the calvados at work I mixed up a version using applejack instead. And while it was still a good drink to be sure, it wasn’t nearly as interesting. The apple flavor of the calvados is much stronger and much brighter than what you find in applejack and really makes the flavor profile of this drink much more complex.
I really can’t make any major suggestions this week for changing up the recipe. In fact, I only have one. The version from Vintage Cocktails and Forgotten Spirits was a bit off balance toward the sweet end of the spectrum. The fix was uber simple though. I bumped the lemon juice up to 3/4 oz and all was right with the world again.
Honeymoon Cocktail (Cocktail Hacker)
2 oz Calvados 1/2 oz Benedictine 1/2 oz Orange Curacao 3/4 oz Lemon Juice
1) Combine ingredients in a shaker over ice 2) Shake until combined and well chilled 3) Strain into a chilled cocktail glass
So, while I can’t suggest huge changes to the recipe, I can add a couple quick comments about the other ingredients. First, to get it out of the way, I’m going to remind you to always use fresh lemon juice. I know you don’t need the reminder, but it never hurts to refresh the fundamentals. Second, the Benedictine. Like ingredients in so many other cocktails you’re not going to be able to pick it out if you didn’t know it was there. But, and it’s a big but, you will definitely notice it if it’s gone. Third, and last, the curacao. If you don’t have curacao I’m going to give you permission to use a triple sec instead. Sure, you’re going to lose a bit of the flavor of the brandy base, but at 1/2 oz it’s really not going to be a huge loss. Not to mention you’re using tasty calvados which is also oak aged. So, like brandy, you’ll get those woody notes coming through as well.
So, there you have it. Now it’s time for a quick summary to send you on your way. The Honeymoon Cocktail is the second in a recent batch of seriously delicious calvados cocktails. If you don’t have a bottle in your liquor cabinet I think it’s time you change that. You can thank me later.
Note: Your immortality results may vary. If at first you don’t feel them, have another drink.