Cork & Kerry and "Whiskey in the Jar"

Molly's Chamber
Have you ever had something in your life that makes everything else just... fade away? A far away loved one that understands you. The foliate, rolling hills of Ireland. Fishing. Hunting. Falling in love with a new city. Maybe hearing a song that reminds you of someone? What about when you used to drive as fast as you could with the windows down while surfing the wind with your hand? Does counting your tips from a long, stressful but story-filled night make everything else fade away? How about nailing that solo you've been rehearsing? Cuddling in bed with someone you love more than anything in this world? The smell of gasoline? The moon appearing out of nowhere when you're out in the night. Hearing one of your favorite songs somewhere you'd least expect it. Laughing until it hurts. "The Lake"... be it Flathead, Spirit or Bear, hopefully not the Great Salt unless it's a gig at Saltair. Think of the moment you mounted the top of that expert-level climb you've been attempting for months... The rush of adrenaline from facing your biggest fears or enemies head on. Or spending Saturday night with your best friends and getting Blarney stoned. Maybe the crash of ocean waves reaching shore. Seeing your favorite band in concert. A New Year's Eve kiss. The perfect dessert that makes you close your eyes because it's so delicious... Or getting a genuine compliment from a stranger. For us, and maybe for some of you, one of the simple things in life that makes all else fade for even that slight sultry moment is sipping the viscous, robust flavor of your favorite whiskey from the threaded rim of a mason jar...

Cork & Kerry
We felt this song lends itself very well to a T'n'T post but we couldn't just throw some whiskey in a jar and call it good. (gluck gluck splash) "there ya go!" na na no, we of course had to turn it up a notch... up to 11. We smoothed out any rough edges of the whiskey with some T'n'T polish. Vermouth and whiskey go together like peas and carrots. The herbaceous depth of subtle sweetness enhances underlying flavors of the whiskey. The taste of this weeks cocktail is stiffer than past, it is close to that of a Manhattan but a stones throw across the pond. The idea for one of the ingredients comes from a classic cocktail called the Nutty Irishman. We thought we'd get (hazel)nutty for this weeks post! Noted in the above song, the Cork and Kerry mountains in Ireland seemed like the best label for this flavorful facet of standard mixology.

Talk about lucky charms... this guitar pick was used by Metallica's lead guitarist,
Kirk Hammett before he threw it to the crowd and was then
retrieved by Henry

Ingredients:
2 oz Tullamore Dew
1/2 oz Carpano Antica sweet vermouth
1/4 oz Frangelico
2 dashes Orinoco bitters

Method:
Place all ingredients in a mixing glass. Stir. Strain into your favorite mason jar. Garnish with 3 leaf clover (4 leaf clover if you find one!) otherwise throw in some micro greens to give it that mountainous Irish flare















Whiskey in the Jar

Whiskey Whitney went a little too deep into the Cork & Kerry

In adoration of Saint Patrick's Day we had to do a post about the age old tale of "Whiskey in the Jar."  A traditional Irish drinking song, it's set in the southern mountains of Ireland, with specific mention of the Cork and Kerry mountains. A number of the songs lines and the general plot resemble those of a contemporary broadside ballad "Patrick Fleming," about a Rapparee (Highwayman), who is betrayed by his wife or lover, and executed in 1650. The song's exact origins are unknown. Whiskey has been enjoyed by the Irish for centuries and St. Patrick's Day has long since been the holiday known for alcohol consumption. Green has been the go-to color for St. Patrick's Day since the 1600's when the green Harp flag was used by the Irish Catholic Confederation. So adorn your green wardrobe, paint your face, mix up a flagon o' Cork & Kerry and go join all yer mates and be merry!

'Faol saol agat, gob fliuch, agus bás in Éirinn.'
Long life to you, a wet mouth, and death in Ireland.

Jacob Rees in Ireland drinking whiskey
in the jar-o

Jacob Rees going over the Cork and Kerry
mountains with his whiskey in the jar-o

Saint Patrick's Day, or Feast of Saint Patrick (Irish: Lá Fhéile Pádraig, "the Day of the Festival of Patrick"), is a cultural and religious celebration held on 17 March, the traditional death date of Saint Patrick (c. AD 385–461), the foremost patron saint of Ireland.

Saint Patrick's Day was made an official Christian feast day in the early 17th century and is observed by the Catholic Church, the Anglican Communion, the Eastern Orthodox Church, and Lutheran Church. The day commemorates Saint Patrick and the arrival of Christianity in Ireland, as well as celebrating the heritage and culture of the Irish in general. Christians also attend church services and the Lenten restrictions on eating and drinking alcohol are lifted for the day, which has encouraged and propagated the holiday's tradition of alcohol consumption.

Saint Patrick's Day is a public holiday in the Republic of Ireland, Northern Ireland, the Canadian province of Newfoundland and Labrador, and the British Overseas Territory of Montserrat. It is also widely celebrated by the Irish diaspora around the world, especially in , Canada, the United States, Argentina, Australia and New Zealand.

Dead Rabbit Orinoco Bitters 
Created by Dr. Adam Elmegirab, they are flavored by warm spices such as cardamom and cassia bark, floral notes from chamomile, dried fruit flavors from raisins, fragrant aromatic bark like sandalwood and angostura, citrus oils from orange peel, and a bittersweetness from molasses.

Tullamore Dew is a brand of blended Irish whiskey produced by William Grant & Sons. Although it was originally a single pot still whiskey, first distilled in 1829 in Tullamore, County Offaly, the modern product is a blended whiskey that is not produced in Tullamore town. The primary blend ingredients are from the New Midleton Distillery in county Cork. The name derives from the initials of an early manager of the concern, Mr. Daniel E. Williams (abbreviated "D. E. W." and merged to form "Dew"). 

Sláinte or slàinte (slahn-chə) is a word literally translating as "health" in several Gaelic languages and is commonly used as a drinking toast in Ireland and Scotland.

Irish whiskey was one of the earliest distilled drinks in Europe, arising around the 12th century (see Distilled beverage). It is believed that Irish monks brought the technique of distilling perfumes back to Ireland from their travels to the Mediterranean countries around 1000 A.D. The Irish then modified this technique to obtain a drinkable spirit. Whiskey was first recorded in Ireland in 1405.

Frangelico is a brand of noisette (hazelnut) and herb-flavored liqueur which is produced in Canale, Italy. It is 20% alcohol by volume, 40 proof.^[1] Formerly, it was 24% alcohol by volume, 48 proof. It was released in the 1980s, gaining attention largely because of its unusual packaging; its bottle was designed to look like a friar, complete with a knotted white cord around the waist. (Though our mini bottle was gipped of that adornment)

According to the manufacturer, the name of the liqueur is based on a legend of a hermit named Fra Angelico who "created unique recipes for liqueurs." However, the bottle itself most closely resembles the habit of a Franciscan friar, while the liqueur's likely namesake, the famous painter Fra Angelico (d.1455), was a Dominican, whose robe would have been white and without the cincture.

Frangelico is made in a similar manner to some other nut liqueurs: nuts are crumbled up and combined with cocoa, vanilla berries, and other natural flavors, and then left to soak in the base spirit. After the spirit has absorbed the flavor of the ingredients, the liqueur is filtered, sweetened, and bottled.

Antonio Benedetto Carpano (1764, Bioglio (Biella) - 1815, Turin) was an Italian distiller, famous for having invented Vermouth and consequently the apéritif.

In 1786, Antonio Benedetto Carpano invented modern Vermouth in Turin, made from white wine added to an infusion of herbs and spices, in more than 30 varieties. It was sweetened with spirit, which he believed would be a more suitable beverage for ladies than the local red wines. Vermouth proved so popular that soon his shop was open 24 hours a day.

No Leaf Clover

Metallica is an American heavy metal band formed in San Francisco, California. Metallica was formed in 1981 when vocalist/guitarist James Hetfield responded to an advertisement posted by drummer Lars Ulrich in a local newspaper. The band's current line-up comprises founding members Hetfield and Ulrich, longtime lead guitarist Kirk Hammett and bassist Robert Trujillo. Lead guitarist Dave Mustaine and bassists Ron McGovney, Cliff Burton and Jason Newsted are former members of the band. 

Metallica was influenced by early heavy metal and hard rock bands and artists Black Sabbath, Deep Purple, Kiss, Led Zeppelin, Queen, Ted Nugent, AC/DC, Rush, Aerosmith, Judas Priest, and Scorpions. New Wave of British Heavy Metal bands Venom,Motörhead, Saxon, Diamond Head, and Iron Maiden, and early punk rock bands Ramones, Sex Pistols, and the Misfits also influenced Metallica's style. The band's early releases contained fast tempos, harmonized leads, and nine-minute instrumental tracks. Metallica have released 9 studio albums and toured the globe. In 2014 they performed in all 7 continents including Antarctica. Metallica has become one of the most influential heavy metal bands of all time, and is credited as one of the "big four" of thrash metal, along with Slayer, Anthrax, and Megadeth.^[150]The band has sold more than 110 million records worldwide,^[151] including an RIAA-certified 66 million and Nielsen SoundScan-reported 53,642,000 in the U.S., making Metallica one of the most commercially successful bands of all time.

In 1998, Metallica compiled a double album of cover songs titled Garage Inc. The first disc contained newly recorded covers of songs by Diamond Head, Killing Joke, the Misfits, Thin Lizzy, Mercyful Fate, Black Sabbath, and others. The second disc featured the original version of The $5.98 E.P.: Garage Days Re-Revisited, which had become a scarce collectors' item. Metallica covers Thin Lizzy's version of "Whiskey In The Jar" on the 2nd disc of this compilation. 

*above info from Wikipedia

This cocktail is dedicated to our lovely, whiskey-drinking rocker babes: 

Shanlee Jeppsen, Brooke Borg, Rose Dehmir, Christine Barandy, Grace Bennett, Paulina Pyplacz

without you, this post wouldn't be half as Rock 'n Roll as it is!!

Have a blast on your trek into the Cork and Kerry, make sure you bring a drinking buddy, for the rolling hills can make you weary. Remember to party with guitars, microphones and lamps with caution. Please jam and drink (out of jars) responsibly!!

'Beannachtam na Feile Padraig!'

Happy St. Patrick's Day!

Slainté!!

Henry & Jehiah

T'n'T