Cask-Aged Cocktails at Clyde Common

Let me start off by saying, of course, barrel-aging is absolutely vital to the production and creation of the character of many spirts. However, my first reaction when hearing that Clyde Common was barrel-aging finished cocktails for a short term was to think it sounded like a gimmick, and wouldn’t have much effect. Well, color me wrong. Even a short stay in a cask can noticeably transform the contents. So, as I should have known given who was doing it,  yes, the real pros *really* do know what they’re doing.

Anyway, we tried their Barrel-Aged Negroni ($10). Deciding to put the aging to the test, we also tried a regular Negroni ($9) made fresh with the same ingredients (Beefeater Gin, Cinzano Rosso, and Campari), beside it. Wow. What a sizeable difference six weeks can make.

The Barrel-Aged Negroni is sweeter and smoother, and feels rounder and with the bitterness of the Campari mellowed. The effect also gives an almost Amarena cherry taste to the cocktail. I’m not sure how long these casks formerly held Tuthilltown whiskey, but I gather not a great while, as the wood also still gives some astringency on the finish, which a long-aged whiskey would have mellowed out more.

All in all a very nice experiment, and I look forward to more of their aged cocktails. But sadly we need to wait a couple months to try the next issue of the Barrel-Aged Manhattan.

Barrel-Aged Negroni $10
Beefeater gin, Cinzano Rosso vermouth, Campari, aged for six weeks in a Tuthilltown whiskey barrel

Barrel-Aged Manhattan $10
Jim Beam Rye, Carpano Antica Formula, Angostura bitters, aged for two months in a Madeira cask