Saturday, December 29, 2007

1794

(thanks to Avery Glasser of Bittermens for the correct drink name... I thought Misty had given me a year for the drink name but ADD girl that I am, I didn't hear nor retain it!)

1 1/2 oz Rye
3/4 oz Sweet Vermouth
3/4 oz Campari
1-2 dash Xocolatl Mole Bitters

Man, I've really been a teetotaler the past couple of weeks! It's unintentional; the weather has me going for teas I suppose...

Last night we had dinner plans with a (straightedge) couple we know, however they had to cancel because of a cold, I was in the city anyhow for an appointment... so we went over to Green Street instead! Misty made me this drink, the name of which escapes me. Andrea had told me about the small-batch bitters from Bittermens Bitters, and I was keen to try this particular flavor. She gave credit to John from no 9 for the recipe. Like with a Negroni (may favorite go-to drink!), I found that it got extra tasty after a few minutes of warming up -- maybe it's just me -- but it was a lovely balance, with the spicier ingredients propping up the Campari nicely.

Postnote: 9/28/17 by Frederic
It came up on Reddit that the 1794 was always made with molé bitters which was not the case. The drink was created in 2004 at Range, and the Bittermens produced the first reported molé bitters in 2007. The first published recipe with molé bitters I could find was the above one our blog. A recipe from February 2007 lacked it (as did an eGullet bar report from that time point), so I believe that bitters entered the equation sometime that year. Our post from late 2007 has it, but on the East Coast. Avery Glasser of the Bittermens chimes in here on this post's comments.

4 comments:

Avery Glasser said...

Ah - it sounds like the 1794, a rye negroni developed by Dominic Venegas while at Range in San Francisco. That drink's been making its rounds through Boston and it's a great showcase for the bitters. Using the Santa Teresa Solera rum, turns it into a 1796 - which I personally like just a little better.

Avery Glasser
Bittermens, Inc.
www.bittermens.com

Unknown said...

Yay, thank you! Both for the drink name and the yummy bitters.

kevin said...

I found this recipe here years ago and have been enjoying it since. I was recently flipping through the wonderful PDT cocktail book and found this same combination of ingredients in a drink called the Left Hand Cocktail. More info here [1] and here [2]. The 1794 seems to be the same base ingredients, but in a 2:1:1 ratio, and without the bitters [3].

Bottom line: whenever Campari touches rye/bourbon, everybody wins. Great blog, Keep up the good work.

Kevin

[1] http://intoxicologist.net/2013/05/left-hand-cocktail/
[2] http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424052970204394804577011910186125318.html
[3] http://cold-glass.com/2010/09/15/1794-cocktail-the-boulevardier-comes-to-manhattan/

frederic said...

I believe the 1794 is a rye drink and the Left Hand is a bourbon one, both with the same 2:1:1. The above note from Avery Glasser of the Bittermens gives some history, and either the 1794 was created with the Mole Bitters or later gained them because they worked so well (at least the 1794 that was being made in Boston and that Jess wrote up here).