Picked this on up in the July/August issue of Imbibe magazine and mixed one. I liked what I tasted and searched my old bar bibles to see if I could read more about it. I turned up a recipe online calling for greater quantities of the lemon juice and Benedictine (the Imbibe recipe called for a ½ oz each) and liked it even more. There doesn’t seem to be a start date on this drink but the online Cocktail Chronicles traces its origin back farther than the 1930’s –

Here we go –

• 2 oz rye
• ¾ oz Benedictine liqueur
• ¾ oz lemon juice

Shake with cracked ice in a shaker till ice cold then strain up into a cocktail glass. Garnish with a lemon wedge.

Also read about this first in the Imbibe Nov. ‘08 issue. I love this drink ‘cause it appeals to the pallet in that flavorful way lost in so many of our modern cocktails. Strong, spicy, herbal flavors served ice cold yet seasonally appropriate nonetheless. This is a great drink to mix at the bar when the real drinkers are present. No need for disguising or hiding flavors with this one — just Applejack, Rye and a few friends working together in a positively gangbusters drink.

Here we go –

• 1 oz Applejack
• 1 oz Rye
• ½ Maraschino Liqueur
• ½ oz Green Chartreuse
• Couple dashes of Orange Bitters

Mix with ice ‘til frosty cold, strain up in a cocktail glass and garnish with an orange twist.

Here’s an oldie but a goodie that will turn any semi-formal, candlelit holiday party into a Christmas-carol-belting lampshade-on-the-head-wearing bash by midnight. You’ll need a punchbowl, ladle, punch cups and a whole lot of aspirin for the next morning. Seriously, this is a delicious traditional Christmas punch perfect for the top of the bar or a living room table. Makes about 45 delicious four oz servings.

Here we go –

• In a large punchbowl pour over a large piece of ice (I freeze a Tupperware full of water)
• 6 oz fresh Lemon juice
• 18 oz Pineapple juice
• 2 bottles of Rye or Bourbon (Rye wins in my book)

Stir and add a large bottle of Ginger Ale or Ginger Beer
Taste and add, if you feel it needs it, a teaspoon or two of sugar.

Pretty serious drink here. I imagine you will become old pals with whomever you share a few. The Rye will get the tongues wagging; a few and you’ll be baring secrets. Yet another glorious reason to drink Rye, I’m seeing more and more bottles every time I go into a liquor store.

Here we go –

• 1 ¼ oz Rye
• 1/2 oz Dry or sweet vermouth (better make one of each & choose your favorite)
• ½ oz grenadine (Rose’s is fine)

Stir in a cocktail pitcher with ice ‘til very cold, strain into a cocktail glass, garnish with a lemon peel.

Man, guess those old-time Quakers loved their Rye & Brandy ‘cause this drink rocks! You’ll need some raspberry syrup but you’ll find it easily and it has a thousand other uses. Who knew that rye works so well in concert with other flavors? I know I didn’t. Not a bad drink at all for a cool evening and some June Christy on the record player.

Here we go –

• 1 ½ oz Rye
• 1 ½ oz Brandy
• 1 ½ tsp raspberry syrup
• 1 ½ tsp lime juice

Combine everything with ice into a shaker, shake till chilly-willy than strain into a cocktail glass.

I’m always looking for a new (old) Rye drink. Found this one recently in an old House & Garden’s Drink Guide and immediately dropped what I was doing and mixed a couple up. Re-shingling the roof could just wait a few more minutes. Wow ….the peppery taste of the rye mixing with the sweet of the grenadine worked gangbusters. If you have a bottle of rye in your bar, try this one.

Here we go –

• 2 oz Rye
• 1 oz Sweet Vermouth
• 1 oz Grenadine

Shake with ice ‘til freezing and strain into a cocktail glass, or … shake with ice and pour everything into a rocks glass. I actually prefer this one on the rocks.