Doctor Collins
A Fall Tom Collins variation with a ginger kick.
Paging Doctor Collins...
The story behind this drink is about family. When I was a young boy, my parents had a small wet bar in our house and it was there that I learned of the Tom Collins. It was one of the first drinks I ever knew of. Fast forward a couple of decades and the Tom Collins has become one of my favorite summer drinks and will always remind me of my parents.
To this day, the Tom Collins is still one of my father's favorite drinks. Growing up he also fancied another drink with ginger ale and whiskey, often Canadian Club or Seagram's. Knowing this, I started making him whiskey Collins variations over the past 5 years. One day I infused some fresh sage herb into rye whiskey, and mixed it with some ginger syrup and fresh lemon juice. The herb infusion adds botanical characteristics that you would normally find in gin.
The name of this drink is a nod to my father, who happens to be a doctor.
The Doctor Collins recipe:
1.5 oz Sage infused rye whiskey (I recommend using Bulleit or Rittenhouse)
.75 oz ginger syrup
.75 oz lemon juice
2-3 oz soda water
Garnish: sage leaves and lemon peel
Add all ingredients, except soda water to a cocktail shaker. Add ice and shake well for 20 seconds. Double strain into a Collins glass with ice. Top with soda water and garnish.
Substitutions:
Rye whiskey: Infused Bourbon or Irish whiskey could be used as well. Gin will work nicely too. If you don't infuse a spirit, you can muddle sage leaves (4-6) in a cocktail shaker with your sweetener (ginger or simple syrup). Keep the muddle leaves in the shaker and shake with the rest of the ingredients with them in it. Double strain into Collins glass with ice, top with soda water or ginger ale.
Ginger Syrup: Ginger Ale could be used in place of soda water. However, you will need to substitute the ginger syrup with simple syrup.
View Sage Infused Rye Whiskey Recipe >>>
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Fall French 75
A classic cocktail with a splash of Fall.
The traditional French 75 recipe is served in a Champagne flute. Cocktail purists will disagree, but I like mine in a Collins glass over ice. Bartender and author, Jeffrey Morgenthaler, prefers it this way too and I have come to agree with him. The ice dilution and modified recipe makes the drink more palatable. See for yourself.
The Fall French 75 recipe:
1.25 oz gin (I recommend Beefeater)
1 oz lemon juice
.75 oz cinnamon simple syrup*
2-3 oz Champagne
Garnish: cinnamon stick and/or lemon peel
Add your ingredients, except the Champagne to a cocktail shaker with ice. Shake hard until properly diluted. Add the Champagne to the shaker tin and strain into a Collins glass with ice. Garnish and enjoy.
"I totally get it now, a French 75 is just a Tom Collins with Champagne instead of soda water". - Jeffrey Morgenthaler
Substitutions:
Gin: Personally, I would stick with a London Style Gin here as I prefer the less floral, but juniper forward notes. But an American style gin (i.e. Greylock from Berkshire Mountain Distillers) can be used if that is what you prefer.
Cinnamon syrup: Regular simple syrup can be used instead or some herbal simple syrup, like thyme or rosemary can be used.
Champagne: A dry Prosecco can be substituted.
