Gold Medal Cocktails

The Vancouver winter Olympics come to a close this weekend, but there’s still one important competition left—the Liquor.com decathlon. While our event doesn’t require cross-country skiing, air rifles or spandex jumpsuits, it’s nonetheless a grueling discipline. We challenged New York City bartender Jason Littrell from bar Death & Co., to create a couple of cocktails to both honor the athletes and reward you for having survived two weeks of melodrama, endless montages and an unhealthy dose of Bob Costas. Sounds easy enough, but there’s a twist: Littrell had to use as many ingredients as possible hailing from the ten countries that won the most medals through the first 10 days of competition. His cocktails are a mini United Nations. The Citius, Altius, Fortius (the Olympic motto, of course) combines alcohol from America, Canada, France, Italy and Switzerland. The Barents Sea Collins, named for the body of water just north of Russia and Norway, mixes the two countries’ favorite spirits—aquavit and vodka. We think the drinks are medal worthy…cue the montage.

Citius, Altius, Fortius

Contributed by: Jason Littrell

INGREDIENTS:

• 2 oz Bluecoat Gin (US)
• .5 oz Noilly Prat Dry Vermouth (France)
• .5 oz Martini & Rossi Sweet Vermouth (Italy)
• 2 Dashes The Bitter Truth Orange Bitters (Germany)
• Teaspoon Kubler Absinthe (Switzerland)
• Teaspoon Crown Royal Whisky (Canada)
• Teaspoon simple syrup (1 part sugar, 1 part water)
• Garnish: Orange wedge
• Glass: Cocktail

PREPARATION:

Add the ingredients to a mixing glass filled with ice and stir. Serve the drink in a cocktail glass with an orange wedge.

The Barents Sea Collins

Contributed by: Jason Littrell

INGREDIENTS:

• 1 oz Linie Aquavit (Norway)
• 1 oz Stoli Vodka (Russia)
• .75 oz Fresh lemon juice
• .75 oz Simple syrup (1 part sugar, 1 part water)
• Club soda (America)
• Garnish: Lemon wedge
• Glass: Highball or Collins

PREPARATION:

Add all the ingredients, except club soda, to a shaker filled with ice. Shake and strain the drink into a highball or Collins glass. Top it off with club soda and garnish with a lemon wedge.