I’ve never met someone who doesn’t enjoy a good s’more. It’s something simple, yet satisfying. You get your graham cracker, toasted marshmallow and chocolate. Those three things combine to an amazing and tasty treat. Typically, I’m not much of a sweet cocktail fan, but every once in a while, the urge strikes me and if the bar claims to specialize in a “S’more Martini!” I can’t not try it. Usually, there’s something missing: the toasted aspect. Well, we fixed that. Time to satisfying that craving with the Barrel Aged S’more Martini.

Barrel aged? You bet’cha! How else do you think we could get that proper smoky, oaky flavor in there?

I know that quite a few recipes just use the charring of a marshmallow to imbue that flavor — and that kinda works, we garnish with that, but it doesn’t encompass the whole cocktail. See, when you’re eating a s’more, the perfect bite comes when you get the gooey marshmallow, the slightly melted chocolate and the crunch of the graham cracker.

Those bites where you don’t get one of the three? Those are just slightly sadder bites. Knowing that, we knew we had to encompass everything in every sip.

First things first: this calls for two different kinds of chocolate (because: YES!). You’re going to barrel age some vodka with crème de cacao (you can even use your own if you have it) and a vanilla bean. Many recipes you’ll find out there call for using marshmallow vodka (ick) or vanilla vodka (um, no thanks). The problem with those flavored vodkas is they’re not the best quality you can get — in fact, it’s just as easy to infuse those flavors yourself.

Knowing that the basic flavor of a marshmallow is vanilla (they’re just sugar, gelatin and vanilla), that’s why we add the vanilla bean to the barrel aging process. Just like that, you’ll have your vanilla, marshmallow flavored vodka.

When you add the crème de cacao to that and leave it in there for at least a week, you’re going to get a smoky, chocolaty, toasted marshmallow flavored alcohol. Let’s call that the Essence of S’more. (Don’t have a barrel in which to age your cocktails? Don’t fret! Get thee to Deep South Barrels. An investment worth its weight in gold.)

Once you’re done aging those together (at least a week now), then you’re going to add some heavy cream and a chocolate liqueur — because it’s time to up the rich factor. We’ve achieved the flavor of a s’more, next we’re aiming for the mouthfeel.

After you’ve added them all together and shaken, then garnished with a toasted marshmallow (for the smell; it’s time to engage as many senses as we can) and a graham cracker, you tell me it’s not a s’more. In fact, it isn’t. It’s a Barrel Aged S’more Martini!

Let’s get drinking!

 

February 27th, 2015 | by morgan