The Drink: We saved our favorite for last. This cocktail is special for both of us, and we each have a story behind our first experience with it. The Vieux Carré was invented at the Hotel Monteleone by Walter Bergeron in the 1930’s and literally translates to “Old Square,” one of the early French terms for the French Quarter. If you like Old Fashioneds and/or Sazeracs, this might be your new go to cocktail.

Jamie introduced me to this drink at Nashville’s Holland House Bar & Refuge, which is where he was introduced to it as well. The bartender, Jon (now owns PourTaste) asked Jamie what he wanted, and he said something with whiskey. Jon made him the Vieux Carré, and since then it’s been his all time favorite cocktail.

Fast forward a bit to a trip I made to Nashville about two years ago. I had just taken this photo of the Holcomb’s with Jamie and Tig in tow, and after we all went to Holland House to get drinks. Jamie wouldn’t let me look at the menu, he just ordered me a Vieux Carré. It completely changed the way I looked at drinks, since up to that point the most complicated drink I ordered was a Gin & Tonic.

The recipe below is Holland House’s recipe, since both Jamie and I have never had a version we like better. The key difference? They use orange curaçao in place of Benedictine.

• 1 oz bourbon – we used Temptation
• 1 oz cognac – we used Landy
• 1/2 oz (heavy pour) sweet vermouth – we used Dolin Rouge
• 1/4 orange curaçao
• 2 dash Peychaud’s

Put all ingredients in a mixing glass and stir.
Strain into a rocks glass with a large cube – we used a Tovolo sphere.

The Glass: Courtesy of Jess’s cabinet.

The Drink: While preparing the menu for this Takeover, we decided it would be fun to Tweet and ask for drink ideas. Andy Baxter, lead singer of Penny and Sparrow, replied “Any chance we can see some Irish Mule or ginger/bourbon goodness?!” Bourbon and ginger? Oh, absolutely.

This worked perfectly with an ingredient that both Jamie and I have recently purchased – Branca Menta. Jamie got it a few months ago and mentioned a few recipes to me, but not until my Italy trip did I finally try and buy a bottle. An amaro with mint flavor? Perfection.

So we discussed how to use the bourbon, ginger and Menta, and Jamie convinced me that they’d all work together. He made the cocktail for Andy the next day since he happened to be stopping in Nashville on a tour stop. Jamie asked Andy if he’d prefer it with less Menta and more ginger, since Menta can easily overpower a drink. Andy looked at Jamie, looked at the drink, took another sip and said “Brother, that’s perfect. I wouldn’t change a thing.”

Since it was Andy’s desire for us to post a bourbon and ginger drink, and since it was Penny and Sparrow’s Atlanta stop that brought Jamie to Georgia in the first place, we decided that naming this cocktail after him was the best decision we could make. Cheers, Mr. Baxter, and also to you, world.

• 2 oz bourbon – we used Temptation
• 1/4 oz Branca Menta
• 1/2 oz fresh lemon juice
• 1/2 oz ginger syrup

Put all ingredients in a shaker with ice.
Shake and strain into a pretty glass of choice.

The Glass: Another great find in Statesboro at 67 Antique Mall.

The Drink: There is no need to adjust this “cousin” of a Negroni. This delicious classic first appeared in Harry McElhone’s 1927 bar guide, Barflies and Cocktails, and it’s one of Caroline’s favorite cocktails of all time.

• 1.5 oz rye whiskey – we used Old Overholt 
• 1 oz Campari
• 1 oz sweet vermouth – we used Dolin Rouge

Put all ingredients in a mixing glass with ice and stir well.
Strain into a chilled cocktail glass.
Zest with orange peel, or flame orange peel, to release the oils.

The Glass: From The Boston Shaker.

The Drink: Adapted from Saveur’s recipe, which was a bit too sweet for us. This is still a tad sweet, but we think a Pumpkin Old Fashioned should be for dessert drinkin’ anyways.

• 1.5 tbsp. pumpkin purée – we used Whole Foods
• 2 oz bourbon – we used Temptation
• 1/2 oz maple syrup – we used Trader Joe’s
• 1/2 oz Grand Marnier
• Orange bitters – we used Angostura Orange

Combine all ingredients in a shaker with ice.
Shake it, double strain into a rocks glass.
Garnish with an orange twist.

The Glass: Caroline found this beauty in Statesboro at 67 Antique Mall.

Jamie Clayton and I teamed up again, this time in Atlanta, to bring y’all Drink This Takeover: Part 3!

We brought our ingredients together, set up in Jess Graves‘ house, and had one heck of a Wednesday. Today through Friday, five more cocktails are coming your way…so let’s go. Oh, and we’ve added GIF’s!

The Drink: Jamie was in Memphis late one night at a bar whose name he cant remember (typical). He ordered this drink and loved it so much that he awkwardly stalked the bartender to get every single step and measurement down in how he made it. Then, he went home and added more bourbon and voila, The Hound Dog you see today.

• Mint leaves
• 2 oz bourbon – we used Bulleit.
• 1/4 oz fresh lemon juice
• 1/2 oz ginger syrup
• 1 oz peach syrup
  • Cut up about 4 peaches and put in blender (Jamie used a Vitamix) with 2 tablespoons of sugar, 1/2 oz lemon juice, and 1/2 cup water.
  • Start slow and slowly move to level 10 to purée the peaches.
  • Once you have peach purée, create syrup on stove with water using 1:1 ratio.

Slap 3 sprigs of mint and drop in a cocktail shaker.
Add bourbon, lemon juice, and syrups.
Add ice, shake it, strain it.
Garnish with a bunch of mint leaves and thin peach slices.

The Glass: Mason jar from Nashville flea market.

What you’ll need from home…

• Orange bitters from The Bitter Truth Cocktail Bitters Traveler’s Set (TSA approved, in Ziplock of course).

What you’ll need from the Flight Attendant…

• Bourbon – Delta has Woodford Reserve. I don’t know what the other silly airlines have.
• 2 glasses – 1 empty, 1 with ice.
• Sugar packet.
• Water.
• Straw.

What you’ll need to do…

Photographed in Atlanta, GA

Raised in:
Born in Atlanta, and raised all over Southeasten Coastal towns.

Lives in:
Atlanta, Georgia

Inspiration for winning cocktail:
I wanted to compliment and enhance the botanical profile of Bombay Sapphire. Carrot and juniper actually work together really well, so that was the inspiration for the foam. The juniper, coriander, and bay leaf spiced syrup compliment the citrus juice. It all comes together to make the cocktail really refreshing.

Behind the name, ‘Pickfair’s Garden’: 
Douglas Fairbanks gave Mary Pickford the 182-carat Star of Bombay sapphire. They were the ‘Brangelina’ of the ’20s, and their 56 acre esate was dubbed ‘Pickfair’ by the press. I picture this cocktail being passed around on trays at the Hollywood parties they threw. It’s a whimsical homage to them.

The Recipe:
1.5 oz Bombay Sapphire Gin
1 oz citrus juice (mix of lemon and grapefruit juice)
3/4 oz Cocchi Americano
1/2 oz spiced sugar syrup (juniper, coriander, bayleaf)
4 drops Scrappy’s Cardamon Bitters
Carrot Foam

Combine all ingredients, except for the bitters and foam, with ice and shake.
Fine strain into a coupe.
Add Cardamom bitters and carefully top with carrot foam.
Garnish with candied carrot “twist” and sprig of carrot top.

Now would ya look at that:
Meet Kellie Thorn, Bar Manager at Empire State South. A few weeks ago, Kellie competed in the regional finals of the “Most Imaginative Bartender” competion, sponsored by Bombay Sapphire Gin. After a series of challenging timed sessions, surprise twists and blind tastings by a panel of esteemed judges including Bombay Sapphire Brand Ambassador, Scott Mayer, her innovative ‘Pickfair’s Garden’ was recognized as the most original mixology masterpiece in Atlanta. This creation advances her to the USGB Bartender Summit in Las Vegas in two days (Sunday, September 8th). She’ll share the stage with 51 of the country’s top mixologist for the chance at the title of “USBG Nation’s Most Imaginative Bartender.” If Kellie takes the title in Vegas, she’ll get a cover feature in the December 2013 GQ magazine “Men of The Year” issue (as one of the very few females) alongside her cocktail, and secure a spot in the 3rd annual global finals.

Go, Kellie, go!

We haven’t been Bloody Mary people whatsoever, but I (Caroline) have always wanted to like them. I’ve always loved the idea of them, and love all things tomato…except a Bloody Mary. Anytime I’d be at brunch with friends and someone would order one, I’d always try and it, and every time I’d say “I know I’ll like this one day.”

That day is finally here.

Over the past few months, I’ve tried some that I could handle more than just a sip of. In fact, I wanted another sip. And then, in some sort of cocktailian fate, Fat and Juicy reached out to me asking if I’d like to try their Bloody Mary mix. I obliged with the warning that they may be hearing back with an “It’s not you, it’s me,” email.

When it arrived, I thought it was necessary to try it alongside a Bloody Mary lover. I took it with me to Jess‘s house, a place that is no stranger to day drinking during our photo shoots. Together, with a few additional Southern brands, we whipped up a Bloody Mary that was dang good, y’all. Jess approved and erry’thang.

The Drink:

• 3 oz vodka – we used Platinum
• 5 oz Fat and Juicy Bloody Mary Mix
• 5 dashes hot sauce – we used Sambo Sauce
  

Stir it all together with ice.
We garnished with a pickled green tomato by Phickles Pickles and highly recommend that you do the same.

The Glass: Found at HomeGoods.