Oak at Fourteenth
Dueling Hongos
For more than a dozen years, OAK has been a leader in mixology under the helm of co-owner Bryan Dayton, named the nation’s “Most Inspired Bartender” at the 2011 Bombay Sapphire cocktail competition and founder of the Colorado chapter of the United States Bartenders’ Guild.
To toast National Cocktail Day, OAK’s new beverage director Collin Griffith has created a surprising cocktail that balances umami, sweetness, and oak, named, “Dueling Hongos”.
“’Fat washing’ has really only become popular in the last 20 years. Bartenders have tried all sorts of combinations from animal fats, nut oils, etc. to impart flavor to a spirit. I find that fat washing also imparts a textural element to a spirit as well giving it a rounder and more silky mouthfeel. “
Duck fat-washed charanda (a spirit similar to rum) is infused with blue indigo and oyster mushrooms from the same family of fungi made popular by the HBO show “Last of Us”, as well as whiskey, amaro Montenegro, aztec chocolate bitters, and bitters made in collaboration between OAK and Cocktail Punk for a rich, silky, and savory sipper.
Ingredients:
1 oz. duck fat-washed Sol Tarasco Charanda con Hongos (or your favorite rum) – duck fat infusion recipe below
0.75 oz Amaro Montenegro
0.75 oz Laws Whiskey House Rye Whiskey (or your favorite whiskey)
2 dashes Cocktail Punk’s OAK Bitters
2 dashes Fee Brothers Aztec Chocolate Bitters
Serves: 1
Preparation:
Add all ingredients to a mixing glass, fill with ice, and stir for about one minute. Strain to a chilled coupe glass. Express orange twist and garnish.
Duck fat infusion:
Combine 16 oz. Sol Tarasco and 150g duck fat and let it sit at room temp covered for 4 hours. Transfer to the freezer until all the fats solidify. Strain out all of the fat through a cheesecloth and pour it into a bottle. Refrigerate.
