Author Archives: Andy

The Star Cocktail + old cocktail books.

On Classic Cocktail Books. For those intrigued by the history of the cocktail old cocktail manuals can be an interesting resource if you approach them with the right expectations – of which more later. First things first though: exactly where … Continue reading

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Novara.

Novara. The Novara is a favourite cocktail of mine which appears in Jamie Boudreau’s Canon. Whilst the book, as is not uncommon in modern era cocktail books, has a plethora of complex and “crafty” recipes, the Novara is refreshingly simple … Continue reading

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Water Lily + Crème de Violette

Water Lily + Crème de Violette. While relatively new I think it’s fair to call the Water Lily a classic cocktail. Almost all  agree that the drink was created in 2007 by Richie Boccato at Little Branch – one of … Continue reading

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Gin review: Roku & Etsu Japanese gins.

Gin review: Roku & Etsu Japanese gins. The gin world divides itself, more or less, into two styles which, very approximately, are: a) London Dry gin in which juniper is the main flavour and b) New World/New Western gin in … Continue reading

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Mai Tai (revisited).

Mai Tai (revisited). It’s almost five years since I started this blog and one of the first drinks I ever wrote about was the Mai Tai. Recently a reader (groetjes Andries!) was commenting on how much he loved the Mai … Continue reading

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Kelpie.

Kelpie. Inspired by a comment from a reader and the imminent arrival of St Andrew’s day (now past) I set out on a mission to create the most Scottish cocktail possible. I casually informed Mrs Proof that I was working … Continue reading

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Sir Walter.

Sir Walter. Last time we looked at the history of cocktail legend Harry MacElhone and his famous Harry’s New York bar in Paris. This time I’m going to introduce you to a Harry M creation that is largely overlooked and, … Continue reading

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White Lady + Harry MacElhone + Harry’s New York Bar.

White Lady + Harry MacElhone + Harry’s New York Bar. Recently the Proof team (yeah, OK, there’s just me but it sounds cool) were in Paris and no serious cocktailista can visit Paris without a trip to Harry’s New York … Continue reading

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Gunfire Grog.

Gunfire Grog. To call it a cocktail would certainly be wrong but there exists a drink in British Army tradition that has caught my attention. Simply a rum ration added to a mug of strong black tea, the Gunfire was … Continue reading

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Ready to drink Gin & Tonics – are they any good?

Ready to drink Gin & Tonics – are they any good? While a Gin & Tonic is hardly the most challenging drink to assemble there exists a range of ready made versions for reasons that mystify me somewhat as to … Continue reading

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