Saturday, February 26, 2011

Foxtail Martini

The idea for this cocktail started with the concept of layering various liquors in an up glass for a stunning visual display. After having the moniker Foxtail pop into my head, (after all I am "Slye Fox"), I figured I'd come up with a black, white, and then a nice burnt orange color to simulate the colors on the tip of a fox's tail.

To layer a drink, you have to think about the liquor's various specific weights. Thick liquors like Grenadine and Kahlua stay at the bottom. Medium weights like Bailey's and most Schnapps stay in the middle. High alcohol content booze floats on top. This concept made choices pretty clear. Kahlua on the bottom for the black layer. Godiva White Chocolate in the middle for the white layer. And something orange to be on top.

I tried many cocktail combinations to come up with an upper layer that had the right color. Starting with orange juice, the color was always too light and the citrus acid from adding the juice tended to aid in mixing with the Godiva. So I started looking at the colors of the liquor in my bottle collection and decided to start with Jeremiah Weed as the base. To escape from the tea flavor and help it meld with the chocolate and coffee below, I added orange and herbs into the mix to make a very earthy, unique flavor that works well with the entire package.

The final result is a cocktail that still tastes very much like sweet tea, but with a complex undercurrent of flavors that subdue the sweetness and combine to form a tasty and very unique drink.
  • 2 oz Jeremiah Weed Sweet Tea
  • 1/2 oz Grand Marnier
  • 1/2 oz Benedictine
  • 1 oz Godiva White Chocolate Liqueur
  • 1/2 oz Kahlua
  • Orange Slice
Chill an up glass with crushed ice and water. Shake the Tea Vodka, Grand Marnier, and Benedictine with ice in a shaker until it sweats. Add the Kahlua to the bottom of the glass. Using a spoon, gently pour the Godiva over the top of the Kahlua. In the same manner, pour the shaker contents over a spoon to layer them over the Godiva. Garnish with a slice of orange.