Rocky Mountain Way

Day 116, Cocktails 114 & 115

Our vacation continues this week in southwest South Dakota.  We’re staying in Custer and from there visiting numerous sites including Mt. Rushmore, Devils Tower, Deadwood and more.  Yesterday we rolled through Sturgis where they locals were putting the town back together after this year’s bike week.  There were still a few stragglers and shirts for sale.  (As a side note, I couldn’t help but wonder if bikers look down on the guys driving the three wheelers.  I gotta’ believe they do.)

All this driving around Colorado, Wyoming and South Dakota has put me behind with the reports (of course, the enjoyment of cocktails hasn’t slowed!).  This report goes back to last Sunday while we were still in Boulder.  Sunday evening found as at the 4580 Restaurant for a final, family dinner.  They have a well stocked bar and we took advantage of it.

The first drink we had was a speciality of the bar.

  Amelia Earhart

• Bombay Sapphire gin
• St. Germain
• Creme de Violette
• Lemon juice
• mint leaves for garnish

If there was ever a chick cocktail, this is it.  A very light purple color with the wonderful violet flavor of the creme de violette at the front.  The gin and St. Germain are in the background supporting the violette.  A very nice sipper on a warm evening.

If the Amelia Earhart is a chick’s cocktail, then this second one, enjoyed by Reno and I was the manly man’s cocktail.  It was simply a classic manhattan, but it was made with Stranahan’s Colorado Whiskey.  This whiskey is distilled from barley and has a very distinctive flavor as a result.  Smooth and mellow, it has a malty flavor that comes through.  This is an excellent sipper and will soon find its way into my liquor cabinet.  If you are a bourbon or single malt whiskey fan then I recommend trying this distinctive whiskey.

That’s all for now, more from Custer later.

Cheers!