Whilst stroking the blank space under my nose where my awesome handlebar mustache used to be (the Lady Friend did not approve, and somehow she obtained a large number of electoral votes) I happened across a tasty looking recipe. It comes from The Barkeeper’s May issue of this year. It was just the thing to sip while fondly recalling my days as a facially-follicled gent.


The Mustachio

1 ½ oz Bourbon (Used Old Crow Reserve)
1 oz Cointreau (Used Grand Marnier)
¾ oz Campari
½ oz lemon juice

Shake/ strain/ serve in a chilled cocktail glass. Be sure to include the garnish.

For the garnish: I recommend cutting a large swath of lemon peel away from the fruit, and trimming off the pith. Then, use your paring knife (or Xacto like I did) to slice the proper handlebar mustache shape.


Nose: Well, it’s confusing. It smells like bourbon, Campari and lemon mixed together. Which is how it should smell, I suppose. Like a whiskey sour, but with Campari in it.

Taste: Less sweet than I imagined. The bourbon is certainly in there, and it’s doing freaky-deakey things with the bittersweet Campari. It starts with a dry, tart, herbal bitter from the Campari, but with bourbon’s hot sweet mess. I used Grand Marnier instead of Cointreau, and it adds a bit of dark sweetness which pairs well with the whiskey. The lemon is hanging out in the background, but very subdued. It’s the Campari and the bourbon slugging it out, and the Campari might win. Perhaps a bigger whiskey, like the higher-proof Knob Creek would do it, but the super-tasty Old Crow Reserve goes down swinging.

The Lady Friend’s take: “Smell: bourbon. I don’t taste any Campari.” I think her tastebuds are broken. I belive she’s mistaking the Camapri’s bittersweet for lemon tart. There really isn’t much lemon juice in there to make much impact. She did make her “Campari grimace” face.

I miss my mustache.