An Old-Fashioned Summer; Fee Brothers Featured in 585 Magazine

Without fail, July and August proves to be my favorite season to be in Western New York. The lead up in June is a part of my summertime rhythm. Rochester Cocktail Revival. Jazz Fest. Independence Day. Then, if I’m lucky, nothing super major for a while. Just long, warm days and cool, breezy nights. It’s a welcome handful of weeks where there’s a little less to do. So maybe we can catch a ball game or a nap. Maybe we can finally catch up with a friend over a cocktail. That one sounds pretty good. My lazy thumbs start tapping into action. How’ve you been? When can we connect? What will we drink?

That last one can be an overwhelming nonproblem, for the summer cocktail canon is both exciting and expansive. Immediately we think of the margarita, the daiquiri, the piña colada, and a host of others, along with the tropical bouquet of flavors that accompany these classics. Tiki cocktails come to mind.

I imagine an army of blenders emerging from dusty cupboards to embark on their annual deployments. The juicy citrus notes found in these drinks are the perfect choice for daytime drinking while we sit around the pool or lie out at the beach. The bright, electric colors and energy are all the right vibes. But as the sun starts to disappear and the swimmers pull themselves out of the water, it often feels good to transition into something a little less sweet and possibly a little more warming. In those moments, I like to lean on stirred, spirit-forward compositions. Something slow for sipping that we can melt into while we talk about whatever’s been going on. A perfect cocktail for this moment might be the Oaxaca Old Fashioned. It’s a sturdy, agave-based riff on the whiskey classic……..continue reading.

Read the full article, complete with a recipe for an Oaxaca Old Fashioned with Fee Brothers Turkish tobacco bitters, here.

Author: Ralph DiTucci

Photo credit: Renée Veniskey