The Robb Report’s article this week was on a cocktail named the Archangel. The Robb Report article this week was about a cocktail called the Archangel. It is available here, but it can be summarized as follows: the Archangel, a 2006 neoclassic, uses the bittersweet Aperol in place of the herbal whisperings found in dry vermouth: 3 parts gin and 1 part Aperol.
The recipe also includes a curious twist: a cucumber that has been lightly bruised or muddled, then stirred and strained.
You may not understand how bizarre this “bruised cucumber” business is if you do not work or live in the cocktail industry. Shaken refreshing drinks with cucumbers, not stirred boozy ones. Cucumber Margaritas. Cucumber’ Tinis. This kind of thing. They bring a cooling herbaceousness to the palate that is broad and almost urgently refreshing. They are what make drinks like the Eastside Rickey (gin, lime, cucumber, mint, soda) so irrepressibly, grab-the-table-with-your-eyes-closed delicious. The Archangel was the first drink to be designed with only alcohol and no juice. (I wasn’t quite right about this, but more below).
The Archangel is absolutely amazing. The drink is absolutely amazing. It’s like an animated cartoon where the smell of cucumbers takes on a floral tone, and a green flavour ribbon runs through the whole experience. The drink is great on the rocks and up. It’s also great with any style of gin from Tanqueray, Plymouth, Hendrick’s, or even something as wild as Aviation.
It’s great. It’s an excellent drink. Stop.
What’s the point? Are we still stirring cucumbers?
Every idea must indeed start somewhere. I can understand why no one else had thought of that before Richard Boccatto and Michael McIlroy came up with the concept at Milk & Honey 18 years ago. Since then, what has happened? Where are the cukes in stirred drinks? Archangel can’t be the only way that this technique could be used.
It was a genuine question. Jeffrey Morgenthaler’s barrel-aged cocktails were being served at Ruth’s Chris Steakhouses in 2012 when he first came up with them. Before I began writing this, I knew only one other drink with a bruised cucumber, and it wasn’t very good.
Unbelievably, I searched through cocktail books and blogs to find as many recipes as possible. I ended up with the following 10. Eight of the 10 drinks were made, as I didn’t want to have to buy six new bottles in order to make them.
Now, I would like to present:
Delicious Cocktails with Stirred Cucumber
Archangel
- 2.25oz Gin
- 0.75oz Aperol
- 3 Cucumber Wheels
In a mixing cup, muddle the cucumbers. Stir for 10-20 seconds. Add liquids and ice and garnish with a lemon peel or a cucumber slice. Pour into a coupe and garnish with lemon peel or cucumber slices.
Green and Red – Thomas Waugh 2012 as described in Death & Co. Cocktail Book.
- 1oz Siete Leguas Blanco Tequila
- 1oz Jalapeno-infused Siembra Azul Blanco Tequila
- 0.75oz Cocchi Americano
- Dolin Dry Vermouth 0.75 oz
- 0.25oz Alvear Festival Pale Cream Sherry
- 3 Cucumber Wheels
In a mixing cup, muddle the cucumbers. Stir for 10-20 seconds. Add the liquids, ice, and sugar. Pour into a coupe and garnish with cucumber ribbons on a pick.
Notes:
Oh, that’s wonderful. Tequila goes well with cucumber — the green notes of the tequila blend seamlessly with the cucumber, and the jalapeno is a great addition. It’s amazing how Cocchi and Sherry work together, especially at the end. Goddamnit, Cocchi, what a great product! The cucumber is playing its floral game while the arcs are sweeping over the palate. The heat helps to sweeten it. It’s really good.
Mexicano — Jim Meehan, 2010, as detailed in the PDT Cocktail Book
- 1.5oz Partida Reposado Tequila
- 0.75z Gran Classico Bitter
- Cucumber slices
- 2oz Champagne
In a mixing cup, muddle the cucumbers. Stir for 10-20 secs. Add tequila, liqueur, and ice. Strain into a coupe and top with Champagne. Add a lemon zest.
Notes:
Oh my god, this is pretty damn good. Bitter. Cucumber contributes to the vegetal nature of tequila. On the palate, cucumber is more noticeable than on the nose. Lemon peel helps. The cucumber seamlessly transitions into a robust vegetal bitterness in the back palate. This is actually pretty good, despite the horrible name. Bubbles lift it. The cava clashes with the Gran Classico but only on the finish. The Gran Classico takes over abruptly when the cucumber bitterness and lemon cucumber brightness take over the midpalate.
Wheeler and Wilson — Leo Robitschek, as detailed in the NoMad Cocktail Book
- 0.5oz Amaro Montenegro
- 0.5oz Dolin Blanc
- 0.5oz Lustau Los Arcos Amontillado Sherry
- 0.75oz Diplomatico Reserva Aged Rum
- 1oz Old Forrester 100 Bourbon
- 3 cucumber slices
Mix with cucumber slices and strain into a coupe. Garnish with a second cucumber slice
My Notes
Woah. So much going on. It’s a great thought. Complexity at its best. The Montenegro is well captured. The drink is not at fault for the noise. I suspect that it was caused by the fact that I did not use the same brands. I used Dooley’s 1920 Bourbon and Old Forrester XO Rum. It’s still good, even with the rum and proof very off. The cucumber provides a green base for a lot of complexity. If you have the brands, or even if not, I recommend them.
A CUCUMBER STIRRED DRINK that Almost Broke My Brain
Spring Sling — Pietro Collina as described in the NoMad Cocktail Book
- 1oz Pierre Ferrand Cognac 1840
- 0.75oz Cocchi Americano
- 0.5oz Laphroaig 10
- 0.5oz Chareau
- 1 tsp Amaro Nardini
Mix all ingredients (no cucumber), strain into a Nick & Nora and garnish the drink with a cucumber-shaped ball.
My Notes
What the fuck? This is fucking awesome. Chareau and Laphroaig? I’m sorry, what??
It’s described as “a stirred, savory grasshopper,” but I don’t know how it works. Smoke is almost immediately noticeable after the minty Chareau melon. The combination is amazing, and I didn’t even use the right amaro. [I used Averna]. What’s causing this almost chocolatey taste? The amaro+cognac, perhaps? Chareau is next, followed by Laphroaig. Cucumber is a great aromatic and other support for Chareau. Fabulous.
I didn’t know I was supposed to mix cucumbers, but I did it anyway. It’s great. I made it again, but this time without the muddled cucumber. I just added a fresh cucumber after making it, which is also fantastic. It’s too wild for me to choose a favourite. I will have to compare them side by side. This is a recipe I’ll be making again.
STIRRED CUCUMBER DRINK that is JUST FINE
Here are the rest, just to be complete. I didn’t find the next four excellent and will not make them again. List them to complete the catalogue, as there is no other place where you can find all of these.
Polaris — Brandon Bramhall and Attaboy Nashville in 2018, as described in the Bartender’s Choice App
- 1.5oz Gin
- 1oz Manzanilla
- 0.5oz Aperol
- Cucumbers bruised
Stir. Up. Up.
Notes:
Good. Sherry and an Archangel are good. Sherry is a game-changer. Sherry completely takes over the finish. Aperol, gin or sherry. Complexity is added. It’s good, but I’m not sure if it’s any better. Lemon adds a lot this time. I don’t believe it does the Archangel. Sherry lovers might consider this improvement, but most of all, I want an Archangel. Shery is a great fit, but Shery dominates the finish. Sherry is like Hi, I’m SHERRY! It’s like it shortens your tasting experience of the other.
Cobble Hill — Sam Ross, Milk & Honey, 2005, as detailed in the Bartender’s Choice App
- 2oz Rye
- 0.5oz Dry Vermouth
- 0.5oz Montenegro
- Cucumber
Stir. Up. Garnish the dish with a cucumber that has been freshly sliced.
Notes:
This is the first Sam Ross drink that I didn’t like at all. Rye is strange. The first impression is that it’s not special. Bulleit Rye is not special. It doesn’t work. The front palate is cucumber, but the finish tastes like rye. I can see where he is going with this, and I’m sure he could achieve it better with another rye.
Rittenhouse is the next brand to try. Rich on the body. Still bad. What the shit? Bad. It isn’t good. Tastes like pickles. Too dry.
Chin Up — Sam Ross, Milk & Honey, 2005, as detailed in the Bartender’s Choice App
- 2oz gin
- 0.5oz Cynar
- 0.5oz Dry Vermouth
- Salt
- Cucumber
Stir. Up. Lemon Twist
What I have written is:
Much better than Cobble Hill. Gin is a much better choice. The Archangel is still better. This is a bit out of place.
False Start — Anne Robinson, Westlight, as detailed at Punch
- 1.25oz Siete Leguas Reposado Tequila
- 1oz Cardamaro
- 0.75oz Dolin Rouge Vermouth
- 0.25oz Cynar
Muddle two cucumber slices, add all the ingredients and ice, and stir. Fine strain into a coupe and garnish with a cucumber wheel.
Notes:
It’s pretty good. I can see the point of it. It’s not bad, but it is a bit annoying. I used Siesta Reposado instead of Siete Leguas Reposado, which could have made a difference. It’s not great if the cocktail depends on the brand. Just a little meh. Just a little bit boring. Nothing too bold or outlandish. No edge. As if you were bobbing in a pool above ground.
STIRRED CUCUMBER DRINK that I haven’t tried yet
Stone Crush — Chaim Durmann, Up & Up Bar as described in Spirited
- Three to four cucumber slices
- 1.5oz Brennivin
- 0.5oz Blanc Vermouth
- 0.25oz Rabarbaro Zucca Amaro
- 1oz Pilsner Beer
Mix all ingredients except beer. Strain into a rock glass and top with pilsner. Stir to combine. Garnish the drink with a cucumber slice and a lemon twist.
Beau Four — Leo Robitschek as described in the NoMad Cocktail Book
“A Springtime Manhattan with mentholated depth and complexity”
- 1.5oz Jim Beam Black bourbon
- 0.75oz Dolin Dry
- 0.5oz Amaro Nardini
- Short 0.5oz Amaro Foro
- Cucumber slices
Stir over ice and add cucumber slices. Strain into a coupe and garnish with a slice of cucumber
Thank you for reading! Please let me know what you think. Spring Sting is my favourite. Good god.
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