The Alsatian Swizzle

The Alsatian swizzle is an easy cocktail to make for a date night at home as there’s just a few ingredients and it doesn’t need to be shaken.

Swizzles are sour style drinks made with crushed ice and are mixed with a swizzle stick. Although they originated in the Caribbean and therefore are generally made with rum, the name comes from the method of stirring and not the liquor used to make the drink. This cocktail made by bartender Paul MacDonald at Friday Saturday Sunday in Philadelphia is made with a dry Alsatian Riesling and a vodka infused with fine herbs (chervil, tarragon, parsley, and chives). If you don’t want to make the herb infused vodka, you can also use gin — but find one that isn’t too heavy on juniper.

The Alsatian Swizzle
makes 1 drink

shopping list —

• 1.5 oz fine herb infused vodka

• .75 oz dry Alsatian Riesling

• .5 oz lemon juice

• .5 oz simple syrup

• crushed ice

equipment —

• collins glass

• swizzle stick

steps —

1. Combine all the ingredients in a Collins glass. Fill the glass halfway with crushed ice. Stir rapidly with a swizzle stick by holding the stick in between the palms of both hands and rotate the stick rapidly by rubing your hands back and forth. The spinning motion of the swizzle aerates and cools the drink.

2. Top the glass with additional crushed ice and serve.

for the fine herb infused vodka —

1. In a large mixing glass, use muddler to gently crush 1 tsp each of chives, parsley, chervil, and fresh tarragon.

2. Add 24 oz vodka and infuse for 24 hours.

3. Remove the herbs and strain through cheesecloth or a coffee filter. Store away from sunlight.