I’m a vodka and tequila type of girl. But when I received an invitation to the Fall Cognac Crawl New York led by Franky Marshall of Le Bedoir, I couldn’t resist.
I’ve always thought of cognac as a man’s drink. Translation: Way too much bite for me.
That’s is until I attended The Fall Cognac Crawl New York. At an unbeatable price of $30, you get to taste five bars’ renditions of classics. The price includes a tote bag with two booklets inside. One booklet has the cocktail recipes for each bar. The other booklet has info about the French region of Cognac and the process of making the brandy.
“Everything you do in New York involves drinking,” said Marshall the first time I went on the crawl.
Literally, everything.
I clung to her every word. One because I didn’t know anything about cognac. Two because I was trying hard to feel like I belonged.
I typed phrases in my notes about hints of oak and vanilla wafting off the drinks. Some more than others. Some seem overpowered by other flavors. Some were light and refreshing.
This past weekend, I grabbed my love and a couple of friends and did the Fall Cognac Crawl New York again. At the low-low price of $6 a cocktail, we drank our way through the Lower East Side. Here’s what I thought:
Boilermaker: A great starting place
The Brandy Crusta arrives in crystal-like glass with a sugar rim. It was both sweet and sour a lot like a margarita, which is always a good idea.
We didn’t try any food, but every time we saw a burger and smelled the seasoned fries, we wish we had. The donut stars were a table favorite though.
Amor y Amargo: Where you’re sure to try something new
Jamaican Jerk bitter, anyone? That’s a real thing in the intimate bitters tasting room.
The Bonne Nouvelle with rootbeer bitters was by far the strongest drink on the beer crawl. We sipped it slow unsure how to describe our drink or the bitters. A regular with an accent said “it’s defined by the face you make after you taste it.” Bitters are actually liquor-based flavoring agents.
Mace: Where you’re going to learn the most about mixology
It’s not every day you watch someone use an egg for a cocktail. But once Christian made the Ghost Chili, he had our undivided attention. With shaved white chocolate, he said it was like drinking a milk shake.
I gobbled the truffle popcorn by the handfuls. The Tamarindo was the second strongest drink on the bar crawl and was like the cocktail at Boilermaker. It was sourer though even in a glass rolled in sugar.
Night Cap: Where you should end the night
The Side By Side was my favorite cocktail both times. It taste like a warm pear pie with cinnamon syrup to boot.
The speakeasy-like bar was also our favorite stop of the night. If you enjoy 90’s R&B aka when music was good, you’re going to have a fun night. We closed down the woman-ran bar (woot woot!). I also had the frozen orange drink in the machine that you have to try.
We didn’t try the cocktail at Pouring Ribbon due to a private party and a 40 minute wait. We plan on going before the crawl ends on the 23rd. I recommend going in this order: Boilermaker, Amor Y Amargo, Pouring Ribbons, Mace, and Night Cap.
The Fall Cognac Crawl New York is a partnership between the Cognac Geographic Indication and Good Passports. A portion of the proceeds benefit the Heritage Radio Network.
