Musical Mixology is back to celebrate the lush beauty of early summer with our latest cocktail, The Rachmaninoff Heartbreak. We crafted this deeply romantic drink, in part, to celebrate the release of our latest music video, "The Night... The Love..." as well as the appearance of Rachmaninoff's gorgeous Suite No. 1 for Two Pianos on our latest album, Mother.
Pinot noir (the heartbreak grape), chocolate, apricots, and cognac come together to create this earthy and sensual drink worthy of Rachmaninoff’s romanticism. The drink is less dessert-like than the ingredient list may suggest; it's lightly sweet, juicy, smoky, and totally luxurious — perfect to pair with Rachmaninoff's sumptuous harmonies and passionate lyricism. One sip of this delightful craft concoction will send you drifting on the evening breeze like night-blooming jasmine. Drink up and get lost in:
THE RACHMANINOFF HEARTBREAK
Adapted from "Chocolate Wine" from Ryan Chetiyanwardana's Good Things to Drink
Yield: 6-7 drinks
Ingredients:
- 1 bottle pinot noir (earthy, fruit forward, not too tannic)
- 6 oz cognac
- 0.5 oz peaty single-malt scotch (lower-end, like Laphroaig, is fine)
- 3 1/2 tablespoons granulated sugar (just less than 1/4 cup)
- 1/4 cup cacao nibs
- 5 dried apricots
- 6 black peppercorns
- 1/2 teaspoon anise seeds
- pinch of salt
Instructions:
- Stir ingredients in a microwave-safe bowl
- Cover and heat on high power in the microwave for 3 minutes (I’ve tried cooking this over a stovetop, but the flavors infused better in the microwave.)
- Allow to cool, then strain (Keep the apricots to serve as small hors d’oeuvres with the drink. So good!)
- Refrigerate until cold
- Serve in a wine glass with 2-3 cubes of ice
Helpful hint: I've made this cocktail several times and much prefer to use softer dried apricots over those that are chewy and completely dried.
The Rachmaninoff Heartbreak is perfect for fueling a budding summer romance or soothing a broken heart. Whether sharing in passion or pathos, this cocktail is best paired with an assortment of hors d'oeuvres (think fresh and dried fruits, nuts, cheese, chocolates!) and our music video "The Night... The Love...", featuring Rachmaninoff's Suite No. 1 for Two Pianos. 😉
Enjoy!
-Greg
