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July 14, 1789, Paris: Insurgents storm the Bastille Fortress in search of weapons and ammunition. Though the defenders hold out for several hours, the fortress falls by the afternoon. The commander of the prison is beaten, stabbed, and beheaded. The mob then parades his head on a pike around the city. The French Revolution…yeah, fun times…
Rather than bore you with the usual Lillet-based concoctions or try to shoe-horn in a piece on the French 75 (named after a cannon from the wrong century and hardly even French), we’ll be taking a little black-humored look at a few drinks named after the notorious Madame Guillotine!
Guillotine #1
- 1 3/4 oz Butterscotch schnapps
- irish cream
- cinnamon schnapps
Glass: Shot
Garnish: None
Build in glass. Fill about 4/5 of the way with Butterscotch schnapps. Float a layer of irish Cream on schnapps. Float a layer of cinnamon on the irish cream.
Guillotine #2
- 1 oz. Benedictine
- 1 oz. Gin
- 1/2 oz. Lemon juice
- 1/2 tsp. sugar
Glass: Cocktail
Garnish: None
Mix ingredients in a shaker with ice strain into chilled cocktail glass.
Guillotine #3
This is the more well-known variation. A version appears in Difford’s Guide #6.
- 1 oz Crème de Cassis liqueur
- 1 oz Pear liqueur
- Top with Champagne
Glass: Champagne flute.
Garnish: blackberry, blueberry and pear slice
Build in glass. Add liqueurs to glass. Top with champagne. Stir gently.
