The Oscars are in the air and the “team spirit” at Crush Wine & Spirits in New York, are showing their appreciation for the dramatic arts, by creating cocktails inspired by the 2011 Academy Awards nominees for best pictures, including The Black Swan, of course.
Crush is located on a well-shopped stretch of East 57th street, between Lexington and Third avenues. Stylish, it dramatically displays most of its 8,000 bottles, in a kind of glowing serpentine wall. They also have a not-to-be-missed minimalist tasting room.
Absolutely elegant, The Black Swan, the cocktail, is a tasteful pousse-café, featuring the Santa Teresa rum and coffee liqueur Arakú and Coole Swan, an Irish dairy cream liqueur, and topped by a super-thin layer of absinthe.
The original idea of the Crush people was to separate the Black Swan (Arakú) from the White Swam (Coole Swan) with the layer of absinthe. However, the process of perfecting the layers is like the process of becoming both the Black Swan and the White Swan in the movie: it’s impossible and may drive you insane!
No need to say that Coole Swan seems to have been made to mix with Arakú. By itself, it’s a delight. Mixed with Arakú they are the perfect couple. But, if this combination of coffee and cream is enriched with the refreshing herbal and anise notes of absinthe, it becomes the perfect pousse-café. Simply sublime.
If what you prefer to have it as an aperitif, my suggestion is that once you create the three layer drink and impress yourself and your guests, pour all ingredients into an old fashioned glass over crushed ice. This is, no doubt, another memorable experience.
The Black Swan
1.5 oz of Arakú rum and coffee liqueur
1.5. oz of Coole Swan Dairy liqueur
0.5 oz of absinthe
Pour the Arakú into a straight-walled glass.
Drip the absinthe over the back side of a bar spoon which is just touching the meniscus of the Arakú. Stop when you can see a thin layer of green.
Next, carefully add the Coole Swan in the same fashion. You will notice that the light green absinthe layer will float on the top of your drink.
Be careful not to pour too vigorously or else your Black Swan and White Swan will get mixed up.
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