The Richmond Gimlet has been well-covered, and deservedly so. But, when I approached our Man in Eugene, Jeffrey Morgenthaler, about interviewing him for a piece on the Richmond Gimlet for Oklahoma Magazine’s September issue he graciously obliged. It was the word count that did not. So, I am posting on the Richmond Gimlet, and the remainder of my interview with Jeffrey, here at cocktailnerd to promote a fine drink as well as satisfy my prolific hunger for adjectives. For a look at the original Oklahoma Magazine article you can register and login¹ and view it online² . I hope you enjoy the interview and the recipe:

CN: Do you find most great cocktails are discovered by deliberate attempts and trial-and-error (Edison) or by bright flashes of inspiration, imagination, and accident (Tesla)?

JM: I find that I come up with new cocktails in one of three ways: simple substitution, where one or more ingredients are substituted to create any entirely new one (try a Negroni with white rum sometime), deliberate attempts, which happen when I want to use a specific ingredient and build a drink around it, or pure accident, when I’m just not paying attention to what I’m doing.

CN: The Richmond Gimlet recipes cited by Eugene Weekly and Wine Magazine change up the recipe in seemingly small, but ultimately important, ways versus the 1oz juice and syrup cited on your blog. Which version did you make at Vaquero and why?

JM: The variations you see represent a long process of evolution of that particular drink. I think a lot of drinks go through such a phase. What we’ve landed on at Bel Ami is 2 parts gin, one part lime, one part simple syrup and a sprig of mint, shaken. As my palate has developed I think it’s really the best recipe out there. But that could always change

CN: There’s also a variation involving Rose’s Lime Juice and sweet-and-sour mix. Given most cocktailians’ abject horror at using sweet-and-sour mix versus fresh juices, what does this variation have going for it, and why?

JM: I haven’t seen the Rose’s lime and sweet-and-sour mix variation³ , but I’ve never seen an instance when using pre-mixed ingredients is easier or better tasting than using fresh.

And now, a break in our regular programming as our proud sponsor invites us to enjoy a fine Richmond Gimlet, prepared thusly:

Richmond Gimlet

• 2 oz Tanqueray Ten Gin
• 1 oz simple syrup
• 1 oz lime juice
• 4-6 mint leaves

Place all ingredients except mint leaves in a mixing glass. Fill a shaker with ice and place the mint leaves on top. Shake well and strain into a cocktail glass. Garnish is unnecessary – because it’s awesome just the way it is.

This is a great Summer drink, though I get requests for it all year, that is refreshing, light, and brightly aromatic. As I said in the article, I’ve rarely had anyone not ask for a second, or third. The only thing I’d note about it is that using a rich simple syrup makes it a tad too sweet and thick and that a 1:1 or 1.5:1 sugar-to-water ratio works best (I prefer a 1:1 syrup and Joana the 1.5:1). Also, as the temperature drops and the seasons approach gray I would say that using a demerara or brown sugar-based simple syrup adds a richer profile and adds a small layer of spice to the drink that gives it a little extra dimension that the season call for. However, I’ve not run this apocryphal change by Morgenthaler and could receive a serious drubbing in the comments for such heresy. But, as you’ll see, given his magnamity when it comes to taste, I doubt it:

CN: What, besides the Negroni and RG, are your favorite gin drinks and what makes them special?

JM: I like classic gin cocktails like the Negroni and the Bijou, and a Martini made with the right ingredients. I also like the newer drinks we’ve been experimenting with at the bar. We have a drink right now made with Bombay Dry, elderflower liqueur, lemon and a reduction of pinot gris wine. It’s wonderful.

CN: What are your preferred brands of gin and, specifically, what do make of the trend in straying from traditional gin flavor profiles (G’Vine, Sarticious, Aviation, etc.)?

JM: I like the classic gins, Bombay, Beefeater, Plymouth, etc. But I’ve been getting excited about the micro-distilled products that have been popping up right here in my own backyard around Oregon lately. Aviation gin is a big, creamy gin in more of a Dutch style. Twelve Bridges is infused with a wicked dose of cucumber, and there’s a new all-organic gin coming to the market this summer that I’m especially excited about.

CN: How is architecture like bartending and/or developing drinks? (This is as close as I’ll get to the ‘If you were a tree…’ question)and why blog? Why evangelize about cocktails and quality drinking, and what do you drink at home when no one’s looking?

JM: Architecture and bartending are surprisingly similar. Both are simultaneously an art and a craft. Both require math and attention to detail. And both require dealing with some very picky clients at times. But in the end I chose bartending because of my passion for food and drink and my love of entertaining.

I evangelize about cocktails and quality drinking because I don’t think there are enough bartenders out there doing it. While there is a strong group of cocktail enthusiasts out there, I think other bartenders respond more positively to one of their peers saying, “Look, this is worth examining, let’s work together to return cocktails to their rightful place in the pantheon of world cuisine.” [And while] I don’t really drink that much, on my days off I love to entertain at the house. I’ll get some friends to bring food over to throw on my grill, and I’ll come up with some cocktails to pair with the food they’ve shared using as much local, fresh ingredients as possible.

CN: Finally, a question close to my heart: what bothers you more, when people pronounce your name ‘heff-ree’ trying to be cute or misspelling your last name (or first for that matter)?

JM: [You know], I don’t really get miffed when people misspell or mis-pronounce my name. When you’ve got a last name like mine, you learn to live with it.

Richmond Gimlet Rating:

My thanks to Jeffrey for being so generous with his time and his willingness to conduct the interview in such a short time. He’s a mixologist among bartenders and, if the money’s right, I’ll turn over the photos I have of him shortly after taste-testing Daniel Shoemaker’s drink at the Swag-Off where a sense of defeat creeps into his eyes. Best of luck in Germany.

This post dedicated to Steve “How do you make a Richmond Gimlet Again?” Rhodes, a great pilot and a decent guy.⁴

1. login using – user: gabriel@cocktailnerd.com and password: forkboy10 to avoid registering [↩]
2. page 160 [↩]
3. look at the Eugene Weekly article linked above for details on this recipe at Turtles Bar [↩]
4. or reverse those if you like, Steve [↩]