Jujube
Chapel Hill, NC
$9
Alas, no picture for this cocktail review, but don’t let the lack of visual stimulation stop you from trying it out. The Hot Date is made of jujube preserves, bourbon, cayenne, and lemon. And it is one hot date, as far as that cayenne’s concerned!
The flavors of this drink hit you in quick succession. First the lemon assaults, then the bourbon swells up, followed by the cayenne---lots and lots of cayenne. The jujube preserves just serve to mellow out the other flavors slightly; they don’t have much of a flavor presence. Now the spice level is love for me, but it’s likely too spicy if you’re looking for just a brief kick. Otherwise, I’d up the preserves and change the lemon to a less harsh citrus, perhaps orange, or tangerine, even. It’s great but could be a tad greater with a few changes.
Reviewed 7 Dec 10.
Most of my posts on nightlife feature a specific cocktail that I’ve enjoyed rather than focusing on the atmosphere of the bar, club, or wine bar that I’m patronizing. Largely, that’s because I care more about what’s in my glass than I do what’s playing on the speakers. However, I am far more likely to enjoy neighborhood dive bars and wine bars than I am a club or anywhere with loud music. I’ll still give the latter a try, and if the beverages are inventive and fun, I’ll be back no matter the soundtrack!