Drink of the week: Cafe Maude's Barley and Butter

Cafe Maude
5411 Penn Ave.S., Mpls.
612.822.5411
website

Cafe Maude's bar-manager moi grande, Pip Hanson, along with everyone's favorite drink guy, Johnny Michaels, have crafted another fantastic seasonal drink menu this winter at Cafe Maude. Which causes only one problem: how do you choose?

My bartender Christian did not steer me wrong when he suggested the Barley and Butter. I have to admit I was skeptical since, with the exception of hot buttered rum, butter and drinking do not mix in my book (if you disagree, I don't wanna know). But Christian was right on: the scotch in this cocktail is soaked in butter for one week, then frozen until the alcohol and butter separate, and next perfectly blended with sherry and honey and garnished with an orange rind. Yes, they go through all that to make us a good drink.

At first inhale this drink smells just like butterscotch candy--yes, those little candies wrapped in yellow cellophane--although that butterscotch is made with brown sugar and butter. Once you get the sweet noseful, just ride along the flavor train: first stop the deep currant of sherry mixed with the rich sweetness of honey, next is bright citrus, and last stop is in warm and sunny Scotch-ville. This is the scotch drink for those who don't like scotch. And this is just one of Maude's rockin' winter bar selections--also nifty is their spicy ginger martini--The Scenic Route. Cheers and Happy New Years!