Celebrate International Women’s Day with Compass Box Whisky and LUPEC NYC and LUPEC SF

LUPEC NYC and LUPEC SF, the fine first ladies of liquor, know one thing for sure; whisky cocktails are a great way to celebrate achievements of women around the world. And there’s no better way to honor their accomplished sisters in arms who hit the mark with memorable “firsts” all the time than with whisky cocktails made with a brand new spirit – Compass Box Whisky Co.’s Great King Street – Artist’s Blend, a craft Blended Scotch Whisky that has a signature elegance and approachability for both whisky enthusiasts and novices. (www.compassboxwhisky.com).

This Thursday in NYC and SF women (and men, too) will unite like their counterparts in countries such as Bulgaria, China, Russia, and Vietnam where International Women’s Day is a national holiday. They’ll lift a glass or two for International Women’s Day (IWD), a day to recognize the economic, political and social achievements of women past, present and future.

In NYC Compass Box Whisky Co, innovator and award-winning boutique Scotch whisky maker known for breaking down barriers in a once staid category and the NYC Chapter of Ladies United for the Preservation of Endangered Cocktails (LUPEC), announce their 3rd annual “Whisky & Women Unite” cocktail party to benefit Bottomless Closet NYC (www.bottomlessclosetnyc.org). Bottomless Closet is a non-profit organization that helps disadvantaged NYC women become self-sufficient through comprehensive programming and support.

Don’t miss Thursday evening’s cocktail at industry luminary Julie Reiner’s tropical-influenced craft cocktail lounge in SOHO, Lani Kai (www.lanikainy.com). The evening promises a menu of half price International Women’s Day Compass Box cocktails ($8 each) created by female mixologists from the city’s hottest establishments with a portion of proceeds ($2 from each drink) to benefit Bottomless Closet. With tunes by DJ Kimiko Masuda, and raffles from Skagen watches and Estee Lauder, this is an evening that isn’t one you’d want to miss.

The west coast is showing their pride too. In San Francisco LUPEC ladies will be joined by The Barbary Coast Conservancy of the American Cocktail (BCCAC) and Whisky Archive, to present “Whisky & Women Unite” – a cocktail party to benefit Women’s Initiative for Self Employment which helps low-income women start their own businesses.

The cocktail will be held at The Boothby Center for The Beverage Arts. Admission is $5 and tickets can be purchased in advance at http://intlwomensdaysf.eventbrite.com. All cocktails are $8 each, with all proceeds donated to Women’s Initiative.

The drinks mixed up in San Francisco by the following women (Nicole Beyries of ACME Bar, Berkeley; Yael Amyra of Boothby/Acme; Vita Simone of Bar Dogwood & The New Easy, Oakland; Melissa Boyd of Beretta; Kimberly Rosselle of Flora, Oakland; Summer Jane Bell of The New Easy; Diana Krell of Hotsy Totsy, Albany; Aurora Siegel of Lafitte; and Jenn Akrill of Rye) and those mixed up by New Yorkers (Julie Reiner of Clover Club and Lani Kai; Lynnette Marrero of LUPEC and Speed Rack; Abigail Gullo of The Beagle and Ft. Defiance; Meaghan Dorman of Raines Law Room and Lantern’s Keep; Eryn Reece of Mayahuel and Death & Company; and Karin Stanley of Dutch Kills) aren’t the only ones being served around the world in honor of women everywhere; Compass Box will be simultaneously hosting International Women’s Day events on March 8th in London and Beijing.

Once again proving that ladies (and gentlemen) can drink good whisky for a good cause…everywhere.

The Viking
By Julie Reiner, Lani Kai
2 oz Great King Street
1/2 oz toasted almond orgeat
3/4 oz lemon juice
1/2 oz orange juice
1/2 oz honey syrup
4 drops Elemakule Tiki Bitters
Shake with 3 cold draft cubes and strain into a chilled double rocks glass over pellet ice.
Garnish: orange slice and an orchid

Lady McB
By Lynnette Marrero, LUPEC NYC Chapter President

1 oz Great King Street
1/2 oz Orangerie
1/2 oz lemon juice
1/2 oz Lillet Rouge
1/2 oz Cio Ciaro
2 dashes orange bitters
Bar spoon cherry jam

Shake and double strain up into a coupe.

Charlie Hustle
By Abigail Gullo, Fort Defiance
1 1/2 oz Great King Street
1/2 oz Peat Monster
1/2 oz maple syrup
1/2 oz Green Chartreuse
1/2 oz fresh lemon juice
Garnish: rosemary “smoke” and fresh rosemary branch

To “smoke” your glass, take a dry sprig of rosemary and set it on fire on a heat proof service. When it smolders and smokes, invert an old fashioned glass over the smoking branch. This adds and smokey warm aromatic quality to the drink. Shake the rest of the ingredients in a tin filled with ice and strain into your smoked glass filled with fresh ice. Garnish with a fresh branch of rosemary.

Highland Fling (A play on the Highland Cocktail)
By Eryn Reece, Death & Company and Mayahuel

1 1/2 oz Great King Street
1 1/2 oz Chamomile-infused Dolin Blanc
Dash Regans orange bitters
1/2 tsp sugar cane syrup

Stir. Serve in a coupe.

Roman Poet (A Bobby Burns variation)
By Meaghan Dorman, Raines Law Room
2 oz. Great King Street
¾ oz Amaro Ramazzoti
¼ oz Benedictine
2 dashes Peychaud

Stir and serve up with a grapefruit twist.

Blonde Redhead
By Karin Stanley, Dutch Kills and Little Branch

1 1/2 oz Great King Street
3/4 oz Lillet Blonde
3/4 oz lemon juice
1/2 oz Velvet Falernum
Barspoon Allspice dram
Shake “regal” (with a grapefruit twist in the shaker) and serve up.