Our content material collection, The Spirit of Journey with Dewar’s Scotch Whisky, follows the essence of journey and discovery into the craft of bartending.

Created with the best elements and a wealthy heritage that spans centuries, Dewar’s embodies the spirit of exploration and evokes wanderlust and curiosity. Bartenders are an adventurous bunch, and touring can profoundly affect their cocktails by shaping creativity, approach, and worldview, whereas enriching their craft and private journey.

Casey Carr, Bar Supervisor at Heartwood in San Francisco, belongs to a workforce of extremely acclaimed business veterans who’re behind many well-respected bars and eating places. We ask Casey about his bartending profession and the way his riff on the basic Penicillin cocktail excites a spirit of journey.

Inform us about your journey into bartending and what impressed you to pursue this profession.

Initially, bartending was simply an admired subsequent step to attain, as I used to be a rising server inside eating places. My first job was as a espresso barista, and as a barista, the work circulate that started if you knew the recipes and your tools was actually charming to me. You possibly can have a number of completely different orders directly and end up multitasking in nearly a trance-like state, crafting every drink with ease till the push died out.

Plus, I used to be capable of see the enjoyment (most instances…) that every drink introduced to each visitor. Naturally, as a younger server, it’s widespread to witness the same expertise between a bartender and bar visitor, so I aimed to study extra.

What actually shifted the informal job to a profession for me was after I labored at my first high quality eating restaurant. I got here from the company background and didn’t understand how culturally rooted meals and drinks may very well be. I started studying the bar on this area, and was launched to the world of cocktails for the primary time. I additionally participated in trainings and several other packages like Bar Smarts. In a while, the restaurant skilled some administration adjustments and I used to be given the possibility to put new drinks on the menu. I had a objective of 1, then one turned a number of. In a while, I used to be given the chance to assist open a Chef-Owned Italian restaurant and develop a cocktail program; the remaining is historical past.

In the end, I actually do love cocktails and the way in which people select to specific themselves by their drinks. To me, cocktail creation will be as lovely and creative as music, dance, portray, or another sort of artwork.

Speak to us a couple of current accomplishment.

I might say opening Heartwood SF has been my most up-to-date accomplishment. Heartwood Cocktail Bar has been open for just a bit over a yr, and it’s been fairly the journey. We’re located within the Monetary District, the ultimate neighborhood to expertise full revitalization because the onset of the pandemic. Fortunately, we now have discovered ourselves rising into a gentle, thriving bar inside a small period of time.

Naturally, any bar supervisor needs their cocktail creations to be liked and the rationale for company to go to their bar. However, for me, the largest honor to this point is our sturdy, wonderful workforce and the common following we now have gained.

From a bartender’s perspective, how do you suppose Dewar’s 12-Yr-Outdated enhances several types of events or buyer preferences?

I completely suppose the Dewars 12-Yr-Outdated enhances a big demographic throughout many events. Scotch is called the celebratory choice to get pleasure from. You see it pulled off the shelf for weddings, household celebrations, the brand new promotion somebody obtained; it’s the spirit many select to have fun with.

Whisky drinkers discover themselves on the lookout for their go-to choices, and Dewars has had a protracted historical past of being individuals’s “every day drink.” I’ve poured Dewars typically at each bar I’ve labored for. I consider Dewars 12-Yr-Outdated can fulfill the basic whisky drinker, but in addition has the construction and flavors that entertain bourbon & rye drinkers as nicely.

What recommendation would you give somebody new to whisky on how one can finest get pleasure from Dewar’s 12-Yr-Outdated?

When you’re an skilled whisky drinker, pour your self a glass neat with a soda again. Style the spirit for what it’s, then sip in your soda and watch how way more taste you expertise.

When you’re new to it, strive it in an Outdated Long-established. Dewars 12-Yr-Outdated has an effective way of sustaining its character whereas giving approach to new flavors as you sip.

Do you see the function of scotch evolving within the bartending neighborhood?

I’m seeing bartenders discover scotch as a really complimentary ingredient in a wide range of completely different cocktails. I discover myself utilizing scotches like Dewars 12-Yr-Outdated inside tropical bitter variations. I’ve even seen scotch used as a break up base to boost a tiki drink. In the end, as individuals’s understanding of scotch grows, creatives will discover methods to carry out its vibrant fruitiness in addition to its distinctive expressions of cooking spices and nuts.

Are there any tendencies in bartending that you just suppose pair significantly nicely with Dewar’s 12-Yr-Outdated?

As odd as it could appear, I actually love Dewars 12-Yr-Outdated in Espresso Martinis & Palomas. Espresso Martinis appear to nonetheless be having their second, and I like how individuals are studying that other than their favourite vodka, spirits like scotch could make a extra flavorful drink.

Describe your cocktail that you just’ve created utilizing Dewar’s 12-Yr-Outdated and the inspiration behind it.

The Double Down—Dewars 12-Yr-Outdated, Kumquat-Calamansi Cordial, Lemon, Ginger, Honey, and Amaretto. This cocktail I’ve created with Dewars 12-Yr-Outdated is a mildly tropical riff on a Penicillin. I actually wished to carry out flavors that come from the double barrel growing old course of and the construction that comes with its mixing. To me, Dewars 12-Yr-Outdated has nice physique and a variety of flavors, from toasted almonds, vanilla, and honey, to a matured juicy apple or pear.

So, as a riff on the basic Penicillin – scotch, lemon, ginger, honey – I wished to carry out fruitiness by Kumquats & Calamansi. Calamansi jogs my memory of Kumquats, however as a special tropical expression, so mixing the 2 was a no brainer.

Subsequent, I used basic bar elements like Benedictine & Amaretto to be the supply of “Almond & Honey.” Lastly, I added some ginger and lemon to the cocktail to spherical out the drink, and garnished it with a lemon peel and lemon thyme. We wish to serve this drink on the bar on a king dice in our Footed Goblet Glass.

Photograph by Jason Hsu

Double Down

Substances

• 1 ½ oz Dewars 12-year-old
• 3/4 oz Kumquat-Calamansi Cordial
• 1/4 oz Lemon Juice
• 1/4 oz Ginger Liqueur
• 1/4 oz Benedictine
• BSP Amaretto

Preparation

1. 3 sprays of torched absinthe.
2. Lemon twist and thyme for garnish.