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Earlier this week The Cranky Cocktail decided to pay a visit to his friendly neighborhood state store and happened upon Navan, the new vanilla-flavoured cognac product from the Grand Marnier folks. It's seen quite a bit of "buzz" lately, and has seen some decent reviews. Navan even hired NYC chef and mixologist Albert Trummer to pimp mix their product at its debut at the MTV Music Awards earlier in the year. So, with hope and curiousity, TCC took a good portion of his monthly scotch budget and instead invested it in a small, $40 dollar bottle of this "bold" new hybrid spirit.
Here's The Cranky Cocktail's concise review: If you want something that will serve equally well to get that special sorority girl, er, "relaxed" as it will to pour over the pancakes that she makes you the next morning, and you're out of Tequila Rose, then Navan is the spirit for you. Otherwise, steer clear.
What TCC was expecting was a nice dry cognac with a hint of vanilla flavour to offset the richness of the grape. What he got instead was something that might pass for cough syrup in the dark -- he had to take a couple of shots of cheap slivovitz to get rid of the syrupy, clinging mouth-feel. It's definitely too sweet for the casual sipper. Perhaps it might serve as a base for an especially sugary mixed drink, or when poured over ice cream or used in a dessert recipe, but this stuff is only drinkable straight by those with a sick yen for the sweetest of liquors. TCC would drink butterscotch schnapps straight out of the bottle before he'd drink straight Navan again.
Not that sweet is bad, mind you. A sweet cocktail can be quite delicious -- but it needs to be properly balanced, which Navan isn't. Please see below for a couple of sweet cocktails that won't offend the palate.
The Brandy Alexander
1 pt. Creme de Cacao
1 pt. Brandy
1 pt. cream
Shake with ice, strain into glass. Serve with a sprinkle of nutmeg.
Some people like to substitute some other coffee- or chocolate-like liquor for the Creme de Cacao. Kahlua, Bailey's or Godiva's Chocolate Liqueur are all acceptable choices. Using a high-grade brandy is important, as the sour tang of a poor-quality brandy will cut right through the cream and make the drink unpalatable.
The Pink Lady
3 parts gin
3 parts apple brandy
1 part grenadine
1 part lemon juice
1 egg white (for every 4 oz of liquid)
Shake well -- very well -- over ice until the drink is of even consistency, and strain. Do not use applejack instead of apple brandy. You'll get a different drink entirely. Also, as always, make sure that you use real pomegranate grenadine (like Fee Brothers or Angostura brands) and not a generic pink sugar syrup that calls itself grenadine. If you want something a little sweeter, amp up the grenadine and use less lemon juice (fresh, natch). And before you start snarking, it's not a girly drink until and unless you have the temerity to make it with vodka instead of gin.
Yeah, it's called the Pink Lady. Yeah, The Cranky Cocktail drinks and enjoys it. You want to make something of it? Huh? Punk?
Didn't think so.
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Wow. My sickly sweet sediments exactly. Wish I would've read your review before buying the Navan Vanilla. Instead, we decided to buy a bottle and compare it to the Meukow Vanilla after the propietor of the liquor store gave it "glowing" reviews. The taste test was unamimous: Meukow all the way! Can't believe they price that stuff $10 more than the Meukow which is far superior in taste and texture. Guess I should consult you guys before my next liquor adventure. Cheers!