The Cable Car cocktail, with its concoction of spiced rum, triple sec, lemon, and simple syrup, is truly a modern San Francisco classic. Craft distillery expert Adam Quirk says that it is also an excellent cocktail to try out using Valencia, Cardinal Spirits’ newest spirit.
Valencia is a great, natural triple sec for use in cocktailing. Cardinal Spirits make it by using both dried and fresh orange peels. This is to capture the sweet, bitter, and fragrant character of citrus.
Make good use of your newly acquired Valencia spirit. Hailing from the Starlight Room in San Francisco, it is bright and always in season. It’s as good a cocktail on the coldest days of January as it is these first days of June summer. Cardinal Spirits says that the combination of Valencia with its Lake House Spiced Rum completes the fine concoction.
To make this unique Cardinal Spirits Cable Car cocktail, you’d need 1/5 ounces of Lake House Spiced Rum, an ounce of Valencia Triple Sec, an ounce of lemon juice, ½ ounce simple syrup, and, for garnishing, a lemon twist. Setting aside the garnish, mix all the ingredients in a shaker filled with ice. Shake well, double strain into a coupe glass, then add the lemon twist. And voila, it’s time to enjoy your Cardinal Spirits take on the Cable Car, Adam Quirk adds.
Adam Quirk is the co-founder of Cardinal Spirits, a craft spirits distillery based in Bloomington, Indiana. More on Adam and his distillery here.
Adam Quirk 