Manual to Man’s Drinks: The Whiskey Sour

THE Young / Modern Gentleman proves his savvy by simple and cunning ways; an area that is most associated with a Gentleman’s ability is the wet-bar. Every Gentleman should have one or two things on his sleeve that make him standout from his peers.

We present a cocktail oft overlooked by contemporary aficionados of cocktails: The Whiskey Sour. Though popular in the eighties the Whiskey Sour became mired in the misunderstanding between its popularization and incarnation in versions with cheap liquor and sticky sweet corn-syrup-laden sour mix. A true whiskey sour is refreshing (from the citrus), robust (the whiskey), ethereal (the egg whites) and downright delicious. Perfect for the evenings some time after dinner and before bed.

The Drink

The Equipment:

• Rocks Glass (some prefer it strained in a cocktail lass—your call)
• Shaker
• Ice
• Maraschino Cherry (if you like)

The Stuff:

• Whiskey, Rye preferably (Bourbon works fine too)
• Lime Juice
• Simple Syrup (50/50 white sugar and water, shake, let stand for an hour)
• Egg White (optional)

The Drink:

• In Shaker: 2oz (2 shots) of whiskey, half-shot lime juice, half-shot simple sugar and egg white. A
• Add ice- shake the hell out of it.
• Pour in rocks glass with ice.
• Garnish with cherry.
• Lay back and enjoy.

Bespoke Life: Man Soap

SOAP may not, at first glance, seem “manly” but it is the mark of a gentleman to be superbly clean and ‘presentable’ at all times, after all you never know when such readiness will be tested.

If you are a regular reader of this publication you no doubt have read plenty about our fragrance recommendations but, if you are a businessman or fellow traveler, carrying around an array of fragrances becomes clumsy, silly, and, if like most of us, you try and subside on carry-on, impractical.

Luca Turin, perfume-critic extraordinaire and the subject of a great read called The Emperor of Scent (find it here on Amazon.com) once recommended in his now-defunct blog, that the best way for a smell-conscious man to get his cake and eat it too (and eschew the annoying plastic bag search at the airport) is to take his favorite fragrances with him in the guise of a bar of soap.

Many of today’s perfumers make a soap-bar version of some of their most popular creations, these are not loud “Irish Mist” concoctions that smell somewhat of toilet cleaner and pine, but quality all-natural soaps imbued with the essence of say Santa Maria Novella’s tobacco and flower-leather-scented “Tobacco Toscano”. No need for an atomizer, no need for liquid, out of the shower the smell is on you… all over you (if you catch our drift).

Moreover, soaps, once dry, are easily transportable and demand not special handling in pesky airport security points and are cheaper, by the ounce, than any fragrance out there.

Below are three of our favorites from Aedes de Venustas in New York:

• Eau d’Hadrien by Annick Goutal

Smell like a King...

A fresh and sparkling blend. Inspired by Marguerite Yourcenar’s novel -“The Memoirs of Hadrian”- Annick Goutal expresses the emotions evoked by the [Roman] emperor Hadrian. The bestselling fragrance combines Sicilian lemon and grapefruit with the subtle notes of citron and cypress. Use Annick Goutal’s soap for an uplifting experience while cleansing in the bath or shower.

• Hierbas de Ibiza

Smell like a party...

Triple milled soaps scented with a fresh herbal fragrance inspired by the unique Mediterranean aromas of the island of Ibiza. It is made with the natural essences of orange and lemon peel, thyme, lavender, sage, verbena, jasmine and orange blossoms.

• Tobacco Toscano by Santa Maria Novella

Smell like a Tuscan count...

Inspired by the famous Toscano cigars of Lucca in Italy, Santa Maria Novella’s latest addition Tabacco Toscano opens with a sparkling fruity-floral note and quickly changes into a warm and leathery yet airy tobacco scent.

Triple milled, each soap is hand pressed one by one using 19th century equipment, aged for 60 days in ventilated cabinets. Each soap is hand-wrapped and lasts about three times longer than ordinary soap while maintaining it’s shape and scent. Infused with a warm and leathery yet airy tobacco scent.

Smells like in-between season “The cross-over”: Hierbas de Ibiza

WHAT happens when you’re in a part of the world where the days still reach into the 90’s but the evenings begin to dip into the lower 60’s and 50’s? During the day the beach, pool and sun beckon, but at night that salty, cool, and crisp cologne seems a bit out place?

In the Mediterranean, I’m thinking Italy’s Amalfi Coast, Naples and Rome, the days are spent in linen clothes all shades of Easter and white. Towards the evening, that thin powdered-blue cashmere sweater that’s been hanging from your shoulders all day finally gets worn as the night begin to settle into the fall.

These inter-season periods tend to be tricky; too hot for a full-blown woodsy and smoky winter fragrance but beginning to get too cool for something that smells like the beach. During these times it’s best to invest in a handful of cross-overs, this is a time for fun, as it is a 40-50 day window at best.

Here is a perfect time to invest in smaller vials of great fragrances (like the samples you can buy at Luckyscent) that may last you no more than a couple weeks. Some of the greatest flowers on earth (or best vintages of wines) only last but a glimpse of time.

What and Where: find it at and sample provided by-  Aedes de Vensutas

• Enter Hierbas de Ibiza’s signature fragrance:

The Scoop (from the Aedes Website)

“If you have been lucky enough to visit Ibiza, you may know of the virtues of this magic island, where the maxim “live and let live” is particularly meaningful. HIERBAS DE IBIZA in the entire spectrum of its execution, seeks to be harmonious with the spirit of Ibiza, a land in which Phoenicians, Romans, Arabs and Christians, to name a few have dwelled, and that still today receives visitors from all over the world. The fragrance HIERBAS DE IBIZA, composed of herbs and plants of Ibiza finds it’s real definition and inspiration in the simplicities of this universe of freedom that is Ibiza.

“A fresh herbal fragrance for men and women inspired by the unique Mediterranean aromas of the island of Ibiza. It is made with the natural essences of orange and lemon peel, thyme, lavender, sage, verbena, jasmine and orange blossoms.”

The Stuff...

Hierbas de Ibiza Review

At first whiff it smells not unlike a bit of tonic water and lime dribbled on a fern; this opens to a much more varied array of citrus… lemons, limes and other exotic citrus like kaffir lime and Meyer lemon (I will leave out Buddha’s hand for sake of seeming to affected). It goes dull for just a second before bursting with stronger gin-and-tonic notes centered by a plume of powderiness, but not too much. Iris, wisteria, neroli (orange blossom flower) and other Meddietrenean flowers mix in a smell that never verges on the foppish or “un-manly” (it is a very unisex fragrance however). Reminds me, and this may just be misplaced nostalgia talking, of sitting on the coast of Montenegro, peering out into the salty Adriatic from the shade under wisteria-chocked pergola, sipping on a crisp Croatian white.

The latter notes rumble by softly with whiffs of sand, cashmere and a slight, ever so soft, woodsy (sandalwood?) aroma that leaves off slightly sweet and still crisp. The finish, which lasts for some time, is light, pleasing and homey… very reminiscent of that comfy ‘just out of the dryer’ smell with a nuance of lavender and lasts forever—this will make whoever is near you come in a little closer no doubt about it.