
Backroom Mob is a bourbon cocktail from a Sunset Strip nightclub known as State Social House. It’s not really the kind of place I’d ever go. Hell, they probably wouldn’t even let me in. It’s that kind of a place. It’s huge too. Or so I’ve heard.
Rather I should say, so I’ve read. Because the bourbon cocktail you see here isn’t something I sampled in a bar. It’s something from Jessica Gelt that I found in the Los Angeles Times. I didn’t even have to leave my house to sample this simple cocktail (and I didn’t even have to wait til cocktail hour). That’s because this bourbon cocktail has just a few ingredients– the kind of ingredients I nearly always have around the house: fresh limes, elderflower liqueur and (duh) bourbon. Oh, and mint. This is Los Angeles. Mint grows in my yard year ’round.
It’s the mint that transforms this cocktail from a good stiff belt into a drink with nuance. Imagine a cocktail that’s reminiscent of a classic mint julep, but seasonally appropriate to any of the ‘R’ months on the calendar.
The LA Times version of this drink (like the Alex Jaimes concocted State Social House original) has a splash of club soda added to the mix. I skipped that.
Not because I didn’t have club soda in the house. No, I almost always have some form of sparkling water around. I skipped the soda because my favorite thing about this drink (besides the bourbon) is the fact that it’s served in a snifter. I like the idea of serving a cocktail in a snifter. However the whole idea behind a snifter is the way the shape of the glass captures the aromatics of whatever’s inside. Watering those aromatics down seems counter-intuitive to me. So I nixed the splash and doubled the amount of lime juice. Citrus is very aromatic and works wonders in a snifter. GREG

I genuinely prefer the idea of enjoying this at home rather than out at a club.
I love it when I can drink a club-style drink without having to leave the house or have someone body slam into me or spill beer on me or ask for my number. I happen to have a brand new bottle of St Germain, too! Pinned 🙂
That is seriously one goodlooking cocktail.
The mint, oh myyyy. Lovely.
I’m with Pam — I need prettier snifters, too. I’ll need to wait until spring, though — a cold winter = no mint. But it’ll be back! It does that. I really like this drink. Thanks.
“…and thus, the lady of the house wept, for the liquor cabinet was bereft of St. Germain.”
Nice. I need prettier snifters.
I think those are the most exciting snifters I’ve ever seen. Definitely an ideal setting for this cocktail!
I am SO making this. I don’t have a snifter (doggone it why???) but I’ll make do somehow; love every single thing about it. You coming over; I’ll have two ready!!
I always love your cocktails — let’s make some at Camp Blogaway 😉
I need to remember to look at your blog before I go to the store. I want this now. Alas it is 1:30 in the morning and I lack mint! Bookmarkinggggggg!
This is such a neat recipe! I love the sound of that elderflower liqueur — so good!
Ah, and not just any snifter, but one from the lady herself, Dorothy Thorpe. How lovely. I am quite taken with this cocktail. Excuse me while I go out my back door to pick some mint. Cheers!