No one expects the Spanish Inquisition, according to Monty Python. No one expected a city-wide shutdown this year either. For bars and restaurants, this loss of income has been devastating. The Monarch Bar, located on the Country Club Plaza, was about to welcome their sister bar, Verdigris, to Park Place in Leawood when everything came to a screeching halt.
Luckily, both bars were able to pivot to a to-go cocktail format in order to survive and keep their staff employed. So what do you do when you're stuck at home instead of making the finest cocktails in the city? Mix a drink!
Brock Schulte, bar manager of the Monarch, and Stephen Montez, general manager of Verdigris, have been kind enough to share the cocktails they have been mixing at home while they wait to wow their guests once more. And to keep it even simpler, they chose two different cocktails that showcase one outstanding spirit, The Real McCoy 12 Year Single Blended Premium Rum. Enjoy!
Brock Schulte loves this iteration of the classic mojito, featured on the Monarch Bar's Mojito Migration.
Mojito
1.5 oz Real McCoy 12 yr rum
.75 oz fresh lime juice
.75 oz Mint Syrup
Whip shake all of the above with pebble ice, open strain into a collins glass. Top with 1.5 oz soda water and pack with more pebble ice. Garnish with 3-4 mint sprigs.
Stephen Montez looks to the classic tiki pairing of rum and Velvet Falernum for a simple but tasty concoction perfect for sipping poolside.
Corn & Oil
2 oz The Real McCoy 12yr Rum
.5 oz Taylor's Velvet Falernum
1 lime coin
Combine liquids in your rocks glass with large ice cubes and stir until cold. Squeeze the lime coin over your cocktail to express the oils and a bit of juice. Drop into your glass and enjoy.