Cocktails That Complete Me: The Bramble

By Jason Wilson

The Bramble. (Deb Lindsey for The Washington Post)

Even though it seems like it, not every one of the 100 must-drink, classic
cocktails on The List is an old-timey recipe dating from the early 20th century.
At least one drink I'd never tried before hails from what is widely considered the
Dark Age of Cocktails: the 1980s.

That, of course, is the infamous era of the film "Cocktail" -- with Tom Cruise in
his flair bartending glory -- as well as such drinks as the Fuzzy Navel, Sex on the
Beach, Slippery Nipple and the Red-Headed Slut.

Anyway, the cocktail I introduced to myself this week is called the Bramble.
Now, there are two good reasons why I've never tasted this cocktail before.
First, it was created in the mid-1980s in London, by a bartender named Dick
Bradsell at Fred's Club in Soho. At that time, I was in high school in New Jersey
(probably drinking tall boys while hair metal played on the boom box) so I can
only imagine that people sipped on the Bramble while they danced in their
skinny ties to the synthesizers of Depeche Mode or Flock of Seagulls or Culture
Club or Spandau Ballet. Ah, New Romanticism.

The second, and likely main, reason that I never had a Bramble is because it
calls for a very obscure ingredient called creme de mure. Creme de mure is
blackberry liqueur; its cousins would be creme de cassis, the black-currant
liqueur, and creme de framboise, the raspberry liqueur. You can definitely find
creme de mure on liquor shelves -- Massenez brand is the most widely available
and the best -- but it's not exactly on the tip of people's tongues.
Anyway, I mixed up a Bramble last week, in the middle of a cold snap. The
timing was a little discordant -- the Bramble is definitely a summer tipple -- but
the drink is delicious. Even though creme de mure is thick and sweet, the
generous amount of gin provides an interesting botanical quality, and the lemon
juice keep things light and bright. There are different preparations of this drink,
but I like the traditional way of shaking everything but the creme de mure, and
then drizzling the liqueur on top.

The Bramble is living proof that not every cocktail from the 1980s sucked.

Bramble
1 serving

This cocktail was created in the mid-1980s by London bartender Dick Bradsell,
and it's surprising that it hasn't gained more popularity on this side of the
Atlantic. One reason is surely that the key ingredient, creme de mure -- a
blackberry liqueur -- is not so easy to find. Look for Massenez brand, which is of
good quality.

Some say creme de mure is too heavy to drizzle over the drink. Spirits columnist
Jason Wilson doesn't agree with them, but feel free to mix it in with other
ingredients, if desired. We found it at Ace Beverage in Northwest Washington
(202-966-4444).

Adapted from a recipe at DiffordsGuide.com.

Ice
2 ounces gin
1/2 ounce freshly squeezed lemon juice
1/2 ounce simple syrup (see NOTE)
1/2 ounce creme de mure (blackberry liqueur)
Lemon slice, for garnish
2 or 3 blackberries, for garnish

Fill a cocktail shaker halfway with ice. Add the gin, lemon juice and simple
syrup. Shake well, then strain into a rocks or old fashioned glass filled with
crushed ice. Drizzle the creme de mure over the top of the drink. Garnish with
lemon slice and the blackberries. Serve with a short straw.

NOTE: To make simple syrup, combine 1/2 cup of sugar and 1/2 cup of water in
a small saucepan over medium heat, stirring until the sugar dissolves. Bring to a
slow rolling boil, then reduce the heat to medium-low and cook for 5 minutes.
Transfer to a heatproof container and let cool to room temperature.