By John Pullo
Want to learn how to make the best Bloody Mary without a Bloody Mary mix (aka, “cheating”)? Ours is a mouth-watering treat…and so is the cigar we’re matching it with: Sucker Punch, by Punch Cigars.
Whether you overdid it at last night’s Christmas party, or you just want a different kind of drink to enjoy with your cigar – we’re looking at a time-honored drink that will help dull any pain: the Bloody Mary. And for today’s sweet bonus, we’re going to give you the secrets to our award-winning Bloody Mary recipe.
Based on the number of questions that we receive about what to drink while smoking cigars, and how we’ve covered the basics in our drink and cigar pairing guides – the time seemed right for this quick primer on how to make the perfect Bloody Mary. So today, we have the how-to, along with the Bloody Mary drink ingredients to make ‘em the way we do at Leaf Cigar Bar and Restaurant, right next door here at Famous Smoke Shop headquarters in Easton, PA. With a few extra twists from our in-house pros, this ultimate Bloody Mary will be sure to satisfy – especially once we show you our handpicked cigar recommendation to go with it.
If you’re going to go all-in with the perfect Bloody Mary, it’s important to learn a little bit about this drink first (besides the fact that it’s a flavor bomb). History is a little unclear on the Bloody Mary’s true origin, but the experts have narrowed it down to (a) that it’s named for Mary Tudor, royal murderer of Protestants and daughter of King Henry VIII, or (b) Fernand Petiot. Fernand mixed equal parts of tomato juice and vodka while tending bar at Harry’s New York in Paris, and served it to a guy who said it reminded him of a girl named Mary at Chicago’s Bucket of Blood Club. Petiot’s original Bloody Mary recipe eventually got an overhaul in NYC, when lemon juice and all the spicy stuff (cayenne pepper, black pepper, Worcestershire sauce and Tabasco) were added.
For the drink we serve at Leaf, our Bloody Mary ingredients list is even more involved; so we’ve again turned to our master mixer Chad, and asked him to show you how it’s done. If you want to learn how to make a Bloody Mary his way, here’s your shopping list:
Watch how it’s made:
How to make a Bloody Mary, as above: add all of the ingredients, in the order they’re listed, to a pint glass. And because you’re not just eyeballing the vodka, this is a great opportunity to learn how to properly use that drink jigger that’s been taking up space in your kitchen drawer. Once you’ve added the ice, cover with a shaker and mix vigorously – then pour back into the glass.
Now, garnish with whatever you feel makes it right…to do ours, Chad hits up three of the 5 major food groups: meat (bacon), dairy (cheddar cheese) and vegetables (celery, tomatoes, et al).
When you’re learning how to make a Bloody Mary, you know you’ve hit it right when the finished product hits all the taste buds with a complex set of tastes throughout. It’s also important to point out that vodka is not a very common drink with which to pair cigars; but once that Bloody Mary is fixed with all the trimmings, it ends up being an exceptionally smooth cocktail that’s big on the palate, consistent from beginning to end, and finishes with a kick. That’s the same MO as the Sucker Punch: a smooth-smoking Ecuador Connecticut wrapper and a Cameroon binder contribute a creaminess to the smoke. And thanks to a good helping of Nicaraguan Ligero at its core, you’ll certainly feel the pepper and spice punch through and linger for a bit. That’s why these two make such a great cocktail and cigar pairing.
Sucker Punch isn’t your Grandpappy’s Punch: whereas Punch cigars “live up to their name,” this version starts out medium bodied and more mild-mannered – at least until it starts dishing out Nicaraguan spice with each puff, when the Ligero kicks in.
The smoke is nice and thick, with hints of earth and sweetness to accompany the developing flavors and intensity. Sucker Punch finishes full, but don’t worry – it’s not a total knock-you-off-your-feet powerhouse…think of it more as a brushback fastball. And by all accounts from our customers’ reviews, it’s a deliciously consistent smoke from start to finish.
Tasting Notes: leather, cocoa, sweet wood.
Smooth, satisfying and full of flavor: now that you know how to make a Bloody Mary like a pro, pair it up with this great pick from Punch – and let us know if it worked as well for you, as it did for us. Merry Christmas – and cheers!
Editor in Chief
This is not his picture, nor does he even have a beard. A solid 'B' student and occasional low-fi musician, John is a medley of cynicism and sarcasm crammed into a wrinkled Oxford shirt who makes it nearly intolerable to watch reality television with him in the same room. Interestingly, his Social Security number is all ones.
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Finally!! Somebody is making Bloody Marys with V8!! I’ve been cutting short in it with the Spicy V8 and a good dash of vodka! Any other recommendation for a stick with more power?! Thanks for the great article, as usual!
I love Bloody Marys, especially with the right cigar. I like a mild cigar with a Conneticut wrapper and some spice to it. Perdomo Champagne is a good one for example. I have a recipe that I have been using for years, Its been very popular with all my friends, cigar smokers or not. I use Clamoto juice, with black pepper, tobasco, worchestershie, Old Bay, horseradish and lime juice. Rim the glass with a lime then dip in Old Bay. Cellery, olives, as garnish. Shrimp cocktail also is great on the rim.