Here we are on the cusp of June, and after a heavy list of drinking holidays in May, we have…another month chock-full of drinking days! Someone should have done a better job of equally distributing these across the year. In fact, they’re not even well distributed throughout the month. Let’s GOOOO!
June 4—National Cognac Day
All Cognac is brandy, but not all brandy is Cognac. That’s because Cognac is one of those Geographical Indications (GIs) that protects the product of a particular place. Actual Cognac must be produced in the Cognac region of France and made to particular specifications. GIs are protected via treaty, and brandy made elsewhere is not allowed to be called Cognac because of the legal protections enforced via treaty.
Suggested cocktail for today: Sidecar
1 1/2 oz. Cognac
3/4 oz. orange liqueur
3/4 oz. fresh lemon juice
Coat the rim of a coupe glass with lemon juice and dip in granulated sugar. Combine ingredients in a cocktail shaker. Add ice and shake for about 18 seconds. Double-strain into prepared coupe and garnish with an orange twist.
June 6—National Moonshine Day
I’ll admit, I don’t really drink moonshine. It’s not good stuff. There are a couple of distilleries who bottle and market moonshine, even though it’s a bit of a misnomer. Actual moonshine should be made illegally, like it was during Prohibition. (The distillers would make their illicit whiskey in the middle of the night, by the light of the moon. The term “moonshiner” as related to illicit spirits production dates all the way back to 18th century England.)
For all intents and purposes, moonshine is unaged whiskey. It can be quite harsh, but mixed into a cocktail, it’s not too bad.
June 8—National Rosé Day and World Gin Day
Double-header! This happens occasionally with other cocktail holidays, but it happens every year with these two because they’re both scheduled for the second Saturday in June.
Want to kill two birds with one stone? Mix up a French 75 and use a sparkling rosé. Boom.
Sorry this photo is seasonally inappropriate. It was the only rosé French 75 I could find in my collection. Maybe I should make one of these today!
June 14—National Bourbon Day
Sometimes this holiday falls on Father’s Day; this year it’s merely Father’s Day weekend. Not that moms can’t drink bourbon, obviously. I recommend celebrating with the most classic of cocktails, an Old-Fashioned. Some of my favorite bourbons to use are Elijah Craig Small Batch, High West American Prairie, and Basil Hayden.
June 15—Chenin Blanc Day
Chenin Blanc is a white wine, primarily made in the Loire Valley of France and in South Africa. It’s a light-bodied wine but can be made in both a dry style and leaning more toward sweet. Different flavors present themselves depending on which style the winemaker produces. If you want to dive deeper into the nuances, this is a great explainer on Chenin.
June 19—World Martini Day
Whether you like your martinis gin-based or vodka-based, dirty or Vesper-ed, wet or dry, with a twist or with a whole bunch of olives, today is your day. I personally usually go for a five-to-one gin martini with an olive. But a purple martini with a twist is always fun too.
June 28—International Rosé Day
If you’re thinking, didn’t we just do this? Well, someone didn’t check the national drinking calendar when they scheduled national and international rosé day in the same month. Whatevs. If you’re in the Northern Hemisphere, it’s definitely rosé season.
Cheers!