Did you know that Francis Ford Coppola has a spirits company? Yeah, that Francis Ford Coppola. The Godfather. Apocalypse Now. The Outsiders. One of the all-time greats when it comes to American movie-making.
He's been involved in wine for a long time. I've even been to his winery in Napa Country. Super cool place where you can see all kinds of memorabilia from his movies, including his Oscars!
But I only just recently discovered (through Instagram, of course) that he now has a spirits line. It's called Great Women Spirits, and each bottle features a different woman. The rye whiskey features Dorothy Arzner, who was the only woman director in Hollywood from 1927 to 1943. She was the first woman inducted into the DGA (Directors Guild of America) and the first woman to direct a film with sound. She made 20 films, and worked with actresses such as Katharine Hepburn, Lucille Ball, and Rosalind Russell.
I almost went to film school to become a director, and I'd like to think that I would have come across Dorothy Arzner in my studies, but considering the short shrift women are usually given, I suspect I might not have. So I'm glad to have discovered her through whiskey!
Fun fact: if you tilt the bottle of Arzner Rye just so in the light, the names of her movies appear on the label. You'll have to get your hands on a bottle to test it for yourself!
Old-Fashioned
2 1/2 oz. Dorothy Arzner rye whiskey
1 Demerara sugar cube
1 fresh orange slice
Angostura bitters
1 dehydrated orange slice and fresh rosemary
Place Demerara sugar cube in the bottom of a rocks glass and soak with bitters. Add the fresh orange slice and muddle until the sugar cube is crushed. Remove the orange slice, add the whiskey and a large ice cube. Garnish with a dehydrated orange slice and a sprig of fresh rosemary. Place the garnish in your drink for even more flavor.
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