The Spanish Armada is May 19th Drink of the Day!!

On this day, in 1588, Phillip II of Spain sent a Spanish Armada of 130 ships to England to overthrow Protestant Ruler, Queen Elizabeth I of England. With it looking like the throne in France was going to be taken by a Protestant, and the on-going hatred Phillip had with the Queen of England, it seemed only justified that this was the right time to make a move to dethrone her.

Of this large fleet were 30,000 men and enough supplies for a lengthy attack. However, there were some shortcomings with the weather that stalled the armada from reaching its destination in a timely manner and gave the English Fleet time to prepare. By August, the Armada was defeated and the Queen’s status as monarch of England grew stronger.

I found a drink that’s named after this, hence the reason behind sharing it today. This drink was contributed to Food and Wine by Jackson Cannon. It has a very complex taste that will hit every taste bud. Like sailing on the high seas, from taking a sip until swallowing, you will amass several voyages of flavor and delight. I recommend you take your time to savor every moment with this one.

The Spanish Armada
2 oz. Spanish Brandy
3/4 oz. East India Sherry
1/2 oz. Licor 43 (citrus and vanilla flavored Spanish liqueur)
Dash of Angostura Bitters
1 Orange Twist for garnish

Method: Fill a pint glass with ice and add ingredients. Stir well, then strain into a chilled double rocks glass. Take the twist of orange and rub it on the rim of the glass, then drop in, (original recipe calls for a flamed orange twist, a process that you need to know before doing. In my opinion, it really is done for show more than flavor and scent. A twist over the drink, and a rub on the rim gives you the scent needed.).

This day in history:
1536 - Anne Boleyn, mother of Queen Elizabeth I and the second wife to King George VIII, was beheaded.
1588 - A Spanish Armada of 130 ships set sail in a unsuccessful attempt to overthrow Queen Elizabeth I of England. It was defeated in August.
1962 - Marilyn Monroe sang her famous rendition of “Happy Birthday” to President John F. Kennedy.
1994 - Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis died in New York.

Notable Birthday:
Malcolm X, American Civil Rights activist, was born on this day in 1925.

Notable Quote:
“Life is the art of drawing without an eraser.” - John W. Gardner

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Tags: angostura bitters, anne boleyn, brandy drinks, drink of the day may 19, how to make a spanish armada cocktail, jacqueline kennedy onassis, jfk, john gardner quote, kennedy, king george VIII, licor 43 drinks, malcolm x birthday, marilyn monroe, queen elizabeth I, shaun the bartender drinks, sherry drinks

Category: Drink of the Day