An Afternoon with DonQ at Fatty Cue

As a consumer of spirits or ales it is very easy to find your niche and stick to it! For me, on the most basic level, it’s whiskey and beer (I’m not picky – a Bud is suffice). But very recently I spent an afternoon straying away from my norm at Fatty Cue, still in their first year on S. 6th between Berry and Bedford, with the Brooklyn dwelling director of mixology and brand ambassador for Destileria Serralles, Esteban Ordonez and brand representative Marisa Morrison for some cocktails and well-paired dishes.
While the Gazette has previously reported on this location, I will forgo the delightful details of the setting and simply set the scene as cozy, friendly, well-stocked and rustically furnished. Nonetheless I had arrived, cold and well-prepared to indulge in the fine offerings of the specialized Puerto Rican (P.R.) rums offered by Serralles that provide DonQ rum. Today’s menu: DonQ Cristal & Gold.

Prior to the bare tasting of each rum, Esteban articulated the legislation regarding P.R. rum having to be aged a minimum of one year – unlike some Caribbean or other distilled rums that age up to six months before bottling with added flavor or color. First I tried the DonQ Cristal that is a delicious clear rum, aged between one and two years, and is very clean, very smooth and very versatile with a manageable burn on the back pallet (after all, it is rum!). The second was the DonQ Gold that, for many years, was the distiller’s center-piece rum which attributed its title from the spirit’s full bodied taste with notes of vanilla, caramel and almond all of which are met with a spicy bite at the end. Having acquainted myself with the catalysts of the afternoon’s drinks we placed the pressure on the amazing bartender, Laila, to consort a series of drinks using the aforementioned base spirits to flourish in our mouths and accompany our lunch dishes. Having little say in the matter I, mostly on the guidance of the staff, was ordered the black eyed peas, the peel & eat shrimp, steam clams and meaty brisket sandwich (all of which were delicious). As my experience with both DonQ rums expanded I tried a series of delicious and experimental house cocktails, along with a few classics not listed, that included:

‘The Cue’ (sub DonQ Cristal) – With smoked pineapple syrup, lime and yuzu citrus, Tabasco and a dash of Pernod.

‘The Chupacabra’ (sub DonQ Gold) –
With chili infused domaine de canton (ginger flavored liqueur), watermelon and lime citrus.

And the last drink being created (by Laila) on the spot, and would be described as a whiskey drinker’s rum drink:

‘The Jean Grey’ (title pending)
DonQ Cristal, dashes of peychaud’s bitters, 5 spice and pineapple syrups, yuzu citrus with trace amounts of orange and sugar muddled into the bottom of the glass prior its pour.

To round out our time spent nuzzled up at the bar, and hone back into familiar whiskied territory, my companions and I were ordered to try a shot of whiskey with a house infused pickle back (made with onion, lemon grass, dill and varying spices) that teamed well with, of the many unique ales offered, a Japanese white ale which created a hardy dessert.

Through the whole experience I can immediately state that the food is a meat lovers delight that’s spicy and flavored while being supported by an enthusiastic staff that has, at their disposal, a well stocked bar that is diverse, experimental and creative. As for DonQ, and my newly expanded experience with rum, it is a solid standard for both dark and light rum drinks – classic or newly created. With each having notes of being smooth, spiced and a bit of bite, both Gold and Cristal are versatile while also having a particular taste of their own that can be found in several bars about Brooklyn.