First published in the Aug. 18 print issue of the Outlook Valley Sun.
Rob Levy, the president of Knox & Dobson, recently launched a line of bottled cocktails with creative director Peter Lloyd Jones which are now available nationwide.
Levy owns Pasadena’s Raymond Restaurant and 1886 Bar, and Jones heads Knox & Dobson’s formulation and product development. The pair’s line of drinks includes a gin martini, classic old fashioned, improved whiskey cocktail and a rye Manhattan.
“Our mission was to create a collection of cocktails that were equal in taste and quality to those freshly crafted by a skilled bartender,” Levy said. “Peter Lloyd Jones was the best choice, and I can’t imagine working with anyone better. Pete was head barman at 1886 Bar at the Raymond, and he was also behind the stick at Everson Royce Bar for several years, so his experience is invaluable and his passion and creativity make him the perfect partner at Knox & Dobson.”
Levy’s upbringing in Skokie, Illinois, at Knox Avenue and Dobson Street is where he spent most of his adolescence in the 1960s and ’70s, and it also helped yield the name of the brand.
Each Knox & Dobson bottled cocktail is 200 milliliters and features two servings. The gin martini (34% ABV) combines gin with dry vermouth to create a flavor profile that is slightly earthy and refreshing to drink. The old fashioned (38% ABV) consists of straight aged bourbon, natural cane sugar, orange oil and Angostura bitters with tastes of aged bourbon with bright citrus flavors, bitters, raw cinnamon, clove and American oak. The improved whiskey cocktail (35.42% ABV), which is made with straight aged rye whiskey, Maraska Maraschino liqueur and Angostura bitters, has a spiced flavor profile. The rye Manhattan (36% ABV) is made with straight aged rye whiskey, sweet vermouth, and Angostura bitters.
Awards that Knox & Dobson has received include the Beverage Testing Institute (BTI) Gold Medal for its old fashioned, the BTI Silver Medal for its improved whiskey cocktail, the BTI Bronze Medal for its martini; the San Francisco World Spirits Competition (SFWSC) Silver Medal for its old fashioned, improved whiskey cocktail, gin martini, cocktail designer and a SFWSC Bronze Medal for its rye Manhattan.
Knox & Dobson is available locally at Total Wine & More stores as well as Bristol Farms. For more information visit knoxanddobson.com.
