Benson & Hedges 100’s Presents Drink Recipes from 100 of the Greatest Bars: Spanish Martini (1979)

Once again, I’m cracking open my favorite cookbook from 1979.

Today’s drink is the Spanish Martini from Carlos n’ Charlie’s.

The original Carlos ‘n Charlie’s was in Los Angeles, but now it’s a chain of Mexican-themed restaurants located in tourist towns. The majority of them are in Mexican resort towns. Weird.

But the most famous Carlos ‘n Charlie’s is the one in Aruba (now closed) is one where Natalee Holloway was last seen alive. 

Of course, Carlos ‘n Charlie’s should not be confused with the similarly named Carlos O’Charlie’s Sports Ba & Grill in the Highlandtown neighborhood of Baltimore.

But whether it’s Carlos n’ Charlie or Carlos O’ Charlie, my mind goes to Charlie Sheen.

Because his birth name is Carlos Esteves.

Carlos is Charlie.

When he was having his big moment back in 2011, and winning EVERYTHING, I was obsessed.

OBSESSED.

I even dedicated a dinner to him.

I mean, tiger blood, “I’m not bipolar, I’m bi-winning,” his conspiracy theories, THE GODDESSESS. OMG The Goddesses.

“It’s perfect. It’s awesome. Every day is just filled with just wins. All we do is put wins in the record books. We win so radically in our underwear before our first cup of coffee, it’s scary. People say it’s lonely at the top, but I sure like the view.”

Dude, I wish that I was radically winning at any point in the day regardless of what I’m wearing.

I must say that Charlie was very wise when he said,  “can’t is the cancer of happen.”  I mean, that should be on one of those inspirational posters.

Here is an artist’s rendering of Brian watching Charlie on TV (I cannot remember who did this, but it is hilarious and I love it).

Also, I miss Brian.

After he had his supernova of a media meltdown in 2011, he lost his Two and a Half Men gig and kinda fell off the face of the earth.

He recently resurfaced on an episode of the new reality show, Denise Richards & Her Wild Things.

It’s interesting that they’re lunching together. Because their history is so ridiculously fucked up.

But I digress.

Here’s the Spanish Martini:

I had a thought.

I can’t fully review this drink because don’t know what this drink should actually taste like.

Because: gin.

Gin is just all over the place with its herbals and aromatics. Pine tree. Bay leaf. Fennel. Citrus. That gin in the photo is probably wildly different than a Bombay Sapphire or a Boodles.

Plus, I’m not particularly fond of gin. It lives in your nose and throat like something overly truffle’d.

Will not be making again.