flushing - main street

2 oz Akasi White Oak Japanese Whisky
1/2 oz Dolin Blanc Vermouth
1/4 oz Green Chartreuse
1/4 oz Tempus Fugit Crème de Cacao
2 dash Angostura Bitters

Stir with ice and strain into a coupe glass. Garnish with a flamed lemon twist.

For my first drink at Tiger Mama, I asked bartender James Miranda for their Manhattan variation, the Flushing - Main St. The drink name is Manhattan themed for that stop is the northern terminal station of the IRT Flushing Line of the NYC subway system as well as a station on the Long Island Rail Road. For a base spirit, they chose a slightly smoky Japanese Akasi which put it closer to a Rob Roy-Bobby Burns variation than a Manhattan one. Moreover, I was drawn in most by the combination of Chartreuse and cacao which have worked great in straight spirits drinks like the Prospector as well as shaken drinks like the Pago Pago.
The Flushing - Main St. began with a lemon oil aroma that gave way to a rich white wine-driven sip. Next, the swallow presented much of the flavor complexity as it began with whisky notes with a hint of smoke and ended with light chocolate, herbal, and spice flavors on the finish.