made man

1 1/2 oz Rye Whiskey (Rittenhouse)
1/2 oz Cherry Heering
1/2 oz Yellow Chartreuse
1/8 oz Fernet Branca

Stir with ice, strain into a coupe, and garnish with a cherry.Two Mondays ago, I was peering through the Kindred Cocktails database when I came upon the Made Man by Ali Reynolds at the Hawksmoor in London. The database sourced the drink from a CocktailsDistilled web post which described, "In the same way that a made man is traditionally seen as 'untouchable' by fellow criminals, in the world of cocktails, a Made Man offers a taste you can't refuse." I was able to find references as early as 2013 to this drink on the web, and the rye, cherry, Yellow Chartreuse combination reminded me of the Last Waltz. Once stirred and strained, the Made Man gave forth a rye, cherry, and herbal pine bouquet. Next, dark fruit notes on the sip led into rye, cherry, bitter herbal, piny, and menthol flavors on the swallow.

andrew square

2 oz Old Overholt Rye Whiskey (86°)
1/2 oz Cherry Heering
1/2 oz Fernet Branca
1 dash Angostura Bitters

Stir with ice and strain into a cocktail coupe.Two Fridays ago, I was peering into the "Drinks of Drink" notebook at work and spotted the Andrew Square named after a nearby neighborhood just south of the bar's location. Its combination of cherry liqueur and Fernet Branca was one that dated back to Pioneers of Mixing at Elite Bars: 1903-1933 with the Pinto. With rye whiskey as a stirred drink, the Andrew Square reminded me of the more recent Problem Solver and the combination of the liqueurs have appeared elsewhere on here. The notebook lacked any hint as to its creator or year, but once prepared, it revealed a cherry, clove, and rye aroma. Next caramel and dark fruit notes on the sip flowed into rye, cherry, menthol, and bitter gentian flavors on the swallow.

the problem solver

2 oz Overproof Rye (Rittenhouse Bonded)
1/2 oz Cherry Herring
1/4 oz Benedictine
1/4 oz Fernet Branca

Stir with ice, strain into a double old fashioned glass with ice, and garnish with an orange twist.Two Wednesdays, I decided to make a recipe that Jabriel Donohue posted on his Facebook that he created over a decade ago at the Acadia in Portland and now serves at the Doctor's Office in Seattle called the Problem Solver. Since Fernet works well with both Benedictine and Cherry Heering, I was excited to give this one a go. Moreover, it reminded me a little of a Remember the Maine crossed with a Down & Brown. In the glass, the Problem Solver proffered an orange, rye, and cherry aroma to the nose. Next, a cherry-grape sip concluded with a rye, cherry, and bitter menthol swallow.

trainspotter

2 oz Dickel Rye (Rittenhouse Bonded)
3/4 oz St Germain Elderflower Liqueur (St. Elder)
1/2 oz Cherry Heering
1/4 oz Fernet Branca

Stir with ice, strain into a cocktail glass, and garnish with a grapefruit twist.

Two Wednesdays ago, I spied the trainspotter on the Kindred Cocktails site as a twist on the Brooklyn named after the 1990s movie. The recipe was crafted by Thomas Newcomb at the Continental Room in Fullerton, California, and was first published in Gaz Regan's 101 Best New Cocktails: 2013 book. Overall, the combination reminded me at first of the Heather in Queue, and the cherry liqueur-Fernet duo was one that has worked in drinks since the early 1900s in the Pinto and more recently in Murray Stenson's Porteño and Misty Kalkofen's Darkness til Dawn.The Trainspotter showcased a grapefruit aroma from the twist, floral notes from the elderflower, and darker notes from the Heering on the nose. Next, a dark fruit-laden sip slipped into rye, grapefruit, floral, and menthol flavors on the swallow.

czech matador

1 oz Old Overholt Rye
1 oz Jelinek Fernet
1/2 oz Orange Juice
1/2 oz Cherry Heering

Shake with ice and strain into a coupe glass. Garnish with a cherry.
For a second drink, I asked bartender Kyle Powell at Backbar for the Czech Matador off of the tradesman section of the menu. The name and ingredients suggested that it was a riff on the classic Blood and Sand, and I was intrigued for I know how well Fernet and Cherry Heering can pair such as in the Pinto and the Sainted Devil. Once in the glass, the Czech Matador waved its cherry-scented cape at my nose. The cherry continued on into the sip along with the orange notes, and the swallow began with rye and herbal notes from the Fernet and ended with a return of the Cherry Heering on the finish.

a sainted devil

3/4 oz Blanco Tequila or Mezcal (Piedra Azul Blanco Tequila)
3/4 oz Cherry Heering
3/4 oz Fernet Branca
3/4 oz Orange Juice

Shake with ice and strain into a cocktail glass.
In thinking about how well Fernet Branca and Cherry Heering complement each other such as in Sahil Mehta's South End Sling, Misty Kalkofen's Darkness til Dawn, and the classic Pinto, I wondered how I could utilize this combination in other ways. My mind wandered to another Cherry Heering drink, the Blood and Sand, and I figured that a hybrid of these ideas might prove interesting. Keeping the cherry liqueur and orange juice constant, I swapped the original's sweet vermouth for Fernet Branca. For a spirit, I was thinking agave. While I might have reached for mezcal, the liquor fairy had delivered a bottle of Piedra Azul tequila that I was interested in trying out.

Piedra Azul Blanco Tequila
• Nose: citrus, a light pineapple note, mineral/briny aroma.
• Sip: Lots of body with light citrus flavors.
• Swallow: Agave with a hint of smoke.
• Price: around $19/750 mL.
• Overall Assessment: Not a showstopper, but definitely a solid blanco for the price point.

For a name, I searched for other Rudolph Valentino movies besides the Blood & Sand, and I picked his 1924 film A Sainted Devil. The drink began with tequila and Fernet Branca aromas with a hint of cherry. The cherry continued on into the sip where it paired with the orange. And the swallow rounded off the drink with agave and Fernet Branca flavors. Overall, the orange juice mellowed out the Fernet Branca and tequila and made for an easier drinking libation.

south end sling

2 oz Cherry Heering (*)
1/2 oz Del Maguey Mezcal Crema
1/2 oz Fernet Branca
1 oz Lime Juice

Shake with ice and strain into a Highball glass filled with fresh ice. Top with ~1 1/2 oz ginger beer. Garnish with a mint sprig and add a straw.
(*) Update 3/16/2015: I spotted in Sahil's notebook that he now makes this recipe as 4 equal 1 oz parts.

Two Mondays ago, Andrea and I headed over to the South End to dine at Estragon. For a first drink, bartender Sahil Mehta wanted to showcase a recipe that he had entered in the Heering Sling competition. When he mentioned that there was Fernet Branca in there, I immediately thought of how well that pairs with Cherry Heering such as in Misty Kalkofen's Darkness Til Dawn and in the classic Pinto. About a week later, Sahil sent me an email that this drink was selected as one of the ten finalists for the competition!
This homage to Estragon's neighborhood in Boston began with a mint and ginger aroma for me and a mint and cherry one for Andrea. The cherry and lime filled the sip; despite there being a large slug of Cherry Heering in the mix, the flavor balance did not suggest that. The spicy herbal swallow contained the ginger and Fernet notes with light smoke accents.

darkness til dawn

1 oz Laird's Bonded Apple Brandy
3/4 oz Cherry Heering
3/4 oz Fernet Branca
1/2 oz Lemon Juice

Shake with ice and strain into a rocks glass.

Two Thursdays ago, I stopped into Brick and Mortar when Evan Harrison was bartending. For a drink, I asked if he had any recipes from old Spin the Bottle events that he thought I might like. The one he made for me was another one of Misty Kalkofen's that she made for the night when Eastern Standard's Garrett Harker was on the turntables. Like the Attitude Dancing from that event which I had two weeks before, the Darkness til Dawn was also named after a Carly Simon tune.
With Cherry Heering, Fernet Branca, and lemon juice, the Darkness til Dawn reminded me of the Pinto from Pioneers of Mixing at Elite Bars: 1903-1933. The one major addition to the flavor profile was the apple brandy which contributed greatly to the drink's aroma along with the cherry and lemon notes; later, as the drink warmed up, the aroma became more apple and menthol driven. The rich lemon sip led into an apple swallow that finished with Fernet's menthol flavors that were modified by the citrus notes. Later, the apple on the swallow was joined by the Heering's cherry flavors.

pinto

1 oz Cherry Brandy (Cherry Heering)
1/2 oz Fernet Branca
1 dash Lemon Juice (1 tsp)
1 dash Angostura Bitters

Shake with ice and strain into a small cocktail glass. I added a lemon twist.

On Friday night, I desired a nightcap and remembered the Pinto from Pioneers of Mixing at Elite Bars: 1903-1933; the drink intrigued me for it used Fernet Branca in a liqueur-based cocktail. The main ingredient was "cherry brandy" which I interpreted as the rich and spicy Cherry Heering that seemed like it would best match up with Fernet Branca. Kirsch seemed too subtle, Luxardo Maraschino too funky, and other options were lacking on my shelves. On paper, it was hard to determine whether the drink would be delightful or a nightmare with the Fernet perhaps veering the drink off into a strange place; however, luckily, the former was the case which is not too surprising since the book has yet to steer me wrong.
Menthol and lemon oil aromas started off the Pinto. The Cherry Heering donated a thick, rich mouthfeel to the drink and served to temper the Fernet Branca considerably. The Fernet's menthol did appear on the swallow along with a variety of lingering bitter notes; however, it was not as potent as the recipe's ratio would suggest. Much respect for the Heering for accomplishing this feat. The lemon gave a nice hint of crispness to the drink and worked well with the Heering to give a slight sour cherry flavor. Surprisingly, the flavors gelled into a rather nice cocktail and the Pinto would probably serve as a great digestif as well.

porteño

3/4 oz Bourbon (George T. Stagg)
1/2 oz Fernet Branca
1/2 oz Cherry Brandy (Cherry Heering)
1/2 oz Lime Juice
1/2 oz Falernum or Simple Syrup (Velvet Falernum)

Shake with ice and strain into a cocktail glass.

During the Bourbon Thursday Drink Night on Mixoloseum, someone posted a link to an older Gary Regan column in SfGate that revolved around an intriguing whiskey drink called the Porteño. The Porteño was created by Murray Stenson of the Zig Zag Cafe in Seattle, and pays respect to the great appreciation of Fernet Branca in Argentina. While Argentinians often enjoy their Fernet with Coca Cola, this cocktail mixes the liqueur with lime and cherry flavors. The identity of the cherry brandy was not specified in the recipe; while we used Cherry Heering, Rothman and Winter Orchard Cherry or perhaps even a Kirschwasser would function well. The Kirschwasser would certainly make for a much drier drink and would rely more heavily on the falernum for the drink's sweetness (the simple syrup was recommended if store bought or homemade falernum was not available).
The next night, I made a pair of Porteños after dinner. On the sip, the lime followed into the Fernet Branca flavors with the falernum spices lingering at the end of the swallow. The cherry and Bourbon notes were detectable but seemed to function more to add richness to the drink. As we drank the Porteño, whether through taste acclimation or warming, the balance shifted towards greater Fernet dominance.