testarossa collins

1 1/2 oz Rhum Barbancourt Blanc (110°)
1/4 oz Fernet Branca
1/2 oz Ginger Syrup 2:1 (1/2 oz Ginger Syrup 1:1 + 1/4 oz Simple Syrup)
3/4 oz Lime Juice
3/4 oz Pineapple Juice

Shake with ice, strain into a Collins glass with 1 oz soda water, fill with ice, and garnish with a pineapple wedge (lime wheel). Two Wednesdays ago, I reached for my copy of the Cuban Cocktails: 100 Classic and Modern Drinks book from the Cienfuegos crew of Alla Lapushchik, Jane Danger, and Ravi DeRossi, and I happened on the Testarossa Collins by Tom Chadwick of Cienfuegos and Dram Bar. The book claims that Tom was inspired by the French house musician Kavinsky who crashed his Ferrari Testarossa in 1986 and then "mysteriously came back to life as a Zombie" with the Fernet representing the Italian sports car. Wikipedia declares that "The concept behind OutRun [Kavinsky's 2013 debut album named after a video game featuring a Ferrari] follows Kavinsky's backstory of a young man who crashed his Testarossa in 1986 and reappeared in 2006 as a zombie who produces electronic music." Overall, the recipe read like a rum and soda instead of completely Fernet-driven Cure for Immorality, so it seemed worthy of a go. In the glass, the Testarossa Collins opened up with a lime, grassy rhum funk, and ginger aroma. Next, a carbonated lime and pineapple sip drove into grassy rum, ginger, and menthol flavors on the swallow.

wingspan

1 3/4 oz Bombay Sapphire Gin (Tanqueray)
1/2 oz Cocchi Americano
1/2 oz Swedish Punsch (Kronan)
1/4 oz Crème de Violette (Rothman & Winter)
1 dash Orange Bitters (Angostura Orange)

Stir with ice, strain into a coupe glass, and garnish with an orange twist. Two Tuesdays ago, I spotted a recipe called the Wingspan on Difford's Guide that caught my eye. The drink was created at the Savoy Hotel Bar in London circa 2014 as a cross between the Aviation and the World War II-era Wings (recipe not found) created there. From the menu's ingredients list, Simon Difford interpreted the drink as above, and after making it, I thought that the recipe could be tweaked a little. The Lillet/Cocchi Americano-Punsch aspect reminded me of recipes like the Metexa and Happy Daze, so I gave it a go. In the glass, the Wingspan soared to the nose with orange, pine, and floral aromas. Next, caramel and pear notes on the sip glided into gin, grapefruit, black tea, and soapy floral flavors on the swallow. Overall, the violette was a little much, and perhaps the Cocchi Americano could be bolstered to be more like the Metexa. My proposed recipe:

Wingspan (Fred's suggestion)
• 1 1/2 oz Gin
• 1 oz Cocchi Americano
• 1/2 oz Swedish Punsch
• 1/8 oz Crème de Violette
• 1 dash Orange Bitters
Stir with ice, strain into a coupe glass, and garnish with an orange twist.

inwood

2 oz Rye Whiskey (Old Overholt 86°)
1/2 oz Green Chartreuse
1/2 oz Café Lolita (Borghetti)
2 dash Orange Bitters (Angostura Orange)

Stir with ice, strain into a coupe glass, and garnish with a lemon twist. Two Mondays prior, I was lured by an unusual combination in the Inwood at Attaboy via online recipe flashcards. One friend on Instagram commented that they had not experimented with Chartreuse and coffee flavors, and I commented that "I have never seen it before. Cacao and hot chocolate, yes." Since Green Chartreuse can stand up to Fernet such as in the similarly structured Green Hornet, I figured that it would do alright with even a robust coffee liqueur. Once stirred and strained, the Inwood presented a lemon, coffee, and herbaceous aroma. Next, a roast-driven sip led into rye, coffee, and herbal flavors on the swallow with roast and orange elements coming through on the finish.

loose cannon

1 1/2 oz Bourbon (Evan Williams Bonded)
1/2 oz Punt e Mes
1/2 oz Fernet-Vallet (Fernet Branca)
1/2 oz Pierre Ferrand Dry Curaçao

Stir with ice, strain into a coupe glass, and garnish with an orange twist. Two Sundays ago, I opened up my copy of The Madrusan Cocktail Companion book and found the Loose Cannon by Brandon Bramhall at Last Saint in Charleston via the Manhattan section. The recipe made me think of the Alcazer from Pioneer of Mixing at Elite Bars: 1903-1933 (rye, Fernet, orange liqueur), and the combination of whisk(e)y, Punt e Mes, and those two liqueurs can be found in the Scotland the Brave. In the glass, the Loose Cannon shot off with orange, grape, and minty aromas. Next, caramel and grape notes on the sip stepped aside for Bourbon, herbal, bitter menthol, and orange flavors on the swallow.

st. stephen's sour

1 oz Cognac (Courvoisier VS)
1 oz Aged Rum (Dos Maderas 5+5)
3/4 oz Lemon Juice
3/4 oz Orgeat

Shake with ice, strain into a glass filled with crushed ice (big cube), and garnish with a lemon twist. Two Saturdays ago, I came across the St. Stephen's Sour by Jeffrey Morgenthaler at Portland's Clyde Common in 2014 via Imbibe Magazine. Overall, the concept reminded me of the Cameron's Kick, but instead of Scotch and Irish whiskey, it features the punch duo of rum and brandy. Moreover, it also came across like a Between the Sheets with orgeat instead of that classic's orange liqueur. Once shaken and strained, the St. Stephen's Sour showcased a lemon and nutty aroma. The sip mirrored the nose with creamy and lemon notes, and the swallow revealed rum, Cognac, and nutty flavors.

late for lunch

1 1/2 oz Blanco Tequila (Cimarron)
3/4 oz Lime Juice
1/2 oz Orgeat
1/2 oz Aperol
1 Egg White

Shake one round without ice and one round with ice, strain into a glass (coupe), and garnish with lime peel shavings. Two Fridays ago, I returned to the online recipe flashcards for The Violet Hour in Chicago and found the Late for Lunch as a dealer's choice option. The recipe reminded me of the Dead Man's Handle with egg white and different proportions, presentation, and garnish; since that one was delicious, I gave this one a go. In the glass, the Late for Lunch gave forth a lime, orange, and vegetal aroma. Next, a creamy lime and orange sip blossomed into tequila, almond, and orange flavors on the swallow.

trust falls

1 oz Bourbon (Evan Williams Bonded)
1 oz Cognac (Courvoisier VS)
1/4 oz Licor 43
1/4 oz Allspice Dram (Hamilton's)
2 dash Peychaud's Bitters

Stir with ice, strain into an old fashioned glass with a large ice cube, and garnish with an orange twist. Two Thursdays ago, I uncovered the Trust Falls from a collection of recipes from Too Soon in Portland, Oregon. Overall, the combination reminded me of the Sherpa except with the Bourbon split with Cognac and citrus-driven Licor 43 replacing the curaçao. Moveover, the name made me think of the recurrent bit in office comedy series The Chit Show. Once prepared, the Trust Falls launched off with an orange, vanilla, and allspice aroma. Next, a slightly citrussy sip opened up into whiskey, brandy, allspice, and orange flavors on the swallow.

shaken hands

1 oz Blanco Tequila (Cimarron)
1 oz Aperol
3/4 oz Lemon Juice
3/4 oz Pineapple Juice
1/2 oz Ginger Syrup
2 dash Angostura Bitters

Shake with ice and strain into a rocks or coupe glass. Two Wednesdays prior, I spotted the Shaken Hands in a recent Imbibe Magazine article. The drink was created by Aurele Berdoz at The Rhymer's Club in Manhattan as a tropical take on Audrey Saunder's Intro to Aperol. The gin and simple syrup from Audrey's recipe was swapped to tequila and ginger syrup with pineapple juice added, and perhaps one day I will get around to making the original. Here, the Shaken Hands gave forth an orange, agave, and clove aroma. Next, pineapple, lemon, and orange notes on the sip reached for vegetal, orange, ginger, and allspice flavors on the swallow.

best friend

1 1/2 oz Mezcal (Convite Especial)
1/2 oz Campari
2 oz Pineapple Juice
1/2 oz Lime Juice
1/2 oz Cinnamon Syrup

Shake with ice, strain into a double old fashioned glass with a large ice cube, and garnish with a dehydrated pineapple wheel (omit). Two Tuesdays ago, I decided to make the Best Friend by Karl Steuck for the opening menu at the Condor Bar in the Hotel El Roblar. I found the recipe in a set of online recipe flashcards for the bar, and my search uncovered the recipe in a 2025 article in Food & Wine. The Best Friend read like a Gilda Cocktail meeting a mezcal Jungle Bird, so it seemed worthy of a try. As I mentioned in my Palenque Punch yesterday, my trick of swapping the simple syrup for cinnamon in the mezcal version of the parallel Mr. Bali Hai (to add depth of flavor lost in transitioning to an unaged spirit as well as adding complementary notes) was also something that Karl figured out as well. Once prepared, the Best Friend greeted the nose with a pineapple, cinnamon, and vegetal aroma. Next, pineapple and lime notes on the sip blossomed into smoky vegetal, bitter orange-pineapple, and cinnamon flavors on the swallow.