oumuamua

1 oz Coppali White Rum (Rhum Barbancourt 110° White)
1 oz Sherry (Lustau Amontillado)
1 1/2 oz Pineapple Juice
1/2 oz Coconut (Coco Lopez)
1/4 oz Lime Juice

Whip shake with crushed ice, pour into a Collins glass (ceramic mug), and fill with crushed ice. Garnish with mint sprigs and a spritz of absinthe (8 drop St. George).

Two Sundays ago, I decided to make another recipe from The Varnish in Los Angeles to follow the Castaway from two nights prior called the Oumuamua. This one was found in an online recipe flashcard set for their February 2019 menu, and the structure was very similar to their house Piña Colada with a different rum, a base split with sherry, and different garnishes that made me think of a merger with a Sherry Colada. The Educated Barfly attributed this drink to Brian Teterakis at The Varnish in the 2016-17 time frame, and that video called for aged rum and Oloroso; I, however, opted for Barbancourt White, a grassy unaged rum like Coppali, along with Amontillado to align with the flashcard that I had found. The name sounded rather like a Hawaiian fish akin to the Humuhumunukunukuapua'a (hence the sea creature mug utilized) until I later discovered that it was dubbed after a few hundred meters long elongated object that passed through our solar system possibly from another star that was discovered in 2017, so that would be put at the latter end of the video's dateline. The name is indeed Hawaiian meaning "a messenger from afar arriving first," and once prepared, the messenger to arrive first was the absinthe's anise and licorice aromas over that of the mint, grassy rum, coconut, and pineapple. Next, a creamy grape and pineapple sip opened up into grassy rum, coconut, and nutty sherry flavors on the swallow with a pineapple and lime finish.

jennie jerome

1 oz Martell Cognac (Courvoisier VS)
1 oz Laird's Bonded Apple Brandy
1/2 oz Punt e Mes
1/4 oz Maraschino (Luxardo)
1 tsp Cynar
2 dash Grapefruit Bitters (Bittermens)

Stir with ice and strain into an old fashioned glass with a large ice cube. Two Saturdays ago, I was in the mood for a stiff nightcap after my last bar shift of the week, and the Jennie Jerome at the NoMad in London called out to me via online recipe flashcards. Jennie, best known for being the mother of Winston Churchill, was raised in the family's mansion in the heart of modern-day NoMad neighborhood in Manhattan, and that tied together well the location of the original NoMad bar and this spot's British location. Some Manhattan Cocktail genesis stories revolved around her at the Manhattan Club, so I am surprised that this is not more of a direct riff on that instead of what appears like a Corpse Reviver #1 crossed with a Grand Street. Once prepared, the Jennie Jerome greeted the senses with a brandy and nutty cherry bouquet. Next, a grape and cherry sip revealed Cognac, apple, herbal, and bitter cherry flavors on the swallow.

castaway

1 1/2 oz Bounty Aged Rum (3/4 oz Hamilton's Demerara River 86° + 3/4 oz Coruba)
1 1/2 oz Pineapple Juice
1/2 oz Amaretto (Luxardo)
1/2 oz Coconut (Coco Lopez)
1/4 oz Lime Juice

Whip shake with crushed ice, pour into a Collins (double old fashioned) glass, and fill with crushed ice. Garnish with Angostura Bitters (3-4 dash), a cherry, and a "fucked up umbrella". Two Fridays ago, I was looking for uses of my opened can of coconut cream, when I happened upon the Castaway at The Varnish in Los Angeles from their December 2018 menu through online recipe flashcards. The structure was very similar to their house Piña Colada with the addition of amaretto in place of some of the rum and the wind-swept inversion of their classic's paper umbrella. Amaretto has appeared in two tropical drinks on the blog, namely the 1937 Caribbean Punch and Kanaloa's more modern Ka Lima Lima Hema, so I was intrigued to try it here with the coconut. In the glass, the Castaway stranded the nose with clove aromas from the bitters garnish. Next, a creamy pineapple sip drifted over to rum, almond, coconut, and apricot flavors on the swallow.

howl on the hill

1 1/2 oz El Dorado 15 Year Rum (12 Year)
1/2 oz Santa Teresa 1796 Rum (Planteray Panama 1997)
3/4 oz Carpano Antica Sweet Vermouth (Cocchi)
1/2 oz Fernet Branca
1/4 oz Yellow Chartreuse
1 dash Vieux Pontarlier Absinthe (12 drop Kübler)

Stir with ice and strain into a cocktail coupe. After receiving a half-full sample bottle of El Dorado 12 Year at the end of the grand tasting at Boston Rum Week 2026, I decided two Thursdays ago to delve into the Death & Co.'s books for drinks that I previously skipped over. The one I selected first was Howl on the Hill by Jessica Gonzalez in 2009 at the original Manhattan branch that I found in the Death & Co.: Modern Classic Cocktails book. The drink read like a dark rum Hanky Panky or Stingray, and Fernet and Yellow Chartreuse have worked well together in recipes like the Corpse Reviver #4 and Good Things Come. Jessica described how any drink with Fernet needs a reference to San Francisco which is perhaps why the "hill" part of the name came about; the "howl" aspect made me think of Allen Ginsberg's poem, and he wrote that during his San Francisco days in the 1950s. In the glass, the Howl on the Hill enchanted the senses with a caramel, grape, and menthol aroma. Next, grape and caramel notes continued on into the sip where they were joined by dark rum, minty, menthol, and anise flavors on the swallow.

fortress of solid dudes

1 oz Ancho Reyes Verde Chile Liqueur
1/2 oz Campari
1/2 oz Giffard Apricot Liqueur (Rothman & Winter)
3/4 oz Lemon Juice
3/4 oz Coconut Cream (Coco Lopez)
1/4 oz Rich Simple Syrup (1/4+ oz 1:1)
4 dash Peychaud's Bitters
4 dash Absinthe (32 drop St. George)
1 drop Orange Flower Water

Whip shake, pour into a Highball glass (ceramic mug), fill with crushed ice, and garnish with a lime wedge, cherry, and pineapple leaf (mint sprigs only). Two Wednesdays prior, I searched my computer for recipes that called for Ancho Reyes Verde Chile Liqueur, and it pulled up the Fortress of Solid Dudes by Chris Elford at Navy Strength in Seattle from the 2020 Community Cocktails book. This pun on the Superman fortress of solitude was described on the menu as, "Apricot, coconut, and green chile just met at a house party and bonded over their love for everything from comics to Campari. Life is weird!" I was able to find photos of the drink on Yelp in 2018 served in a label-less tin can and garnished with mint and on their Instagram earlier this year in a Pearl Diver glass with mint. On paper, it reminded me of the Tradewinds as well as my Campari-laden riff the Sidewinds; moreover, the Ancho Reyes for spirit swap was something that I experienced in the Chili Southside. Once garnished, the Fortress of Solid Dudes gave forth a mint over green chili and coconut aroma. Next, a creamy lemon sip with hints of orchard fruit flowed into chili pepper, coconut, and bitter orange-red fruit flavors on the swallow with an anise finish.

oaxaca negroni

1 oz Xicaru 102° Mezcal (1 1/4 oz Convite 80°)
1 oz Dolin Sweet Vermouth (Cocchi)
1/2 oz Cynar
1/2 oz Aperol
1/4 oz Agave Syrup (omit)
4 drop Bittermens Mole Bitters (1 dash)

The recipe lacked instructions, so I stirred with ice, strained into an old fashioned glass with ice, and garnish with a grapefruit twist. Two Tuesdays ago, I uncovered the Oaxaca Negroni from Alma Cocina in Atlanta circa early 2020 through online recipe flashcards. Aperol and Cynar appear in the Negroni that Wasn't, Juan Bautista, Scottish Play, and other drinks, so having it with mezcal, vermouth, and mole bitters sounded intriguing. Once prepared, the Oaxaca Negroni showcased a grapefruit, smoke, and vegetal aroma. Next, grape and orange notes on the sip opened up into smoky agave, vegetal, plum, orange, and clove flavors on the swallow.

the mixologist

1 1/2 oz Aged Dark Rum (Hamilton Demerara River 86°)
1 oz Amaro Averna
1/2 oz Mezcal (Fosforo Ensemble)
3 dash Angostura Bitters

Stir with ice, strain into a coupe glass, and garnish with an orange twist. Two Mondays prior, I grasped my copy of The Madrusan Cocktail Companion from the book shelf and found The Mixologist by Elijah Harriss at The Everleigh in Melbourne circa 2024. The concept came across like a split base Black Manhattan with dark rum and mezcal instead of Bourbon. One of my Instagram followers asked what would be in The Bartender, and I replied, "Serve this pre-chilled from the freezer into a shotglass next to a Miller High Life?" Once prepared, The Mixologist crafted an orange and caramel aroma. Next, a caramel-driven sip opened up into woody rum and vegetal caramel-herbal flavors on the swallow with a smoky and clove finish.

trap door

1 1/2 oz Irish Whiskey (Teeling Small Batch)
3/4 oz Blanc Vermouth (Servito)
3/4 oz Campari

Stir with ice, strain into an old fashioned glass with ice, and garnish with a lemon twist. Two Sundays ago, I fired up The Bartender's Choice Volume 3 app and came across the Trap Door by Zack-Gelnaw-Rubin at Manhattan's Attaboy in 2025. Since it was the last night of Negroni Week 2026, it seemed perfect. Furthermore, I have not had an Irish whiskey Boulevardier before; indeed, Irish whiskey has been rarely paired with Campari save for a few drinks like the Psycho Killer and Broadway Junction. In the glass, the Trap Door opened up with lemon and orange aromas. Next, white wine, malt, and tangerine notes on the sip descended into soft whiskey and bitter tangerine flavors on the swallow.

among the ferns

1 oz Sweet Gwendolin Gin (Tanqueray)
1 oz Cinzano Bianco Vermouth (Servito)
1/2 oz Aveze Gentian Liqueur (Suze)
1/2 oz Del Maguey Mezcal Vida (Convite)
1/4 oz Ancho Reyes Verde Chile Liqueur

Stir with ice, strain into an old fashioned glass with a large ice cube, and garnish with a ships leaf (omit). Ships leaf is an alternative name for shiso. Another drink that I had picked out when I was sent a promotional bottle of Ancho Reyes Verde Chile Liqueur was the Among the Ferns from Point Seven in New York City that I uncovered through online recipe flashcards. This riff on a White Negroni was mentioned in September 2023 in two web-based reviews of the new bar program. The closest drink that I have tasted was the split gin-mezcal White Mezcal Negroni from Gracias Madre in Los Angeles that lacked the chili pepper aspect. The name though makes me think of the comedy talkshow Between Two Ferns with Zach Galifianakis, but web searches align more with a variety of nature or gardening podcasts and groups. Once mixed, the Among the Ferns gave forth a pine, spicy green pepper, and gentian herbal aroma. Next, white grape and green vegetal notes on the sip unfurled into gin, smoky vegetal, earthy bitter, and pepper spice flavors on the swallow.