[exchange place fizz]

2 oz Redemption Bourbon
1 oz Pineapple Shrub
1/2 oz Lemon Juice
1/2 oz Simple Syrup
1/4 oz Allspice Dram

Shake with ice and strain into a highball glass filled with ice. Top with soda water, add a straw, and garnish with a mint sprig.

While drinking the Millionaire of Havana, bartender Dave Delaney gave me a small glass of the Menta Flip (Fernet Branca Menta, demerara syrup, cacao tincture, whole egg) that was a more mint and chocolate version of the Fernet Flip. When it came time for the next round, I was not sure what to order next since Dave had already read my mind with the flip. Therefore, I asked him to showcase something new especially since he had mentioned that the Spring menu was due out shortly. Instead of pulling a drink from that collection (or giving me a sneak peak at his winning drink to appear on the cover of Imbibe magazine), he improvised with the pineapple shrub that they had just crafted. At Tales of the Cocktail last year, I did have the Averna Pineapple Shrub that was delicious, but that was not as much of a properly made shrub as just a combination of pineapple puree, simple syrup, and vinegar added to the other ingredients in the shaker. For a direction, Dave went with a highball idea using the new Redemption Bourbon.
In the Fizz, the mint sprig donated a great aroma that paired well with the Bourbon. Next, the fruit notes appeared on the sip as a pineapple and lemon flavor that was sharpened by the soda's carbonation. The swallow though was spicy from the allspice dram which paired well with the Bourbon's barrel notes. Overall, it was a Kentucky taken in a more refreshing and flavorful direction.