brown derby

2 oz Bourbon (1 1/2 oz Four Rose Yellow + 1/2 oz Wild Turkey 101)
3/4 oz Grapefruit Juice
1/2 oz Honey Syrup 1:1

Shake with ice, strain into a coupe glass, and garnish with a grapefruit twist.

After writing up the An Englishman, a Frenchman, and an Italian Walk into an L.A. Bar, I was reminded that I have never written up the Brown Derby. Perhaps, I have never had a proper one despite having riffs like the Union Derby with Drambuie for the honey syrup, the Honey Fitz where Jackson Cannon subbed in rum, and the Black Derby with mezcal (and a touch of cinnamon syrup) in place of the Bourbon. The original was created in the 1930s at the Vendome in Hollywood in honor of the nearby Brown Derby restaurant which had its own drink program best known for crafting the Honeymoon Cocktail. For a recipe, I sourced mine from Robert Simonson's 3-Ingredient Cocktails book.
In the glass, the Brown Derby welcomed the nose with a grapefruit and Bourbon bouquet. Next, honey-floral and grapefruit notes on the sip gave way to a Bourbon swallow with grapefruit and honey flavors on the finish.