infante

2 oz Tequila (Lunazul Blanco)
1 oz Lime Juice (3/4 oz)
3/4 oz Orgeat

Shake with ice, strain into a double old fashioned glass with ice, and garnish with freshly grated nutmeg.

Two Fridays ago, I returned to Michael Madrusan and Zara Young's A Spot at the Bar book and selected the Infante attributed to Giuseppe Gonzalez. As a Tequila Daisy sweetened with orgeat, it reminded me of a streamlined Trader Vic's Pinky Gonzalez or perhaps my Silver Surfer. My later sleuthing determined that Giuseppe created this at Dutch Kills circa 2009, and the recipe in Sam Ross' app includes 3 drops of orange blossom water in the mix. Moreover, the drink name is another tribute to Pedro Infante, the singer-actor from the golden age of Mexican cinema, which Misty Kalkofen honored in her A Slow Dance with Pedro Infante.
The Infante greeted the nose with an earthy, nutty, and vegetal agave bouquet. Next, a creamy lime sip sang out before an agave melding into earthy almond swallow.

sirius swizzle

1 1/2 oz Linie Aquavit (Aalborg)
3/4 oz Grapefruit Juice
1/2 oz Ruby Port (Taylor Fladgate)
1/2 oz Cardamaro
1 tsp Maple Syrup

Build in a Collins glass, fill with crushed ice, and swizzle to mix and chill. Garnish with a Crusta-style grapefruit twist.
Two Thursdays ago, I was checking up on the history of the Prizefighter series by Nicholas Jarrett that he posted on BarNotes. There, I spotted his Sirius Swizzle that seemed like a refreshing yet complex libation that I probably skipped previously when I lacked Cardamaro at home. I was intrigued by the grapefruit-maple combination that worked rather well in the Volcano Bowl and that I experienced recently in the Gill-Man Grog; those flavors were rounded out by aquavit, Cardamaro, and ruby port in this Flatiron Lounge circa 2011 creation. In the glass, the Sirius Swizzle met the nose with a grapefruit and caraway bouquet. Next, the grapefruit mingled with the port's and Cardamaro's fruity grape notes on the sip, and the swallow proffered caraway, grape-herbal, and maple flavors.

mynah bird

1 oz El Dorado 15 Year Rum (El Dorado 12 Year)
3/4 oz Carpano Sweet Vermouth (Cocchi)
1/2 oz Campari
1/4 oz Cruzan Black Strap Rum
1 tsp Crème de Cacao (Tempus Fugit)
5 dash Bittermens Mole Bitters

Stir with ice and strain into a rocks glass with a large ice cube.
Two Wednesdays ago, I selected Leo Robitschek's The NoMad Cocktail Book and spotted Nathan O'Neill's Mynah Bird that was described as "a stirred Tiki drink with the flavors of a Jungle Bird cocktail." With crème de cacao in the mix, it reminded me of the Yucatan Bird. Once prepared, the Mynah Bird donated a caramel and molasses aroma to the nose. Next, the caramel notes continued on into the sip, and the swallow flew in with rum and dark chocolate flavors followed by a bitter orange finish.

how to kill a friend

1 1/2 oz Mezcal (Fidencio)
3/4 oz Campari
1/2 oz Pedro Ximenez Sherry (Oxford 1970)
1/4 oz Triple Sec (Cointreau)
1 1/2 oz Pineapple Juice
1/2 oz Lime Juice
4 dash Angostura Bitters

Shake with ice, strain into a Collins glass, fill with crushed ice, and garnish with mint sprigs.
Two Tuesdays ago, I selected a recipe that I had spotted in December's Imbibe Magazine called the How to Kill a Friend that I set aside since I lacked mint for the garnish (given that I grow so much mint throughout the year, I refused to buy it in the off season). This mezcal Jungle Bird riff was crafted by Paul Shanrock at Seattle's Stampede Cocktail Club. Once prepared, the How to Kill a Friend lent a mint, smoke, and grape aroma to the nose. Next, grape, lime, and pineapple notes on the sip plunged into smoky mezcal, raisin, and bitter orange flavors on the swallow with a clove finish.

elusive dreams

1 oz Plantation Stiggins' Fancy Pineapple Rum
1 oz Blended Unaged Rum (Privateer Tres Aromatique (unblended))
1 oz Pineapple Juice
3/4 oz Lime Juice
3/4 oz Cinnamon Syrup
1/2 oz Giffard Banane du Bresil

Shake with ice, strain into a coupe, and garnish with a pineapple wedge (omit) and an orchid (honeysuckles).
Two Mondays ago, I was in the mood for something tropical, so I reached for Chloe Frechette's Easy Tiki book. There, I was lured in by Demi Natoli's Elusive Dreams that she created at Nashville's Patterson House as her spin on the Hotel Nacional Special. In the glass, the Elusive Dreams conjured up cinnamon, banana, and pineapple notes to the nose. Next, lime and pineapple mingled on the sip, and the swallow showcased rum, pineapple, banana, and cinnamon flavors to create an apple pie-like feel.

5th amendment

1 3/4 oz Bourbon (Angel's Envy)
1/2 oz Velvet Falernum
1/4 oz Yellow Chartreuse
1/4 oz Fernet Branca
2 dash Hawaii Bitters Lilikoi Bitters (Bittermens Burlesque)

Stir with ice, strain into a rock glass with a large ice cube, and garnish with a lemon twist.
Two Sundays ago, I decided to make a recipe that I had spotted earlier in the week in Punch Drinks called the 5th Amendment by David Thor Newman of Pint & Jigger in Honolulu. Since I had a chance to meet Dave in Louisville as we visited the Angel's Envy distillery for training in late January, I figured that utilizing their port-finished Bourbon would be quite apropos. The 5th Amendment welcomed the senses with a lemon, menthol, and Bourbon aroma. Next, malt with a hint of caramel and honey on the sip passed into whiskey, herbal, menthol, and ginger flavors on the swallow.

three treasures

1 1/2 oz Unaged Cachaça (Cuca Fresca)
1/2 oz Blanco Tequila (Lunazul)
1/2 oz Byrrh Quinquina
1/2 oz Black Tea Honey Syrup (equal parts strong Oolong Tea and Honey)
1/2 oz Pineapple Juice
1/2 oz Lemon Juice
5 dash Absinthe (1 bsp Pernod Absinthe)

Shake with ice, strain into a cocktail coupe, and garnish with a lemon twist, edible flower, and plastic mermaid (omit).
Two Saturdays ago, I returned to the Minimalist Tiki book and spotted the Three Treasures by Jeanie Grant. The drink name most likely refers to the concept of Chinese and Taoist philosophies that the body is made up of three substances or energies, although there are other cultures that have similar three treasures or jewels concepts. In the glass, the Three Treasures proffered a lemon, herbal, and anise bouquet to the nose. Next, lemon, pineapple, and plum notes on the sip morphed into funky cachaça melding into tequila on the swallow along with tannin black tea and minty anise accents.

chip shop punch

750 mL Beefeater Gin (3 oz)
1 cup Rothman & Winter Apricot Liqueur (1 oz)
1/2 cup Coruba Rum (1/2 oz)
1 cup Lemon Juice (1 oz)
1 cup Simple Syrup (1 oz Lemon Oleo Saccharum Syrup (*))
2 2/3 cup Cold Water (2 1/2 oz)
2 tsp Angostura Bitters (4 dash)

Combine in a large container with an ice block to chill.
(*) Place the peels of 1/2+ lemon, cover with 3/4 oz sugar in a small bowl or Ziplock bag, and mix. Let sit for 60-120 minutes to extract the oil into the sugar (with occasional mixing). Add 3/4 oz hot water, stir to mix, and strain. Makes a little over an ounce.
Two Fridays ago, I delved into Dan Searing's The Punch Bowl and spotted the Chip Shop Punch by Jake Parrott now of Haus Alpenz. This punch was Jake's riff on the classic Philadelphia Fish-House Punch taken in a British direction with gin as the main spirit; overall, the ingredients reminded me of the Barnum Was Right, so I was quite intrigued especially with the Jamaican rum in the mix. Given that it was still quarantine and our party size was two, I scaled this recipe back eight fold. Once prepared, the Chip Shop Punch welcomed the nose with an apricot bouquet that preceded a lemon and orchard fruit sip. Next, gin, a hint of rum funk, apricot, and clove flavors rounded out this softly balanced tipple. Author Dan Searing commented on my Instagram post that the lemon oleo saccharum was a nice modification, and I also think that swapping out the still water for sparkling would do no harm here either as a variation.

bohemia

1 1/2 oz Bols Genever
1 oz Dolin Blanc Vermouth
1/2 oz Krogstad Aquavit
1/4 oz Luxardo Maraschino Liqueur

Stir with ice, strain into a cocktail coupe, and garnish with a lemon twist.
Two Thursdays ago, I delved into Leo Robitschek's The NoMad Cocktail Book for the evening's libation and spotted the Bohemia. That recipe was Leo's creation subtitled, "A rich Martini variation with caraway." While I have known about the elegant pairing of Genever and Maraschino for quite a while such as in the Improved Holland Gin Cocktail, I only learned about how well Genever and aquavit pair in that book's Forbidden Dance. Once prepared, the Bohemia danced with a lemon, malt, and caraway aroma to the nose. Next, malt, soft white grape, and cherry notes on the sip slipped into Genever melding into aquavit flavors on the swallow with a nutty cherry and wormwood finish.

mango daiquiri

1 oz Light Puerto Rican Rum (2 oz Flor de Caña Añejo Oro)
1 dash Maraschino Liqueur (1/4 oz Maraska)
Juice 1 Lime (3/4 oz)
1 piece Mango (3/4 oz Mango Syrup)
1 dash Rock Candy Syrup (omit)

Blend with 1 scoop of shaved ice and pour into a large Tiki champagne glass (double old fashioned); I garnished with honeysuckles.
Two Wednesdays ago, I was flipping through Trader Vic's 1974 Rum Cookery & Drinkery book when I spotted one of his originals that could utilize the mango syrup I made recently. That recipe was the blender drink, the Mango Daiquiri, and it accented the fruit notes with a touch of Maraschino akin to how Vic used it in his Pisco Punch, Demerara Dry Float, and Kona Gold. Moreover, the blended aspect also reminded me of his Maraschino-containing Beachcomber that I made a month or so before. Once prepared, the Mango Daiquiri welcomed the senses with a lime, mango, and nutty bouquet. Next, mango and lime mingled on the sip, and the swallow proffered rum flavors with added depth from the Maraschino liqueur.

island breeze

1 1/2 oz Avua Prata Cachaça (Avua Balsamo)
3/4 oz Barrow's Intense Ginger Liqueur
1/2 oz Lime Juice
1/4 oz Falernum (Velvet)
1 dash Pimento Bitters (1/2 bsp Hamilton's Allspice Dram)
1 dash Cardamom Bitters (1 Cardamom Pod muddled + 1 dash Bittercube Jamaican #2)

Shake with ice, strain into a double old fashioned glass (Tiki mug), fill with crushed ice, and garnish with palm fronds (pea blossoms) and mint sprigs.

Two Tuesdays, the Tiki by the Sea crew did another virtual seminar as a substitute the event that normally happens at the Hotel Barcelona in Wildwood, NJ, every year. The guest was Boston's own Brother Cleve with the title "Tiki Time Machine" that traced the path between the first wave and current glory years with all the intriguing missteps and curious establishments along the way. For a drink to make at home, Cleve selected the sponsor's cachaça and highlighted it in a recipe that he created for the Breezers Ball one year called the Island Breeze. The Breezers Ball just hosted its seventh annual soiree in March a week or so before quarantine set in; a breezer is a person who lives in Waltham, MA, but was not born there, and it pokes fun at the gentrification taking place in that city.
The Island Breeze moved in with a mint aroma over ginger and cachaça notes. Next, a lime-driven sip led into woody cachaça, ginger, cardamom, and allspice flavors.

joe rickey

2 oz Bourbon or Rye (Angel's Envy Bourbon)
Juice 1/2 Lime (a short 3/4 oz)

Build in a Highball glass, add ice, garnish with a lime shell, and top with soda water (4 oz).

Recently, I saw a reference for a Joe Rickey and realized that I had never had one, and two Mondays ago seemed like the perfect evening to break the heat with this historic Cooler. For a recipe and history source, I turned to David Wondrich's Imbibe book. Wondrich attributed the drink's invention to a "Colonel" Joe Rickey (some articles call him a co-inventor along with bartender George A. Williamson) sometime between his arrival in Washington DC in 1883 and the recipe appearing in the newspapers in 1889 (the quotation marks to show that it was an honorary title). Joe taught plenty of bartenders how to make his drink but it is surmised to have first been constructed at Shoomaker's in DC, and later in the 1890s the Rickey became more of a gin phenomenon than an American whiskey one. Unlike a Collins-like tipple where the citrus would be balanced by sugar or other sweetener, Joe felt that "any drink with sugar in it... heats the blood." Despite that being a late entry throwback to the Ancient Greek theories of Humorism, the soda water does help to dilute and mollify the citrus' acid bite to make for a very refreshing Cooler.
The Joe Rickey greeted the senses with a Bourbon and bright lime oil aroma. Next, a crisp, carbonate sip of lime and malt notes flowed into Bourbon flavors blending into a fruity element from the Angel's Envy port barrel finish and the lime. DC bartender Chantal Tseng described the Joe Rickey as "simply refreshing, like air conditioning in a glass," and the combination did rather well in society until Scotch took over a little after the turn of the century both in the Highball and in the Mamie Taylor (a Scotch Rickey of sorts with the soda water replaced by ginger beer).

charo's kick

1 1/2 oz Blanco Tequila (Lunazul)
1/2 oz Mezcal (Fidencio)
3/4 oz Lemon Juice
3/4 oz Orgeat
2 bsp Crème de Menthe (1/4 oz Tempus Fugit)

Shake with ice and strain into a cocktail coupe; I later found a recipe that included a lemon twist and I feel that a floated mint leaf would not be out of place here.

Two Sundays ago, I decided to make a recipe that I had noted previously on Imbibe Magazine called the Charo's Kick. The recipe published in 2015 was attributed to Justin Lane Briggs at Faro in Brooklyn shortly after the restaurant opened, and it seemed to be the agave take of Cameron's Kick from Harry MacElhone's 1922 Harry's ABCs of Mixing Cocktails with the addition of crème de menthe. After making the drink, I did a little research and uncovered an entry in the Kindred Cocktails database that declared that it had been invented by Anthony Schmidt in 2010 at the Noble Experiment in San Diego without the minty element. A discussion ensued, and I soon found a 2015 article in the Village Voice where Briggs gave credit to Schmidt for his take on the Cameron's Kick. Moreover, Briggs was rather impressed by the result, tinkered, and found that crème de menthe added another layer of complexity that worked with all the ingredients; he declared, "There's nothing really more refreshing than mint and citrus together. If I ever wonder what to make someone and I have a drink that combines those two, I can make that and they'll be happy."
The Charo's Kick with the menthe welcomed the nose with a nutty, lemon, and smoke aroma with a hint of mint. Next, a creamy and lemon sip swung into a smoky agave and earthy swallow with a light minty finish.

quoit club punch

Peels of 12 Lemon (of 3/4 Lemon)
16 oz Sugar (1 oz)
16 oz Lemon Juice (1 oz)
750 mL Jamaican Rum (1 1/4 oz Plantation Xaymaca + 1/4 oz Smith & Cross)
750 mL Cognac (1 1/2 oz Courvoisier VS)
750 mL Madeira (1 1/2 oz Blandy's 5 Year Verdelho)

Make an oleosaccharum with the lemon peels and sugar (2+ hr). Dissolve the sugar in the lemon juice, add the rest of the ingredients, strain to remove the peels, and chill with ice.

On the morning of the Fourth, I read David Wondrich's treatise on the Quiet Fourth of July in the DailyBeast about how he usually throws a big party replete with a punch bowl and other traditions; however, this year, the festivities would be scaled back greatly due to his regard for his guests' and his safety. While we have never thrown an Independence Day party before, I have been tasked with producing a punch for them, and if I was not working that day, I was among friends. This year, it would just be Andrea and myself, and we planned a dinner out on our second floor deck. For a final drink of the night, I plotted out a scaled down number from Wondrich's Punch Book. The Quoit Club Punch created perhaps two centuries ago in Richmond, Virginia, seemed rather delightful with Jamaican rum, brandy, and Madeira, so I prepared the oleosaccharum before I began cooking. Wondrich worked off of an old description of the ingredients and estimated rather well what the recipe could have been.
The Quoit Club rejoiced the senses with rum funk and bright lemon bouquet. Next, lemon, grape, and caramel notes raised a toast on the sip, and the swallow continued on with the funky rum, lemon peel, and grape complexity from the Cognac and Madeira. Overall, it reminded me of a more Colonial and less exotic West Indies Punch.

gill-man grog

1 oz Dark Jamaican Rum (Coruba)
1 oz Aged Demerara Rum (El Dorado 5 Year)
1 oz Light Rum (Santa Teresa Claro)
3/4 oz Lime Juice
1/2 oz White Grapefruit Juice (3/4 oz Pink)
1/2 oz Maple Syrup
1/2 oz Falernum (Velvet)
2 hard dash Allspice Dram (2/3 bsp Hamilton's)

Shake with ice, strain into a double old fashioned glass with a Navy Grog ice cone, and top with 1 oz soda water.
Two Fridays ago, I spotted a reference to the Gill-Man Grog on Reddit, and I hunted down the recipe on The Atomic Grog blog. There, they provided the history that it was created by Jim Masterson for the 2013 Hukilau event in Fort Lauderdale and named after the old measure for 4 ounces a/k/a the gill. The combination of rums, grapefruit, lime, and maple syrup reminded me of Don the Beachcomber's Volcano Bowl but with two spice elements in the mix. Despite a crack in my Navy Grog ice cone, I continued on to prepare the drink which began with a dark rum, maple, and allspice aroma. Next, a carbonated caramel, lime, and grapefruit sip fled into dark rum with a hint of funk, maple, allspice, ginger, and clove flavors on the swallow.

the vacation

1 oz Aged White Rum (Santa Teresa Claro)
1 oz Unaged Rhum Agricole (Clement Premiere Canne)
1 oz Pisco (Macchu Pisco)
1 oz Pineapple Juice
3/4 oz Lime Juice (1 oz)
1/2 oz Mango Syrup (*)
1/4 oz Falernum (1/2 oz Velvet (**))
1 dash Vanilla-infused Angostura Bitters (1 dash Angostura Bitters + 1 drop Vanilla Extract)

Whip shake, pour into a Hurricane glass (Tiki mug), and fill with crushed ice. Garnish with pineapple leaves (mint sprig), orchid (pea blossoms), and a paper umbrella.
(*) To make this syrup, I peeled a medium-large mango, chopped it into chunks, and removed the pit. I blended the mango pieces with 4 oz water and fine strained it to yield 7 oz of mango juice. To the 7 oz juice, I added 7 oz cane crystal sugar and stirred to dissolve.
(**) It was suggested that if a store bought falernum was used to increase the volume to 1/2 oz and decrease the mango syrup to 1/4 oz. Instead, I increased the lime juice and the falernum and left the mango syrup volume the same.
Two Thursdays ago, I had gone to my local Indian supermarket to purchase a few ingredients and spices; last time I was there, one of the proprietors try to sell me on their mangos, and I replied that I would consider it next time. With that in mind, I found a recipe in Matt Pietrek and Carrie Smith's Minimalist Tiki book and added a mango on to my shopping list. That drink was the Vacation by Daniel "Doc" Parks of Pagan Idol and Zombie Village in San Francisco. Once prepared, the Vacation tickled the senses with a mint and mango bouquet. Next, lime and mango on the sip slid away to grassy rum, pineapple, earthiness from the pisco, and spices on the swallow.

cat's eye cocktail

1 oz Gin (1 1/2 oz Beefeater)
1/2 oz French Vermouth (1 oz Noilly Prat Dry)
1/2 tsp Cointreau (1/4 oz)
1/2 tsp Lemon Juice (1/4 oz)
2 dash Kirschwasser (1 bsp Trimbach Kirsch)

Stir with ice and strain into a cocktail glass; I added a lemon twist.
Two Wednesdays ago, I began flipping through the gin section of Trader Vic's 1947 Bartender's Guide when I spotted the Cat's Eye Cocktail. The classic Martini structure with dashes of citrus and sweetener reminded me of a few drinks including the recently sampled When the British Came to Spain and the Journalist Cocktail. Here, the accents were lemon juice, orange liqueur, and cherry eau de vie. Once prepared, the Cat's Eye Cocktail blinked at the senses with a lemon and pine aroma. Next, lemon and orange notes curled up on the sip, and the swallow stretched out into gin, peach, and cherry flavors.

missionary's swizzle

2 oz White Rum (Santa Teresa Claro)
1/2 oz Honey Syrup 1:1
1/2 oz Peach Liqueur (Mathilde)
1 oz Lime Juice
1 oz Pineapple Juice
7-10 leaf Mint

Muddle the mint leaves in the honey syrup at the bottom of a Collins glass. Add the rest of the ingredients, fill with crushed ice, and swizzle to mix and chill keeping the mint layer on the bottom. Garnish with several dashes of Herbstura (equal parts Angostura and Herbsaint) and lightly swizzle into the top layer. A mint sprig would make a fine additional garnish (I omitted it here but wish that I had thought of it before I had taken the photo and started drinking).
I recently saw a few Instagram postings of the 1940s Don the Beachcomber Missionary's Downfall with varying technique. Some did the proper blender method and others shook the mint like they were making a Southside or a Mojito. That made me wonder what this combination would be like a Swizzle with the Queen's Park Swizzle as a reference point given the layer of mint on the bottom. Once assembled, the Missionary's Swizzle led the senses in an anise, clove, cinnamon, and peach direction. Next, lime and mango flavors on the sip transitioned into rum, pineapple, peach, and mint ones on the swallow.

improved bamboo

3/4 oz Amontillado Sherry (Lustau)
3/4 oz Fino Sherry (Lustau)
3/4 oz Dry Vermouth (Noilly Prat)
3/4 oz Blanc Vermouth (Dolin)
1 bsp Maraschino Liqueur (1/8 oz Luxardo)
1 dash Absinthe (20 drop St. George)
1 dash Angostura Bitters
1 dash Orange Bitters (Angostura Orange)

Stir with ice, strain into a cocktail coupe, and garnish with an orange twist.

After the Rockin' Like Bamboo the night before, I was motivated to create my own riff on the Bamboo. Or I should say "again," for I have made the classic into a Crusta and a Flip before as well as taking it in a Madeira direction that was my first contribution to the Loyal Nine menu. I appreciated the split nature of the Rockin' Like Bamboo, so I kept the dry and blanc vermouth mix; moreover, I split the sherry between the Fino that I associate with the drink and the Amontillado that I utilized before I added Fino into my wine fridge. To take things one step further, I Improved things in an 1876 Jerry Thomas sort of way with accents of Maraschino and absinthe especially given how well Maraschino pairs with nutty sherries like Amontillado.
The Improved Bamboo met the nose with an orange oil, nutty, cherry, and herbal bouquet. Next, a crisp grape sip with a hint of cherry slid into nutty grape and cherry flavors on the swallow with an anise and spice finish.

rockin' like bamboo

1 oz Dry Vermouth (Noilly Prat)
3/4 oz Blanc Vermouth (Dolin)
3/4 oz Lustau East India Solera Sherry
1/2 oz Cynar
1/4 oz Byrrh Quinquina

Stir with ice, strain into a cocktail coupe, and garnish with an orange twist.
One of the other recipes that caught my eye in the most recent issue of Imbibe Magazine was the Rockin' Like Bamboo in an article that presented three modern riffs on the classic Bamboo Cocktail. This one was crafted by Greg Moreno of Ward III in Manhattan, and it was a fuller and sweeter variation that reminded me on paper and in the glass more of an Adonis. Once prepared, the Rockin' Like Bamboo conjured up an orange, grape, and cherry nose. Next, caramel and grape on the sip led into grape and plum flavors with an intriguing level of bitter herbal complexity on the swallow.

archipelago

250 mL Batavia Arrack van Oosten (2 1/2 oz)
100 mL Calvados (1 oz Morin Selection)
50 mL Rothman & Winter Orchard Pear Liqueur (1/2 oz)
125 mL Ginger Syrup (1 1/4 oz)
100 mL Lemon Juice (1 oz)

Combine in a Tiki bowl and stir with ice. Garnish with citrus wheels and flowers (citrus peel, mint sprigs, and flowers).
Two Saturdays, I was in the mood for something refreshing, so I selected Shannon Mustipher's Tiki: Modern Tropical Cocktails. There, I uncovered her Archipelago that was leaning more towards a punch than a Daiquiri like Eastern Standard's Archipelago. Its combination of Batavia Arrack and apple brandy made me recall the Prospector from Kask in Portland, and the ginger and pear liqueur had me thinking about the Naughty Nanny that Andrea created for a Mixology Monday years ago (it might be the only recipe that she created solo on here). Once built, the Archipelago welcomed the senses with a mint, apple-pear, and ginger bouquet. Next, lemon and pear notes mingled on the sip, and the swallow proffered Batavia Arrack's funky rum, apple, and ginger pear flavors.

little oaxacan

2 oz Mezcal (Fidencio)
3/4 oz Lime Juice
3/4 oz Orgeat
1/2 oz Salers Gentian Liqueur (Suze)
3 slice Cucumber

Shake with ice, strain into a double old fashioned with ice, and garnish with a cucumber slice.

Two Fridays ago, I received the July/August issue of Imbibe Magazine in the mail, and I immediately spotted the Little Oaxacan as a drink of the night possibility. I was lured in by the agave-orgeat combination that worked rather well in the Silver Surfer and Pinky Gonzalez as well as the agave-cucumber one that was a winner in the Going Back to Mezcali and the White Buddha. Here, the combination was rounded out by lime and gentian liqueur.
The Little Oaxacan was crafted by Julien Calella of the Elephante Beach House in Santa Monica, California, and the drink provided a vegetal, cucumber, and smoke aroma. Next, a creamy lime sip flowed into a smoky mezcal, nutty, and earthy swallow with a vegetal finish.

queens

1 1/2 oz Tanqueray No. 10 Gin (Beefeater)
3/4 oz Cinzano Sweet Vermouth (Cocchi)
3/4 oz Noilly Prat Dry Vermouth
1 wedge Pineapple muddled or 1/2 oz Pineapple Juice (1/2 oz)
1 dash Orange Bitters (Angostura Orange)

Muddle the pineapple wedge (used the juice option). Add the rest of the ingredients, shake with ice, strain into a cocktail glass, and garnish with a pineapple wedge (omit).

Two Thursdays ago, I ventured into Frank Caiafa's The Waldorf Astoria Bar Book and spotted the Queens in a section on the Bronx. Frank traced the lineage back to Ted Saucier's 1951 Bottoms Up which attributed the recipe's creation to the bar at the New Waldorf. Essentially, the Queens was a pineapple for orange riff on the Bronx similar to the grapefruit one, the Toronja Bronx, from Prohibition era Cuba. My search for Bronx riffs on the blog uncovered one part way between it and the Queens with a hint of anise called the Beaux Arts. Finally, Frank mentioned that the original Queens was equal parts, but he found that the recipe worked better when it was more gin forward.
Once prepared, the Queens greeted the senses with pineapple and pine aromas. Next, grape and pineapple on the sip flowed towards gin, orange, herbal, and fruity flavors on the swallow.

the time has come

1 oz Rye Whiskey (Rittenhouse 100)
1 1/2 oz Manzanilla Sherry (Lustau Fino)
3/4 oz Amaro Montenegro
1/4 oz Fernet Branca
3 dash Angostura Bitters
3 dash Peychaud's Bitters
1 pinch Salt

Stir with ice, strain into a cocktail coupe, and garnish with lemon oil from a twist and a singe flower petal (tickseed petal aka Coreopsis californica which is non-toxic).

Two Tuesdays ago, Brian Maxwell put up his 100th daily recipe that he created and posted on his Shaker of Spirits blog throughout the pandemic quarantine. The name signified the end of this run for he was returning back to work, but it also formed a loop to his first drink if the series which was also a line from Lewis Carrol's "The Walrus and the Carpenter" poem. Five years ago, that poem was the theme for an event at Loyal Nine that was significant to me for it was my first event that I helped to run after getting promoted to lead bartender there. For that event, I crafted a six drink menu and I wrote up four of them: a Pegu Club-Jasmine-inspired Of Shoes and Ships, a Pimm's Cup riff No Birds to Fly, the West Indies Punch-influenced Shining on the Sea, and the Mexican Hurricane Hopping through the Frothy Waves.
The Time Has Come seemed like an amazing combination of American whiskey, sherry, and four types of bitters that were softened by a pinch of salt, and my hunch proved correct in the glass. It began with a lemon, rye, and tangerine bouquet on the nose. Next, a caramel and crisp sip led into rye, mandarine, and gentian flavors on the swallow; as the cocktail warmed up, it became more Fernet driven but in an earthy bitter way instead of a more minty-menthol one.

without faculty

2 oz Angel's Envy Bourbon
1/2 oz Giffard Banane du Bresil
1/2 oz Ginger Syrup
3/4 oz Lemon Juice

Shake with ice, strain into a double old fashioned glass with a large ice cube, and garnish with a banana slice and 3 drops Tiki bitters (Bittercube Jamaican #2).

Two Tuesdays ago, I spotted an intriguing Whiskey Sour riff in a Father's Day drink article in The Bourbon Review called Without Faculty. The recipe was crafted by Tony Burke, a bartender and Virginia's Angel's Envy whiskey guardian, and he named it after his father's reason for not drinking much. His dad explained, "I don't want to lose control of my faculties"; the rest of Tony's tribute was relate to his father's love of Banana's Foster dessert and all things ginger. Since that pairing was delicious in the Holy Molé! and the X Marks the Spot, I was excited to give this one a go.
The Without Faculty met the nose with banana and ginger aromas. Next, lemon and malt on the sip led into Bourbon, banana, and ginger flavors on the swallow. Moreover, the port finish notes from the whiskey added a delightful level of fruity complexity on the swallow.

arinato

1 1/2 oz Ilegal Mezcal Joven (Fidencio)
3/4 oz Lillet Blanc (Cocchi Americano)
1/2 oz Dolin Dry Vermouth (Noilly Prat)
1/4 oz Yellow Chartreuse
1/2 tsp Luxardo Maraschino Liqueur
2 dash Peychaud's Bitters

Stir with ice, strain into a double old fashioned glass with a large ice cube, and garnish with a grapefruit twist laid over the cube.
Two Mondays prior, I returned to Ivy Mix's Spirits of Latin America book and spotted a Mezcal Martini of sorts, the Arinato. According to a video on PannaCooking, Ivy mentioned that the drink name does not mean anything per se, but it was invented for a friend of hers. In that video, she also recommended using a less smoky mezcal to provide a bit more harmony in the end result. Here with Fidencio Mezcal, the Arinato met the nose with a grapefruit and smoky vegetal aroma. Next, apricot and peach notes from perhaps the Cocchi Americano on the sip gave way to smoky agave softening into herbal flavors on the swallow with an anise finish.

backward's point

2 oz Scotch (Cutty Sark Prohibition)
3/4 oz Cynar
1/2 oz Sweet Vermouth (Cocchi)

Stir with ice, strain into a double old fashioned glass with a large ice cube, and garnish with an orange twist.
Two Sundays ago, I spotted the Backward's Point on Kindred Cocktails and learned its provenance on Reddit. This Scotch riff on Audrey Saunder's Little Italy was created by Andrew Rice at Attaboy in 2017 with the proportions of Cynar and sweet vermouth swapped. What drew me in was how well Cynar pairs with Scotch in drinks like the Black Diamond Flip and the Italian Heirloom. Once prepared, the Backward's Point proffered a peat smoke and orange oil bouquet to the nose. Next, caramel, malt, and grape mingled on the sip, and the swallow continued on with smoky and briny whisky melding into funky herbal bitterness.

ginger rogers

1/4 jigger Gin (3/4 oz Beefeater)
1/4 jigger French Vermouth (3/4 oz Noilly Prat Dry)
1/4 jigger Apricot Brandy (3/4 oz Rothman & Winter)
2 dash Lemon Juice (3/4 oz)

Shake with ice and strain into a cocktail glass; I added an orange twist.

Two Saturdays ago, I began flipping through Boothby's 1934 World Drinks & How to Mix Them for something easy to make and enjoy. There, I spotted the Ginger Rogers which pre-dated the tribute to the acting and dancing star one on here by Brian Miller of Death & Co. I upped the lemon juice to be an equal parts drink, and I later realized that I had previously enjoyed this combination as the Darb Cocktail over a decade ago. Moreover, the Boomer shared the mix with the inclusion of Peychaud's Bitters and more gin, and the Dick, Jr. Cocktail from Hugo Ensslin's 1916 book was a lime for lemon alteration.
The Ginger Rogers danced its way to the nose with orange and apricot aromas. Next, pear, orchard fruit, and lemon notes on the sip played into pine, apricot, and herbal flavors on the swallow.

our man in havana

2 oz Byrrh Quinquina
1 oz Rhum Barbancourt 8 Year
1 tsp Dry Orange Curaçao (Pierre Ferrand)
1/2 tsp Orgeat
1 dash Angostura Bitters
1 dash Orange Bitters (Angostura Orange)

Stir with ice, strain into a Nick & Nora glass, and garnish with a spiraled lime twist.

For a second drink from Chloe Frechette's Easy Tiki book, I selected Our Man in Havana by Garret Richard at Existing Conditions in Manhattan as his perhaps Mai Tai-influenced take on the El Presidente (or the dry vermouth way we were first introduced to in 2008). As an aromatized wine-forward aperitif-style concept here with Byrrh instead of the dry or blanc vermouth, I was definitely curious especially with Paul McGee's Rum River Mystic in mind.
The Our Man in Havana welcomed the nose with lime aromas over orange, cherry, and grape ones. Next, a creamy red cherry and grape sip led the taste buds to rum, orange, nutty, and plum flavors on the swallow.

50/25/25

3/4 oz La Diablada Ancholado Pisco (Macchu Pisco)
3/4 oz Ford's Gin (Tanqueray Malacca)
1 1/2 oz Lo-Fi Dry Vermouth (Noilly Prat)
1 dash Regan's Orange Bitters (Angostura Orange)

Stir with ice, strain into a Martini glass (cocktail coupe), and garnish with a lemon twist and 2 Manzanilla olives (1 Kalamata olive).
Two Thursdays ago, I returned to pick a second cocktail from Ivy Mix's Spirits of Latin America book, and I spotted a recipe that would fulfill my recent hankering for a Martini. That drink was the 50/25/25 which was a play on the Fifty-Fifty Martini that appeared in William Boothby's World Drinks & How to Mix Them and was made famous over the last decade or so by Audrey Saunders at the Pegu Club. Here, the gin was split with pisco, and I have enjoyed that duo in the Martini riff the Diamond Queen. Once prepared, the 50/25/25 proffered a lemon, pine, and earthy grape aroma. Next, a dry white wine sip slid into a juniper, funky brandy, and orange swallow. The pisco was rather complementary with the gin flavors as it had in classics like the Juanito Rosado and modern ones like the Love Makes You Feel 10 Feet Tall.

careful whisper

1 oz Cardamaro
1 oz Dolin Dry Vermouth (Noilly Prat)
1 oz Cocchi Sweet Vermouth
1 dash Angostura Bitters
1 dash Orange Bitters (Angostura Orange)

Stir with ice and strain into a cocktail glass.
Two Wednesdays ago, I returned to the Haus Alpenz recipe sheets where I latched on to the Careful Whisper. The drink was their riff on the Whisper from the Savoy Cocktail Book except with Cardamaro instead of whiskey. The Careful Whisper began with a grape and plum bouquet. Next, grape and cherry notes on the sip led into grape, bitter herbal, and plum flavors on the swallow. Overall, this lower proof version of the Whisper made for an elegant aperitif.