sucker in a 3 piece

1 oz Rye Whiskey (Rittenhouse)
1 oz Cognac (Du Peyrat Selection)
1 oz Averna
1/8 oz Benedictine
2 dash Angostura Bitters
2 dash Orange Bitters

Stir with ice, strain into a single old fashioned glass, and garnish with lemon and orange twists (express and discard).Two Saturdays ago, I was exploring the Kindred Cocktails database when I spotted the Sucker in a 3 Piece; besides being a Van Halen song reference, it was a Black Vieux Carré akin to the day before's Black Boulevardier. This drink crafted at the Victory Sandwich Bar in Atlanta greeted the senses with lemon, orange, caramel, and grape aromas. Next, a semi-dry caramel sip gave way to rye, brandy, and caramel herbal flavors on the swallow with a clove and orange finish.

road to nowhere

1 oz Old Overholt Rye
1 oz Luxardo Amaro Abano
1 oz Luxardo Bitter or Campari (Campari)
4 dash Orange Bitters (Angostura Orange)

Stir with ice, strain into a cocktail coupe, and garnish with a cherry (Woodford).After my bar shift two Fridays ago, I reached for the Brooklyn Bartender book where I landed upon the Road to Nowhere. This Black Boulevardier of sorts created by Adam Volk at Esme would make good use of my recent addition of Amaro Abano to my liquor shelves. Once prepared, it donated an orange, herbal, and cardamom aroma to the nose. Next, caramel and orange notes on the sip traveled towards rye, bitter orange, gentian, and spice flavors on the swallow.

mapplethorpe

1 oz Rye Whiskey (1 1/2 oz Old Overholt 86°)
1 oz Oloroso Sherry (1 1/2 oz Lustau)
1 tsp Maple Syrup (1/4 oz)
1 dah Bittermens Mole Bitters (2 dash Angostura Cocoa)

Stir with ice and strain into a rocks glass with a large ice cube.Two Thursdays ago, I was perusing the Kindred Cocktails database when I came across the Mapplethorpe which not only made me think of the controversial artist but reminded me of the Midtown given the whiskey, sherry, maple, and bitters structure. This drink crafted by New York City bartender Rafa Garcia Febles in 2015 began here with rye, nutty, and maple aromas. Next, a grape sip filled with maple's richness flowed into rye, earthy, and nutty flavors on the swallow with a maple finish.

smoking jacket

1 1/2 oz Hine H Cognac (Du Peyrat Selection)
1/2 oz Busnel VSOP Calvados (Boulard VSOP)
1 tsp Demerara Syrup
3 dash Peychaud's Bitters
1 dash Angostura Bitters

Stir with ice and strain into a single old fashioned pre-rinsed with Laphroaig Scotch.After my bar shift two Wednesdays ago, I opened up Death & Co.'s Welcome Home to find a nightcap. There, I spotted the Smoking Jacket by Jon Armstrong in 2014 that only had a minor overlap with the other Smoking Jacket on here given its Scotch rinse instead of Scotch base. The rinse and the down serving style reminded me of a Sazerac with French grape and apple brandies as the base. Once prepared, the Smoking Jacket met the nose with a smoke and vague fruit note. Next, a semi-sweet apple sip lounged into a Cognac, apple, and anise swallow with a smoke, allspice, and clove finish.

ground control to major tom

1 1/2 oz Compass Box Orchard House Scotch
3/4 oz Lime Juice
1/2 oz Blue Curaçao
1/2 oz Amaro Nonino
1/2 oz Honey Syrup
6 drop Cardamom Bitters
1 Egg White

Shake once without ice and once with ice, strain into a cocktail coupe, and garnish with orange oil from a twist.Two Tuesdays ago, my return path from a Highland Park bitters making class led me through Union Square, Somerville, so I decided to stop into Backbar for a drink. The cocktail that I requested from bartender Kelsey Chase was the Ground Control to Major Tom off of the solar system-themed menu. With the subtitle "take your protein pills and put your helmet on," it was not too surprising that this was an egg white Sour, and it seemed like a good continuation from the Scotch event that I had just come from. This blue wonder launched to the nose with honey, orange, and herbal aromas. Next, a creamy lime sip orbited around a Scotch, orange, and smoke-filled swallow with a honey finish.

king kong

1 1/2 oz Bourbon (Old Grand-Dad Bonded)
1/2 oz Smith & Cross Rum
1/2 oz Crème de Banane (Tempus Fugit)
3 dash Angostura Bitters

Stir with ice, strain into a rocks glass with ice, and garnish with a lemon twist.Two Mondays ago, I drink passed through my Instagram feed called the King Kong that was created by Sam Ross at Attaboy in 2015. The combination reminded me of a drink that Sam created a few years before at Milk & Honey called the Country Life #2 that I made last week; the difference was that the older recipe was akin to a Manhattan whereas this one was more of a banana-flavored Old Fashioned. In the glass, the King Kong swatted at the nose with lemon, rum funk, caramel, and tropical aromas. Next, the caramel continued on into the sip, and the swallow climbed with Bourbon, funky rum, pineapple, banana, and allspice flavors.

all of freud's beautiful women

3/4 oz Mezcal (Peloton de la Muerte)
3/4 oz Rhum Agricole (Rhum Clement Premiere Canne)
1/2 oz Honey Syrup 1:1
1/2 oz Amaro Montenegro
1/2 oz Lemon Juice

Shake with ice, strain into a cocktail coupe, and garnish with unseen Freudian symbolism.After I awoke after a few scant hours of sleep after my Saturday bar shift followed by a nightcap, Andrea wanted to spend our one full day together by going to the DeCordova Sculpture Park and Museum to see the new exhibits. I was game despite really wanting to fall back into bed, so I got myself into a more positive mood with a coffee and a few Advils. Of all the new artists, I was struck by the pieces by Estefania Puerta, a Columbian born sculptor living in Vermont. Her style was coated in surrealism, biological touches, and palpable symbolism, and I found myself returning to that section of the museum after the first lingering pass. One of my favorite pieces from her was the 2020 All of Freud's Beautiful Women (a fraction of that piece below), and that night, I was inspired to craft a cocktail tribute to it especially given its name.For a starting point, I focused in on an Amaro Montenegro for Campari riff on the Rose Gold that I had been making at Drink. Both the Bourbon and gin versions of this have been successes giving a touch of clementine and cinnamon complexity to the Gold Rush and Bee's Knees yet not as bitter as the Rose Gold. To that, the art made me think of the earthy and funky weirdness of the mezcal-rhum agricole combination that I have used in the Miracles Take Longer, Up Jumped the Devil, and other recipes. Despite the spirits leaning towards lime, I am glad that I stuck with lemon juice here akin to the Honey Bee. Once prepared, the All of Freud's Beautiful Women teased the nose with smoke, rhum funk, honey, and orange aromas. Next, lemon and honey notes swirled on the sip, and the swallow suggested honey smoothness, smoky vegetal, grassy, and clementine flavors.

king of barbados

2 oz Barbados Rum (RL Seale 10 Year)
1/2 oz Calvados (Morin Selection)
3/4 oz Honey Syrup 1:1
1/4 oz St. Elizabeth Allspice Dram (Hamilton's)
3/4 oz Lemon Juice

Shake with ice, strain into a cocktail coupe, and garnish with a fresh or dehydrated lemon wheel (omit).For my nightcap two Saturdays ago, I found my collection of recipes to make from Imbibe Magazine, and the King of Barbados from the November 2021 issue spoke to me. This Honey Bee (rum Bee's Knees) of sorts was crafted by Stefan Hueber at Dot Dot Dot in Charlotte, North Carolina, and it provide a good reason to break the seal on my new purchase of R.L. Seale 10 Year Rum (which I had previously bought before in 2018). Once prepared, the King of Barbados proffered an apple, lemon, and allspice aroma. Next, lemon, caramel, and honey notes on the sip decreed an apple, honey, rum, and allspice swallow.

nightshift

2 oz Santa Teresa 1796 Rum (Zaya)
3/4 oz Sweet Vermouth (Lacuesta Rojo)
1/2 oz Cocchi Americano
1/4 oz Averna
1 dash Angostura Bitters
1 dash Mole Bitters (Angostura Cocoa)
1 dash Peychaud's Bitters
3 Coffee Beans

Muddle the coffee beans, add the rest of the ingredients, stir with ice, double strain into a cocktail coupe, and garnish with a flamed orange twist (unflamed).

Two Fridays ago, I was scanning the ShakeStir recipe database, and I found the Nightshift to make after my bar shift. The recipe was entered in 2013 by Garret Richard when he was a bartender at Prime Meats in Brooklyn. He found his inspiration for this drink in "Late nights, Don's Coffee Grog, Black Magic at the Mai Kai," and with that, I was intrigued. Especially with the combination of sweet vermouth and Cocchi Americano which reminded me of the classic Hoots Mon. Garret continued on with, "Rum and coffee are a dynamic duo that has starred in many cocktails from the Tiki genre. I wanted to take this pair and incorporate them in a more contemporary setting by using them in a Rum Manhattan with plenty of bitters to settle the stomach. This is a tribute to all the night owls."The Nightshift offered up orange, coffee, and caramel aromas to the nose. Next, the caramel continued on into the sip where it mingled with grape notes from the vermouth, and the swallow finished things off with rum, herbal, caramel, and coffee flavors.

the thunderdome

1 oz Rittenhouse Rye
1 oz Fernet Branca
1/4 oz Maple Syrup
2 dash Angostura Bitters

Build in a rocks glass, add ice, stir to mix and chill, and garnish with an orange twist.

After getting home from my bar shift two Thursdays ago, I was in the mood for a nightcap, and I selected the Thunderdome from my short list of recipes that I had spotted recently on Kindred Cocktails. It was created by Adam Schmidt and Madeline Caldwell in 2012 at the Manhattan Inn in Brooklyn as a maple super-Toronto. Maple syrup worked great with Fernet in the Follow that Black Rabbit riff on the Apple Jack Rabbit, and I also tried it again more recently in the mezcal-laden Gastown. Given the name, it can join the other two Mad Max-themed drinks here, the Mad Max and the We Don't Need Another Hero, in a trilogy.When trying the Thunderdome, I wondered if "two flavor components enter, one flavor component leaves" given the balance of rye-maple to Fernet-Angostura in question. The nose was greeted by orange oil, maple, and menthol aromas. Next, a caramel sip bolstered by maple's richness was pursued by rye and bitter menthol flavors on the swallow. Overall, it was still a Fernet cocktail but with some of the rougher edges mollified by the maple.

mr. wednesday

1 1/4 oz Krogstad Aquavit (Aalborg)
1/2 oz Smith & Cross Rum
1/4 oz Cruzan Black Strap Rum
1 oz Lemon Juice
3/4 oz Orgeat
1/2 oz Giffard Crème de Banane (Tempus Fugit)

Whip shake, pour into a Tulip glass (Tiki mug), fill with crushed ice, and garnish with an orchid (omit).

After my bar shift two Wednesdays ago, I selected the Death & Co. Welcome Home book for the evening's treat to myself. There, I was captivated by the Mai Tai of sorts called the Mr. Wednesday crafted by Matthew Belanger in 2017; however, the rums took a backseat to aquavit in the spirit base, and lemon juice and banana liqueur subbed in for the lime and curaçao in the classic. The name is most likely a nod to the character in the American Gods series based on Norse mythology as a connection to the Scandinavian spirit here.The Mr. Wednesday summoned a caraway and tropical aroma to the nose. Next, lemon, caramel, and banana notes on the sip charged into funky rum, caraway, earthy, and banana flavors on the swallow.

pull up to the bumper

1 1/2 oz Four Roses Bourbon (Old Grand-Dad Bonded)
1/2 oz Luxardo Amaro Abano
1/2 oz Honey Syrup
3/4 oz Lemon Juice

Shake with ice, strain into a rocks glass with fresh ice (coupe without ice), and garnish with a lemon twist.My search for Amaro Abano recipes led me to the Kindred Cocktails database where I uncovered the Pull Up to the Bumper that bartender Adam Fortuna submitted in 2014 from his time at Artusi in Seattle. The drink reminded me of the Rose Gold, Without a Trace, and Sgarallino that are Gold Rushes flavored by bitter herbal liqueurs. In the glass, the Pull Up to the Bumper showcased a lemon, caramel, cinnamon, and floral aroma. Next, caramel, honey, and lemon notes on the sip flowed into Bourbon, cinnamon, and herbal flavors on the swallow.

brooklyn heights

1 1/2 oz Rittenhouse Rye
1/2 oz Noilly Prat Dry Vermouth
1/2 oz Luxardo Maraschino Liqueur
1/4 oz Amaro Abano
2 dash Orange Bitters (Angostura Orange)

Stir with ice and strain into a cocktail coupe pre-rinsed with Campari.In my search for additional recipes that call for Amaro Abano, I uncovered a recipe in Robert Simonson's old Off the Presses blog called the Brooklyn Heights. In his post on Manhattan recipes around town, he featured Maxwell Britten's riff on the Brooklyn that Maxwell crafted at the Jack the Horse Tavern circa 2008. Essentially, this riff swaps the classic's Amer Picon for Amaro Abano plus orange bitters and a rinse of Campari. In the glass, the Brooklyn Heights handed off a caramel, orange, and herbal bouquet to the nose. Next, caramel and a hint of cherry on the sip transitioned to rye, nutty cherry, cinnamon, and tangerine flavors on the swallow.

sherry darling

1 3/4 oz Laird's Bonded Apple Brandy
3/4 oz Pedro Ximenez Sherry (Oxford 1970)
1/2 oz Mezcal (Peloton de la Muerte)

Build in a double old fashioned glass, add a large ice cube, stir to mix and chill, and garnish with a lemon twist.Two Sundays ago, I opened up my new addition to the library of Natalie Jacob's Mod Cocktails and spotted the Sherry Darling. This was one of her recipes that she created for the 2014 Winter menu at Dutch Kills in Long Island City, and it did not surprise me that it featured Laird's apple brandy for two out of her three recipes on the blog – the Jake Barnes and Thunder Road – do so. In the glass, the Sherry Darling welcomed the nose with lemon and raisin aromas and a hint of smoke. Next, a rich grape sip flowed into apple, smoke, fig, chocolate, and vegetal flavors on the swallow.

palo negro

2 oz Reposado Tequila (Cimarron)
1 oz Lustau Palo Cortado Sherry (1/2 oz Lustau Amontillado + 1/2 oz Lustau Oloroso)
1/2 oz Cruzan Black Strap Rum
1 tsp Demerara Syrup
1 tsp Grand Marnier (Pierre Ferrand Dry Curaçao)

Stir with ice, strain into a Nick and Nora glass (coupe), and garnish with a floated orange twist.I got home way too late after closing up the bar two Saturday ago, so I made two drinks on Sunday night. The first of which was from Ivy Mix's Spirits of Latin America book that I had let sit fallow for way too long. In that collection, I selected the Palo Negro that Ivy crafted at Leyenda in Brooklyn, and she utilized black strap rum to bridge the flavors of aged tequila and Palo Cortado sherry. Lacking Palo Cortado at home, I utilized a mix of Oloroso and Amontillado. In the glass, the Palo Negro brought forth an orange, vegetal, and grape bouquet to the nose. Next, a semi-dry caramel and grape sip stepped into tequila, nutty sherry, and caramel rum flavors on the swallow with an orange finish.

country life #2

1 1/4 oz Bourbon (Old Grand-Dad Bonded)
3/4 oz Jamaican Rum (3/8 oz Smith & Cross + 3/8 oz Coruba)
1 oz Sweet Vermouth (Lacuesta Rojo)
2 dash Angostura Bitters

Stir with ice, strain into a cocktail coupe, and garnish with an orange twist.Two Fridays after work, I was thinking about various contributions that Sam Ross has made to the modern cocktail renaissance, and I decided to search Kindred Cocktails to uncover another of his creations. There, I found Country Life #2 that he created at Milk & Honey in 2009 that was a sweet vermouth for port riff of the Country Life that appeared in Crosby Gaige's 1945 Cocktail Guide and Ladies' Companion.

Country Life
• 1 jigger Bourbon
• 1/2 jigger Jamaican Rum
• 1/2 jigger Port Wine
• 3 dash Angostura Bitters
• 1 dash Orange Bitters
Shake with ice and strain into a cocktail glass.

When I saw Gaige's recipe, I immediately recognized it as the Suburban and then recalled that he frequently renamed established drinks to fit the themes of his book's chapters such as the Seventh Heaven becoming the Southern Bride and the Darb becoming the Why Not Now. Regardless, Sam's Country Life #2 seemed like it would be an interesting Manhattan variation if made with the right rum(s). In the glass, the Country Life #2 showcased a caramel, rum funk, and orange aroma. Next, grape and caramel notes mingled on the sip, and the swallow proffered Bourbon, rum funk, caramel, allspice, and clove flavors.

eleventh hour

1 oz Linie Aquavit
1 oz Reposado Tequila (Cimarron)
1/4 oz Mezcal (Peloton de la Muerte)
1/2 oz Yellow Chartreuse
3/4 oz Lime Juice
1 bsp Cane Syrup (JM Sirup de Canne)

Shake with ice and strain into a Sour glass (coupe).Two Thursdays, I was still craving aquavit recipes, so I searched the Kindred Cocktails database and found the Eleventh Hour via Star Chefs. The recipe was created by Franky Marshall at the Clover Club in 2011, and I was curious to see how aquavit worked with agave spirits. Once prepared, the Eleventh Hour ticked away with vegetal, caraway, and herbal aromas. Next, the lime-driven sip flowed into caraway, vegetal, and herbal flavors on the swallow with a smoky finish.

ole bull

1 1/2 oz Linie Aquavit
1/2 oz Goslings Black Seal Rum
3/4 oz Lemon Juice
1/4 oz Cinnamon Syrup
1/4 oz White Crème de Cacao (Bols)
1/4 oz Maple Syrup
1 Egg White

Shake once without ice and once with ice, and strain into a cocktail coupe.After my bar shift two Wednesdays ago, I reached for Death & Co.'s Welcome Home book for the evening's nightcap. I was drawn to Tyson Buhler's Ole Bull that he crafted in 2018 for it would make good use of my new purchase of Linie Aquavit that I have been excited about. In the glass, the Ole Bull charged at the nose with a caraway, lemon, and maple aroma. Next, lemon and caramel notes on the sip were joined by maple's richness, and the swallow grazed away with dark rum, caraway spice, and cinnamon flavors and a maple, chocolate, and caraway finish. Overall, I was impressed at how well the aquavit's caraway partnered beautifully with the maple in this drink.

white mezcal negroni

3/4 oz London Dry Gin (Bombay Dry)
3/4 oz Espadin Mezcal (Peloton de la Muerte)
3/4 oz Salers Aperitif (Suze)
3/4 oz Dolin Blanc Vermouth

Stir with ice, strain into a rocks glass with a large ice cube, and garnish with a grapefruit twist or mint sprig (grapefruit twist).Two Tuesdays ago, I read the article in Punch Drinks on the rise of the Mezcal Negroni, and I was lured in by one of the recipes included in the piece. That one was the White Mezcal Negroni which was based off the classic gin White Negroni with the addition of mezcal to the mix and the replacement of the Lillet for blanc vermouth. When I made Maxwell Reis' creation that he crafted at Gracias Madre in Los Angeles, it yielded a grapefruit, smoke, and vegetal aroma. Next, a semi-sweet white grape sip flowed into gin, smoky mezcal, and bitter herbal flavors on the swallow.

dark house

1 oz Laird's Bonded Apple Brandy
1 oz Aquavit (Linie)
3/4 oz Sweet Vermouth (Lacuesta Rojo)
1/4 oz Yellow Chartreuse
1 dash Angostura Bitters

Stir with ice, strain into a cocktail coupe, and garnish with a flamed orange twist (unflamed).Two Mondays ago, I was perusing the Kindred Cocktails database for aquavit drinks to utilize my new bottle of Linie when I spied the Dark House by Ken Arbuckle at The Doheny in Los Angeles circa 2009. I was lured in for aquavit and apple brandy have worked well in recipes like the Bayeux Cocktail. I wish that I had checked my blog, as this recipe is identical to Morgenthaler's Norwegian Wood save for this calling for a flamed orange twist instead of a regular lemon one. Regardless, in the glass, the Dark House met the nose with an orange, apple, and caraway aroma. Next, the vermouth's grape filled the sip, and the swallow came through with apple, caraway, herbal, and clove flavors on the swallow.

fortune teller

1 oz Diplomatico Reserva Exclusiva Rum
1 oz Santa Teresa 1796 Rum (Zaya)
1/2 oz Bonal Gentiane-Quina
1/2 oz Cynar

Stir with ice and strain into a double old fashioned glass with a large ice cube.Two Sundays ago, I ventured into The NoMad Cocktail Book and spotted the Fortune Teller by Leo Robischek. I previously had passed over the recipe for the text described how this was a celebration of two Venezuelan rums, but I figured that having half the call was good enough for now. I was lured in for it reminded me of the Blossom Bar's Palm Viper as well as Donny Clutterbuck's Desk Job and Chad Austin's I Want to Believe given the rum, Cynar, and fortified wine structure. In the glass, the Fortune Teller presented a caramel and hint of milk chocolate nose. Next, caramel, grape, and a hint of smoke on the sip slid into dark rums, burnt caramel, and vegetal flavors on the swallow.

industry flip

3/4 oz Fernet Branca (See Cynar variation below)
3/4 oz Green Chartreuse
3/4 oz Campari
3/4 oz Simple Syrup
1 Whole Egg

Shake once without ice and once with ice, strain into a single old fashioned glass or a cocktail coupe, and garnish with freshly grated nutmeg.Every once in a while when I have bar guests at Drink who want weird cocktails, I opt for Ted Kilgore's Industry Sour which is essentially a Fernet-Chartreuse "Daiquiri." Also in that vein is the Campari-Chartreuse Love & Murder, and I wondered if I could mash up these three elements into a Flip. Paying tribute to the inspiration, I dubbed it the Industry Flip. Here, the nose was full of woody spice, orange, and menthol aromas. Next, a creamy orange and caramel sip gave way to caramel, herbaceous, menthol, and minty flavors on the swallow. Overall, the Fernet was a bit surly, so the following night, I swapped it out for Cynar with the Cynar-Chartreuse The Drink of Laughter & Forgetting in mind.

Industry Flip #2 (Light)
• 3/4 oz Cynar
• 3/4 oz Green Chartreuse
• 3/4 oz Campari
• 3/4 oz Simple Syrup
• 1 Whole Egg
Shake once without ice and once with ice, strain into a single old fashioned glass or a cocktail coupe, and garnish with freshly grated nutmeg.

The lighter version of the Industry Flip welcomed the senses with vegetal, herbaceous, and woody spice aromas. Next, a creamy caramel sip displayed a hint of orange, and the swallow donated herbaceous, orange, and vegetal flavors. Overall, this version was less of a Fernet bomb, and it let the Green Chartreuse and Campari take solid roles in the flavor profile. Moreover, it shifted things away from minty, menthol, and rather bitter to more vegetal and funky. One Instagram follower commented as to how the nutmeg garnish tied this version together.

charming man

1 oz Mezcal (Peloton de la Muerte)
1 oz Lustau East India Solera Sherry
1 oz Amaro Sfumato
2 dash Mole Bitters (Angostura Cocoa)

Stir with ice, strain into a rocks glass with fresh ice, and garnish with an orange twist.Two Fridays ago, I finally got around to reading the Punch Drinks article on the mezcal Negroni, and I was lured in by the Charming Man by Joaquin Simo at Pouring Ribbons that was listed as one of the recipe examples. Since it was the final weekend of Pouring Ribbons run at that East Village space, I felt it was a good time to raise a glass to a great bar. Once assembled, the Charming Man proffered orange, herbal smoky, and grape aromas to the nose. Next, grape and roast notes on the sip flowed into vegetal, smoke, and bitter herbal flavors on the swallow. While far from a Negroni since there is not a single overlapping ingredient, it was a pleasurable tipple in the general feel of a Negroni and akin to the Rodeo Ghost and Chain Smoker.

diamond rock

2 oz Rhum Agricole (JM Blanc)
3/4 oz Punt e Mes
1/2 oz Apricot Liqueur (Rothman & Winter)
1 dash Angostura Bitters

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

Two Thursdays after work, I thought about how well rhum agricole works with apricot liqueur such as in Rhum Agricot and Fourth Voyage that led to me crafting the Mount Pelee. Also, earlier during my shift, I made a guest Julie Reiner's Slope; therefore, I wondered what a Slope would be like with rhum agricole in place of the rye whiskey. For a name, I was inspired by how the Slope (short for Park Slope) was a neighborhood in Brooklyn, and I dubbed this Diamond Rock after a mini-island off the coast of Martinique.Diamond Rock welcomed the senses with orange, grassy, and grape aromas. Next, grape and orchard fruit swirled on the sip, and the swallow came through with funky rum, mineral, herbal, and apricot flavors.

dial 'm'

1 oz Laird's Bonded Apple Brandy
1 oz Bols Genever
1 oz Grapefruit Juice
1/2 oz Maple Syrup
1 tsp Angostura Bitters

Shake with ice, strain into a double old fashioned glass with ice, and garnish with grapefruit oil from a twist.Two Wednesdays ago, I opened up Death & Co.'s third book, Welcome Home, and came across Al Sotack's 2014 recipe Dial 'M'. The Genever-apple brandy combination reminded me of the Two Fold Operation, the grapefruit-maple duo made me consider the Volcano Bowl, and the teaspoon of Angostura had me intrigued. Here, the Dial 'M' proffered a grapefruit, malty, and apple aroma. Next, grapefruit supplemented by maple's richness on the sip transitioned into a dry swallow with malt, apple, maple, and cinnamon flavors.

song remains the same

2 oz Ardbeg Scotch (Royal Brackla 12 Year)
1/2 oz Cherry Heering
1/2 oz Honey Syrup
1/2 oz Lemon Juice
1 dash Orange Bitters (Angostura Orange)

Shake with ice, strain into a cocktail coupe, and garnish with an orange twist.Two Tuesday ago, I returned to Trevor Felch's San Francisco Cocktails where I landed upon the Song Remains the Same. This drink crafted at Foreign Cinema by Bryan Ranere was named after the 1976 Led Zeppelin behind-the-scenes concert film. Once mixed, the Song Remains the Same welcomed the nose with orange, smoky Scotch, and cherry aromas. Next, lemon, fruity, and honey notes on the sip shifted into Scotch and dry cherry flavors on the swallow with a honey finish.

choke hold

1 1/2 oz Reposado Tequila (Cimarron)
3/4 oz Sweet Vermouth (Lacuesta Rojo)
1/2 oz Cynar
1/2 tsp Maraschino Liqueur (Luxardo)

Stir with ice, strain into a cocktail coupe, and garnish with an orange twist.Two Mondays, I opened up Trevor Felch's San Francisco Cocktails and spotted the Choke Hold. This Cynar pun-named drink was crafted by Isaac Shumway at the California Gold bar as his Brooklyn variation using tequila, although the name and ingredients reminded me more of the Artichoke Hold. Once prepared, the Choke Hold presented an orange, nutty cherry, and vegetal aroma. Next, caramel and grape notes on the sip gave way to tequila and herbal flavors on the swallow with a vegetal and nutty cherry finish.

rum crawl

2 oz Aged Jamaican Rum (Appleton Signature)
3/4 oz Lime Juice
1/2 oz Falernum (Velvet)
1/4 oz Ginger Syrup
2 dash Angostura Bitters

Shake with ice, strain into a cocktail glass, and garnish with an orange twist.Two Sundays ago, I decided to make a recipe that Dave Stolte posted on the Instagram account for his book, Home Bar Basics, called the Rum Crawl created at Bourbon & Branch in San Francisco. The earliest reference to the drink that I could find was a 2008 mention on Yelp. After I posted it on my Instagram, Dave tagged Erick Castro as the person who made it for him, and Erick replied by attributing the recipe to Yanni Kehagiaris. The aged rum's identity was never defined but Appleton is what folks on eGullet were using several years ago. Once prepared, this spiced Daiquiri of sorts yielded an orange, caramel, and lime aroma. Next, the lime filled the sip that flowed into rum, ginger, clove, and allspice flavors on the swallow.

midnight to midnight

3/4 oz Genever (Bols)
3/4 oz Batavia Arrack
1 oz Cardamaro
1/2 oz Benedictine
1 dash Angostura Bitters
1 dash Mole Bitters (Angostura Cocoa)

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

Two Saturdays ago, one of my fellow bartenders at Drink made the Midnight Mass from Death & Co. for a guest, and I became curious about the combination of Cardamaro and Benedictine. After having the Wild Card two nights before, the Genever-Cardamaro duo was on my mind, and I decided to split the spirit with Batavia Arrack as I had done in the Dutch Hand after experiencing the two in recipes like the Double Dutch and Weirding Way. For a name, I paid tribute to the Midnight Mass inspiration and dubbed it Midnight to Midnight after a Psychedelic Furs album.Midnight to Midnight presented an orange and malty bouquet to the senses. Next, grape, malty, and caramel notes on the sip progressed into earthy, malty, and herbal flavors with a clove, allspice, and chocolate finish.

rocket science

1 oz Canadian Whisky (1 1/2 oz Old Overholt Rye)
1/2 oz Averna
1/4 oz Fernet Branca
1/4 oz Simple Syrup
1/2 oz Lime Juice

Shake with ice, strain into a rocks glass with fresh ice, and garnish with a lime wedge (omit).After my bar shift two Fridays ago, I ventured back into T. Cole Newton's Cocktail Dive Bar book and spotted the Rocket Science. Cole named his drink that he created at Coquette in New Orleans after the bartender saying of "mixology isn't rocket science," and the connection was solidified later when he realized the similarity of his recipe to the Sputnik. In the glass, the Rocket Science showcased a caramel, lime, and menthol aroma. Next, lime and caramel on the sip launched into whiskey and menthol flavors on the swallow.