pineapple death squad

2 oz Mezcal (Peloton de la Muerte)
3/4 oz Falernum (Velvet)
1/2 oz Pineapple Syrup
1/2 oz Lime Juice (3/4 oz)

Shake with ice, strain into a cocktail, and garnish with a dehydrated pineapple half wheel (omit).Two Thursdays ago, I was in the mood for a lime-driven drink to end the night akin to a Daiquiri, and I pulled up the Pineapple Death Squad on Kindred Cocktails. The recipe was crafted by Paige Barker at The Vault Taproom in Pittsburg in 2018 and utilized their housemade falernum (similar to Paul Clarke's Falernum #10 recipe). When I made it with the more subtle Velvet Falernum, it donated a smoky and vegetal aroma. Next, a lime sip shot into a mezcal, pineapple, and clove swallow, and overall, it reminded me of Beckaly Franks' rum-based Hop, Skip, & Jump.

lord baltimore

1 1/2 oz Dickel Rye (Old Overholt)
1/2 oz Pikesville 110° Rye (Rittenhouse)
1 tsp Giffard Crème de Pamplemousse (St. Elder)
1 tsp Maple Syrup
1/2 tsp Amaro di Angostura

Stir with ice and strain into a double old fashioned glass with a large ice cube (build in a double old fashioned glass, add a large ice cube, and stir).Two Wednesdays after my bar shift, I selected Death & Co.'s Welcome Home book where I latched onto the Old Fashioned riff energy of Jon Armstrong's 2016 Lord Baltimore. The book described how Jon utilized a grapefruit liqueur in place of a citrus twist here. Once prepared, it proffered rye, grapefruit, and darker aromas to the nose. Next, maple and caramel notes on the sip sailed into rye, clove, and allspice flavors on the swallow with a grapefruit and maple finish. Part of the drink's success was how grapefruit and maple pair so elegantly as I discovered in the Volcano Bowl.

queer as yolk

1 1/2 oz Aperol
1/2 oz Wray & Nephew Rum
1/2 oz Passion Fruit Syrup (*)
1/2 oz Cinnamon Syrup
1 Whole Egg

Shake once without ice and once with ice, strain into a cocktail coupe, and garnish with drops of Angostura and Peychaud's Bitters.
(*) Equal parts passion fruit purée and 1:1 simple syrup.

Two Tuesdays ago, I headed to Backbar when I heard that they were extending their Pride Week menu a few more days. One of my guests at Drink loved the Queer as Yolk off of that menu so much that they asked me to replicate it. I replied that it had caught my eye on Backbar's Instagram, and I did my best with Smith & Cross as the rum. When I visited Backbar a few days later, I requested this drink subtitled "passionate flavors let loose in this well-balanced Flip" from bartender Peyton Ligon. Peyton described how he created this while previously working at Hojoko with the concept of "what if Don's Mix [grapefruit juice and cinnamon syrup] were the whole drink?" and brought the recipe with him to Backbar.The Queer as Yolk greeted the nose with allspice and cinnamon aromas. Next, a creamy orange sip flowed into orange, passion fruit, cinnamon, and rum funk flavors. Overall, it was much more orange and tropical than Don's Mix's grapefruit, but the cinnamon element definitely kept it grounded to its inspirational roots.

mingo creek

1 1/2 oz Old Overholt Rye
1/2 oz Cynar
1/2 oz Carpano Antica Sweet Vermouth (Cocchi)
1/4 oz Dry Vermouth (1/2 oz Noilly Prat (*))
1 dash Angostura Bitters

Stir with ice, strain into a cocktail coupe, and garnish with an orange twist (omit)
(*) I mis-read it and perhaps I wanted it to add up to 3 oz total. No regrets.Recently, Camper English posted a photo of the Left Coast Libations book that was published in 2010, and I selected it two Mondays ago to see if I had glossed over any gems. There, I found the Mingo Creek by Tara McLaughlin at the Rob Roy in Seattle that she named after the Mingo Creek Association who were believe to be the leading force in the Whiskey Rebellion of 1791. I most likely skipped over the recipe for it was too close to Audrey Saunder's Little Italy, but I decided to give it a go after recalling Tara's Gin Anthem. In the glass, the Mingo Creek supplied rye, grape, caramel, and vegetal aromas to the nose. Next, the grape and caramel notes continued into the sip, and the swallow donated rye, funky herbal, plum, and allspice flavors.

dixieland julep

1 oz Pierre Ferrand 1840 Cognac
1/2 oz Ron Zacapa 23 Rum
1/2 oz Lemon Hart 151° Rum
1/4 oz Fernet Branca
1/4 oz Bittermens Coffee Liqueur (Galliano Ristretto)
1/4 oz Pineapple Gum Syrup

Build in a Julep cup, fill with crushed ice, and stir to mix and chill. Top with more crushed ice, add a straw, and garnish with a dehydrated pineapple slice (omit), mint bouquet, and a coffee bean.Two Sundays ago, I turned to Death & Co.'s Welcome Home where I spied the Dixieland Julep that would make good use of my mint patch. The recipe crafted by Tyson Buhler in 2017 contained the minty-menthol Fernet Branca just like other Juleps such as As One Does, Magic Julep, and Thin Mint Julep, but unlike those it did not contain any muddled mint leaves akin to the Cynar Julep. Once assembled, the Dixieland Julep proffered mint and a touch of coffee to the nose. Next, caramel with a hint of pineapple on the sip flowed into cognac, rum, coffee, and minty-menthol flavors on the swallow.

spicy dead lady

3/4 oz Mezcal (Peleton de la Muerte)
3/4 oz Aperol
3/4 oz Falernum (Velvet)
3/4 oz Lime Juice
1 dash Scrappy's Hellfire Bitters (3 thick drops Sriracha)

Shake with ice, strain into a cocktail coupe, and garnish with a lime wheel (omit).Two Saturdays ago, I came across the recipe for the Spicy Dead Lady in Imbibe Magazine again that piqued my interest this time due to all the folks who request spicy mezcal drinks at work. The drink was created by Grant Wheeler at the Garret in New York City, and it showcased the sweetener pairing of Aperol and falernum that I have had in the Power, Corruption, & Lies, Exhibition Swizzle, and Hanging Curve. Once prepared, the Spicy Dead Lady showcased a smoky, vegetal, and orange aroma. Next, lime and orange notes mingled on the sip, and the swallow lurched through with smoke, agave, pepper heat, and clove flavors.

yellow parrot

1/6 gill Absinthe (3/4 oz Butterfly)
1/6 gill Yellow Chartreuse (3/4 oz)
1/6 gill Apricot Brandy (3/4 oz Rothman & Winter)

Shake (stir) with ice and strain into a cocktail glass. Note that 1 gill is 4 oz, so 1/6 gill is 2/3 oz and I rounded up slightly.At Drink, I have a few clusters of absinthe cocktail-drinking regulars, and I am always on the lookout for new recipes as well as adapting ones to swap in the absinthe (such as the Absinthe Painkiller with 1 oz each absinthe, Plantation Barbados or Xaymaca rum, coconut cream, pineapple, and orange juice with a nutmeg garnish). One of the classics that has gotten mentioned recently is the Yellow Parrot, and I made it for them with great success; therefore, I decided to mix one up for myself at home. I was able to trace it back to Robert Vermeire's 1922 Cocktails: How to Mix Them, and my reprint copy referred to it as a Boston cocktail. When I inquired on Twitter and tagged David Wondrich, he had no further information as to where and when this was created (especially since 1922 was during Prohibition and after absinthe was banned). On Instagram, the Butterfly Absinthe account replied back that "some 19th century French drinkers described drinking absinthe as 'strangling the parrot'" which gave some idea as to the name. With that absinthe choice, I was greeted with black licorice, apricot, and anise aromas on the nose. Next, a semi-fruity and honey sip flapped into black licorice, herbal, and orchard fruit flavors on the swallow.

the rum diary

2 oz Brugal 1888 Rum (DonQ Gran Añejo)
1/2 oz Amaro Nonino
1/2 oz Aperol
2 dash Angostura Bitters

Stir with ice, strain into a cocktail coupe, and garnish with a lemon twist.Two Thursdays ago, I selected Nico Martini's Texas Cocktails book from the drink book library shelves. There, I landed upon the Rum Diary crafted at Dallas' Atwater Alley, and it utilized the Amaro Nonino-Aperol combination made famous in the Paper Plane. However, without the citrus, it was closer to the Negroni variation the Marchessa and perhaps the Manhattan-like Linden Square. Here, the Rum Diary welcomed the senses with a lemon, rum, caramel, and orange bouquet. Next, caramel and orange on the sip converted into rum and bitter orange flavors on the swallow with a clove finish.

klaus kinski

3/4 oz Rittenhouse Rye
3/4 oz Appleton Estate V/X Rum (Appleton Signature)
3/4 oz Amaro Nardini
3/4 oz Campari

Stir with ice, strain into a double old fashioned glass with a large ice cube, and garnish with an orange twist.Two Wednesdays ago, I was perusing the Kindred Cocktails database when I came across NYC bartender Rafa Garcia Febles' 2014 tribute to actor Klaus Kinski. The structure reminded me of the Barefoot in the Dark, and Campari and Amaro Nardini have co-starred together in a few recipes including the Six Inch Gold Blade, Gianopulos, and Host Body. Once prepared, the Klaus Kinski showcased an orange and caramel aroma. Next, the caramel continued into the sip where it mingled with a toffee note, and the swallow rose with rye, rum, toffee, and bitter orange flavors.

speaking in tongues

1 oz Mezcal (Peloton de la Muerte)
1 oz Luxardo Amaro Abano
3/4 oz Lemon Juice
3/4 oz Simple Syrup 1:1
2 dash Angostura Bitters
2 dash Peychaud's Bitters
1 Strawberry

Muddle the strawberry, add the rest of the ingredients, and shake with ice. Double strain into a cocktail coupe and garnish with a half strawberry.Two Tuesdays ago, the strawberries in the refrigerator inspired me to search Kindred Cocktails for a use. There, I landed upon Speaking in Tongues by Mike Ryan at Sable in Chicago via a 2010 Imbibe Magazine article. I did enjoy a light riff on the drink at Brick & Mortar back in 2013 where they utilized a Tequila Por Mi Amante-like strawberry infusion of crema de mezcal instead of a muddled strawberry as well as reduced the simple and citrus. Once prepared, the Speaking in Tongues showcased a strawberry, vegetal, and hit of smoke aroma. Next, caramel, lemon, and berry notes on the sip translated into mezcal, berry, herbal, and spice flavors on the swallow.

diamondback colada

3/4 oz Rittenhouse Rye Whiskey
3/4 oz Laird's Bonded Apple Brandy
3/4 oz Green Chartreuse
3/4 oz Coconut Cream
3/4 oz Pineapple Juice
3/4 oz Lemon Juice

Shake briefly with crushed ice, pour into a Tiki mug such as a coconut one, and add a straw.After attending the USBG Boston meeting featuring Conniption Gin at the Bostonia Public House two Mondays ago, I decided to head over to nearby Daiquiris & Daisies for a drink. There, I was greeted by bartender and co-proprietor Joe Cammarata who made me the Diamondback Colada that I requested from the menu. For this mashup, they went with the Green Chartreuse variation of the Diamondback as the spirit in a Piña Colada. The combination presented a herbal aroma with hints of apricot and rye to the nose. Next, pineapple and coconut notes on the sip slithered into apple, rye, and herbaceous flavors on the swallow.

jose marti especial

40 mL Havana Club 3 Year White Rum (1 1/2 oz Tommy Bahama White)
15 mL Lustau Fino Sherry (1/2 oz Tio Pepe)
20 mL Lime Juice (1/2 oz)
15 mL Simple Syrup (1/2 oz)
5 mL Pernod Absinthe (1 tsp)
4 Cloves

Shake with ice and double strain into a cocktail coupe.Two Sundays ago, I reached for the Claridge's Cocktail Book and spotted the José Martí Especial that reminded me a little of the Death & Sundries given the Daiquiri with Fino sherry structure. The recipe was crafted at Satan's Whiskers in London by Andy Loudon, and it went in an absinthe and clove direction opposed to the chocolate and mint one in the Cane & Table drink. Here, the José Martí Especial proffered an anise and licorice aroma from the Pernod Absinthe. Next, a semi-dry lime sip flowed into rum and herbal flavors on the swallow with a clove finish.

gilded paloma

2 oz Arette Blanco Tequila
1 oz Grapefruit Juice
1 oz Pineapple Juice
1/2 oz Cinnamon Syrup
1/2 oz Lime Juice

Shake with ice, strain into a Collins glass with ice and ~2 oz soda water, and garnish with a grapefruit twist.One of the drinks that I serve to guests at Drink called the Gilda has become popular enough that other bartenders picked up on it and began offering it too. The Gilda was created at Death & Co. in New York and is a great combination of blanco tequila, pineapple, lime, and cinnamon, and when someone requested a drink something like a Paloma on night, I decided to mash up that classic with that delightful combination. Soon the name "Gilda Paloma" morphed into "Gilded Paloma," and I finally got around to posting it here.

pirate radio

1 1/2 oz Pineapple Rum (Plantation)
1 oz Cocchi Americano
1/2 oz Green Chartreuse
1/2 oz Suze Gentian Liqueur

Stir with ice, strain into a cocktail coupe, and garnish with an orchid or tulip leaf (omit).Two Fridays ago, I had spotted a drink called Pirate Radio in my Instagram feed, and I was able to track it back to @nycmixology a/k/a Jason Walsh. The structure reminded me of Sother Teague's version of the Disco Ball, and the combination of Green Chartreuse and gentian liqueur was one that worked rather well in the Maroon Beret. Here, things began with an earthy, floral, and herbal bouquet. Next, light orchard fruit notes on the sip tuned into pineapple, herbal, and herbaceous flavors on the swallow.

leapfrog

2 oz Plymouth Gin (Darnley's View)
3/4 oz Lemon Juice
1/2 oz Rothman & Winter Orchard Apricot
1/4 oz Simple Syrup
2 dash Orange Bitters (Angostura Orange)
6 leaf Mint

Shake with ice and double strain into a cocktail coupe.Two Thursdays ago, I opened up the PDT Cocktail Book and spotted Jim Meehan's 2007 Leapfrog. His recipe was a riff on Tom Bullock's Leaping Frog in The Ideal Bartender; to the classic of apricot brandy (most likely unsweetened eau de vie) and lime juice, Jim added gin, mint, and bitters besides utilizing a sweetened apricot liqueur. In the glass, the Leapfrog showcased an apricot and mint aroma. Next, lemon and orchard fruit notes on the sip swam towards gin, apricot, and mint flavors on the swallow.

enzoni

1 oz Gin (Martin Miller Westbourne)
1 oz Campari
3/4 oz Lemon Juice
3/4 oz Simple Syrup
4 Grapes (*)

Muddle the grapes, add the rest of the ingredients, and shake with ice. Double strain into a double old fashioned glass with ice (coupe without ice) and garnish with a grape and orange slice (grape only).
(*) Other recipes online have specified for green grapes, but I had red ones with white flesh on hand.After my bar shift two Wednesdays ago, I opened the fridge when I got home and spotted grapes. This made me think of the Negroni variation the Enzoni despite that one generally calling for green grapes and these were red. The recipe in A Spot at the Bar did not specify though, and I set off to make this 2003 Milk & Honey creation by Vincenzo "Enzo" Errico. In the glass, the Enzoni showcased a grape and bitter orange aroma. Next, lemon and white grape notes on the sip flowed into gin and bitter orange flavors on the swallow with a fresh grape softness on the finish.

black powder

1 oz Del Maguey Mezcal Vida (Peloton de la Muerte)
1 oz Tariquet VS Armagnac (Marie Duffau Napoleon Armagnac)
1 tsp Maple Syrup
1/2 tsp St. Elizabeth Allspice Dram (Hamilton's)
1 dash Orange Bitters (Angostura Orange)
1 dash Angostura Bitters

Stir with ice, strain into a double old fashioned glass with a large ice cube, and garnish with a flamed orange twist (unflamed).Two Tuesdays ago, I turned to the third Death & Co. book, Welcome Home, and found another recipe that would utilize Armagnac. That one was the Black Powder by Scott Teague in 2013 that reminded me of the 3am on Saint Mark's Place given the split spirit Old Fashioned style containing mezcal and maple. Here, the Black Powder lit things off with orange, grape, vegetal, and smoke aromas. Next, grape and maple notes on the sip fired into brandy, smoky mezcal, maple, and allspice flavors on the swallow.

carpenter's hand

2 oz Armagnac (Marie Duffau Bas Armagnac Napoleon)
1/2 oz Amontillado Sherry (Lustau)
1/2 oz Drambuie

Build in a double old fashioned glass, add a large ice cube, stir to mix and chill, and garnish with an orange twist.Two Mondays ago, I stopped into Ball Square Fine Wines and spotted the delicious Armagnac, Marie Duffau Napoleon, that I was introduced to in the Smoking Section at Coquette. I had run through my last bottle of Armagnac a few months ago, and the price was too good to pass up. That evening, I set off to find a recipe that would highlight the spirit and uncovered the Carpenter's Hand by Chris Lane at San Francisco's Lolinda which was published in Imbibe Magazine in 2013 via Kindred Cocktails. Once mixed, it offered an orange oil over raisin and prune aroma. Next, grape notes on the sip flowed into brandy, honey, and dried fruit flavors on the swallow.

cantinflas mustache

3/4 oz Reposado Tequila (Cimarron)
3/4 oz Mezcal (Peloton de la Muerte)
3/4 oz Amaro Meletti
3/4 oz Bonal Gentiane-Quina
2 dash Mole Bitters (Angostura Cocoa)

Stir with ice, strain into a cocktail coupe (or rocks glass), and garnish with an orange twist.Two Sundays ago, I spotted my bottle of Amaro Meletti and was reminded of the Sharpie Mustache. I decided to take Chris Elford's recipe and swap out the rye and gin for reposado tequila and mezcal to take it in a Mexican direction; in addition, I felt that some chocolate mole bitters would be a benefit here. For a name, I dubbed this one the Cantinflas Mustache after the style made popular by Mexican actors. In the glass, the drink proffered an orange, smoke, caramel, and floral bouquet to the nose. Next, grape and caramel notes on the sip cut into smoky, vegetal, and violet floral flavors on the swallow with a chocolate and smoke finish.

trouble with find me

1 1/2 oz Bourbon (Old Grand-Dad Bonded)
1/2 oz Smith & Cross Rum
1/4 oz Amaro Nonino
1 tsp Demerara Syrup (1/4 oz 1:1)

Stir with ice and strain into a double old fashioned glass with a large ice cube.After my bar shift two Saturdays ago, I was desiring something strong and simple to make at home to end my work week. The recipe that I opted for was Trouble Will Find Me by New York City bartender Rafa Garcia Febles in 2014 that he posted on Kindred Cocktails. The concept of a 3:1 Bourbon to Smith & Cross Rum Old Fashioned sounded about right, and it reminded me of Sam Ross' King Kong with Amaro Nonino and Demerara syrup in place of that one's banana liqueur and bitters. In the glass, the Trouble Will Find Me donated a rum funk and caramel nose that led into a caramel sip. Next, Bourbon, funky rum, and orange flavors rounded out the swallow. Overall, it was delightful but I feel that the flavor profile might benefit with a doubling of the Amaro Nonino.

pickwick club

2 oz Plantation Pineapple Rum
1/4 oz Plantation OFTD Overproof Rum
1/4 oz Passion Fruit Syrup
1/4 oz Vanilla Syrup
1/4 oz Allspice Dram (St. Elizabeth at work, Hamilton's at home)
2 dash Angostura Bitters
2 dash Mole Bitters (Bittermens at work, Angostura Cocoa at home)
1 dash Absinthe (10 drop Kübler at work, 10 drop St. George at home)

Build in a double old fashioned glass, add a big ice cube, stir to mix and chill, and garnish with orange oil from a twist.Two Fridays ago, a guest at Drink wanted an Old Fashioned but fruity, and I decided to take things in a tropical bend instead of going an apple brandy and grenadine direction. To a base of Plantation's pineapple rum, I sweetened things with Don's Spices #2 (vanilla syrup and allspice dram) and passion fruit syrup and used a bitters trinity of Angostura, mole, and absinthe. Since the volume was a quarter ounce shy of 3 ounces, I supplemented it with a splash of Plantation OFTD Rum to round out the mix. That guest and the two guests that I made it for later that evening enjoyed it so much that I made it for myself once I got home. That one yielded an orange, caramel, and vanilla aroma. Next, caramel and cooked pineapple notes on the sip sailed into rum, pineapple, passion fruit, vanilla, allspice, and clove flavors on the swallow. For a name, I dubbed it the Pickwick Club after the social venue in the Charles Dicken's novel that inspired the rum's creation in the first place.

in bloom

1 1/2 oz Mezcal (Peloton de la Muerte)
3/4 oz Sweet Vermouth (Lacuesta Rojo)
1/2 oz Elderflower Liqueur (St. Elder)
1/2 oz Campari

Stir with ice, strain into a cocktail coupe pre-rinsed with rose water, and garnish with orange oil from a flamed twist (unflamed).Two Thursdays ago, I spotted a recipe called In Bloom on Kindred Cocktails that reminded me a little of the Sideways in Reverse given the Campari-elderflower combination. This recipe by Paul Calvert at Pura Vida in Atlanta circa 2012 took the duo in a citrus-free mezcal direction. Here, the drink gave forth orange oil, rose, bitter orange, and elderflower aromas. Next, a white grape sip launched into smoky vegetal, floral, and bitter orange flavors on the swallow.

rive droite

1 oz Hayman's Royal Dock Gin (Alchemy Dry)
3/4 oz Ford's Sloe Gin (Plymouth)
3/4 oz Dolin Blanc Vermouth
1/2 oz Lemon Juice

Shake with ice and strain into a cocktail glass.Two Wednesdays ago, I was excited to try a recipe that David Wondrich posted in his Twitter called the Rive Droite. This tribute to the River Seine in Paris is a riff on the Parisian (gin, dry vermouth, crème de cassis) from The Savoy Cocktail Book and takes things in a sloe plum instead of currant direction. Once prepared, the Rive Droite proffered a plum and lemon bouquet to the nose. Next, lemon and red oxidized fruit on the sip flowed into gin, plum, and herbal flavors on the swallow.

great fitzgerald

40 mL Blended Whisky (1 1/2 oz Famous Grouse)
10 mL Lustau Oloroso Sherry (2 tsp)
5 mL Amer Picon (1 tsp Torani Amer)
15 mL Lemon Juice (1/2 oz)
15 mL Simple Syrup (1/2 oz)
1 dash Pernod Absinthe (12 drop)

Shake with ice, strain into a cocktail coupe, and garnish with orange oil from a twist.Two Tuesdays ago, I kept with the London theme and selected the Claridge's Cocktail Book for the evening's recipe. There, I was lured in by the Great Fitzgerald that was adapted by Nathan McCarley-O'Neill at the Claridge's Bar for it had a Barbara West vibe to it and was similar to Sam Treadway's take on that classic, namely The Old (Barbara) West. The Great Fitzgerald welcomed the senses with an orange, lemon, and nutty grape bouquet. Next, lemon, grape, and caramel notes on the sip flowed into Scotch, nutty grape, and dark orange flavors on the swallow with an anise finish.

mind maps

1 3/4 oz Blended Scotch (Cutty Sark Prohibition)
2 tsp Amontillado Sherry (Lustau)
1 1/2 tsp Pear Liqueur (Rothman & Winter)
1 tsp White Crème de Cacao (Bols)
1 tsp Cointreau
1/2 tsp Rich Simple Syrup
2 dash Angostura Bitters

Stir with ice, strain into a cocktail coupe, and garnish with a lemon twist.Two Mondays ago, I reached for Felipe Schrieberg's London Cocktails and landed upon the Mind Maps. The cocktail was created by Will Meredith at Lyaness based off the pear and chocolate notes he found in certain blended Scotches. Here, the Mind Maps proffered lemon, nutty grape, pear, and smoke aromas. Next, a semi-sweet grape sip led into Scotch, orange, and chocolate flavors on the swallow with a pear and clove finish.

the man from nowhere

1 1/2 oz Mezcal (Peloton de la Muerte)
1/2 oz Suze Gentian Liqueur
1/2 oz Benedictine
1/2 oz Lime Juice
2 dash Mole Bitters (Angostura Cocoa)
1 dash Angostura Bitters

Shake with ice and strain into a cocktail coupe.I decided on Sunday night two weeks ago to continue tinkering with the Suze-Benedictine combination and took it in the direction of a mezcal citrus drink. For a name, I dubbed the creation The Man from Nowhere after the 1969 Spaghetti Western film. In the glass, it shared a vegetal, lime, and smoke aroma. Next, lime and caramel on the sip shot into smoky vegetal, herbal, and clove flavors on the swallow.

devil's highway

1 1/2 oz Tequila (Arette Blanco at work, Cimarron Reposado at home)
1/2 oz Islay Scotch (Laphroaig 10 Year)
1/2 oz Suze Gentian Liqueur
1/4 oz Benedictine
1/4 oz Honey Syrup 1:1
2 dash Mole Bitters (Bittermens at work, Angostura Cocoa at home)

Build in a double old fashioned glass, add a large ice cube, stir to mix and chill, and garnish with a lemon twist (lemon oil only at work, twist at home).Two Saturdays ago, a guest at Drink requested a tequila and Scotch cocktail. I was a little thrown by that since folks that want agave and smoke usually just opt for mezcal, but I set off to craft something on the fly in an Old Fashioned direction. I was still thinking of the Vaquero's Suze-Benedictine combination, and I supplemented some of the sweetness with honey syrup. For a name, I later dubbed this the Devil's Highway after the Luis Alberto Urrea book. When I got home, I remade the drink for myself, and the Devil's Highway proffered a lemon, vegetal, and peat smoke aroma. Next, a honey-tinged sip drove into vegetal and herbal flavors on the swallow with a smoke and chocolate finish.

en cuatro

3/4 oz Pisco (Encanto)
3/4 oz Dry Gin (Tanqueray Malacca)
3/4 oz Dry Vermouth (Noilly Prat)
3/4 oz Sweet Vermouth (Lacuesta Rojo)

Stir with ice, strain into a cocktail glass, and garnish with a lemon twist.After work two Fridays ago, I returned to Kara Newman's Shake Stir Sip book and landed upon the En Cuatro created by Ivy Mix at Leyenda. The combination was a pisco-gin Perfect Martini reminiscent of her 50-25-25 pisco-gin Dry Martini. The drink whose name translates to "in fourths" or "in quarters" began with a lemon and red grape bouquet. Next, a crisp sip with hints of red fruit gave way to earthy pisco, juniper, and herbal flavors on the swallow.

golden pineapple

1 1/2 oz Bourbon (Evan Williams Bonded at work, Old Grand-Dad Bonded at home)
1/2 oz Plantation Pineapple Rum
1/2 oz Honey Syrup 1:1
1/2 oz Lemon Juice
1/8 oz Demerara Syrup
2 dash Mole Bitters (Bittermens at work, Angostura Cocoa at home)

Shake with ice and strain into a cocktail coupe.Two Thursdays at Drink, I came up with Gold Rush variation for a guest by subbing out part of the Bourbon for pineapple rum and chocolate bitters. When I got home, I wanted to sink into the drink more than the straw taste that I had at work and made one for myself. I ended up dubbing it the Golden Pineapple since the Pickwick Papers as a tribute to the Dicken's novel that mentioned pineapple rum did not seem as appealing of a name. Here, the Golden Pineapple welcomed the senses with honey, lemon, tropical, and Bourbon aromas. Next, lemon and honey on the sip turned into Bourbon and pineapple flavors on the swallow.

cruel to be kind

1 1/2 oz Tanqueray Gin (Tanqueray Malacca)
1/2 oz Bonal Gentiane-Quina
3/4 oz Lime Juice
1/2 oz Grapefruit Juice
1/2 oz 2:1 Honey Syrup (3/4 oz 1:1)
1 dash Dale DeGroff's Pimento Bitters

Shake with ice, strain into a cocktail coupe, and garnish with a lime wheel (omit).After my bar shift two Wednesdays ago, I ventured into Death & Co.'s Welcome Home book and was lured in by Al Sotack's 2014 Cruel to Be Kind. In the glass, it offered up grapefruit and pine aromas. Next, honey, grapefruit, lime, and grape notes on the sip led to gin, honey, and herbal flavors on the swallow with an allspice finish.