gilded cage

2 oz Vodka (Bak's Bison Grass)
3/4 oz Lemon Juice
3/4 oz Honey Syrup
7 drop Regan's Orange Bitters (Angostura Orange)
1 Egg White

Shake once without ice and once with ice, strain into a coupe glass, and garnish with 5 drop Peychaud's Bitters.Two Sundays ago, I returned to The Bartender's Manifesto and landed upon Toby Maloney's Gilded Cage that he crafted in 2008 as a riff on the Bee's Knees. To make this vodka egg white drink a bit more interesting, I opted for a bison grass vodka instead which can add spice notes to the finish as I did with the Visionary Cocktail. Here, the Gilded Cage proffered honey, cherry, and anise aromas. Next, a creamy and lemon sip led into honey and a hint of cinnamon on the swallow.

balboa

1 oz Pisco (Macchu)
1 oz Cachaça (Cuca Fresca)
3/4 oz Dry Vermouth (Noilly Prat)
1/4 oz Pineapple Syrup
2 dash Orange Bitters (Angostura Orange)

Stir with ice, strain into a cocktail coupe, and garnish with an orange twist.Two Saturdays ago, I was thinking about the pisco-cachaça combination that I have recently used in the South American Honey Bee and the Don't Talk to Strangers. I decided to take it in a pineapple syrup-tinged Dry Martini direction that I first spotted in the Madame Lou in Boothby's 1934 World Drinks and How to Mix Them. The drink that I named the Balboa after the person who first conceived the Panama Canal back in 1513 began with an orange, earthy, and grassy aroma. Next, a semi-sweet sip sailed into earthy, grassy, and pineapple notes on the swallow.

songs my mother taught me

1 1/4 oz Mezcal (Del Maguey Vida)
3/4 oz Cardamaro
3/4 oz Amaro Montenegro
1/4 oz Fernet Branca
2 dash Mole Bitters (Bittermens)

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

Two Fridays ago, I became inspired by the Cardamaro-Amaro Montenegro combination in the Khartoum. The Amaro Montenegro then got me thinking about the combination with mezcal called the M&M, and I mashed up the three ingredients; however, the end result felt flat even after I tinkered by adding absinthe and bitters. In the end, mezcal was not bringing the same structure as Smith & Cross Rum did in the Brick & Mortar classic. I continued tinkering with it at work a day later and took a page from the Scarecrow playbook and added in a 1/4 oz of Fernet Branca which donated that needed depth of flavor.Since the Khartoum was named after the race horse in The Godfather movie, I honed in on actor Marlon Brando and named this the Songs My Mother Taught Me after his autobiography. In the glass, it broadcasted smoke and vegetal aroma brightened by orange oil. Next, grape and caramel on the sip leapt into smoky mezcal and orange-menthol flavors on the swallow.

her name is joy

1 oz Appleton 21 Year Rum (Appleton Reserve)
1 oz Highland Park 12 Year (Royal Brakla 12)
1/4 oz Lustau Oloroso Sherry
1 tsp Benedictine
1 tsp Galliano Ristretto
1/2 tsp Demerara Syrup

Stir with ice, strain into a single old fashioned glass with a large ice cube, and garnish with orange oil from a twist.Two Thursdays ago, I finally broke down and made the delightful sounding Her Name is Joy from Death & Co.'s Welcome Home book. This tribute to Appleton Estate master blender Joy Spence was crafted by Sam Penton in 2019 with the Vieux Carré as the inspiration. I was hesitant to make it before since I lacked the rather aged Appleton rum, but I figured that I could get a good feel for what they were shooting for with a younger expression. In the glass, the Her Name is Joy proffered an orange, caramel, and coffee bouquet to the nose. Next, grape and caramel on the sip flowed into rum, Scotch, dark roast coffee, herbal, and nutty flavors on the swallow.

draft day

1 1/2 oz Rye Whiskey (Rittenhouse)
1/2 oz Smith & Cross Rum
1/2 oz Gran Classico (Campari)
1/2 oz Crème de Banane (Tempus Fugit)

Stir with ice, strain into a double old fashioned glass pre-rinsed with absinthe (Butterfly) and with a large ice cube, and garnish with an orange twist.Two Wednesdays ago, I was perusing Kindred Cocktails when I spotted the Draft Day that reminded me of the Banana Boulevardier. The recipe was by Michael McCollum at Attaboy in Nashville circa 2018 and initially posted on the Bartender's Choice app. Once prepared, the Draft Day showcased an orange, black licorice, and rum funk aroma. Next, caramel and a hint of tropical on the sip flowed into rye, funky rum, banana, bitter orange, and tropical flavors on the swallow.

the lonesome crowded west

1 1/2 oz Ron de Barrilito (Don Q Gran Añejo)
3/4 oz Amaro Nonino
1/2 oz Old Grand-Dad 114° Bourbon
1/2 tsp Giffard Passion Fruit Liqueur (1/2 tsp Passion Fruit Syrup)
1 dash Angostura Bitters

Stir with ice, strain into a single old fashioned glass with a large ice cube, and garnish with grapefruit oil from a twist.For a nightcap on Tuesday two weeks prior, I began flipping through the Death & Co. Welcome Home book. The rum-Bourbon Black Manhattan of sorts called the Lonesome Crowded West by Matthew Belanger circa 2018 seemed like a delightful way to round out my day, and it also reminded me of their Spaghetti Western in both recipe and name. Here, it generated grapefruit, rum, caramel, and Bourbon aromas. Next, caramel and passion fruit notes on the sip transitioned into rum, Bourbon, orange, passion fruit, and allspice flavors on the swallow.

queen elizabeth cocktail

1/2 Gin (2 oz Beefeater)
1/4 Cointreau (3/4 oz)
1/4 Lemon Juice (3/4 oz)
(1/4 oz Simple Syrup)
1 dash Absinthe (1/2 bsp or ~1/16 oz Kübler)

Shake with ice and strain into a cocktail glass.Two Mondays ago, I opened up my copy of the 1930 Savoy Cocktail Book and landed upon the Queen Elizabeth Cocktail that was different from the aperitif-y Queen Elizabeth already on the blog. This one was more akin to a Chelsea Sidecar with absinthe or perhaps a Corpse Reviver #2 with extra gin instead of Lillet, so I was game. In the glass, the drink provided a pine, orange, and anise bouquet to the nose. Next, lemon and orange notes swirled on the sip, and the swallow came through with gin and anise-orange flavors. Overall, the lemon, orange, and absinthe flavors kept flip-flopping for dominance in the flavor profile which made each sip rather interesting.

trash polka

1 oz Fernet Branca
1 oz Campari
1/2 oz Punt e Mes
1/2 oz Maraschino
4 dash Peychaud's Bitters

Stir with ice, strain into a double old fashioned glass pre-rinsed with absinthe (Kübler), and garnish with lemon oil from a twist.Two Sundays ago, I began with the concept of a Ferrari (the Fernet Branca-Campari duo) crossed with a Red Hook, and I felt that it needed additional flavors. With Maraschino in the mix, it made me think of an Improved Cocktail, so I thought absinthe, and that flowed into doing a Sazerac treatment along with the addition of Peychaud's Bitters and lemon oil. The end result was akin something between the Diamonds & Spades as a Ferrari Sazerac and the Tin City Sazerac as a mashup of Red Hook and a Cognac Sazerac. For a name, I dubbed this one Trash Polka after the tattoo style that originated in Germany that combines motifs using black and red ink. Here, the Trash Polka conjured a lemon, anise, and cherry bouquet to the nose. Next, caramel and orange notes on the sip were followed by minty, gentian, cherry, and anise flavors on the swallow.

the black spot

1 oz Cruzan Black Strap Rum
1 oz Jamaican Rum (Smith & Cross)
3/4 oz Coffee Liqueur (Copper & Kings)
1/4 oz 2:1 Demerara Syrup (3/8 oz 1:1)
3 dash Orange Bitters (Angostura Orange)

Stir with ice and strain into a Laphroaig Scotch-rinsed old fashioned glass.Two Saturdays ago, I was perusing the Kindred Cocktails database when I spotted the rum Revolver of sorts called the Black Spot created by UK drink maker Benjamin Talbot in 2016. Since there was already a significant sugar content here from the syrup, I went with my driest coffee liqueur -- namely Copper & Kings' Destillaré Intense Café. With Smith & Cross as the Jamaican rum, the Black Spot cast out a smoke, rum funk, char, and molasses nose. Next, caramel and roast notes on the sip slid into dark rum, rum funk, coffee, char, and orange flavors on the swallow.

siren of the fjords

1 1/4 oz Linie Aquavit
1/3 oz Pedro Ximenez Sherry (Oxford)
1/3 oz Pierre Ferrand Dry Curaçao
1/4 oz Cocchi Vermouth di Torino
2 dash Orange Bitters (Angostura Orange)

Stir with ice, strain into a cocktail coupe, and garnish with a flamed orange twist (unflamed).After getting home from my bar shift two Fridays ago, I was looking for a stirred drink recipe to end the night. Therefore, I reached for Kara Newman's Nightcap book and found the Siren of the Fjords. The cocktail was crafted by Robert Simpson at London's Clove Club in honor of Norwegian-American film star Sigrid Gurie who was active during the 1930s and 1940s. Movie producer Samuel Goldwyn took credit for discovering who he dubbed "the Norwegian Garbo" and promoted her as "the siren of the fjords." Once prepared, the Siren of the Fjords as a cocktail showcased an orange and raisin aroma. Next, the grape notes from the vermouth and sherry starred in the sip, and the swallow proffered orange, raisin, and caraway flavors.

hugo bracer

1 oz Apple Brandy (2 oz Laird's Bonded)
1/2 oz Amer Picon (1/2 oz Torani Amer)
2 dash Grenadine (1/2 oz)
Juice 1 Lime (1/2 oz)

Shake with ice and strain into a cocktail glass.Two Thursdays ago, I delved into my drink book library and selected Trader Vic's 1947 Bartender's Guide. There, I spied the Hugo Bracer which had the Amer Picon-grenadine duo found in Basque Picon Punch as well as more modern recipes like the Jayco from Trader Vic's 1972 Bartender's Guide Revised. I originally mixed this with the two dashes of grenadine at 1/4 oz, but it needed a bit more to balance the lime juice, so I upped it to 1/2 oz. Overall, the structure ended up very close to my Cognac-based with lemon juice 8th Arrondissement that began with the idea of a French version of the Ward 8. In the glass, the Hugo Bracer donated an apple, herbal, and berry aroma. Next, lime and red berry notes on the sip flowed into apple and bitter orange flavors on the swallow with a pomegranate finish. Overall, the Hugo Bracer came across as an embittered Jack Rose with a skew towards the bitter orange direction.

major blunt

1 1/2 oz Blended Scotch (Cutty Sark Prohibition)
1 oz Sweet Vermouth (Cocchi)
1/2 oz Funky Jamaican Rum (Smith & Cross)
2 dash Orange Bitters (Angostura Orange)

Build in a rocks glass, add ice, stir, and garnish with an orange twist (omit).Two Wednesdays ago, I spotted on Kindred Cocktails a recipe that David Wondrich created called the Major Blunt. Actor Patrick Stewart posted on his Twitter account in 2015 the recipe that Wondrich crafted in honor of his sitcom Blunt Talk. As a funky Jamaican rum-tinged Rob Roy, it seemed like a perfect nightcap to round out my evening spent working at the bar. In the glass, Major Blunt cast of rum funk, orange, and caramel aromas to the nose. Next, grape and caramel on the sip cascaded into smoky Scotch, burnt caramel, and rum funk on the swallow.

bourbon renewal

2 oz Bourbon (Evan Williams Bonded)
1 oz Lemon Juice
1/2 oz Crème de Cassis (Massenez)
1/2 oz Simple Syrup
1 dash Angostura Bitters

Shake with ice, strain into a double old fashioned glass with ice, and garnish with either a lemon wedge/wheel or berries in season (omit).

A few weeks ago, a guest at Drink requested a Bourbon and blackberries cocktail, and since we do not generally carry blackberries or blackberry brandy, my mind went to crème de cassis due to similar flavors. I immediately recalled Jeffrey Morgenthaler's Bourbon Renewal, and the recipe pleased them so much that I decided to make it at home. Previously, my only use for cassis at work was the El Diablo, but the recipe reminded me of drinks that we used to make at home circa 2006 like the Mississippi Mule of gin, lemon juice, and crème de cassis, so the concept felt very comforting. Jeffrey described the name in his blog post as, "This one was named after a band that my business partner, Tony Figoli, was in a long time ago. I thought the name was absolutely brilliant, so I decided to do up a drink to commemorate the band – and my favorite spirit at the time." Difford's Guide attributed the recipe to the BelAmi Lounge in Oregon in 2001, and when I posted on Instagram that the recipe was 21 and old enough to drink, Morgenthaler was amused.The way that I made it at home was the same save for the Lejay brand cassis and the Kold Draft ice cubes that we use at work. Here, the Bourbon Renewal proffered dark berry and Bourbon aromas. Next, lemon and blackberry notes on the sip flowed in to Bourbon, tart, dark berry, and clove flavors on the swallow.

flaneur

1 oz Dolin Sweet Vermouth (Cocchi)
1 oz Bonal Gentiane-Quina
1/2 oz Campari
1/2 oz Pierre Ferrand 1840 Cognac

Stir with ice and strain into a cocktail coupe.After getting home from a Fourth of July party, I was in the mood for something to round out the night but perhaps with a lower ABV. One of the recipes in that category that I had bookmarked was Rafa Garcia Febles' 2014 riff on the Boulevardier called the Flâneur that was mostly fortified wine. The Bonal and Campari here have paired up well before in recipes like the Streets of San Miguel as well as my more recent The Great Silence, so I was definitely intrigued. In the glass, things began off with grape and Cognac's richness on the nose. Next, grape and tangy orange notes on the sip gave way to Cognac, herbal grape, and bitter orange flavors on the swallow.

don't talk to strangers

3/4 oz Pisco (Macchu Pisco)
3/4 oz Cachaça (Cuca Fresca)
1/2 oz Campari
1/2 oz Swedish Punsch (Kronan)
1/2 oz Lime Juice
1/8 Cinnamon Syrup
1 Egg White

Shake once without ice and once with ice, strain into a cocktail coupe or single old fashioned glass, and garnish with drops of Angostura Bitters.Two Sundays ago, I became intrigued by the Campari-Swedish punsch combination in the Sleeping With Strangers, and I decided to take it in the direction of the South American Honey Bee with pisco, cachaça, lime, and egg white. It needed a little more pizazz and a touch of sweetness to balance, so I added in some cinnamon syrup that worked well with Swedish punsch in the Oaxacan Punch. For a name, I took the original inspiration in the direction of a Rick Springfield song title. The Don't Talk to Strangers began with an allspice and orange aroma. Next, a creamy caramel, orange, and lime sip chatted with the earthy, grassy, funky, bitter orange, black tea, and cinnamon flavors on the swallow.

townes van zandt

2 oz Rye Whiskey (Old Overholt 86°)
3/4 oz Dry Vermouth (Noilly Prat)
1/4 oz Peach Liqueur (Mathilde)
2 dash Angostura Bitters

Stir with ice, strain into a cocktail coupe, and garnish with a lemon twist.Two Saturdays ago after my bar shift, I reached for Natalie Jacob's Mod Cocktails for a nightcap. There, I spotted the Townes Van Zandt that reminded me a little of the Bourbon Belle given the whiskey, vermouth, and peach liqueur combination. Natalie was inspired by the Martini variation called the Van Zandt consisting of gin, dry vermouth, and a hint of apricot liqueur that appeared in Jack's Manual, and she named her summery Manhattan riff after the musician. Once assembled, the Townes Van Zandt gave forth a lemon, peach, and whiskey aroma. Next, a semi-dry orchard fruit sip strummed into rye, peach, and clove flavors on the swallow.

riki tiki tavi

1 oz Plantation Pineapple Rum
1 oz Blended Scotch (Cutty Sark Prohibition)
1/2 oz Falernum (Velvet)
1/4 oz St. George Spiced Pear Liqueur (Rothman & Winter)
1 dash Angostura Bitters
2 dash Orange Bitters (Angostura Orange)

Build in a Julep cup, fill with crushed ice, and swizzle to mix and chill. Top with crushed ice and garnish with a mint sprig and freshly grated cinnamon.Two Fridays ago, I returned to The Bartender's Manifesto and found the Scotch and tropical Tiki Julep of sorts called the Riki Tiki Tavi created by Violet Hour bartenders Max Beckman and Rubi Villagomez in 2019. After venturing out to the garden to pick mint, I commenced on assembling this Julep. Once done, it gave forth cinnamon and mint aromas to the nose. Next, orchard fruit notes on the sip flowed into pineapple, Scotch, pear, smoke, and clove flavors on the swallow. Overall, the mint was akin to many Tiki drinks were it serves as aromatics only.

ransom note

1 oz Rittenhouse Rye
1 oz Lustau Brandy de Jerez (Du Peyrat Selection)
3/4 oz Del Professore Sweet Vermouth (Cocchi)
1/4 oz Amaro Ramazzotti
1 tsp Giffard White Crème de Cacao (Bols)
1 dash Orange Bitters (Angostura Orange)
1 dash Bitter Truth Aromatic Bitters (Jerry Thomas Decanter)

Stir with ice, strain into a Nick & Nora glass, and garnish with a lemon twist.Two Thursdays ago, I was in the mood for a nightcap after a busy shift at the bar. From Death & Co.'s Welcome Home book, I selected Jeremy Oertel's 2015 Ransom Note to do the deed. In the glass, it shared a lemon, brandy, and caramel bouquet to the senses. Next, grape and caramel notes swirled on the sip, and the swallow came through with rye, Cognac, cola, chocolate, and spice flavors on the swallow.

out of the airlock

2 oz Wild Turkey 101° Rye (Rittenhouse Bonded)
3/4 oz Cocchi Americano
1/2 oz Campari
1/8 oz Demerara Syrup
2 dash Peychaud's Bitters

Stir with ice, strain into a double old fashioned glass pre-rinsed with Herbsaint, and garnish with orange oil from a twist.After my bar shift two Wednesdays ago, I was drawn to The Bartender's Manifesto where I landed upon the Out of the Airlock by Zac Sorensen at the Violet Hour circa 2016. As a 1794-like drink with New Orleans stylings of Peychaud's Bitters and an Herbsaint rinse, I was indeed ready to mix it up. The result gave forth an orange and anise bouquet to the nose. Next, caramel-citrus notes on the sip led into rye, bitter orange, and anise flavors on the swallow.

dados

1 1/2 oz Mezcal (Peloton de la Muerte)
1/2 oz Suze
scant 1/4 oz Pamplemousse Liqueur (St. Elder)
2 dash Angostura Bitters

Stir with ice, strain into a rocks glass with ice, garnish with a lemon twist and an orange twist (lemon only).Two Tuesdays ago, I reached for Robert Simonson's Mezcal + Tequila Cocktails book, and I landed upon the Dados crafted by Caitlin Laman at the Licoreria Limantour in Mexico City circa 2016. Since I have been grooving on the mezcal-Suze combination in drinks like The Man From Nowhere and the Mezcal White Negroni, I was excited about giving this one a try. In the glass, the Dados proffered lemon and smoky vegetal aromas to the nose. Next, a creamy and citrus sip was chased by mezcal, vegetal, floral, clove, and allspice flavors on the swallow.

post modern

1 1/2 oz Blended Scotch (Cutty Sark Prohibition)
1 oz Sloe Gin (Plymouth)
1/2 oz Lemon Juice
1/4 oz Honey Syrup 2:1 (3/8 oz 1:1)

Shake with ice and strain into an absinthe-rinsed (Kübler) cocktail coupe.Two Mondays ago, I was perusing Kindred Cocktails when I spotted Tom Richter's Post Modern that was published in Punch Drinks. Tom described how he based it "on a spirit combination of oft-overlooked sloe gin and Scotch, rinsed with absinthe." Given the name, I have to believe that he based it off of the Savoy Cocktail Book's Modern Cocktail #2 with the lemon juice aspect from the Modern #1:

Modern Cocktail (No. 2)
• 2/3 Sloe Gin
• 1/3 Scotch Whisky
• 1 dash Grenadine
• 1 dash Absinthe
• 1 dash Orange Bitters
Shake with ice and strain into a cocktail glass.

The Modern #1 over time has won out though in part thanks to Ted Haigh's Vintage Spirits and Forgotten Cocktails book, and I have had variations like the Modern Cocktail based off of Ted's Modernista. Here with sloe gin, the Post Modern began with a berry and anise aroma. Next, lemon, honey, and dark red fruit on the sip leapt into smoky Scotch, plum, and raisin flavors on the swallow with a hint of anise. Some of those oxidized flavors are most likely due to the age of my sloe gin bottle -- it has not seen enough love over the years, so perhaps Tom's comment about sloe gin being overlooked rings true.

i threw a bunch of grandpa chip's war medals off a bridge

1 oz Laird's Bonded Apple Brandy
3/4 oz D'ussé Cognac
3/4 oz Oloroso Sherry
1/4 oz Demerara Syrup
1/8 oz Cherry Heering
1/8 oz Fidencio Mezcal
1 dash Absinthe

Stir with ice, strain into a cocktail coupe, and garnish with 1 drop apple bitters.Two Sundays ago, my wife was away and it was my first day off in a bit; therefore, I decided to go on an all-day beer bar crawl at the four breweries in my area starting with Winter Hill. After I made my way to Lamplighter, I turned back to have dinner at Trina's followed by a nightcap cocktail at Backbar. Backbar was in the midst of their Will Ferrell Week, and I selected the "I Threw a Bunch of Grandpa Chip's War Medals Off a Bridge" which was a cocktail created by Peyton Ligon as a tribute to the movie Talladega Nights: The Ballad of Ricky Bobby. Overall, it reminded me a little of the Remember the Maine, so I was intrigued. In the glass, the drink proffered an anise and cherry aroma. Next, grape notes from the sherry and Cognac filled the sip, and the swallow continued on with apple, brandy, herbal, and anise flavors along with a wisp of smoke.

root of all evil

2 oz Ransom Old Tom Gin
1 oz Cardamaro
1/4+ oz Green Chartreuse

Stir with ice, strain into a double old fashioned glass with a large ice cube, and garnish with 5 drop Bittercube Root Beer Bitters (Bitter Queens Sarsaparilla Bitters).Two Saturdays ago, I was lured in by the Root of All Evil in The Bartender's Manifesto that was different from the other two drinks by that name on the blog. This one was by Patrick Smith at the Violet Hour circa 2012 that reminded me a little of a Bijou. With the sarsaparilla bitters as a garnish, the Root of All Evil began with a root beer aroma. Next, a grape sip flowed into herbal, juniper, and spice notes on the swallow.

vieux ananas

1 oz Rye Whiskey (Rittenhouse Bonded)
1 oz Plantation Pineapple Rum
1 oz Sweet Vermouth (Cocchi)
1/2 oz Benedictine
1 dash Angostura Bitters

Stir with ice, strain into a double old fashioned glass with a large ice cube, and garnish with an orange twist (lemon twist).Two Fridays ago, I rediscovered the recipe for the Vieux Ananas recipe that Ezra Star created at Drink and got published in Imbibe Magazine in 2015 through perusing Kindred Cocktails. This tropical spin on the Vieux Carré presented lemon, pineapple, and floral aromas to the nose. Next, caramel and grape on the sip sauntered into rye, rum, pineapple, herbal, and clove flavors on the swallow.

singer's flip

2 oz Pig's Nose Blended Scotch (Cutty Sark Prohibition)
1/2 oz Orgeat
1/4 oz Cinnamon Syrup
1 Whole Egg
1 pinch Salt

Shake once without ice and once with ice, strain into a cocktail coupe, and garnish with a pinch of flaky salt.Two Thursdays ago, I selected The Bartender's Manifesto by Toby Maloney with Emma Janzen for the evening's libation. The Singer's Flip sounded like a solid nightcap option, and it was created by Violet Hour bartender Aneka Saxon in 2018. Indeed, the combination of Scotch, orgeat, and egg reminded me of the Tiger that called for Yellow Chartreuse instead of cinnamon syrup. Once prepared, the Singer's Flip donated an almond and Scotch aroma to the nose. Next, a creamy and nutty sip slid into Scotch, earthy, nutty, and cinnamon flavors on the swallow. Overall, the description of comforting, cake batter, and candy bar rang true.

duck you, sucka!

2 1/4 oz Wild Turkey 101 Rye (Rittenhouse)
1/2 oz Averna
1/4 oz Luxardo Maraschino Liqueur
2 dash Angostura Bitters

Stir with ice, strain into a double old fashioned glass with ice, and garnish with a lemon twist.My visit to Brick and Mortar and sitting at Nic Mansur's bar reminded me of his Duck You, Sucka! that he created back in his first stint at the bar. He named this Black Manhattan of sorts after the 1971 Sergio Leone classic Spaghetti Western movie, and over the years, it utilized different whiskeys ranging from Wild Turkey Rye to Rittenhouse to Mellow Corn with the collective proof being 100° or 101°. Since the recipe had not ever appeared on the blog, I figured that it was time to change that at my home bar via the recipe on BostonInno that referenced Nic's OnTheBar entry. In the glass, the Duck You, Sucka! shot forth a lemon and nutty cherry bouquet. Next, caramel and cherry on the nose dropped a rye, cherry, and herbal swallow with a clove and allspice finish.

electric kool-aid acid test

1 1/2 oz Peloton de la Muerte Mezcal
3/4 oz Amontillado Sherry
3/4 oz Strawberry Syrup
3/4 oz Lemon Juice

Shake with ice and strain into a cocktail coupe.For my second drink at Brick & Mortar, I asked bartender Nic Mansur for the Electric Kool-Aid Acid Test named after Tom Wolfe's 1968 beat generation work of nonfiction. The ingredients reminded me of the Speaking in Tongues that they served me there as a modification of Mike Ryan's recipe at Sable given the overlap of mezcal, strawberry, and lemon. The presence of Amontillado also made me think of the many sherry drinks that I have had at Brick & Mortar over the years -- the blog indicates that 10 of the 73 drink entries previous to this visit contained some form of that fortified wine. In the glass, the Electric Kool-Aid Acid Test proffered strawberry, vegetal, and smoke aromas to the senses. Next, a semi-dry lemon and grape sip tripped out into smoky agave, nutty grape, and berry flavors on the swallow.

big in japan

2 oz St. George Baller Single Malt
3/4 oz Del Professore Chinato
1/4 oz Amaro Nonino

Stir with ice, strain into a rocks glass, and garnish with lemon oil from a twist.

I had recently learned that Brick & Mortar had expanded their schedule to include Tuesdays, and I was excited to go. Previously, it had been impossible for my work schedule at Drink is the same Wednesday through Saturday that theirs was; I had been recommending the bar to my guests with the caveat that I assumed that it was as good as it had always been. When I walked up the stairs and approached the horseshoe copper bar two Tuesdays ago, I was surprised to see a familiar face who greeted me by name. Bartender Nic Mansur had worked at Brick & Mortar from 2013 until mid-2015 when he left to become the bar manager at Shepard, and when he was recently looking for opportunities, he contacted Brick & Mortar's owner about returning. For a first drink, I opted for the Big in Japan; the drink name alone reminded me of the "I'm an ass" (this was the description that bar manager Sam Gabrielli had in the new drinks notes) menu item at Russell House Tavern that partnered Yamazaki 12 Year, sweet vermouth, and orange bitters with Fireball in early 2014. Instead, this tribute to a Tom Waits song (at least Sam's was that) was much more elegant utilizing a chinato instead of a vermouth and Amaro Nonino instead of Fireball. While the whisky was not Japanese, St. George makes great products, so I was willing to let that slide especially since the price point and availability for the foreign stuff is very different than eight years ago. As an additional side note, the Fireball appeared on the bar after we all went out after a brunch shift at Russell House Tavern to Charlie's Kitchen, and the round of Fireball shots had my bar manager smitten for a bit. The product did not remain on our shelves long, but long enough for me to generate an OnTheBar menu item of a Fireball Fizz in a Ramos style that eventually found its way into Matt Rowley's book Lost Recipes of Prohibition: Notes from a Bootlegger's Manual. (I found it funny that I could sell it to friends for $7 as a $4 pour with $3 cocktail up-charge). Indeed, the years that Nic and I working at Brick & Mortar and Russell House Tavern, respectively, were a zany time.The scene was a bit more sedate than some of the wild years nights on this Tuesday shortly after open with a handful of guests already having staked a claim to seats around the hairpin turn of the bar. The Big in Japan that Nic made me began with a lemon and grape aroma. Next, grape and caramel notes on the sip flowed into whisky and orange herbal flavors with a hint of smoke on the swallow. Overall, it was definitely great to be back in the space after a three year absence and to have an amazing drink there again.

two or three things i know about white negronis

1 oz Gin (Alchemy Dry)
1/2 oz Gentian Liqueur (Suze)
1/4 oz Benedictine
1/4 oz Honey Syrup 1:1
1 oz Dry Vermouth (Noilly Prat)
2 dash Chocolate Mole Bitters (Angostura Cocoa)

Stir with ice and strain into a rocks glass with a large ice cube.Two Mondays ago, I was thinking about the trio of Suze, Benedictine, and honey in the Devil's Highway that I created on the fly at Drink a few weeks ago. Soon, my mind wondered if I could work it into a White Negroni. To counter the sweeter and not bitter elements, I swapped in dry vermouth to balance things out. For a name, I riffed on Jean-Luc Godard's movie title Two or Three Things I Know About Her. The Two or Three Things I know About White Negronis welcomed the senses with an earthy and floral aroma. Next, a honey and caramel sip gave way to gin, herbal, earthy bitter, and chocolate notes on the swallow.

vice & virtue

2 oz Blanco Tequila (Cimarron)
3/4 oz Bonal Gentiane-Quina
1/4 oz Cocchi Vermouth di Torino
1/4 oz Rothman & Winter Orchard Apricot
1 dash Peychaud's Bitters
1 dash Bittercube Blackstrap Bitters

Stir with ice, strain into a cocktail coupe, and garnish with orange oils from a twist.Two Sundays ago, I was excited to crack into my new purchase of The Bartender's Manifesto by Toby Maloney with Emma Janzen and the bartenders of the Violet Hour. The first recipe I selected was the Vice & Virtue crafted by Violet Hour bartender Owen Gibler in 2012 as a stirred tequila drink with apricot accents akin to the Damasco. The Vice & Virtue conjured up an orange, apricot, and agave aroma. Next, grape and orchard fruit on the sip flowed into tequila, vegetal, apricot, and darker flavors on the swallow.

:: the ego and the bartender ::

My coworkers enjoy mentioning to my bar guests – both in front of me or behind my back – a variety of facts about me ranging from me being the author of two cocktail books to having a doctorate in biochemistry that they have procured from my Facebook or from working with me for all these months. Aside from my stating it here, it is usually something that takes a bit of time to tease out of me in conversation, and I think that my coworkers do it partly to embarrass me. Guests have asked why I am so humble about my accomplishments as if I should be boasting while working and wearing my accomplishments on my sleeve. And that got me thinking.

It took me a day or two of mulling over the proper response. What I came up with was the thought that regardless of any accolades and accomplishments, each guest is a new challenge that I need to prove myself to them and to the bar. True, prior experiences offer confidence, knowledge, and a depth of tools to make the next guest’s experience better and to make that moment matter. In my mind, it is the only moment that matters. No guest will be consoled that their mediocre (or worse) night out was handled by someone who on paper should have been above average. Guests did seem to understand that when I began to reply that all those facts would be meaningless if the drink was not balanced or to their liking and the service was lacking.During the beginning of the pandemic, one of my quarantine reads was The Book of Ichigo Ichie: The Art of Making the Most of Every Moment, the Japanese Way. Ichigo ichie is a tenet of Zen Buddhism, and it is often used as a greeting or a goodbye. It conveys that the moment is unique, special, and once in a lifetime. In martial arts usage, it means that there is no “try again” in life-or-death moments, but in casual usage, it is a means to focus on the moment at hand for it will never happen again. That guest sitting at your bar will never have a first greeting, cocktail, or night sitting at your bar ever again. They will be celebrating that birthday, anniversary, or promotion only once. They may return, but that special moment has fled. The book quotes Heraclitus who declared, “No man ever steps into the same river twice, for it’s not the same river and he’s not the same man.” Ichigo ichie will lead to greater satisfaction if one is not weighted down by the past or anxious about the future; if one can live fully in the present, the journey can be an unique and once-in-a-lifetime experience.

Subtle self promotion does have its value especially in gaining the confidence in the guest, but this needs to be backed up with action eventually if not first. At my bar Drink here in Boston, we have no menu, and I am able to offer up hundreds of recipes and their histories and why they work in a glass given the guest’s description of what they want to be drinking that moment. I am frequently asked how I know so much about drinks, and at that point I will reveal that I have been writing about drinks for 16 years. I am more likely to mention my Instagram or blog than my books or other accomplishments, especially if the drink they were served was written up there. It also describes the personal research that I do at home every night by making a new drink to post and later write about. I am not without an ego for sure, but I try to put it on a back burner for most of my shifts unless the guest begins to inquire.

The concept of ego reminded me of my bar backing experience and how I describe it to new hires at the bar. I declare that we are laying the foundations of becoming a good bartender by learning the basics; however, we are also breaking down selfish tendencies in order to work better as a team. Recently, a clip from the Mayans MC show appeared on my Facebook feed. One of the members spoke to a new prospect and paraphrased Carl Jung to encourage him through the difficult and seemingly abusive process. Member EZ explained, “Look man, I know it’s tough. But don’t give up all right. Become the mass and a particle in the mass… It means that being a prospect is about destroying the ego. Learning to exist for the great good of the group. There is freedom in that. Giving up your own wants and desires for the benefit greater than yourself.”Self-aggrandizing perhaps has its place to some extent in reassuring a guest as to why that moment is unique. Many have a curiosity as to why this interaction feels different and special, and they desire an explanation. Without prompting, that same story reveal is unnecessary and pretentious, and it could across as insecurity and seem like a way to make up for shortcomings by resting on laurels or worse – acts of fiction and delusion. Micah Solomon in The Heart of Hospitality: Great Hotel and Restaurant Leaders Share Their Secrets wrote, “The heart of hospitality, for me, is the ability to focus completely and totally on one person, even if only for a matter of seconds, yet long enough that you’ve got a clear connection, a channel between the two of you.” Working towards that connection is the goal with many ways of getting there.

In thinking about other bar mentors in the industry, I wondered what would legendary NYC barman Sasha Petraske say about all this since he was a bit of an iconoclast. In his Regarding Cocktails book, he instructed “Do things not for applause or personal gain, but simply because it is the right way to do things.” Indeed, Sasha promoted the idea of hospitality over self-needs other than the need to choose the best path possible for the guest. Despite many famous drinks coming from him or his establishments, in Class Magazine, he had similar things to say about the drink itself. He declared, “Cocktails are not worth intellectualizing, they are just something to be experienced. The fact that people talk about cocktails like one might talk about like wine, which you have to grow, is laughable. A cocktail is a simple thing – what matters is if you make it right.”Finally, I considered what Gary Regan would say, so I sought out my notes and PDFs from the Cocktails in the Country retreat that I attended in 2015. He harkened things back to mindfulness and to service by offering up, “A mindful bartender trusts her intuition. She is primarily focused on what the customer in front of her is doing or saying, or upon the drink she is making, but she is also aware of what’s going on at the other end of the bar, and in the entire restaurant. She keeps tabs on the atmosphere of the place, and she constantly monitors the events, actions, and people that might affect the mood at the bar or within the restaurant. A mindful bartender pays attention to the personal preferences of her guests, and she makes each person’s drinks accordingly. A mindful bartender leaves her personal shit at the door... A mindful bartender sets her intentions to be of service to her customers.” Gary towards the end of the PDF packet handled the accomplishment part by explaining, “You’re a person who has attained recognition, you influence many others with your words and your actions, you make more dollars than most others in your line of work, you are hailed as an innovator, a creative genius, a mixologist at the top of your game, and as someone whose passion and perseverance has paid off well. And that’s absolutely fabulous. Good for you. Remember, though, and this is very important: You are No Better than Anyone Else. You are no better than the rookie bar-back you just hired. You are no better than the dishwasher. You are no better than the liquor salesperson. You Are No Better Than Anyone Else. If you can embrace that fact—and it is a fact—then this will help you to stay grounded, and that’s very important to anyone in your position.”

Given this all, there is a noble path to success and to continuing to provide good experiences for our guests if we stay humble and grounded. One step at a time, one guest at a time, one moment at a time. Every so often, look behind and see the wake of positive effects that have been generated before mustering the energy and enthusiasm to continue on that journey forward.

lion's share

2 oz Bourbon (Evan Williams Bonded at work, Old Grand-Dad Bonded at home)
1/2 oz Lemon Juice
1/4 oz Allspice Dram (St. Elizabeth at work, Hamilton's at home)
1/4 oz Vanilla Syrup
1/4 oz Demerara Syrup
1 dash Angostura Bitters

Shake with ice and strain into a cocktail coupe.Two Saturdays ago at Drink, I had a guest who wanted yet another Whiskey Sour, so I decided to improvise. I decided to start with the Lion's Tail but use lemon instead of lime. Moreover, I combined it with the concept of Don's Spices #2 of allspice dram and vanilla syrup since vanilla as well as the spice duo work great with Bourbon (see my Cave-in-Rock tropical creation). For a name, I wanted to keep "Lion's" in it and ended up dubbing it the Lion's Share when I made it for myself when I got home. In the glass, it gave forth a Bourbon, vanilla, and allspice aroma. Next, a balanced lemon note drove the sip, and the swallow grandly presented Bourbon, allspice, vanilla, and clove flavors.

the great silence

1 oz Gin (Tamworth Garden)
1/2 oz Campari
1/2 oz Amaro Nardini
1 oz Bonal Gentian Quina

Build in a rocks glass, add a large ice cube, stir, and garnish with an orange twist (omit).After work two Fridays ago, I became inspired to create a drink instead of spending my time at 3am looking through cocktail books for a recipe. I had been thinking about Rafa Garcia Febles' Klaus Kinski with its Campari-Nardini duo, and I took the Bonal from Joaquín Simo's Key Party where it worked great with gin and Nardini. Circling back to Klaus Kinski, I dubbed this The Great Silence after one of his movies (there was a lot to choose from given that Klaus appeared in 130 movies over 40 years). Once prepared, the new creation generated a pine and herbal aroma. Next, caramel and grape notes on the sip quieted down into a gin, herbal, and bitter orange swallow.