new nails

1 1/2 oz Scotch (Monkey Shoulder)
1/2 oz Smith & Cross Rum
1/2 oz Drambuie
1/2 oz Swedish Punsch (Kronan)
2 dash Angostura Bitters
2 dash Absinthe (20 drop Kübler)

Stir with ice, strain into a double old fashioned glass with a large ice cube, and garnish with orange oil from a twist.Two Fridays ago at Drink, I had a guest in an after-work crowd that was ordering Rusty Nails, and like a week prior when I crafted the Big Spender, it got me thinking. Another cocktail that I had made that night was the Modernista, and I decided to take that Scotch-Jamaican rum combination and fuse it with the Rusty Nail. I dropped the citrus from the equation and ended up opting for Angostura Bitters which provided more structure than the orange bitters from the Modernista. For a name, I dubbed this one the New Nails after the 1982 song from Boston band Mission of Burma. Here, it welcomed the nose with orange, caramel, and rum funk aromas. Next, honey and caramel mingled on the sip, and the swallow rounded things off with Scotch, honey, tea, rum funk, anise, and clove flavors.

brown bittered stirred

2 oz Russell's Reserve 6 Year Rye (Old Overholt 86°)
1/2 oz Carpano Antica Sweet Vermouth (Cocchi)
1/2 oz Cynar
1/4 oz JM Shrubb (Pierre Ferrand Dry Curaçao)
2 dash Angostura Bitters

Stir with ice, strain into a cocktail coupe, garnish with lemon oils and orange oils from twists, and add a rock candy stick (omit).After getting home from a busy night at the bar, I reached for Home Bar Basics (And Not So Basics) 3rd Edition by Dave Stolte, and I landed upon the Brown Bittered Stirred. The recipe was created by Jason Schiffer at 320 Main in Seal Beach, California, sometime in the 2010s, and it came across like an orange-tinged Little Italy. Once prepared, it donated a lemon, orange, and caramel bouquet to the nose. Next, grape and caramel notes on the sip gave way to rye, bitter, and orange flavors on the swallow with a clove and orange finish. Overall, the orange liqueur shifted the balance enough that I no longer thought of it as a Little Italy riff while drinking it.

i against i

1 oz Hampden Estate Jamaican Rum (3/4 oz Coruba + 1/4 oz Smith & Cross)
1 oz Great King Street Glasgow Blend Scotch (Cutty Sark Prohibition)
1/4 oz Honey Syrup 2:1 (3/8 oz 1:1)
2 dash Peychaud's Bitters
1/2 dash Bitter End Jamaican Jerk Bitters (Bittercube Jamaica #2)

Stir with ice, strain into a old fashioned pre-rinsed with Strega, and garnish with grapefruit oil from a twist.After my bar shift two Wednesdays ago, I selected Death & Co.'s Welcome Home book and landed upon Matthew Belanger's 2019 drink named I against I. I assumed that it was named after the punk band from the Netherlands, but it could be named after one of Bad Brains' albums, a 2012 movie, a song from Massive Attack, and a few other possibilities. With no hint in the text, I continued on to mix up the recipe. Soon, my nose was greeted by grapefruit oil and herbal-spice aromas from the Strega. Next, caramel and honey notes on the sip charged into Scotch, funky rum, clove, and anise flavors on the swallow.

terra firma

3/4 oz Suntory Toki Japanese Whisky (Kavalan Classic)
3/4 oz Laird's Bonded Apple Brandy
3/4 oz Dolin Blanc Vermouth
1/4 oz Benedictine
1 dash Angostura Bitters

Stir with ice, strain into a cocktail glass, and garnish with a lemon twist.Two Tuesdays ago, I decided to make a drink from Jeffrey Morgenthaler in Punch Drinks called the Terra Firma. This recent creation at Portland's KEX Hotel was crafted as a Vieux Carré riff utilizing Japanese whisky and apple brandy in place of the rye and Cognac, respectively. Once prepared, it proffered lemon, whisky, and herbal aromas to the nose. Next, a white grape sip entered into whisky, apple, and herbal flavors on the swallow.

ward six

1 1/2 oz Old Overholt 86° Rye
1/2 oz Angostura Bitters
1 oz Grenadine
1/2 oz Lemon Juice
1/4 oz Frank's Red Hot Sauce

Shake with ice, strain into a cocktail coupe, and garnish with an orange twist.Two Mondays ago, Andrea and I ventured down to the Seaport to have dinner at Chickadee. For a cocktail, I selected the Ward Six which came off as an intense Ward Eight riff. I later spoke with co-owner Ted Kilpatrick and inquired if it were his creation, to which he replied yes, and that it was "sneakily based on sangrita" and how their restaurant is almost in Ward Six. I explained that I figured it was his since it reminded me of his Son of Chico Dusty that he crafted a decade ago at No. 9 Park. Here, the Ward Six welcomed the nose with fruity elements from the grenadine and lemon as well as fruit and spice notes from the red pepper. Next, lemon, pepper, and pomegranate on the sip voted in rye along with pepper spice mingling with Angostura's winter spice on the swallow.

conference

1/2 oz Rittenhouse Rye
1/2 oz Buffalo Trace Bourbon (Evan Williams Bonded)
1/2 oz Calvados (Morin Selection)
1/2 oz Hine H Cognac (Pierre Ferrand 1840)
1 tsp 2:1 Demerara Syrup (1/4 oz 1:1)
2 dash Angostura Bitters
1 dash Bittermens Mole Bitters (Angostura Cocoa)

Stir with ice, strain into a double old fashioned glass with a large ice cube (build in an old fashioned glass, add a large ice cube, and stir). Garnish with a lemon twist and an orange twist.Two Sundays ago, I opened up the first Death & Co. Cocktail Book and came upon the Conference. This Brian Miller recipe was described as "a Tiki drink disguised as an Old Fashioned" due to the blending of several base spirits to make a new flavor profile akin to the Don the Beachcomber quote "What one rum can't do, three rums can." While the book lacked a date for its creation, the Bittermens site attributed it to 2007. Here, the Conference led off with lemon, orange, and Cognac aromas. Next, a rich sip jumped into rye, apple, Cognac, allspice, chocolate, and clove flavors on the swallow.

as wine stands time

1 oz Rittenhouse Rye
1 oz Cynar
1 oz Bonal Gentiane-Quina

Stir with ice, strain into a rocks glass, and garnish with grapefruit oil from a twist.Two Saturdays ago, I decided to make another recipe that I had spotted that week on Kindred Cocktails called As Wine Stands Time; the recipe was attributed to Kirk Estopinal of New Orleans' Cure via a 2014 eGullet thread. The combination reminded me of the Midnight Maurader with rye instead of mezcal and mole bitters as well as the Bicycle Thief minus the sweet vermouth as well as different proportions. Here, the As Wine Stands Time kicked things off with grapefruit and dark caramel aromas. Next, caramel and grape notes on the sip transitioned into rye and funky herbal flavors on the swallow.

ends of the earth

2 oz Añejo Tequila (Cimarron Reposado)
1/2 oz Crème de Banane (Tempus Fugit)
1/2 oz Amaro Nardini

Stir with ice, strain into an old fashioned glass with a large ice cube, and garnish with an orange twist.Two Fridays ago, I was scanning the Kindred Cocktails database for an intriguing recipe when I came across Chicago drink maker Applejack's Ends of the Earth. Its combination of agave and Amaro Nardini reminded me of how well the two worked in the Don't Forget the Struggle, Don't Forget the Streets and the Five Points, and I figured that banana liqueur in the mix would make things even tastier. Once prepared, the Ends of the Earth donated an orange, caramel, and vegetal aroma. Next, a caramelized banana sip concluded in a tequila and bitter herbal swallow.

big spender

1 oz Pierre Ferrand Ambre Cognac
1 oz Plantation Pineapple Rum
1/2 oz Drambuie
1/2 oz Fernet Branca

Stir with ice, strain into a double old fashioned glass with a large ice cube, and garnish with orange oil from a twist.Two Thursdays ago, I had a guest at work who wanted a Rusty Nail, and I began thinking about Drambuie. I then recalled the delightful Drambuie-Fernet combination in the Bittered Old Coot and Bonita Applebum, and I took things in a Cognac and pineapple rum direction later that evening. For a name, the song "Big Spender" by Peggy Lee was on the sound system, and I went with it. In the glass, the Big Spender proffered orange over darker aromas and fruit notes to the nose. Next, a honey and caramelized pineapple sip gave way to Cognac flavors with Fernet's bitterness on the swallow and pineapple and menthol on the finish.

king louie

3/4 oz Rye Whiskey (Rittenhouse Bonded)
3/4 oz Cognac (Pierre Ferrand 1840)
1 oz Bonal Gentiane-Quina
1/2 oz Crème de Banane (Tempus Fugit)
2 dash Mole Bitters (Angostura Cocoa)

Stir with ice, strain into a glass, and garnish with lemon oil from a twist.Two Wednesdays after I returned home from my bar shift, I was inspired to tinker with banana liqueur that I last used two days prior in the Origami Ape with the recipe structure of the 1919 Cocktail. For a name, I dubbed this one the King Louie after the orangutan who appears in Disney's 1967 movie The Jungle Book; King Louie was not in Rudyard Kipling's book but was cast for, voiced by, and named after singer Louis Prima. In the glass, the King Louie donated a lemon, caramel, and banana bouquet. Next, caramel and grape on the sip danced into rye, Cognac, caramel, and tropical flavors on the swallow in this desserty number.

the bedminster

2 oz Rye Whiskey (Old Overholt 86°)
1/2 oz Benedictine
1/2 oz Amaro Nonino
1 dash Angostura Bitters
1 dash Peychaud's Bitters

Stir with ice, strain into a cocktail coupe, and garnish with a lemon twist.Two Tuesdays ago, I spotted an interesting recipe on Kindred Cocktails called the Bedminster by Steve Fette; Steve created the drink in 2012 in honor of the location of the Pluckemin Inn in Bedminster, New Jersey. After having great luck with rye, Benedictine, and an amaro such as Cynar in the Death on the Installment Plan and Fernet in the Campo Viejo, having one with Amaro Nonino seemed intriguing. Once mixed, it proffered lemon, herbal, and orange aromas to the nose. Next, caramel and orange notes on the sip led into rye, herbal, chocolate-caramel, orange, and clove flavors on the swallow. I opted for a softer rye here to let the Amaro Nonino shine, but perhaps a spicier rye like Rittenhouse would have been a better choice for the balance trended on the sweeter side as things warmed up.

origami ape

1 1/2 oz Aged Puerto Rican Rum (Don Q Añejo)
3/4 oz Amaro Montenegro
3/4 oz Lime Juice
1/2 oz Banana Liqueur (Tempus Fugit)
1 pinch Salt

Shake with ice, strain into a cocktail coupe, and garnish with a banana chip (omit).Two Mondays ago, I returned after a bit of an absence to Chad Austin's Everyone Has a F*cking Cocktail Book and landed upon the Origami Ape. Chad's recipe features the combination of crème de banane and Amaro Montenegro that has appeared in a trio of drinks: the Hawthorne's Flower & Vine, Dead Rabbit's Fifth Gear, and Brian Maxwell's Chiquita Old Fashioned. Here as a Daiquiri variation, it proffered banana aromas with hints of orange and lime. Next, a lime and caramel sip flowed into rum and banana-tangerine flavors on the swallow. As it warmed up, the balance tipped a bit to the sweeter side, so perhaps dropping the Amaro Montenegro to a half ounce would help things.

havana 3 a.m.

1 1/2 oz Scotch (Cutty Sark Prohibition)
1/2 oz Jamaican Rum (Smith & Cross)
1/2 oz Swedish Punsch (Kronan)
1/2 oz Apricot Liqueur (Rothman & Winter)
1/2 oz Lemon Juice
2 dash Absinthe (20 drop Copper & Kings)

Shake with ice and strain into a cocktail coupe.One of the recipes that I make for Scotch-citrus requests at work is the Modernista recipe provided by Ted Haigh in his seminal Vintage Spirits and Forgotten Cocktails book. I took a page from the Havana Cocktail as adapted in Jeff Masson and Greg Boehm's Big Bartender's Book and added in apricot liqueur in place of the orange bitters in Haigh's recipe. For a name, I dubbed this one Havana 3 A.M. after the mid-80s rock group which took its name from a 1956 album by Pérez Prado. In the glass, the Havana 3 A.M. proffered rum funk and smoke aromas. Next, lemon and caramel in the sip danced away to smoky Scotch, rum funk, apricot, black tea, and anise flavors.

hope is a waking dream

1 1/2 oz Gin (Beefeater)
3/4 oz Dry Vermouth (Noilly Prat)
1/2 oz Cynar
1/4 oz Grenadine
2 dash Angostura Bitters


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

Two Fridays ago at work, I made the Giuseppe's Lady for a guest who wanted gin, citrus, and bitter. When I got home, I was inspired to take those flavors in a Martini riff akin to an embittered Atta Boy from The Savoy Cocktail Book such as what was what was done in the Atta Girl with Fernet. For a name, I had still been thinking about my Lyft driver who was talking to me about Aristotle that began with the theory on the three kinds of friendship: friendships of pleasure, of utility, and of virtue. Therefore, I dubbed this one Hope is a Waking Dream after one of Aristotle's sayings.The Hope is a Waking Dream came through to the senses with a lemon, berry, and pine aroma. Next, a crisp berry and caramel sip flowed into gin, caramel, and herbal notes on the swallow with a berry and clove finish.

beehive

1 1/2 oz Aged Jamaican Rum (Coruba)
3/4 oz Honey Syrup
3/4 oz Lime Juice
1/2 oz Fernet Branca

Shake with ice and strain into a cocktail coupe.Two Thursdays ago, I returned to Dave Stolte's Home Bar Basics (and Not So Basics) (3rd ed.) and spotted the Beehive. This 2010s creation by Brandon Bramhall of Attaboy in New York City was reminiscent of the rum-based Bee's Knees called the Honey Bee in David Embury's 1948 The Fine Art of Mixing Drinks with lime and a Fernet touch akin to the Tiger Balm. In the glass, the Beehive conjured up caramel with hints of rum funk and menthol on the nose. Next, lime, caramel, and honey on the sip buzzed into funky rum blending into caramel-methol flavors on the swallow.

the velvet touch

2 oz Rye Whiskey (Rittenhouse Bonded)
3/4 oz Amaro Nonino
1/4 oz Pedro Ximenez Sherry (Oxford)

Stir with ice, strain into a cocktail coupe, and garnish with an orange twist. Two Wednesdays ago after my bar shift, I delved into the 3rd edition of Dave Stolte's Home Bar Basics (and Not So Basics) and found the Velvet Touch. The recipe was crafted by Dave Castillo at Truss & Twine of Palm Springs, California, in the 2010s, and it came across as a curious Black Manhattan of sorts that shared similarities with La Viña given the rye, sherry, and Nonino components. Once prepared, the Velvet Touch welcomed the senses with orange, caramel, and raisin aromas. Next, the caramel and grape notes continued on into the sip where they were overrun by rye, dark orange, and a hint of bitter flavors on the swallow with a raisin finish.

toucan sam

1 1/2 oz Bombay Sapphire Gin
1 1/2 oz Lo-Fi Sweet (Blanc) Vermouth
1/4 oz Kalani Coconut Liqueur
1/8 oz Luxardo Maraschino Liqueur

Stir with ice, strain into a cocktail pre-spritzed with a Makrut lime tincture (perhaps substitute lime oils from a twist or two), and garnish with a side of Fruit Loops.

For a second drink at Backbar, I asked bartender Anthony Brocatto for the Toucan Sam which seemed like a curious tropical Martini that was well received minutes before on the other end of the bar. The menu described how "this Martini will send you on a journey straight into the rain forest" especially given the lime oils and coconut liqueur; plus, the blanc vermouth (labeled as "sweet" by the producer) added cinnamon, clove, vanilla, and tropical notes to the mix. The menu continued on with, "Yes, we named it after Backbar's owner, Sam. Yes, we named it after the Fruit Loops mascot. And yes, if you follow your nose, it'll lead you to this deliciously complex clear cocktail."When the drink was served, the Fruit Loops were provided in a sidecar cup; the menu photo had them laid across the top in a disorganized rainbow on pick. I inquired about the change of garnish, and Anthony explained how the garnish ended up getting wetted sitting atop when it was transported from the service bar to guests sitting in the room. Here, the Toucan Sam led the nose to floral and lime aromas. Next, white grape notes on the sip perched upon gin, coconut, nutty cherry, and cinnamon-herbal flavors on the swallow. Overall, it was a delight to drink even if it got a touch sweet as things warmed up.

hummingbird

1 oz Uruapan Charanda Blanco Rum
1/2 oz Flor de Caña Rum
1/2 oz St. Germain
1/2 oz Giffard Crème de Cacao
1/2 oz Lemon Juice
1 dash Bittermens Mole Bitters
1 dash Rosemary Tincture (*)

Shake with ice, strain into a cocktail coupe, and garnish with an edible orchid flower.
(*) Perhaps a pinch of rosemary needles/leaves that were muddled would work as a substitute.

Two Tuesdays ago, Andrea and I headed down to Backbar to sample from their bird-themed menu. For a first drink, I asked bartender Anthony Brocatto for the Hummingbird that reminded me a bit of the Floridita Daiquiri given the cacao element. The menu described, "Going into battle, ancient Aztecs often wore hummingbird talismans, a symbol of valor and energy to honor Huiz, the ancient God of War. This refreshing cocktail will revitalize you and set your heart aflutter with its floral and chocolate notes." I was also excited to have a drink with Uruapan Charanda, a white rum made in Mexico that I have at home that is half agricole-style and half regular molasses rum.In the glass, the Hummingbird flitted to the nose with rum funk, floral, and chocolate aromas. Next, lemon, roast, and a hint of fruitiness on the sip flew into funky rum, floral, and chocolate flavors on the swallow.

all signs point to yes

2 oz Mezcal (Fidencio)
1/2 oz Aperol
1/2 oz Cynar
1/4 oz Campari

Stir with ice, strain into a cocktail coupe, and garnish with a flamed orange twist (unflamed).Two Mondays ago, I was interested in a Cynar-Aperol drink except I can no longer remember why that pair had inspired me. It is one that I first tried in 2008 with the biggest early impact being Aaron Butler's The Scottish Play at Russell House Tavern in 2010 and Jared Sadoian's Juan Bautista at Craigie on Main in 2011. Moreover, it appears in only one of my creations called The Elephant in the Room after watching political debate coverage in early 2020. Therefore, I set off searching the Kindred Cocktail database and found a pair of drinks with Eight Ball-themed names call the Ask Again Later and All Signs Point to Yes by Michael Alwill circa 2012 of the Cocktail Democracy blog. The latter called out to me more, and it welcomed my nose with a smoky, vegetal, and orange bouquet. Next, caramel and orange elements on the sip predicted smoky, vegetal bitter, and berry-orange flavors on the swallow.

death on the installment plan

1 1/2 oz Rittenhouse Bonded Rye
1/2 oz Mezcal (Fidencio)
1/2 oz Benedictine
1/2 oz Cynar

Stir with ice and strain into an old fashioned glass pre-rinsed with apricot liqueur (Rothman & Winter).

Two Sundays ago, I had been thinking about the Benedictine-Cynar combination that I last tried out in the Lower Mills and wanted to expand on that. I opted for a 3:1 split base of Rittenhouse Rye to mezcal that I learned from several Death & Co. recipes including the Hunt & Peck and last tinkered with in the Campo Viejo. As a final touch, I added in the apricot rinse "bell-ringer" that was the signature move of James Maloney, for I have been making a few drinks from his 1900 The Twentieth-Century Cocktail Guide for Mixing Fancy Drinks at work including the Martinez Bell-Ringer. The combination of Cynar and apricot has been a delight in drinks like the One One Thousand as well as my Library Card, so that was on my mind. The Benedictine and apricot one was less on my mind despite it working well first in the Silk Road Sour that led to my Peruvian Necktie and other creations.For a name, I dubbed this the Death on the Installment Plan after Louis-Ferdinand Celine's 1936 book. I had bought the book in the late 1990s but never read it for I got stuck reading his earlier Journey to the End of the Night and had to put it down to avoid the effects which that level of nihilism had on me as I was trying to wrap up my graduate studies for my doctorate. I had abandoned books before due to losing interest or a decrease in free time, but never have I been defeated by an author in such a way. The drink, however, was quite the opposite for it welcomed the senses with an apricot and smoke aroma with darker notes lurking beneath. Next, caramel and orchard fruit on the sip flowed into rye, smoke, vegetal, and herbal flavors on the swallow with an apricot finish.

rhymes with orange

2 oz Wild Turkey 101° Rye (Rittenhouse)
1 oz Carpano Antica Sweet Vermouth (Cocchi)
1/8 oz Laphroaig Scotch
1/2 oz Ramazzotti Amaro
17 drop Bittercube Orange Bitters (1 dash Angostura Orange)
Two Saturdays ago after my first bar shift back after traveling, I turned to The Bartender's Manifesto by Toby Maloney with Emma Janzen and landed upon Toby's 2011 Rhymes with Orange that he created at the Violet Hour in Chicago. Once prepared, the cocktail conjured up orange and rye aromas. Next, grape and caramel notes swirled on the sip, and the swallow wrapped things up with rye, grape, smoke, and caramel-orange flavors with a peaty finish.

dolemite

2 oz Rittenhouse Bonded Rye
1/2 oz Crème de Cacao (Tempus Fugit)
1/2 oz Cynar

Stir with ice, strain into a cocktail coupe, and garnish with a cherry.After getting home from Ireland two Fridays ago, my new purchase of the 3rd edition of Dave Stolte's Home Bar Basics (and Not So Basics) was waiting for me. When I opened it up, I was searching for a solid nightcap that would be easy to assemble to get me into sound sleep as soon as possible. The one that called out to me was the Dolemite by Jason Schiffer at 320 Main in Seal Beach, California, circa the 2010s era. The recipe reminded me of my 2011 Coney Island that took the rye-cacao combination in a Punt e Mes and Angostura Bitters direction instead of Cynar. Here, the Dolemite mingled funky herbal, chocolate, and rye aromas underneath the nose. Next, caramel and roast notes on the sip got busted by rye, vegetal, and cacao flavors on the swallow.

veneto negroni

1 oz Gin (Beefeater)
1/2 oz Sfumato Rabarbaro
1/2 oz Aperol
1 oz Sweet Vermouth

Stir with ice, strain into an old fashioned glass with ice, and garnish with a grapefruit twist.After posting my Dark Entries on Instagram and receiving the comment by Haus Alpenz's Jake Parrott that the "50:50 rabarbaro and red bitter is a classic café drink in the Veneto – one of many drinks in Italy to get the moniker 'mezzo-mezzo'," I was inspired to tinker two Fridays ago. I decided to use that duo of Sfumato and Aperol in a classic Negroni, and I dubbed the result the Veneto Negroni (and not the Mezzo-Mezgroni). Once prepared, the Veneto Negroni proffered a grapefruit and roasty smoke aroma. Next, caramel, roast, and orange notes on the sip launched into gin, orange, herbal, and smoke flavors on the swallow.

trophy room cocktail

3/4 oz Bourbon (Evan Williams Bonded)
3/4 oz Cognac (Pierre Ferrand 1840)
3/4 oz Cynar
1/2 oz Maraschino Liqueur (Luxardo)
2 dash Peychaud's Bitters
2 dash Angostura Bitters

Stir with ice, strain into a Nick & Nora glass, and garnisb with an orange twist.Two Thursdays ago, I utilized my new Patreon subscription to Bartender at Large to find that evening's libation. The recipe that caught my eye was the Trophy Room Cocktail as a Vieux Carré riff created at the exclusive Club 33 at Disneyland. Overall, the combination reminded me more of a Fancy Free and perhaps my Bourbon-Cognac split Gallivanting in Golden Gai moreso than the New Orleans classic, but I was definitely interested in having a go at it. The Trophy Room Cocktail began with an orange and nutty cherry bouquet. Next, caramel and cherry notes on the sip rewarded the senses with Bourbon, brandy, nutty cherry, and herbal flavors on the swallow.