:: fred's top 10 cocktail moments of 2023 ::

Back in 2010, someone asked what my favorite cocktail that year was, and I decided not only to start a list of my favorite drinks, but I decided to list the top moments of the previous 12 months. So to continue with the tradition, here is the 14th annual installment:

1. Did some writing.
Besides coming in at just over 360 posts this year (it adds up to under a post a day due to my week away in Oaxaca), I finished up my fourth and final article for Edible Boston and Edible Worcester with a tribute to a Spring-time generated ingredient that is often associated with Fall and Winter flavors with my treatise Love and Maple Syrup. I included tales of our adventures to local maple syrup farms, a mention of Robin Wall Kimmerer's Braiding Sweetgrass that I read for Camper English's book club, and three cocktails of mine using that very New England sweetener. Overall it was not only an honor but a fun one to take a trip around the sun and think about seasonality in what we drink as I covered herbs and Smashes, apples, and hearty egg drinks in the prior three seasons.

2. Gave some talks.
In January, I traveled to Oaxaca, Mexico, to spend a week with the Convite brand. One of the requirements besides doing two guest shifts at their bar was to give a master class. The class I gave was on Mindful Bartending based off of things I learned from Gary Regan, life experiences, and other resources, and I gave this to a room full of 30 young bartenders (and translated into Spanish by Chicago bartender Jorge Vallejo who joined me on this adventure). I also took questions and transcribed my response to one I fielded on how new bartenders can feel less nervous at work. The second talk I did was for Boston Rum Week in September entitled "Rum Choice for Cocktails: How to classify rums, understand their flavors, and use what you've got". I covered the history of rum classification systems, what it means for cocktails especially as rums change over time and islands diversify their products, how to utilize your collection to make the best drink, and advice on pairing rum with different spirits. Here is a promotional interview I did, and I uploaded my slidedeck onto Google Drive. 3. Appeared on podcasts.
In February, the Bartender at Large episode that I recorded with Erick Castro late last year finally aired. Erick's description was, "Join us as we sit down with Frederic Yarm, renowned bartender and author from Boston, as we discuss the realities of achieving a work-life balance while managing bars & restaurants. Yarm shares his experiences and insights on how to deal with burnout in the industry. Whether you're a bartender or simply curious about the hospitality world, this episode offers valuable perspectives on balancing work and life." I mentioned some of this in last year's edition of this wrap up. There's also a bonus episode on Patreon that covers cocktail blogging and some other topics. And in April, I appeared on an episode of My Tiny Bottles where I talked about the history of the (Old) Mr. Boston distillery and recipe books, my personal history in cocktails and spirits, and finally tasting some vintage schnapps bottles from said distillery. The valuable lesson is don't collect vintage spirits in plastic bottles that allow for evaporation (of liquids and aromatics) not observed nearly as much in glass ones.

4. The beer world.
In April, I had the chance once again to volunteer for the NERAX cask beer festival for the first time since 2019. My April 2020 volunteer date along with a trip to Kentucky for the Angel's Envy national Whiskey Guardian gathering and to Pittsburgh for the USBG regional meeting were a trio of canceled plans, so it was good to spend time drinking and serving cask beer amongst fellow beer nerds. Over the course of the year, my beer app tells me that we checked into 97 breweries and 1 cidery taproom. Some noteable visits include a goodbye session at Bone Up who lost their lease, two in Oaxaca: La Santisima Flor de Lupulo and Oaxaca Brewing Co., and great first time visits to spots like Czar's Brewing, the Brewery at Four Star Farms, Brockton Beer Co. (pictured below), Kettlehead, Vulgar, and Independent Fermentations. One of my bar guests asked if I request Sundays off to go to church, and I replied that no, my Sunday vibe is brewery tap rooms and Cribbage. Yes, this year, I learned how to play Cribbage, bought a board, and taught my wife. 5. Was quoted a bit.
The year started with an article on the Appetizer à l’Italienne in Imbibe Magazine – a Fernet-laden recipe that found a home at Drink in Boston over a century after being published in William Schmidt's The Flowing Bowl in 1892 and not served at many other places. Al Sotack included my Fleming Fizz of a Penicillin crossed with a French 75 in his Epicurious article about Scotch cocktails (the drink was published on that site in December 2020). UPROXX used me as a bartender voice in their articles on Spring bock beers, Spring Lagers, double dry-hopped IPAs, East coast IPAs, "light" beers, desert island pilsners, underrated breweries, desert island IPAs, sour beers, and Oktoberfest beers. My opinion was utilized for best muddler for WineEnthusiast, and I was quoted in part 1 & part 2 on VinePair's "Two Hundred Years Trending: A Definitive History of the 'Drinks of Summer'".

6. Read a little but not as much as I would have liked.
For much of 2023, my vision was impaired by a blocked oil duct that caused an eyelid bump and thus an astigmatism that made reading a chore. Eventually, I was able to get an appointment to get it taken care of, and it took me a bit to get back into the reading rhythm. Before it became too tough to read, I made my way through Robert Simonson's Modern Classic Cocktails, Peter Friendlier's "21": Memoirs of a Saloon Keeper, and Philip Greene's A Drinkable Feast: A Cocktail Companion to 1920s Paris. Afterwards, I read Will Guidara's Unreasonable Hospitality: The Remarkable Power of Giving People More Than They Expect, Kevin Quigley's New England Tiki, and Stephanie Schorow's Inside the Combat Zone. Hopefully 2024 has me hitting the two books per month mark I was reading at one point. 7. Involved in the USBG.
This was my 11th full year of being a member of the USBG (joined in October 2012) and my 5th year as the chapter secretary. I organized two tasting events with distillers, namely Kuleana Rum and Westward Whiskey. Moreover, I organized two distillery tours which gave folks a great behind the scenes view of Privateer and Chattermark distilleries. The bartenders guild also afforded me to sit in on classes on Woodford Reserve, Old Forester, Highland & Speyside Scotches, and pot still Irish whiskey with Teeling. Moreover, the guild organized our local Campari Day of Service at Community Servings where we spent the day helping prep and assembling meals to go to folks in need due to medical conditions in our community (see photo above).

8. Created some drinks.
2023 yielded 31 drinks posted onto the blog that I created (two were created during my time at Loyal Nine but I never posted them during my two and half years there between 2015-2017). Some were influenced by my delving into the Milk & Honey family of recipes via the Bartender's Choice app such as the Kilted Flower, Anchor-Faced, and Lupe Velez. Others, I can track back to Cure and Rogue/Beta Cocktails such as the Devil's Staircase and A Kidnapped Drink. There were plenty of other influences like the old Green Street with The Five Elements, Stan Jones and a mezcal bartender competition with the Bar Boss, and even the Savoy Cocktail Book with the As I Lay Dying. Hopefully, I find more inspiration in 2024 to savor and learn from to continue my understanding of cocktails. 9. Expanded my social media outlets.
Besides the blog and my cocktail Instagram, I also use Twitter under @cocktailvirgin. With Twitter's uncertain future, I have also expanded to Mastodon with fredericyarm@better.boston, BlueSky with @fredericyarm.bsky.social, and Threads with @fredericyarm. I wish that I could be centralized into one platform like in the golden years of Twitter, but it has not become apparent what platform will become the most useful. Even with all the issues with Twitter, I have been on there long enough and have amassed a great number of connections (some of whom are still using it) to keep cross-posting my thoughts and links despite the site's issues.

10. I need to make 2024 more exciting and vibrant so I do not have a problem coming up with a tenth year end list item.
While I did travel in January as part of my post-working at Drink break, I pretty much stayed put for the rest of the year save for day trips. The job search took up the early part of 2024 where I interviewed and staged at a number of places, joined one for a few days before realizing that it was a horrible fit, and eventually landed at Josephine under a mile from my home. When Portland Cocktail Week came around, I turned down my acceptance for it was not a good time for our bar program given some turnover that was happening. There were some cool events that I did go to in town like attending the Hendrick's Floradora launch party at the Herb Lyceum, learning about Drambuie and coffee at the Wig Shop, judging a Daiquiri competition at Shore Leave during Boston Rum Week, hearing Dale DeGroff talk at Equal Measures about his new amaro and apertivo followed by drinks at the new Eastern Standard, and celebrating at Trina's Starlite Lounge's Prohibition Repeal Night event hosted by Josh Childs. There were also some sad ones like saying goodbye to The Boston Shaker store. Finally, there were also some proud moments like the time that a co-worker called out on a Saturday night leaving me to do the busy shift solo, so we brought a server behind the bar to help out, and over the course of a few weeks I trained her into a full time bartender with a bright future ahead of her. I am definitely curious to see what 2024 has in store for me. Cheers y'all!

double dutch

1 1/2 oz Bols Genever (Bols Genever Barrel Aged)
1 oz Dolin Blanc Vermouth
1/2 oz Sombra Mezcal (Peloton de la Muerte)
1/4 oz Crème de Cacao (Bols)
2 dash Mole Bitters (Bittermens)

Stir with ice and strain into a cocktail coupe.Two Sundays ago, I was scanning through a collection of online recipe flashcards from the NoMad and spotted the Double Dutch. I was getting discouraged since I could not find the drink on any Yelp or GoogleMaps menu photo or review, but I later found it mentioned in a 2012 blog post about Eleven Madison Park which was in the same restaurant group as the NoMad. I have had Genever and mezcal in a trio of drinks before – the 1820, Smokey Hollander, and Smokey the Pear all with citrus – so I was curious to try this straight spirits number. Once prepared, the Double Dutch showcased a malty, floral, vegetal, and hint of smoke aroma. Next, a white grape sip transitioned to malty, smokey, vegetal, and chocolate-herbal flavors on the swallow.

potential threat

1 1/4 oz Rye Whiskey (Rittenhouse)
3/4 oz Mezcal (Peloton de la Muerte)
3/4 oz Sweet Vermouth (Cocchi)
1/4 oz Benedictine
3 dash Angostura Bitters

Stir with ice, strain into a cocktail coupe, and garnish with an orange twist.Two Saturdays ago, I returned to the Raines Law Room online flashcard sets, and I decided to make the Potential Threat that I held off mixing up before as I could not confirm it via Yelp or an article. However, it was in three different flashcard sets, and it was like a Preakness with mezcal added or a Sforzando with sweet instead of dry vermouth, so it sounded like something that I was desiring that night. Once prepared, the Potential Threat opened up with orange, grape, and smoke aromas. Next, grape on the sip transformed into rye, smoky vegetal, herbal, clove, and allspice flavors on the swallow.

jungle boulevard

1 oz Plantation Stiggins' Fancy Pineapple Rum
1/2 oz Hamilton's Jamaican Pot Still Black Rum (1/4 oz Coruba + 1/4 oz Smith & Cross)
3/4 oz Campari
3/4 oz Sweet Vermouth (Cocchi)

Stir with ice, strain into an old fashioned glass with ice, and garnish with an orange twist.Two Fridays ago, I was perusing a set of online recipe flashcards for Craft & Commerce in San Diego when I came across the Jungle Boulevard. The recipe reminded me of a Right Hand with pineapple and dark Jamaican rum as the spirits and without the mole bitters (and of course the name suggests a rum Boulvardier), and it appeared on menus captured in Yelp photos between 2017 and 2019. Once assembled, the Jungle Boulevard wafted to the nose with orange oil over caramel and dark orange aromas. Next, grape and caramel notes on the sip uncovered pineapple, rum, caramel, and bitter orange flavors on the swallow.

lucino's delight

2 oz Beefeater Gin
3/4 oz Carpano Antica Sweet Vermouth (Cocchi)
1/4 oz Luxardo Maraschino
1/4 oz Amaro Lucano

Stir with ice and strain into a coupe.I recently bought a bottle of Amaro Lucano, and for a first use of it, I made Lucino's Delight from the first Death & Co. Book. The recipe was created by Phil Ward in 2007 as a gin drink akin to the Montmartre or a gin Brooklyn, and it was reminscent of Phil's Bushwick with rye that was similar to the Blue Collar or the original 1908 Brooklyn with sweet vermouth. In the glass, Lucino's Delight shared an orange and nutty cherry bouquet to the senses. Next, caramel and grape on the sip led into gin, orange, and cherry flavors on the swallow. Indeed, the elegant flavors and balance here reminded me of Chuck Taggart's Hoskins which was a pleasant surprise.

blank shooter

2 oz Rye Whiskey (Old Overholt 86°)
3/4 oz Lemon Juice
3/8 oz Honey Syrup
3/8 oz Cinnamon Syrup
1/4 oz Fernet Branca
2 dash Peach Bitters (Fee's)

Shake with ice, strain into a coupe, and garnish with a lemon twist (orange twist).Two Wednesdays ago, I returned to the online recipe flashcard set from Lion's Share in San Diego and opted for the Blank Shooter as a Gold Rush with cinnamon-Fernet flavors accents. I was able to find the drink listed on a Yelp menu photo from 2014 but could not find much more information about it. In the glass, the Blank Shooter proffered an orange, cinnamon, honey, and herbal bouquet. Next, lemon and honey notes on the sip flowed into rye, gentian, cinnamon, and menthol flavors on the swallow with a lemon-peach finish.

hard times

1 1/2 oz Barrel-Aged Bols Genever
1 oz Borghetti Espresso Liqueur
1/2 oz Yellow Chartreuse
1/2 oz Angostura Bitters
1/4 oz Amaro Braulio

Stir with ice, strain into a Nick & Nora in an ashtray, and garnish with a flamed spritz of absinthe.Two Tuesdays ago, I ventured down to Backbar for their new Mixtape-themed menu. The drink which called out to me was the Hard Times by Kyle Marshall that was inspired by Ray Charles' 1961 lesser-known track "Hard Times (No One Knows Better Than I)". Backbar's Instagram later described, "It's bitter and a little intense like a good blues song should be. It also has Bols Genever and Caffè Borghetti because apparently Ray Charles required black coffee and a shot of Genever before ever gig as part of his contract." The one that bartender Peyton Ligon made for me began with anise, caramel, and clove aromas on the nose. Next, caramel and roast flavors on the sip slid into malty, coffee, pine, herbal, and roast flavors on the swallow. Overall, the combination was stunning, but it seemed to lose some cohesiveness as it warmed up. When I mentioned that to Peyton, he commented that they were toying with serving it on the rocks but ended up serving it up instead of having it diluted more over time.

the five elements

3/4 oz Cognac (Du Peyrat Selection)
3/4 oz Batavia Arrack (von Oosten)
1/2 oz Punt e Mes
1/2 oz Chinese Five Spice Syrup (*)
1/2 oz Lemon Juice

Shake with ice, strain into a double old fashioned glass with a large ice cube, and garnish with a cinnamon stick.
(*) Chinese five spice syrup: 1 tsp Chinese five spice powder, 1/3 cup sugar, 1/3 cup water. Heat the spices in a pan until they become fragrant. Add sugar and water, stir, and bring to a boil. Turn off the heat, let sit covered for 15 minutes, strain through a coffee filter, bottle, and refrigerate.After spotting Misty Kalkofen's Joe's Fashion that paired Punt e Mes with Chinese five spice syrup, I decided to tinker. I opted for the spirits mix from the Bombay Government Punch of Cognac and Batavia Arrack to make a drink split between ingredients from the East and the West. Since it felt very punch like, I dubbed this the Five Elements – partly because the recipe had that many ingredients but also because the word 'punch' may derive from the Hindi word 'panch' meaning five: spirit, citrus, sugar, spice, and water. Once prepared, the Five Elements greeted the nose with Cognac, apple, and cinnamon aromas. Next, lemon, honey, roast, and grape notes on the sip sailed into Cognac, dry funky Batavia Arrack, herbal, and spice including star anise flavors on the swallow.

blackbeard

1 1/2 oz Old Overholt Rye (Old Overholt 86°)
1/2 oz Dolin Sweet Vermouth (Cocchi)
1/2 oz Dolin Dry Vermouth (Noilly Prat)
1/2 oz Cynar

Stir with ice and strain into a coupe. No garnish was mentioned but a lemon twist seemed right here given the Perfect structure.Two Sundays ago after my bar shift, I decided to make the Blackbeard from the John Dory Oyster House in Manhattan that read like a Perfect Little Italy. I sourced the recipe from online flashcards, and it was created sometime between the restaurant opening in 2010 and its appearance in a menu photo on Yelp in 2015. Once prepared, the Blackbeard welcomed the nose with lemon and vegetal aromas. Next, caramel and grape notes on the sip gave way to rye and bitter herbal flavors on the swallow. Overall, with the dry vermouth in the mix, it came across as more aggressive and bitter and less rounded than a Little Italy.

reverend wise

1 3/4 oz Privateer Gin (made here with Beefeater)
1/2 oz Lime Juice
1/4 oz Kronan Swedish Punsch
1/4 oz Cinnamon Syrup
1/4 oz Honey Syrup
6 drop Absinthe (St. George)

Shake with ice, strain into a coupe glass, and garnish with a lime wheel.Two Saturdays ago, I needed to look up my old Hot Buttered Rum recipe (not the edited version but the one with the piccalilli spices) in my Loyal Nine recipe development notebook. Afterwards, I began flipping through and spotted the Reverend Wise that I created at Loyal Nine in early 2017. I named this spiced Gimlet of sorts after a politically active reverend who protested British taxation during the Colonial era which matched the restaurant name's theme. Wise lived up north in Ipswich which was a great tie-in with the Privateer Gin distilled there that I used for this drink of the day. Above is the photo from nearly 7 years ago, and below, is a photo from my recent revisitation.In the glass, the Reverend Wise preached a lime, cinnamon, pine, and anise aroma. Next, lime, honey, and caramel on the sip transitioned to gin, cinnamon, tea, and anise flavors on the swallow.

tijuana pipe dream

1 1/2 oz Reposado Tequila (Cimarron)
1/2 oz Aveze Gentian Liqueur (Suze)
1/4 oz Kahlua Coffee Liqueur
1/4 oz Bank Note Scotch (Cutty Sark Prohibition)
2 dash Orange Bitters (Angostura Orange)

Stir with ice, strain into a coupe, and garnish with a lemon twist.Two Fridays ago, I found my evening's libation called the Tijuana Pipe Dream in the online recipe flashcard set for Portland's Shift Drinks bar. The recipe by Alise Moffatt posted there was confirmed via a 2016 Paste Magazine article; however, the article lacked the orange bitters listed in the flashcard. Alise was quoted in the article describing the cocktail as, "The wood notes from the reposado tequila play with the high, bright herbs from the Avèze and almost create the taste of a dewy wooden morning... The cocktail starts off big, bright and herbaceous, and then finishes with a subtle, warm vanilla kiss." Once prepared, the Tijuana Pipe Dream led off with a lemon and gentian vegetal bouquet. Next, a semi-sweet sip gave way to tequila, herbal-bitter gentian, coffee, and hints of smoke on the swallow.

five points

1 1/2 oz Applejack (Laird's Bonded)
1/2 oz Apry (Rothman & Winter Orchard Apricot Liqueur)
1/2 oz Amaro Ramazzotti
1/4 oz Dry Vermouth (Noilly Prat)
2 dash Angostura Bitters

Stir with ice, strain into a coupe, and garnish with an orange twist and cherry.Two Thursdays ago, I ventured back to the Raines Law Room online recipe flashcards and found the Five Points that was different from the other Five Points on here that was created at Death & Co. This tribute to the legendary 19th century Lower Manhattan neighborhood was instead crafted by Jeremy Thompson and featured Ramazzotti that he utilized well in his Ragtime but paired here with apricot liqueur akin to Eric Alperin's Skid Row instead of Aperol. In the glass, the Five Points presented an orange, apple, and apricot nose. Next, caramel and orchard fruit on the sip progressed into apple, root beer herbal, apricot, and allspice flavors on the swallow.

internet famous

1 1/2 oz White Rum (Privateer Tres Aromatique Overproof)
1/2 oz Pamplemousse Grapefruit Liqueur (St. Elder)
1/2 oz Brenevin (Linie Aquavit)
1/8 oz Maraschino (Luxardo)
2 dash Peychaud's Bitters
1 dash Saline (3 drop 1:4 Saline Solution)

Stir with ice, strain into a coupe, and garnish with a grapefruit twist.Two Wednesdays ago, I returned to the online recipe flashcard set for Portland's Shift Drinks and spotted the Internet Famous. Its aquavit-Maraschino combination reminded me of how well it worked in recipes like the Bohemia and Argyle, so I was curious to give this one a go. Here, the Internet Famous proffered a grapefruit and cherry bouquet to the nose. Next, cherry notes on the sip uncovered rum, cherry, caraway, grapefruit peel, and anise flavors on the swallow.

bar boss

1 1/2 oz Rye Whiskey (Rittenhouse)
1/2 oz Mezcal (Peloton de la Muerte)
1/2 oz Amaretto (Disaronno)
1/2 oz Cynar
1 dash Angostura Bitters
1 dash Mole Bitters (Bittermens)

Stir with ice, strain into an old fashioned glass with ice, and garnish with a cherry.Two weeks ago, I was getting bombarded on social media for folks posting their voting link to the Bar Boss competition for a celebrity mezcal brand. After generating and posting a fake one for Stan Jones (see below) with the quote "I'm not just a bar boss, I published the first Boss Cocktail recipe before you were a glimmer in your daddy's eyes", it got me thinking about the Boss which is a Bourbon Godfather that first apeared in Stan Jones' 1977 Complete Barguide. How could I update this to modern standards and call it the Bar Boss? Switching the Bourbon to rye and making it more complex as a split base with mezcal (as well as including it as a nod to the competition's sponsors) was a first step. The second was making the amaretto component more dynamic with Cynar; despite never having had both amaretto and Cynar in a cocktail before, I knew that both rye and mezcal make excellent partners with it. Adding in Angostura and mole bitters to complement the rye and mezcal, respectively, was a final touch.Once prepared, the Bar Boss greeted the senses with nutty, cherry, and hint of smoke aromas. Next, caramel and almond notes on the sip led the way to rye, funky vegetal, and nutty flavors on the swallow with a chocolate and smoke finish. My major regret when making this drink was that I posted it on Instagram with #barboss and related hashtags used in the competition which garnered me a lot of bot activity for over a week asking for my voting link in my DMs and leaving comments on the post (I deleted all but the first one though).

hunter thompson

1 oz Mezcal (Peloton de la Muerte)
1 oz Pineapple Rum (Plantation Stiggins)
1/2 oz Raspberry Syrup
1/2 oz Agave Syrup
2 dash Fee's Barrel-Aged Bitters

Shake with ice, strain into an old fashioned glass with ice, and garnish with a piece of candied pineapple on a pick (omit).Two Mondays ago, I decided to delve into a set of online recipe flashcards from Lion's Share in San Diego. The recipe that I started with was the Hunter Thomspon that I dated to 2014 via Yelp menu and drink photos. My response when trying it was "like a messed up Knickerbocker!" Indeed, it began with smoke, raspberry, pineapple, and vegetal aromas. Next, lime and red berry notes on the sip led into smoky agave, tropical raspberry, and cinnamon flavors on the swallow.

threepenny opera

1 1/2 oz Pierre Ferrand Ambre Cognac (Du Peyrat Selection)
1 oz Sweet Vermouth (Cocchi)
1/4 oz Cynar
1 dash Orange Bitters (Regan's)

Stir with ice, strain into a rocks glass with ice, and garnish with an orange twist.Two Sundays ago, I ventured back to the Raines Law Room online recipe flashcard sets and spotted the Threepenny Opera that read like a Cognac Little Italy with shades of Ce Soir. The drink was attributed to Rachel Kim, and a Yelp review put this menu item around 2014. In the glass, the Threepenny Opera stepped to the senses with an orange and grape bouquet. Next, grape and caramel notes mingled on the sip, and the swallow wrapped things up with Cognac melding into vegetal herbal flavors.

psychadelic quinceañera

1 1/2 oz Tequila (Olmeca Altos)
1/2 oz Mezcal (Peloton de la Muerte)
1/2 oz Agwa de Bolivia
1/4 oz Maraschino (Luxardo)
1 dash Orange Bitters

Stir with ice, strain into a cocktail coupe, and garnish with lemon oil from a twist.Two Saturdays ago, I returned to the online recipe flashcard set from Shift Drinks in Portland, Oregon. There, I decided to make the Psychadelic Quinceañera that would provide a reason to open the bottle of Agwa, a coca leaf and herbal distillate, that was sent to me as a sample over a decade ago and I never found a tempting recipe to use it in. I was able to spot the drink on their 2015 menu via a photo on Yelp, and it was perhaps named after the 2014 song by Tacocat which works with that timeline. Once prepared, the drink showcased a lemon, vegetal, and cherry aroma. Next, a semi-sweet sip progressed into vegetal, nutty cherry, minty, herbal, and smoke flavors on the swallow.

dogs playing poker

2 oz Del Maguey Vida Mezcal (Peloton de la Muerte)
1/2 oz Amaro Montenegro
1/2 oz Pierre Ferrand Dry Curaçao
1/4 oz Yellow Chartreuse

Stir with ice, strain into rocks glass, and garnish with a flamed lemon twist (unflamed). Note: the creator prefers it served down (without ice) but I was led astray by two sources that it was served over a large ice cube.Two Fridays ago, I returned to the online flashcard set for Analogue bar in Manhattan and decided upon Dogs Playing Poker for both the name and ingredients. While that flashcard had it served down, both a recipe on Instagram and a photo of the drink on TripAdvisor had it served over ice. The Instagram recipe had it as 1 1/2 oz mezcal, 3/4 oz Montenegro, 1/2 oz Dry Curaçao, 1/4 oz Yellow Chartreuse; while this added up to a satisfying 3 oz, the other recipe which was posted by a former Analogue bartender seemed drier and better matched to my palate. Drink creator Carter Wilsford chimed in on my Instagram post and declared, "Technically, I've always served this down (like a Sazerac) not over ice. The aromatics in a glass without ice (plus flamed lemon) dramatically change the drink." Albeit served improperly with ice instead of down, Dogs Playing Poker anted up with lemon and smoke aromas. Next, orange and melon notes on the sip gambled with smoke, vegetal, cantaloupe, and pineapple flavors on the swallow.

lasting impression

1 1/2 oz London Dry Gin (Beefeater)
1/2 oz Yellow Chartreuse
1/2 oz Lillet Blanc (Cocchi Americano)
1/4 oz Fernet Branca
1/4 oz Vanilla Syrup

Stir with ice, strain into an old fashioned glass with a large ice cube, and garnish with an orange twist.Two Thursdays ago, I spied the Lasting Impression by bartender, bar owner, and Drink Masters judge Frankie Solarik via online flashcards. While I could not find any other reference to this drink such as where or when it was created, the combination called to me. In the glass, the Lasting Impression formulated an orange, herbal, and orchard fruit aroma. Next, caramel notes on the sip converted into gin, bitter, herbal, and vanilla flavors on the swallow.

breakfast of champions

1 1/2 oz Cutty Sark Prohibition Scotch
1 oz Fino Sherry (Tio Pepe)
1/2 oz Vanilla Syrup
1/4 oz Giffard Crème de Banane (Tempus Fugit)
2 dash Walnut Bitters (Strongwater Mountain Elixirs Walnut Bitters)

Stir with ice and strain into a Nick & Nora glass (coupe).Two Wednesdays ago, I decided to make the Breakfast of Champions that was a different Kurt Vonnegut (or breakfast cereal) tribute than the namesake created at Craigie on Main. This one was crafted at Analogue in Manhattan; I uncovered it in a set of online flashcards for their cocktails, and the drink was mentioned with ingredients in a Thirsty article for the bar's Fall 2016 menu. In the glass, the Breakfast of Champions welcomed the senses with a vanilla and smoke aroma. Next, caramel notes on the sip turned towards smoky Scotch, briny, banana, almond, and vanilla flavors on the swallow.

gentian's companion

1 oz Plymouth Gin (Beefeater)
1 oz Blanc Vermouth (Dolin)
3/4 oz Salers Gentian Liqueur (Suze)
1/4 oz Allspice Dram (Hamilton's)
1/8 of Crème de Peche (Mathilde)

Stir with ice, strain into an old fashioned glass with ice, and garnish with a lemon twist.Two Tuesdays ago, I purchased a new bottle of Dolin Blanc to make a drink from Raines Law Room called the Gentian's Companion. The name made me think of Charles H. Baker Jr.'s cocktail book titles, and I found the recipe via online flashcards from the bar and spotted it listed on their 2017 menu. The combination of gentian liqueur and allspice dram reminded me of the Sinnerman than inspired me to create the Sinnerman Swizzle, and the gin, aromatized wine, and gentian liqueur aspect was reminiscent of the White Negroni. Once prepared, the Gentian's Companion proffered a lemon and herbal bouquet to the nose. Next, white fruit notes on the sip flowed into gin, gentian, and peach flavors on the swallow with an allspice finish. Overall, the gentian-peach combination impressed me as a great one that I had never been exposed to before.

blazing saddles

2 oz Rye Whiskey (Rittenhouse Bonded)
1/2 oz Amaro Montenegro
1/4 oz Cinnamon Syrup
1/4 oz Laphroaig 10 Year Scotch
3 dash Fee's Black Walnut Bitters (6 dash Strongwater Mountain Elixirs Walnut Bitters)

Stir with ice, strain into an old fashioned glass with ice, and garnish with an orange twist.Two Mondays ago, I delved into a set of online recipe flashcards that I uncovered from the Eddy in Providence, Rhode Island. There, the Blazing Saddles that I was able to pin down to 2016 from a menu photo uploaded to Yelp seemed like an intriguing start that reminded me of the Battle Annie with the American whiskey, smoke, Montenegro, and cinnamon syrup components. Once stirred and strained, Blazing Saddles galloped to the senses with an orange, cinnamon, and hint of smoke aroma. Next, a light caramel sip settled into rye, cinnamon, clementine, and peat smoke flavors on the swallow.

emoji swagger

1 1/2 oz Reposado Tequila (Cimarron)
3/4 oz Punt e Mes
1/4 oz Allspice Dram (Hamilton's)
1/4 oz Bigallet China-China (Amaro Ciociaro)
2 dash Angostura Bitters

Stir with ice and strain into a cocktail coupe.Two Sundays ago, I uncovered a set of recipe flashcards from the now closed Shift Drinks in Portland, Oregon. The one that I latched onto first was the Emoji Swagger as an embittered and spiced tequila Liberal of sorts. I was able to date it to 2016 or before from a Willamet Week newspaper article that described how "it tastes like a bittersweet Manhattan combined with churros and lime." In the glass, the Emoji Swagger presented a roasted agave aroma. Next, grape and caramel notes on the sip fled into vegetal, bitter orange, and allspice flavors on the swallow. The allspice was a bit much for me but that was perhaps due to having Hamilton's instead of St. Elizabeth on my shelf; I could see knocking that volume to 1/8 oz if I were making it again.

kerouac

1 oz Gordon's Gin (Beefeater)
1/2 oz Mezcal (Peloton de la Muerte)
1/2 oz Dolin Blanc Vermouth
1/4 oz Benedictine

Stir with ice, strain, and garnish with an orange twist. The recipe did not specify glassware so I served it up.Two Saturdays ago, I found a set of online recipe flashcards from the John Dory Oyster Bar in New York City. There, I was lured in by the gin-mezcal Poet's Dream of sorts dubbed the Kerouac, and I was able to confirm that it was indeed a house original through an old menu. Once stirred and strained, the Kerouac conjured up orange, vegetal, and smoke aromas. Next, a semi-sweet white grape sip with a hint of caramel ventured to gin, smoky vegetal, herbal, and floral flavors on the swallow. Overall, the Benedictine did an excellent job binding the disparate elements of gin and mezcal like it has before in recipes like the Shruff's End where creator Phil Ward described how "Benedictine can make almost any two ingredients love each other."

sherry fine

1 oz London Dry Gin (Martin Miller Westbourne Strength)
3/4 oz Fino Sherry (Tio Pepe)
3/4 oz Dolin Blanc Vermouth
1/2 oz Yellow Chartreuse
3 dash Orange Bitters (Regan's)

Stir with ice, strain into a Nick & Nora glass, and garnish with lemon oil from a twist (include the twist).Two Fridays ago, I decided to make the Sherry Fine that I found on an online set of flashcards from Porchlight for their Spring 2017 menu. I later tracked the drink down on the Sherry.Wine site where beverage director Nick Bennett had posted his recipe and specified that he preferred Ford's as the gin. Overall, the combination reminded me of a Puritan crossed with an Anchorage, so I was intrigued. Once prepared, the Sherry Fine offered up lemon oil, pine, herbal, and almond aromas to the nose. Next, a honey and white grape sip gave way to pine, almond, and herbal flavors on the swallow with a savory and orange finish.

dead moon

2 oz Appleton V/X Rum (Appleton Signature)
1/2 oz Benedictine
1/2 oz Cynar

Stir with ice and strain into a Nick & Nora glass.Recently, the Rum Club in Portland, Oregon, featured on their Instagram Colin Shearn's Dead Moon. Colin replied with the recipe for the drink that he created at the Franklin Mortgage & Investment Co. for the Winter 2011 menu. Perhaps the name is a reference to the three-piece rootsy garage punk band since many of the bar's cocktails during that time were named after song titles, lyrics, or bands. Overall, it reminded me of a 100 Year Old Cigar minus the Scotch, bitters, and absinthe, so I was game to give this one a go. In the glass, the Dead Moon rose to the nose with caramel and herbal minty aromas. Next, a caramel-driven sip waxed and waned into rum and bitter herbal flavors on the swallow.

phish hook

1 3/4 oz Rye Whiskey (Rittenhouse)
1/2 oz St. Germain (St. Elder)
1/2 oz Punt e Mes
1/4 oz Luxardo Maraschino

Stir with ice and strain into a coupe glass.Two Wednesdays ago, I spotted a slight variation of Jamie Boudreau's Phish Hook on Difford's Guide, and I hunted out the original. Jamie had posted the original recipe for this floral Red Hook riff that he created at Canon in Seattle on a St. Germain cocktails blog in 2010. Overall, the combination had the vibe of the Fleur Carré so I was intrigued. In the glass, the Phish Hook jammed out to the nose with rye, nutty cherry, and floral aromas. Next, grape and cherry notes on the sip danced towards rye, floral, and bitter red fruit flavors on the swallow.

pedro martinez

2 oz Demerara Rum (Hamilton 86° Demerara River)
1 oz Cocchi Sweet Vermouth
1/4 oz Maraschino (Luxardo)
10 drop Aromatic Bitters (Scrappy's)
3 dash Orange Bitters (Angostura Orange)
4 drop Absinthe (St. George)
1 peel Lime

Express the lime peel into the mixing glass and drop in. Add the rest of the ingredients and ice, stir, strain into an old fashioned glass with ice, and garnish with oil from two lemon twists.Two Tuesdays ago, I reached for Nicole Schaffer's Portland Cocktails book and spotted the Pedro Martinez by Michael Shea at Rum Club as a rum take on the classic Martinez. The closest thing that I have previously tried was Death & Co.'s Martica which was a split base brandy and rum take on the Old Tom gin classic, so I was game to have one with my new bottle of Hamilton's Demerara River Rum. Once prepared, the Pedro Martinez welcomed the senses with lemon oil, caramel, nutty cherry, and smoke aromas. Next, caramel and grape notes mingled on the sip, and the swallow followed up with woody dark rum, cherry, and spice flavors with a lime and anise finish.

juarez

1 1/2 oz Blanco Tequila (Olmeca Altos)
1/2 oz Green Chartreuse
1/2 oz Triple Sec (Cointreau)
1/2 oz Lime Juice

Shake with ice, strain into a rocks glass with ice, and garnish with a lime wedge (coupe, no ice, no garnish).Two Mondays ago, I reached for T. Cole Newton's Cocktail Dive Bar book and spotted the Juarez which was a Margarita riff created at Twelve Mile Limit in New Orleans. The combination reminded me of the brandy-lemon Knight from David Embury that I used to transform into tequila or mezcal plus lime at Drink. Once prepared, the Juarez showcased a lime, vegetal agave, orange, and herbaceous aroma. Next, lime and orange notes on the sip akin to a Margarita slid into tequila meding into Chartreuse herbaceous flavors on the swallow with an orange-tinged finish.

mighty tux

1 1/2 oz London Dry Gin (Beefeater)
1 oz Dry Vermouth (Noilly Prat)
1/2 oz Sweet Vermouth (Cocchi)
1/4 oz Maraschino (Luxardo)
2 dash Orange Bitters (Regan's)
2 dash Absinthe (12 drop St. George)

Stir with ice, strain into a coupe glass, and garnish with a cherry.Two Sundays ago, I spotted an interesting take on the Tuxedo #2 called the Mighty Tux in a set of online recipe flashcards. I was able to identify that it was created by Tonia Guffey by way of the New York Distilling website and able to link its genesis to Spring 2010 at Dram in Brooklyn via eGullet and TimeOut. Tonia also served this years later at the Kitchen at Atomic in Las Vegas, and one reference described it as "a playful twist between a Martinez and a Tuxedo." In the glass, the Mighty Tux offered up pine, cherry, and licorice aromas. Next, light grape and plum notes on the sip departed for gin, nutty cherry, licorice, and anise flavors on the swallow.

creole negroni

1 oz Clement Cane Bleu Rhum Agricole (Rhum 100° Blanc)
1 oz Campari
1/2 oz Amaro Montenegro
1/2 oz Sweet Vermouth (Cocchi)
2 dash Angostura Bitters
2 dash Absinthe (20 drop St. George)

Stir with ice, strain into an old fashioned glass with ice, and garnish with an orange twist.Two Saturdays ago, I landed on sets of online flashcards for the 2016 and 2017 menus at Porchlight in Manhattan. The Creole Negroni called out to me for it reminded me of a Right Hand with white rhum agricole instead of aged rum and of course accents of Amaro Montenegro, Angostura, and absinthe instead of mole bitters. Moreover, Scott Holliday's Defensio as a rhum agricole riff on the Lucien Gaudin rang out as well. In the glass, the Creole Negroni showcased a bright orange oil, bitter orange, and grassy nose. Next, a grape-driven sip flowed into funky rum and complex bitter clementine-grapefruit flavors on the swallow.

euthanasia

1 oz Applejack (Laird's Bonded)
3/4 oz Powers Signature Irish Whiskey (Teeling Small Batch)
1/2 oz Cardamaro
1 tsp Amaro Ramazzotti
1 tsp Benedictine
1/2 tsp Apricot Liqueur (Rothman & Winter)
1/2 tsp Maple Syrup

Stir with ice. No serving style was specified on the cards, so I served this "Manhattan-like" in a coupe instead of Old Fashioned-like on a large ice cube. Garnish with an orange twist. (The 4 minor ingredients were batched into a 1/2 oz dispense for service.)Two Fridays ago, I was perusing an online set of recipe flashcards from Blacktail in Manhattan when I came across the Euthanasia. The named reminded me of a recipe from Crosby Gaige's Cocktail Guide and Ladies' Companion, and that Euthanasia shared applejack, Benedictine, apricot, and maple ingredients with this one but in a five way-equal parts drink with dry gin instead of Irish whiskey (ignoring the two amari for a moment); perhaps that obscure (and overly sweet) drink was the inspiration here. The apricot-Ramazzotti combination reminded me of the Skid Row which recently inspired me to create the Club Garden. While no serving style was specified on the recipe card, a Yelp reviews from 2016 described it as Manhattan-like, so I served it up just like the glassware choice in Gaige's Euthanasia. In the glass, the Euthanasia welcomed the senses with an orange, apple, and apricot aroma. Next, grape, orchard fruit, and caramel on the sip led into apple, whiskey, herbal, apricot, and lightly bitter flavors on the swallow.

unidentified floral objects

1 oz Calvados (Morin Selection)
1/2 oz Wyoming Whiskey (Wild Turkey 101° Bourbon)
1/4 oz Laird's Bonded Apple Brandy
1/4 oz Blume Marillen Apricot Eau de Vie (Shalakh)
1 tsp 2:1 Demerara Gum Syrup (1/4 oz 1:1 Demerara Syrup)
1 dash Orange Bitters (Regan's)

Stir with ice, strain into an old fashioned glass with a large ice cube, and garnish with an orange twist.Two Thursdays ago, I spotted a reference to the Unidentified Floral Objects on Reddit's cocktail forum, and I looked up the recipe in my copy of Death & Co.'s Cocktail Codex book. The drink was crafted by Alex Day in 2016 at the New York City location, and it reminded me a little of the Saucy Sue from the Savoy Cocktail Book. Here, it offered up orange and apricot aromas to the nose. Next, apple and orchard fruit notes on the sip gave way to apple and apricot flavors on the swallow. I most likely passed over the recipe for I lack Wyoming Whiskey, but alas, the whiskey component here was merely in the background even with a flavorful Bourbon, so it is a pity that I waited to so long to make this one.

licensed to ill

1 1/2 oz Hine Cognac (Du Peyrat Selection)
1 oz Amaro Montenegro
1/2 oz Yellow Chartreuse
2 dash Regan's Orange Bitters
1 dash Saline (4 drop 1:4 Salt Solution)

Stir with ice, strain into a Nick & Nora glass, and garnish with a floated lemon twist.Two Wednesdays, I was perusing a set of online flashcards from the Paper Plane in San Jose, and this one was posted from the 2017 menu by bar manager Mary Palac called Licensed to Ill. Presumably named after the debut studio album from the Beatsie Boys, it reappeared on the menu in 2019 with the subtitle "strong, herbal, sweet" as spotted in menu photos on review sites. Once prepared, the Licensed to Ill conjured up lemon, orange, and herbal aromas. Next, cantaloupe and clementine notes on the sip flowed into Cognac, bitter, herbal, and pine flavors on the swallow.

la trinité

1 1/2 oz Rhum JM VSOP (JM Gold)
1/2 oz Clear Creek 2 Year Apple Brandy (Laird's Bonded)
1/2 oz Suze
3/4 oz Lemon Juice
3/4 oz Honey Syrup
1/2 dash Scrappy's Celery Bitters (1 dash Bitter Truth)

Shake with ice and strain into a cocktail coupe.Two Tuesdays ago, I reached for Death & Co.'s Welcome Home book and spied the La Trinité by Tyson Buhler in 2019. The combination reminded me of his Pennington Daiquiri that he created with grape brandy instead of apple, so I was game to try another version of this motif. Here, La Trinité proffered honey, gentian herbal, and grassy rum on the nose. Next, honey and lemon notes on the sip led into funky rum, apple, and honey-herbal flavors on the swallow.

finding rose

2 oz Cognac (Du Peyrat Selection)
3/4 oz Lemon Juice
1/2 oz Honey Syrup
1/2 oz Passion Fruit Syrup

Shake with ice, strain into a coupe, and garnish with a spray of rose water (3 drops).Two Mondays ago, I purchased some frozen passion fruit purée from my local Brazilian market for syrup to make the Finding Rose. The recipe was one that I found in a flashard set of Milk & Honey-related recipes, and I was able to track down the creator, Lucinda Sterling at Little Branch, making the drink on a YouTube video. In the video, Lucinda described how it was named after a missing person from 1974, and I combined the two recipe into this one. The combination of honey and passion fruit syrups reminded me of Don's Special Daiquiri, so I was curious to try it here with Cognac and rose water. In the glass, the Finding Rose launched its search with a rose and Cognac bouquet. Next, lemon and honey on the sip uncovered Cognac, passion fruit, and honey flavors on the swallow.

nuclear club cocktail

1 1/2 oz Wray & Nephew Overproof Jamaican White Rum
1 oz Blanc Vermouth (Dolin)
1/4 oz Falernum (Velvet)
1/4 oz Green Chartreuse
2 dash Orange Bitters (Regan's)

Stir with ice, strain into a coupe glass, and garnish with a lime twist.Two Sundays ago, I was inspired to create a stirred rum drink by crossing a Nuclear Daiquiri and a Georgetown Club. I knew that the Georgetown Club's dry vermouth would not be able to handle the Nuclear Daiquiri's overproof rum, so I swapped it to the sweeter blanc vermouth. Moreover, the addition of citrus elements from a lime twist and orange bitters really rounded out the recipe as it came together, and for a name, I dubbed it the Nuclear Club Cocktail after the term for the nations possessing nuclear weapons. In the glass, the Nuclear Club proffered lime and tropical rum funk aromas to the nose. Next, a semi-sweet sip flowed into funky rum melding into herbaceous and citrus notes on the swallow.

gaby des lys

1 jigger Dry Gin (2 oz Beefeater)
1/2 pony Orgeat (1/2 oz)
1 tsp or less Absinthe (1/2 tsp Kübler)
[1 dash Angostura Bitters (not in the original recipe or the photo but added after a sip or two)]

Stir with ice and strain into a cocktail glass.In an online set of flashcards, I spotted a modern take on the Gaby des Lys, and I hunted down the original in Charles H. Baker Jr.'s 1939 book The Gentleman's Companion: Around the World with Jigger, Beaker, & Glass. The recipe was a pre-Prohibition number from New York City named after the French singer, dancer, and actress Gaby Deslys, and Baker offered up the tribute, "Gaby the lovely, Gaby the delightfully mad, Gaby the free soul who died too young and gave a fortune in pearls to the Paris poor!" Modern versions reduce the absinthe and add Angostura Bitters; after making it without Angostura, I added a dash in for some needed depth akin to the Japanese Cocktail and Army & Navy Cocktail since the absinthe alone was not cutting it. In the glass with the bitters included, the Gaby des Lys performed for the nose with earthy, nutty, floral, and cinnamon aromas. Next, a creamy sip danced into gin, almond, anise, allspice, and clove flavors on the swallow. While the bitters did add spice, it also added some structure to make the combination seem less flabby and more dimensional.

as i lay dying

1 1/2 oz Cognac (Du Peyrat Selection)
3/4 oz Apple Brandy (Morin Calvados Selection)
3/4 oz Amaro Braulio
1/2 oz Apricot Liqueur (Rothman & Winter)
2 dash Peychaud's Bitters

Stir with ice and strain into an old fashioned glass with a large ice cube.Two Fridays ago, I thought about the Cognac-apple brandy combination of the Corpse Reviver #1 that I had tinkered with in the Corpse Hand and Corpse Carré to gussy up the bitters-less Manhattan of sorts. My mind went to the Cognac-Braulio St. Bernard's Pass, and to bolster Braulio's herbal note, I considered how well apricot liqueur works with amari. Since Corpse Revivers were meant to be hangover cures, I named this one after drinker-author William Faulkner's book As I Lay Dying. In the glass, the As I Lay Dying proffered apple, Cognac, minty, and apricot aromas. Next, apple and caramel on the sip transitioned to Cognac, pine, and bitter stonefruit flavors on the swallow.

son of a beesting

2 oz Gin (Beefeater)
3/4 oz Lemon Juice
3/8 oz Ginger Syrup
3/8 oz Honey Syrup

Shake with ice, strain into an old fashioned glass with a large cube (coupe glass, no ice), and garnish wit a spritz of rose water (3 drops) and a piece of candied ginger (omit).Two Thursdays ago, I spotted a reference to the Son of a Beesting and sought out the recipe on the Bartender's Choice app. The recipe was created by Michael Madrusan at Milk & Honey in Manhattan circa 2009 as a Bee's Knees crossed with the Penicillin, and the name reminded me of the Drink's Bee Sting that took the classic in a black peppercorn direction instead of the ginger-rosewater one here. The Son of a Beesting opened up with a rose and ginger aroma. Next, lemon and honey on the sip buzzed into gin and ginger flavors on the swallow.

obituario

1 1/2 oz Blanco Tequila (Olmeca Altos)
1/2 oz Mezcal (Del Maguey Vida)
1 oz Blanc Vermouth (Dolin)
1/12 oz Absinthe (1/2 tsp Copper & Kings)
2 drop 1:4 Saline

Stir with ice, strain into a cocktail glass, and garnish with lime oil from a twist and an olive on a skull pick.Two Wednesdays ago, I spotted a tequila-mezcal version of the New Orlean's classic Obituary Cocktail called the Obituario created by Simon Difford that he published in Difford's Guide. Simon created this riff for Day of the Dead this year at the Clocktower in Rye, Sussex, and it reminded me a little of Rafa Garcia Febles' Tombstone that took the Obituary in a mezcal direction except that it kept some of the gin in place and supplemented the smoke with a hint of Scotch. In the glass, the Obituario offered up a lime, vegetal, licorice, and floral bouquet to the nose. Next, a white grape-driven sip fell before smoky, vegetal, licorice, and anise flavors on the swallow. With blanc instead of dry vermouth, the balance was not as stark as the classic though.

walnut carré

1 1/4 Old Elk Rye Finished in Rum Casks
1 oz Laird's Bonded Apple Brandy
3/4 oz Carpano Antica Sweet Vermouth
1/4 oz Benedictine
1/4 oz Don Ciccio & Figli Walnut Liqueur
1 dash Fee's Black Walnut Bitters

Stir with ice, strain into a coupe, and garnish with orange oils from a twist.Two Tuesdays ago, I was going to see my co-worker perform stand-up comedy at The Jungle in Somerville, so I stopped into Backbar beforehand. That night, they had an Old Elk-sponsored menu entitled "Anatomy of a Cocktail", and I selected the Vieux Carré riff called the Walnut Carré. The drink's flavors were plotted out by Melinda Maddox of Old Elk and former Backbar bar manager, and the recipe was worked out by bar owner Sam Treadway. Since walnut and Benedictine are a duo that have teamed well in the Storm King, Sentimental Gentleman, and other drinks, I was curious to give this one a try. The one mixed up for me by Peyton Ligon (since I had missed Melinda by an hour) donated an orange, apple, and walnut aroma to the nose. Next, grape and caramel notes on the sip turned to rye, apple, and dark herbal flavors on the swallow.

[the burning giraffe]

1 1/2 oz Rye Whiskey
1/2 oz Amaro Sfumato
1/2 oz Sweet Vermouth
1/2 oz Palo Cortado Sherry
2 dash Orange Bitters

Stir with ice, strain into a snifter glass, and garnish with an orange twist.Two Mondays ago, after Andrea and I attended a Chartreuse Elixir Vegetal event at Atlantico, we walked down the block to Estragon for a late dinner. There, bartender Sahil Mehta recommended his drink of the day from October 9th that he thought corresponded well to my drink preferences. Since his recipe lacked a name, I dubbed it The Burning Giraffe after the Salvador Dali painting due to the smoky elements of Sfumato and the various painted animals around the restaurant that post the menu QR code. In the glass, the Burning Giraffe conjured up orange, floral, and roast aromas to the nose. Next, a semi-dry grape sip galloped into rye, earthy herbal, roast, and orange flavors on the swallow.

savage detectives

1 oz Fidencio Mezcal (Del Maguey Vida)
1 oz Karlsson's Vodka (Barr Hill Vodka)
1/2 oz Punt e Mes
1/2 oz White Crème de Cacao (Bols)
1/4 oz Luxardo Maraschino
1/8 oz Lemon Juice

Stir with ice and strain into an old fashioned glass with a large ice cube.Two Sundays ago, I returned to the online flashcard set from the Paper Plane in Atlanta. The recipe that I landed on was the Savage Detective from their April 2014 menu. While I did not have Karlsson's Vodka made from potatoes, I went with the beautiful vodka from Barr Hill made from honey; however, my choice lacked the chocolatey undertones found in the single pass distillation of the recommended brand. Overall, the combination on paper reminded me of the Coney Island given the Punt e Mes and cacao elements. Once prepared, the Savage Detective offered up chocolate and smoke aromas to the nose. Next, a grape-driven sip led into smoky mezcal, bitter herbal, and chocolate cherry flavors on the swallow.

night of joy

1 oz Bols Genever (Bols Barrel-Aged)
1 oz Punt e Mes
1 oz Amaro Montenegro

Stir with ice and strain into an old fashioned glass (no mention of ice but I added a large cube), and garnish with an orange twist (lemon twist).Two Saturdays ago, I spotted a set of flashcards for a summer cocktail menu generated by Trevor LeBlanc who was a bartender at Stoddard's here in Boston who created The Welty and Palomino Sling that I have posted here. In the collection were drinks like the Murder of Dutch Schultz that I had there in 2014, and the Night of Joy was reminscent of bartender Tony Iamunno's work at that time, but there was no attribution provided. Overall, the combination read like a Genever for rum version of Erick Castro's Blood of My Enemies, so I was curious to give it a spin especially with how well Genever works with orange flavors. The Night of Joy launched to the senses with a lemon and malty bouquet. Next, grape and clementine notes on the sip fled into malt, orange, and bitter grape flavors on the swallow.