the barrymore cocktail

2 oz Unpeated Scotch (Famous Grouse)
1/2 oz Peated Scotch (Laphroaig 10 Year)
1/2 oz Amaro Ramazzotti

Stir with ice. Add 1/8 oz Green Chartreuse into a coupe and ignite. After a few seconds, strain into the coupe to extinguish the flame and garnish with orange oil from a twist.Two Sundays ago, I decided to make The Barrymore Cocktail by Kenneth McCoy at New York City's Rum House as published in Punch. Overall, it reminded me of a less smoky Scottish Cyclops but with Green Chartreuse accents thrown in akin to the Krakatoa. The Barrymore Cocktail started out with orange oils over peat smoke aromas. Next, caramel and malt on the sip turned towards smoky Scotch and root beer flavors on the swallow with a herbal finish from the Chartreuse.

prime inspector

1 oz Applejack (Laird's Bonded)
1 oz Punt e Mes
1 oz Averna
2 dash Peychaud's Bitters

Build in an old fashioned glass, add ice, stir to mix and chill, and garnish with a cherry.Two Saturdays ago, I sought out the Bartender's Choice app for a nightcap. There, I was lured in by the Prime Inspector created by Mitchell Taylor at Nashville's Attaboy in 2018. The combination of Punt e Mes and Averna has worked well in the Bourbon-based Big Chief, rum-based Black Prince, and other drinks, so I was game to try it with apple brandy. Here, the Prime Inspector generated an apple and caramel bouquet. Next, grape and caramel notes on the sip gave way to apple and minty herbal flavors on the swallow.

heaven sent

1/2 Coates' Plymouth Gin (2 oz Beefeater)
1/4 Lemon Juice (1/2 oz)
1/4 Cointreau (1/2 oz)
1 dash Grenadine (1/4 oz)
1 dash Absinthe (12 drop St. George)

Shake with ice and strain into a cocktail glass.Another recipe that I had spotted in the 1934 1700 Drinks From the Man Behind the Bar was the Heaven Sent. The combination of gin, Cointreau, grenadine, and citrus reminded me of the Boxcar except that utilized egg white akin to a White Lady and no absinthe. Here, the Heaven Sent gave forth a pine, orange, and floral aroma with a hint of anise. Next, lemon and berry notes on the sip rose into gin, orange, and pomegranate flavors on the swallow with a licorice and anise finish.

joe camel

1 1/2 oz Islay Scotch (Laphroaig 10 Year)
1 oz Punt e Mes
1/2 oz Coffee Liqueur (Kahlua)

Stir with ice, strain into a cocktail coupe, and garnish with an orange twist. Two Thursdays ago, I opened up the Bartender's Choice app and came across the Joe Camel by Zachary Gelnaw-Rubin at Dutch Kills in 2014 that was described as "smoky and bitter kinda like a cigarette but without the carcinogens." The combination of smoky Scotch, Punt e Mes, and a cigarette theme reminded me of the Cowboy Killer, but this one took a coffee instead of Maraschino direction. Once mixed, the Joe Camel proffered an orange oil and peat smoke bouquet to the nose. Next, grape and roast notes on the sip exhaled into smoky Scotch on the swallow along with herbal elements melding into roasted coffee ones.

chelsea special

2/3 Gordon's Gin (2 oz Beefeater)
1/6 French Vermouth (1/2 oz Dolin Blanc)
1/6 Curaçao (1/2 oz Pierre Ferrand Dry)
3 dash Angostura Bitters

Stir with ice and strain into a cocktail glass.Two Wednesdays ago, I returned to my digital copy of the 1934 1700 Drinks for the Man Behind the Bar and spotted the Chelsea Special that reminded me a little of a Joy Division but with Angostura instead of absinthe. I was able to track down through the UKBG's 1937 Approved book that it was created by British bartender W. Campbell. When I mixed it with dry vermouth as the French style, the Chelsea Special was a bit too dry and bitters forward, so I remade it with blanc vermouth instead. With that sweeter French style, it approached the nose with orange and pine aromas. Next, an off-dry sip with orange notes gave way to gin, orange, clove, and allspice on the swallow.

el raton

1 1/2 oz Spanish-style Rum (Don Q Gran Añejo)
1 oz Lustau East India Solera Sherry
1/4 oz Maraschino (Luxardo)
1/4 oz Yellow Chartreuse

Stir with ice, strain into a coupe, and garnish with an orange twist in the shape of bull horns.Two Tuesdays ago, I spotted a recipe on Lustau brand ambassador Nathan Layman's social media called El Ratón. Bartender Matt James at Seattle's Bathtub Gin named his drink after a famous bullfighting bull, the "Terrible Mouse", who gained infamy by killing three people in bullfighting rings in Spain from 2006 to 2011. In the glass, El Ratón charged at the nose with an orange, nutty, and raisin aroma. Next, a grape-driven sip was chased by rum, nutty cherry, and herbal flavors on the swallow.

atlas

1 oz Calvados or Applejack (Morin Selection)
1/2 oz Demerara 151 Rum (Plantation OFTD)
1/2 oz Cointreau
(1/8 oz 1:1 Demerara syrup added for my prefered balance)
1 dash Angostura Bitters

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

Two Mondays ago, I was perusing Dave Stolte's Home Bar Basics and spotted the Atlas which he attributed to Marco's Liquors in Chicago during the 1940s. A web search brought up an eGullet thread that directed me to Trader Vic, and I was able to find it in Vic's 1948 Bartender's Guide. The recipe that I used was mostly from Vic with the lemon twist garnish idea from Stolte and the addition of simple syrup to my preferred balance. Stolte later chimed in on my Instagram post that he learned of this drink from Paul Harrington's 1998 book Cocktail: The Drinks Bible for the 21st Century. In addition, Eric Witz ellaborated on the Marco's Liquors reference with, "I'm guessing this is from Hyman Gale and Gerald Marco's cocktail book The How and When... Marco owned a couple liquor stores in Chicago and published the book", and I was able to confirm that with my copy of the 1940 tome. The Atlas welcomed the senses with a lemon, apple, and dark rum aroma. Next, apple and caramel notes on the sip lifted up an apple, orange, caramel, and rum swallow.

drunken dodo

2 oz Scarlet Ibis Rum (1 1/2 oz Raising Glasses 8 Year Trinidad Cask Strength Rum + 1/2 oz water)
3/4 oz Sweet Vermouth (Cocchi)
1/4 oz St. Elizabeth Allspice Dram (Hamilton's)
2 dash Angostura Bitters

Stir with ice, strain into a coupe glass, and garnish with an orange twist.Two Sundays ago, I spotted the Drunken Dodo by Brian Miller in 2008 as published in the first Death & Co. Cocktail Book, and I realized that while I do not have Scarlet Ibis Rum, I do have another Trinidad rum that I could use. Once prepared, the Drunken Dodo proffered an orange, molasses, and allspice aroma. Next, grape and caramel notes on the sip entered into rum and allspice flavors on the swallow.

pin cushion

1 1/2 oz Rye Whiskey (Old Overholt 86°)
3/4 oz Campari
3/4 oz Sweet Vermouth (Cocchi)
1 dash Absinthe (1 bsp Kübler)

Build in an old fashioned glass, add ice, stir to mix and chill, and garnish with an orange twist.Two Saturdays ago, I opened up the Bartender's Choice app and uncovered the Pin Cushion by Hunter Orahood at Attaboy in Manhattan circa 2018. The recipe was his riff on the Boulevardier, and perhaps the addition of absinthe helped shape the name for it reminded me of the classic Negroni called the Quill. Here, the Pin Cushion set the stage with an orange oil, rye, and anise aroma. Next, a grape-driven sip flowed into whiskey, bitter orange, and anise flavors on the swallow.

towncar cocktail

1 oz Rye Whiskey (Rittenhouse)
1 oz Cognac (Pierre Ferrand 1840)
1/2 oz Dry Curacao (Pierre Ferrand)
1/2 oz Sweet Vermouth (Cocchi)
2 dash Angostura Bitters
1 dash Orange Bitters (Angostura Orange)

Stir with ice, strain into a rocks glass with a large ice cube, and garnish with a lemon twist. Two Fridays ago, I spotted a recipe from Imbibe Magazine on Kindred Cocktails called the Towncar Cocktail. The drink first published in 2019 was created by Chelsea Carter at the Apis Restaurant and Apiary in Austin as a mashup of an Old Fashioned, a Manhattan, and a Sidecar (minus the citrus). Once prepared, the Towncar started up with a lemon oil, Cognac, and orange peel aroma. Next, a grape and orange sip cruised into rye, Cognac, orange, clove, and allspice flavors on the swallow.

tuxedo

2/3 Plymouth Gin (2 oz Tanqueray Malacca)
1/3 Sherry (1 oz Tio Pepe Fino)
1 dash Orange Bitters (Angostura Orange)

Stir with ice and strain into a cocktail glass; I garnished with Frank Caiafa's recommendation of a lemon twist.

After recently referencing the Tuxedo in the Superlative and Kilt & Jacket (although those were to Tuxedo #2) and remembering the article on the various Tuxedo variations in the most recent Chilled magazine, I decided upon the simple sherry for dry vermouth in a Martini one from The Old Waldorf Astoria Bar Book in 1935. There it gave the history of "After a settlement on the Erie R.R. where many customers of the bar had country places." Punch elaborated with, "The drink's name refers to the Tuxedo Park, a sort of early experiment in country club living established in 1886 about 35 miles from Jersey City... [P]lenty of well-heeled New Yorkers [were] willing to call this sporting paradise home. Tuxedo Park was... the birthplace of the tail-less suit, called, yes, the tuxedo." Frank Caiafa in his 2016 The Waldorf Astoria Bar Book did not have much more history on it, but suggested either Fino or Amontillado for the sherry and recommended a lemon twist.The Tuxedo proffered lemon oil over savory sherry notes to the nose. Next, a crisp white wine sip sailed into elegant pine, almond, and orange flavors on the swallow.

dutch highlander

1 1/2 oz Blended Scotch (Cutty Sark Prohibition)
1/2 oz Batavia Arrack (von Oosten)
1/2 oz Benedictine
2 dash Angostura Bitters

Stir with ice, strain into an old fashioned glass with a large ice cube, and garnish with a lemon twist.Two Wednesdays ago, I was scanning through the Difford's Guide database when I came across the Dutch Highlander by Jason Clapham at St. Edward's MCR at Oxford, England. It was a riff on Paul Harrington's 1990s Highlander with the addition of Batavia Arrack in the mix. Since Scotch and Batavia Arrack have paired well in drinks like My Triumphs, My Mistakes and Tall as a Tree and Twice as Shady, I was curious to give this drink a try. Here, it met the nose with lemon and herbal aromas. Next, caramel and malt on the sip led into Scotch melding into Batavia Arrack's funkiness followed by smoke and herbal elements on the swallow.

starboy

1 oz Rye Whiskey (Old Overholt 86°)
1 oz Applejack (Laird's Bonded)
1 oz Cocchi Americano
2 dash Angostura Bitters

Stir with ice, strain into a coupe glass, and garnish with a lemon twist.Two Tuesdays ago, I opened up the Bartender's Choice app and came across the Starboy by Zachary Gelnew-Rubin at Lion Lion circa 2018. Zachary created the Starboy as "a more nuanced riff" on the Star Cocktail that appeared in George Kappeler's 1895 Modern American Drinks, and perhaps he named it after the Weeknd album and song that came out in late 2016. Once prepared, the Starboy welcomed the nose with orange oil over apple and clove aromas. Next, orchard fruit notes on the sip launched into rye, apple, allspice, and clove flavors on the swallow.

bridgetown stomp

2 oz Cockspur 12 Year Rum (R.L. Seale 10 Year)
1/2 oz Cinzano Sweet Vermouth (Cocchi)
1/4 oz Campari
1/8 oz Amaro Ciociaro
1/8 oz 1:1 Demerara Syrup
2 dash Regan's Orange Bitters (Angostura Orange)

Stir with ice, strain into an old fashioned glass with ice, and garnish with an orange twist.After having spotted an Amaro Ciociaro recipe in Gary Regan's The Negroni book that I could now make, I took note. Two Mondays ago, I decided it was time to make the Bridgetown Stomp by Julie Reiner. She created this drink when bartender Toby Maloney stopped into Lani Kai and gave her free reign. Soon, the Bridgetown Stomp became the bar's house Negroni. Given that it appeared like a less bitter and more complex Right Hand and the name reminded me of the Kingston Watusi, I was intrigued. In the glass, the twist proffered orange oil over caramel-toffee rum aromas. Next, caramel and grape on the sip gave way to rum and complex bitter flavors on the swallow with an orange finish.

caravan #2

1 1/2 oz Rye Whiskey (Old Overholt 86°)
3/4 oz Cynar
3/4 oz Amontillado Sherry (Lustau)

Stir with ice, strain into a coupe glass, and garnish with a cherry.Two Sundays ago, I began searching the Bartender's Choice app for a nightcap. There, I landed upon the Caravan #2 crafted by Felix Allsop at the Everleigh in Melbourne circa 2018 that reminded me of Tonia Guffey's Teenage Riot at Dram. Once mixed, the Caravan #2 approached with a caramel and nutty grape bouquet. Next, caramel and grape on the sip winded its way into rye, nutty, and vegetal flavors on the swallow.

the superlative

2 1/2 oz Gin (2 oz Beefeater)
1/2 oz Sweet Vermouth (Cocchi)
1/2 oz Blanc Vermouth (Dolin)
1 bsp Luxardo Maraschino (1/8 oz)
Stir with ice, strain into a coupe pre-rinsed with absinthe (Kübler), and garnish with a lemon twist.Two Saturdays ago, I was scanning the Kindred Cocktails database when I came across the Superlative that would satisfy my craving for a stirred gin drink. The recipe was created by New Zealand home bartender Leslie Craven as his take on an Improved Perfect Martini. While it did not have the true Perfect aspect of sweet and dry vermouth by utilizing blanc for the latter, the Improved part reminded me of the Tuxedo Cocktail #2. Once prepared, the Superlative conjured up a lemon, pine, cherry, and anise aroma. Next, a semi-sweet grape sip flowed into gin, herbal, nutty cherry, and anise flavors on the swallow.

keyes

2 oz Bourbon (Evan Williams Bonded)
3/4 oz Cynar
1/2 oz Lemon Juice
1/2 oz Demerara Syrup

Shake with ice and strain into a cocktail coupe.Two Fridays ago, I fired up the Bartender's Choice app and stumbled upon the Keyes created by Zachary Gelnaw-Rubin at Dutch Kills circa 2010. Overall, this Bourbon combination reminded me of the rye-based Choke Up at Backbar, so I was willing to give this one a go. Here, the Keyes welcomed the senses with a Bourbon, caramel, and herbal bouquet. Next, lemon and caramel on the sip unlocked Bourbon melding into minty and funky herbal flavors on the swallow.

auto cocktail

1/3 French vermouth (1 oz Noilly Prat Extra Dry)
1/3 Tom Gin (1 oz Hayman's)
1/3 Scotch (1 oz Famous Grouse)

Stir with ice and strain into a cocktail glass.Two Thursdays ago, I was looking in Jacques Straub's 1914 book Drinks and spotted the Auto Cocktail. The recipe was the dry vermouth version of the sweet vermouth Automobile Cocktail that we were served at Eastern Standard leading up to their 75th anniversary Prohibition Repeal Party in 2008. I could see how the sweeter version would be a bigger crowd pleaser and why it won out, but it was time to give this drier gin-Scotch number a go. The Auto began with a Scotch, apricot, and pine bouquet. Next, an off-dry malt and white wine sip drove into Scotch and herbal flavors on the swallow with a lingering chocolate and juniper finish.

casino soul

1 1/2 oz El Dorado 12 Year Rum (1 oz ED12 + 1/2 oz ED5) (*)
3/4 oz Blanc Vermouth (Dolin)
3/4 oz Cynar

Stir with ice and strain into a cocktail coupe.
(*) The split was due to the limited volume left in my El Dorado 12 Year bottle.Two Wednesdays prior, I was scanning the Kindred Cocktails database when I came across the Casino Soul by Mike Treffehn that he created at the Franklin Mortgage & Investment Co. in 2011, and the recipe was published a year later in Jason Wilson's column in the Washington Post. The combination reminded me of the Palm Viper (sweet vermouth) and the Fortune Teller (Bonal), so I was curious to see how dark rum and Cynar would do with blanc vermouth. Once prepared, the Casino Soul gambled with the senses and rolled a dark herbal and molasses aroma. Next, caramel with a white wine note on the sip paid out a dark rum melding into herbal notes on the swallow.

the highlander

2 oz Scotch (Cutty Sark Prohibition)
1/2 oz Cherry Heering

Build in an old fashioned glass, add ice, stir to mix and chill, and garnish with a lemon twist.

Two Tuesdays ago, I reached for Michael and Zara Madrusan's A Spot at the Bar book and came upon the Highlander created by Eric Alperin at the Varnish Bar in Los Angeles. The name reminded me of Paul Harrington's Highlander that was akin to a Scotch Monte Carlo that he published it in his 1998 book Cocktail: The Drinks Bible for the 21st Century (and probably a few years earlier in Wired magazine). I then recalled that Eric's recipe appeared in Robert Simonson's The Old-Fashioned book, and there Eric declared, "[It's] so simple that I thought I couldn't be proud of it, but my guests love to order it."The Highlander reached the senses with a lemon, smoke, and cherry aroma. Next, dark fruit on the sip was conquered by Scotch, black cherry, herbal, and smoke flavors on the swallow.

crimes of passion

1 1/2 oz Tequila (Olmeca Altos)
1/2 oz Mezcal (Del Maguey Vida)
3/4 oz Lime Juice
3/4 oz Passion Fruit Syrup
1/4 oz Honey Syrup

Shake with ice, strain into a cocktail coupe, and garnish with cayenne powder.Two Mondays ago, I decided to utilize the Bartender's Choice app for the evening's libation and came across Hunter Orahood's Crimes of Passion that he crafted at Attaboy in 2018. Overall, the recipe appeared to me like a cross between the Red Grasshopper (or Dahlia's Revenge) as an agave Sour garnished with cayenne powder and Don's Special Daiquiri with its combination of lime, passion fruit, and honey. Once prepared, the Crimes of Passion showcased an agave and pepper spice aroma with a hint of smoke. Next, lime and tropical notes on the sip gave way to smoky agave, honey, and passion fruit flavors on the swallow which increased in spiciness over time.

jive turkey

3/4 oz Buffalo Trace Bourbon (Evan Williams Bonded)
1/2 oz Rittenhouse Bonded Rye
1/2 oz Old Overholt Rye (86°)
3/4 oz Amaro Ciociaro
3/4 oz Dolin Dry Vermouth (Noilly Prat)
1/4 oz St. Germain (St. Elder)
1 dash Angostura Bitters

Stir with ice and strain into a cocktail coupe.Two Sundays ago, I returned to the first Death & Co. book to see if there were any recipes that I had missed. There, I spotted the Jive Turkey that called for Amaro Ciociaro that I only recently added to my shelves, so it was time to give this drink created by Jessica Gonzalez in 2009 a whirl. Overall, its structure with dry vermouth, St. Germain, a dark bitter orange liqueur, and Angostura Bitters reminded me of Leo Robitschek's Doyers Street but with three American whiskeys instead of one and a bit heavier on the amaro. Once prepared, the Jive Turkey summoned a rye, caramel, orange, and floral bouquet. Next, the caramel continued on into the sip where it was followed by whiskey and bitter dark orange flavors on the swallow.

kilt & jacket

2 oz Highland Scotch (Glen Grant 16 Year)
3/4 oz Fino Sherry (Tio Pepe)
1/4 oz Maraschino (Luxardo)
2 dash Orange Bitters (Angostura Orange)

Stir with ice, strain into a cocktail coupe, and garnish with a cherry.Two Saturdays ago, I returned to my Food & Wine: Cocktails collection and selected the 2015 volume. There, I discovered the Kilt & Jacket created by Nicholas Bennett at Porchlight in Manhattan. This was his Scotch take on the Tuxedo No. 2 (minus the absinthe but with the sherry element of other Tuxedo variations). Once prepared, the Kilt & Jacket welcomed the senses with a nutty cherry and malt aroma. Next, a crisp white wine sip danced into Scotch meltding into nutty cherry flavors on the swallow.

county priest

1 1/2 oz Bourbon (Evan Williams Bonded)
3/4 oz Cocchi Americano
3/4 oz Aperol
1 dash Absinthe (1/2 bsp Kübler)

Build in an old fashioned glass, add ice, stir to mix and chill, and garnish with a grapefruit twist.Two Fridays ago, I turned to the Bartender's Choice app and landed upon the County Priest. This recipe created by Hunter Orahood at Attaboy in Manhattan reminded me of the Vita Brevis, so I was interested in trying it out. Once prepared, the County Priest greeted the senses with grapefruit oil and Bourbon aromas. Next, orange and orchard fruit notes on the sip slid into Bourbon, citrus, and anise flavors on the swallow.

bellissimo aperitivo

2 oz Carpano Sweet Vermouth (Cocchi)
1 1/2 oz Fino Sherry (Tio Pepe)
2 tsp Fernet Branca
1 dash Maraschino (1/2 tsp Luxardo)
1 dash Angostura Bitters

Stir with ice, strain into a cocktail coupe, and garnish with a lemon twist.Two Thursdays ago, I spotted a recipe that Imbibe Magazine recently mentioned called the Bellissimo Aperitivo. The current print issue has a collection of 3 Fino sherry recipes, and the online version also contained a link to this additional older one from 2015 by Patrick Pistolesi at Caffé Propaganda in Rome that made me think of the Appetizer a l'Italienne. Once prepared, the Bellissimo Aperitivo conjured up a lemon and grape aroma with a hint of nuttiness. Next, a grape sip continued on with grape notes on the swallow accented with bitter cherry flavors.

golden grove

2 oz Cocchi Sweet Vermouth
3/4 oz Smith & Cross Rum
1 bsp Maraschino (1/8 oz Luxardo)
1 dash Orange Bitters (Angostura Orange)

Stir with ice, strain into a cocktail coupe, and garnish with an orange twist.Two Wednesdays ago, I spotted a curiously named recipe called the Rasta Manhattan on Kindred Cocktails. That site referenced the Haus Alpenz's website, and when I check that source, it had been renamed the Golden Grove. In addition, I was game to to try a Reverse Rum Manhattan that reminded me a little of the Fair & Warmer. Haus Alpenz later provided some back story on Instagram by commenting, "One of our absolute favorite Smith & Cross drinks! This one was born during one of the very first Indie Spirits Expos in New York." The Golden Grove came forth with an orange, rum funk, and cherry aroma that had a gingery note to it. Next, a grape-driven sip sailed into funky rum and nutty cherry flavors on the swallow.

stinger

1/2 jigger Brandy (2 1/4 oz Pierre Ferrand 1840 Cognac)
1/2 jigger Crème de Menthe (Tempus Fugit)
1 peel Lemon

Shake with ice and strain into a cocktail glass.

After writing up the Flashbang, it dawned on me that I have never written up the classic Stinger despite making variations such as the Midnight Stinger. I turned to the earliest recipe that I have in my library under that name which is from Jacques Straub's 1914 book Drinks. I adapted the equal parts recipe to the 3:1 ratio that we utilized when we had the Stinger on the menu at Russell House Tavern in 2014 (not including the lemon peel in the shake that Straub preferred). As for the history, I turned to The Oxford Companion to Cocktails & Spirits where it was described as "the king of after-dinner cocktails" that gained popularity through millionaire playboy Reginald Vanderbuilt's making them for his friends. The combination first appeared in 1890 but won out with the catchy here name perhaps referring to a quick jab to the head in boxing in 1913; that earliest reference was in John Applegreen's book Applegreen's Bar Book: Or how to Mix Drinks. The Stinger is unusual for it is one of the few straight spirits recipes that is shaken to induce a greater chill and dilution. Its popularity went from the clubmen and debutantes at the beginning of the century to World War II fighter pilots during the 1940s before drifting out of favor in the 1970s.Once prepared, the Stinger came at the nose with a Cognac, lemon, and mint aroma. Next, a light caramel sip set up a Cognac and mint swallow with a lemony finish. I commented on my Instagram that the lemon peel in the shake was indeed a nice touch by providing some extra depth and dimension.

443 special

1 oz Glenmorangie Scotch (Glengrant 16 Year)
1/2 oz Laphroaig 10 Year Scotch
3/4 oz Yellow Chartreuse
3/4 oz Amaro Ciociaro

Stir with ice, strain into a coupe glass, and garnish with a lemon twist.Two Mondays ago, I returned to my Food & Wine: Cocktails book collection and selected the 2015 volume. There, I was lured in by the 443 Special crafted by Nicholas Bennett at Amor y Amargo before he left to head up the program at Porchlight in New York City. Given Amaro Ciociaro's similarity to Amer Picon, the combination of whiskey, Yellow Chartreuse, and bitter orange liqueur reminded me of the Vickers. Here, the 443 Special began with a lemon, smoke, and herbal aroma. Next, caramel and honey notes on the sip flowed into smoky Scotch, bitter orange, and herbal flavors on the swallow.

cooper's cocktail

2 oz Rye Whiskey (Old Overholt 86°)
3/4 oz St. Germain (St. Elder)
1/4 oz Fernet Branca

Stir with ice, strain into a coupe, and garnish with an orange twist.Two Sundays ago, I delved into my Food & Wine: Cocktails library and uncovered the Cooper's Cocktail in the 2014 best of edition that they sourced from the 2008 volume. The recipe was crafted by Jamie Boudreau at Vessel in Seattle in honor of St. Germain founder Rob Cooper. I had previously mentioned this drink in the post about Jim Meehan's Duboudreau Cocktail that kept the St. Germain-Fernet duo, but he subbed out some of the St. Germain for Dubonnet Rouge. Once mixed, the Cooper's Cocktail began with an orange, grapefruit, menthol, and rye bouquet. Next, a malt and lightly citrus sip was chased by rye and bitter grapefruit flavors on the swallow with a gentian-menthol finish. Overall, the quarter ounce of Fernet mollified the sweeter liqueur here as it did to the Amaro Montenegro in the rye-based Scarecrow at Backbar.

split second

25 mL Plantation Pineapple Rum (1 oz)
20 mL Jameson Irish Whiskey (3/4 oz Jameson Crested)
7.5 mL Yellow Chartreuse (1/4 oz)
7.5 mL Giffard Crème de Cacao (1/4 oz Bols)
5 mL 2:1 Cane Syrup (1/4 oz 1:1)
1 dash Angostura Orange Bitters

Stir with ice and strain into a rocks glass with a large ice cube.A few weeks ago, an user on Reddit posted on the cocktails forum the menu listing with ingredients for a drink called the Split Second on the Dead Rabbit menu. After several of us put forth guesses, that person eventually reached out to the bar and got the actual recipe. Without knowing about the cane syrup and bitters, my guess was reasonably close (1 1/2 oz Jameson, 3/4 oz pineapple rum, 1/2 oz Yellow Chartreuse, 1/4 oz crème de cacao) to the house spec; for my estimation, I based my Yellow Chartreuse and cacao amounts on the Golden Phone recipe. Once built the proper way, the Split Second gave forth an herbal, chocolate, and pineapple aroma. Next, honey and tropical fruit notes on the sip flipped into whiskey, pineapple, and chocolate flavors on the swallow with an herbal and bubble gum finish. Overall, the Dead Rabbit version was more tropical and less whiskey-forward than I would have designed it, but still rather good. Moreover, it was a touch sweeter than I prefer, but it did mellow with ice melt.