black betty

1 1/2 oz Rye Whiskey (Old Overholt 86°)
1/2 oz Amaro Braulio
1/2 oz Cynar
1/4 oz Herbsaint

Stir with ice, strain into a rocks glass, and garnish with an orange twist.Two Sundays ago, I searched the Kindred Cocktails database for more Braulio recipes, and I stumbled upon the Black Betty by Max Greco at Vasco in Sydney, Australia, via a 2014 article in Saveur. Once this embittered recipe inspired by both the Manhattan and the Sazerac was assembled, it greeted the nose with an orange, caramel, and minty aroma. Next, the amari's caramel continued on into the sip where it was followed by rye, herbal, minty, and licorice flavors on the swallow. Overall, I thought the recipe was balanced with that much Herbsaint, but users on Kindred Cocktails thought otherwise; I do agree that if one uses absinthe instead, that the amount out to be halved or less to compensate the intensity.

commitment issues

1 1/2 oz Mezcal (Del Maguey Vida)
3/4 oz Aged Rum (Rhum Barbancourt 8 Year)
1/2 oz Cafe Lolita (Kahlua)
2 dash Orange Bitters (Angostura Orange)

Build in an old fashioned glass, add ice, stir to mix and chill, and garnish with an orange twist.After I returned home from work two Saturdays ago, I powered up the Bartender's Choice app to quickly find a nightcap. There, I landed upon Commitment Issues by Kathryn Stashek at Manhattan's Attaboy circa 2018. Since the app described it as a riff on the Haitian Divorce, I reached for Barbancourt as the aged rum selection. The drink varies from Haitian Divorce by being more mezcal forward and swapping out Pedro Ximenez sherry and Angostura Bitters for coffee liqueur and orange bitters. Once prepared, the Commitment Issues donated an orange, vegetal, smoke, and roast aroma to the nose. Next, the roast notes continued into the sip, and the swallow followed up with smoky, coffee roast, and vegetal flavors with an orange, caramel, and smoke finish.

right place wrong time

1 3/4 oz Mezcal (Del Maguey Vida)
3/4 oz Cynar
1/2 oz Strega
2 dash Peychaud's Bitters

Stir with ice, strain into an old fashioned glass with a large ice cube, and garnish with an orange twist.Two Fridays ago at work, my chef wanted a drink with Strega in it, so I made him Chris Hannah's Night Tripper. That inspired me to riff on the drink when I got home, and I swapped out the Bourbon and Averna for mezcal and Cynar while keeping the Strega and Peychaud's Bitters in place. Besides knowing that Cynar works well with mezcal, I recalled that I had two drinks, Alex Day's La Bateleur and Mike Steele's The Truth that elegantly paired Cynar and Strega. For a name, I kept Chris' Dr. John song title concept and dubbed this one the Right Place Wrong Time. In the glass, it welcomed the nose with an orange, vegetal, and smoke bouquet. Next, Cynar's caramel filled the sip and was followed by smoky agave, vegetal herbal, anise, and spice flavors on the swallow.

corpo reviver

3/4 oz Beefeater Gin
3/4 oz Lemon Juice
3/4 oz Lillet Blanc (Cocchi Americano)
3/4 oz St. Germain (St. Elder)
1/4 oz Fernet Branca

Shake with ice and strain into a cocktail coupe.

Two Thursdays ago, I decided to make a Corpse Reviver #2 riff called the Corpo Reviver that was in the collection of online flashcards that contained Franklin Mortgage & Investment Co. recipes as well as New York City drinks. With St. Germain in place of the orange liqueur, it fell somewhere between the classic found in the Savoy Cocktail Book and Sam Ross' Sunflower. However, instead of absinthe, the added herbal complexity was from a light touch of Fernet Branca. Indeed, the 3:1 ratio of elderflower to Fernet reminded me of the Cooper's Cocktail and Duboudreau Cocktail. Despite the lack of provenance, I was intrigued by the concept enough to make one for myself especially given the presence of Fernet in the Corpse Reviver #3.Once prepared, the Corpo Reviver donated a lemon and floral aroma to the nose. Next, lemon and orchard fruit notes on the sip bloomed into gin, orange, bitter, and grapefruit flavors on the swallow.

bigmouth strikes again

1 1/2 oz Old Forester 100 Bourbon (Evan Williams Bonded)
1/2 oz Bigallet China-China (Amaro Ciociaro)
1/2 oz Aperol
1/2 oz Punt e Mes
2 dash Cherry Bark Bitters (King Floyd's Cherry Cacao)

Stir with ice, strain into a coupe glass, and garnish with an orange twist.Two Wednesdays, I went back to the online flashcard set for house recipes at Atlanta's Paper Plane, and I paused on The Smiths tribute named Bigmouth Strikes Again. Besides the musical reference, its similarity to Eastern Standard's Prospect Park lured me in. Through an Eater article, I was able to identify the creator as Paul Calvert circa 2013. In the glass, the Bigmouth Strikes Again displayed an orange and dark fruity bouquet to the nose. Next, caramel, orange, and grape notes on the sip stepped aside for Bourbon, bitter cherry, and orange flavors on the swallow.

the mouse's tale

3/4 oz Gin (Beefeater)
3/4 oz Oloroso Sherry (Lustau)
3/4 oz Green Chartreuse

Stir with ice and strain into a cocktail coupe pre-rinsed with Campari. The photo in the book shows a citrus twist in the shape of a mouse's tail, so I did an orange curl (but it could have been a lemon one).Two Tuesdays ago, I wanted to make a recipe from The Through A Cocktail Glass book that Steven Canfield who I know as @boxesandbooze on Instagram sent me. In this Lewis Carroll tribute drink book, I was lured in by The Mouse's Tale as a drier, nuttier Tailspin riff. To the Bijou base, the author swapped out the sweet vermouth for Oloroso sherry and kept the Campari rinse found in the Tailspin in place. Once prepared, The Mouse's Tale proffered orange oil over Green Chartreuse's herbaceuous aromas. Next, a semi-dry grape sip curled up into gin, Chartreuse herbal, nutty, and bitter orange flavors on the swallow.

a farewell to arms

1 1/2 oz Fernet Branca
3/4 oz Falernum (Velvet)
3/4 oz Lime Juice
1/2 oz Simple Syrup

Shake with ice, strain into a coupe glass, and garnish with a mint leaf.Two Mondays ago, I spotted on Kindred Cocktails a recipe that appeared in 2014 on Fernet Branca's Facebook page called A Farewell to Arms by Chad Owen of Manifesto in Kansas City, Missouri. As a Fernet Daiquiri, the added complexity with falernum not unexpected since I had used it a few months back in the Devil Makes Work in a rum-forward design, and I first learned of the pairing in Murray Stenson's Porteño in 2009. Once shaken and strained, this tribute to Ernest Hemingway's 1929 novel began with menthol, mint, lime, and clove aromas. Next, lime and caramel mingled on the sip, and caramel, lime, menthol, and clove flavors rounded out the swallow.

ghostwriter

2 oz Bourbon (Evan Williams Bonded)
1/2 oz Amaro Meletti (*)
2 dash Fee's Black Walnut Bitters (4 dash Strongwater Mountain Elixirs Walnut Bitters)

Stir with ice, strain into an old fashioned glass with ice, and garnish with an orange twist.
(*) Another online recipe I found had 2 oz Bourbon, 1 oz Meletti, 3 dash walnut bitters akin to a Black Manhattan instead of an Old Fashioned-like build.Two Sundays ago, I went back to the online flashcard set from Raised by Wolves and landed upon the Ghostwriter by Leigh Russ at the Ironside Fish & Oyster Bar in San Diego. The pairing of Meletti with walnut bitters was one that I had recently in the Pine Tavern Road; moreover, it was in the Fernet About Dre which utilized rye instead of the Bourbon here and embittered the mix with a healthy slug of Fernet. Once prepared, the Ghostwriter gave forth a Bourbon, herbal, and floral bouquet to the nose. Next, caramel on the sip from the amaro was chased by Bourbon, herbal, lavender, and walnut flavors on the swallow.

paradise garage

2 oz Scotch (Cutty Sark Prohibition)
1/2 oz Cynar
1/2 oz Apricot Liqueur (Rothman & Winter)
2 dash Angostura Bitters
Stir with ice and strain into an old fashioned glass.While looking on Brick & Mortar's website, I discovered that their Toast Tab provides some of the drink recipes in the description. One that caught my eye was the Paradise Garage circa 2017 that was probably named after the NYC discotheque from 1977-87 that was a famous members-only LGTB dance club. I believe that this was the cocktail that I did not order at the bar one night, but it inspired my Library Card that added Bonal and removed the Angostura from the combination of Scotch, Cynar, and apricot liqueur. Moreover, the pairing of Cynar and apricot was one that I picked up at Brick & Mortar in 2015 when I had their One One Thousand as an equal parts combo with Bourbon and lemon juice. Once assembled, the Paradise Garage parked a smoke, malt, and orchard fruit aroma under the nose. Next, a caramel-driven sip exited into Scotch, herbal, and apricot flavors on the swallow with a clove and smoke finish.

montañista

1 1/2 oz Mezcal (Del Maguey Vida)
3/4 oz Braulio Amaro
3/4 oz Blanc Vermouth (Dolin)

Build in an old fashioned glass, add ice, stir to mix and chill, and garnish with a grapefruit twist.Two Thursdays ago, I found the evening's libation on the Bartender's Choice app called the Montañista. This 2017 creation by Brandon Bramhall at Nashville's Attaboy had the mezcal plus blanc vermouth structure of the Noble Savage that I had a few days before as well as the Spring Blossom but here with Braulio instead of Benedictine and Suze, respectively. The app provided the description of, "A delicious, piney, and smoky agave Negroni," and that was more that enough to have me make this number. In the glass, it proffered grapefruit, vegetal, and pine aromas to the senses. Next, a caramel and white wine sip climbed to smoky, minty, vegetal, and herbal flavors on the swallow.

the mapmaker

1 oz Rye Whiskey (Rittenhouse)
1/2 oz Aged Rum (R.L. Seale 10 Year)
1/2 oz Amaro Braulio
1 tsp Demerara Syrup
3 dash Peychaud's Bitters
1 dash Angostura Bitters

Stir with ice, strain into an absinthe-rinsed (Kübler) old fashioned glass, and garnish with a lemon twist (express and discard).Two Thursdays ago, I began searching the web for an interesting use of my recently added bottle of Braulio, and I came across The Mapmaker in Veranda Magazine. The recipe was created by Ian Palmer in 2022 as a layered take on the Sazerac that was inspired by Peng Shepard's book The Cartographers. Here, The Mapmaker sketched out a lemon oil, anise, caramel, and minty bouquet for the nose. Next, a caramel-driven sip blossomed into rye, rum, mint, and anise flavors on the swallow.

moniker

1 1/2 oz Maker's Mark Bourbon (Four Roses Small Batch)
3/4 oz Amontillado Sherry (Lustau)
1/2 oz Amaro Ciociaro
1/8 oz Benedictine
3 dash Scrappy's Black Lemon Bitters

Stir with ice, strain into a double old fashioned glass with a large ice cube, and garnish with a dehydrated orange slice (fresh orange twist).After tracking down the Noble Savage recipe the night before to StarChefs, I searched the site for other drink ideas. There, I was lured in by the Moniker crafted by Randy Jeffers as Scholar in Portland, Oregon, circa Spring 2023 with its Creole vibe but with sherry instead of sweet vermouth. Once prepared, the Moniker launched off with an orange, nutty grape, and caramel bouquet. Next, a semi-dry grape and caramel sip subsided into Bourbon, nutty sherry, and orange herbal flavors on the swallow.

noble savage

1 1/2 oz Sombra Mezcal (Del Maguey Vida)
3/4 oz Dolin Blanc Vermouth
1/2 oz Benedictine
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.Two Tuesdays ago, I was perusing the online recipe flashcard set for the Raised by Wolves bar when I came across the Noble Savage that I was able to track down via a 2010 StarChefs article to Kelli Bratvold at Rickhouse in San Francisco. Raised by Wolves owner Erick Castro would have been the bar manager at Rickhouse during that period, so it makes sense that he would have this recipe at hand. Overall, the concept appeared like my Oaxacan Dream but with blanc vermouth instead of dry and no tequila component. Once prepared, the Noble Savage showcased an orange, vegetal, and smoke aroma. Next, a semi-sweet white grape sip with a hint of caramel flowed into smoky, herbal, vegetal, and floral flavors on the swallow.

palpable apathy

1 oz Rye Whiskey (Rittenhouse Bonded)
1 oz Sweet Vermouth (Cocchi)
1 oz Amaro Braulio
1 dash Lemon Bitters (Berg & Hauck)

Stir with ice, strain into an old fashioned glass, and garnish with a lemon (orange) twist.Two Mondays ago, I searched a few sites for Amaro Braulio recipes, and soon I uncovered the Palpable Apathy in Serious Eats. Maggie Hoffman published the recipe in 2018 and attributed it to owner/bartender David Little at the Barnacle Bar in Seattle as a Boulevardier riff. With an orange twist instead of a lemon one, it began with an orange, caramel, and minty herbal aroma. Next, grape and caramel notes on the sip passed into rye and dark herbal flavors with bright minty ones on the swallow. Overall, Braulio took the Boulevardier concept in a deeper and more complex direction than the classic with Campari.

little zeddie

1 1/2 oz Mezcal (Del Maguey Vida)
1/2 oz Amaro Ciociaro
1/2 oz Lime Juice
5 dash Orange Bitters (Angostura Orange)

Shake with ice and strain into a coupe glass.Two Sundays prior, I opened up Carey Jones' Brooklyn Bartender book and landed upon the Little Zeddie that appeared like a smoky and bitter version of a Margarita. The drink crafted at Achilles Heel might have been named after Zeddie Little who was photographed during a road race and memed as the "ridiculously photogenic guy" and now currently living in Brooklyn. Once prepared, the Little Zeddie proffered caramel, smoke, vegetal, and lime aromas to the nose. Next, lime, orange, and caramel notes on the sip ran to smoky mezcal melding into bitter herbal orange flavors on the swallow.

amaro daiquiri

1 oz Amaro Braulio
1 oz Amaro Sfumato
3/4 oz Lime Juice
3/4 oz Simple Syrup

Shake with ice, strain into a cocktail coupe, and garnish with a lime wheel.Two Saturdays, I wanted to make use of my new addition to the liquor shelves, Amaro Braulio. For a starting point to crack open my bottle, I opted for a recipe that I had previously spotted on Kindred Cocktails called the Amaro Daiquiri created by Stephanie Andrews at Billy Sunday in Chicago (now at Bill Sunday in Charlotte, North Carolina). Akin to the Love & Murder, Drink of Laughter & Forgetting, and Industry Sour, this was a two-part herbal liqueur base lime Sour with Braulio and Sfumato as the lead here. In the glass, the Amaro Daiquiri welcomed the senses with a lime, roast, and pine aroma. Next, lime and caramel notes on the sip led into roast and minty flavors on the swallow with a lime and smoky finish.

ken burns effect

2 oz Rye Whiskey (Old Overholt 86°)
1/2 oz Oloroso Sherry (Lustau)
1/2 oz Maraschino (Luxardo)
1 dash Angostura Bitters

Stir with ice, strain into a Nick & Nora glass, and garnish with an orange twist.For a cocktail two Fridays ago, I came back to the Raised by Wolves online flashcard set. There, I was lured in by the Ken Burns Effect crafted by Erick Castro and named after a video panning effect on a still photo that I got quite familiar with when editing videos during the pandemic. Overall, its structure reminded me of Rhiannon Enlil's Neutral Ground but with the delightful combination of oxidized sherry and Maraschino instead of Benedictine. Once assembled, it proffered an orange and nutty cherry aroma. Next, a semi-dry grape sip evolved into rye with nutty cherry melding with oxidized sherry flavors on the swallow with a clove and allspice finish.

f.r.d.

2 oz Plantation Pineapple Rum
1/2 oz Smith and Cross Rum
1/4 oz Crème de Banane
1/4 oz Crème de Mure
1 dash Orange Bitters

Stir with ice and strain into an old fashioned glass with a large ice cube.

Two Thursdays ago, I ventured down to Backbar and found a seat in front of bartender Alexis Vazquez. For a drink, I requested the F.R.D. off of the specials sheet as opposed to their elaborate comic book menu. The F.R.D. stands for "F*ck Ron Desantis" and was created by bartender Jenifer Anastasi in protest of the political actions of Florida's governor. It was described as, "A slow-sipping Rum Runner, the official drink of the Sunshine State" with the subtitle "Say gay. Read books. Protect trans humans."Instead of the lime-balanced version of the original, this variation was more akin to an Old Fashioned with more interesting rums and without the lime juice or grenadine. Once prepared, the F.R.D. protested with a pineapple, rum funk, and red berry aroma. Next, a fruity sip led into pineapple, tropical funk, and banana flavors on the swallow.

professional courtesy

1 1/2 oz Applejack (Laird's Bonded Apple Brandy)
3/4 oz Bonal Gentiane-Quina
3/4 oz Amaro Nonino

Stir with ice and strain into an old fashioned glass with ice.Two Wednesdays ago, I delved into an online flashcard set for Raised by Wolves in San Diego, and I happened upon the Professional Courtesy created by Erick Castro that reminded me a little of the Always Crashing the Same Car. Here, the Professional Courtesy showcased an apple bouquet with caramel-grape undertones. Next, the caramel and grape notes continued on into the sip where they were relieved by apple, herbal, orange, and gentian flavors on the swallow.

lowest branch

1 oz Avua Amburana Cachaça (Salinas Umbarana)
1 oz Amontillado Sherry (Lustau)
3/4 oz Calvados (Morin Selection)
1/4 oz Crème de Banane (Tempus Fugit)
1/8 oz Cane Syrup (Sirop de JM)
2 dash Bittermens Boston Bitters (Bittermens Burlesque)

Stir with ice and strain into a glass; the recipe did not specify a serving style, so I served it in an old fashioned glass with a large ice cube.Two Tuesdays prior, I came back to the online flashcards from the opening Seamstress (NYC) menu in 2015 and selected the Lowest Branch that reminded me of the French Connection but with cachaça and Calvados instead of aged rum and Cognac. Once in a glass, the Lowest Branch gave forth apple, nutty, and woody spice aromas. Next, apple and grape notes on the sip fell to funky cachaça, apple, and woody spice flavors on the swallow with a banana finish.

six-zero-bravo

1 1/2 oz Espolon Blanco Tequila (Olmeca Altos)
3/4 oz Lemon Juice
1/2 oz Yellow Chartreuse
1/4 oz Luxardo Maraschino
1 dash Orange Bitters (Angostura Orange)

Shake with ice, strain into a coupe glass, and garnish with a spritz of lavender tincture (3 drop Scrappy's Lavender Bitters). Two Mondays ago, I sought out the night's drink in Atlanta's Paper Plane online flashcard set that I found, and I landed on the Six-Zero-Bravo that was an Aviation riff that reminded me of a tequila-based Refined Speech. Once prepared, the Six-Zero-Bravo perhaps named after the Damien Lewis book based on the Iraqi war showcased a vegetal, nutty cherry, and floral aroma. Next, lemon and a hint of cherry on the sip flew into tequila, herbal, nutty, and cherry flavors on the swallow.

quiet coast

1 1/2 oz Bombay Sapphire Premiere Cru Gin (Bombay Sapphire East)
3/4 oz Lillet Blanc (Cocchi Americano)
1/2 oz Licor 43
1/2 oz Lemon Juice
1 dash Cardamom Bitters (The Bitter House Wife)
1 dash Saline (1 pinch Salt)

Shake with ice, strain into a cocktail coupe, and garnish with an edible flower (ornamental pea plant blossom).Two Sundays ago, I revisited the July/August 2023 issue of Imbibe Magazine to make another recipe that I had spotted there – namely, the Quiet Coast by Meaghan Dorman of New York City's Raines Law Room and Dear Irving. This gin Sour conjured up a lemon, citrus, and pine aroma. Next, lemon, pear, and nectarine notes on the sip crept up on gin, vanilla, and cardamom flavors on the swallow.

the hundred pipers

2 oz Scotch (1 1/2 oz Famous Grouse + 1/2 oz Cutty Sark Prohibition)
1/2 oz Drambuie
1/2 oz Cocchi Americano
1 dash Absinthe (12 drop St. George)

Stir with ice, strain into a cocktail coupe, and garnish with a cherry.Two Fridays ago, I opened up the Bartender's Choice app and landed upon the Hundred Pipers by Michael Madrusan in 2012. What was described as something "inspired by a fleeting love affair with the Rusty Nail" reminded me of a classic called the Prince Edward (the link is for a tequila variation) of Scotch, Lillet, and Drambuie (2, 3/4, 1/4 oz, respectively, is my preferred recipe) but here with equal parts of Drambuie and Cocchi Americano plus a dash of absinthe. The name most likely refers to the Scottish song and jig attributed to Carolina Nairne circa 1850s based upon the Jacobite Rising of 1745. In the glass, the Hundred Pipers presented a peat smoke, honey, and anise bouquet to the nose. Next, a honey and orchard fruit sip marched towards Scotch, herbal, pear, and anise flavors on the swallow.

cliffhanger

1 1/2 oz El Dorado 12 Year Rum (Diplomatico Reserva Exclusiva)
3/4 oz Cynar
1/2 oz Fernet Branca
1/2 oz Luxardo Maraschino
1 dash Grapefruit Bitters (Bittercube Jamaica #2)

Stir with ice, strain into a single old fashioned glass, and garnish with a lemon twist.Two Thursdays ago, I delved back into the online flashcard set from the Paper Plane in Atlanta and landed upon the Cliffhanger that reminded me of the Avenue Davenport but with rum instead of American whiskey to support the trio of Cynar, Fernet, and Maraschino. In the glass, the Cliffhanger presented a lemon and nutty Maraschino aroma. Next, caramel and a hint of cherry on the sip clung to dark rum, cherry, bitter, menthol, and vegetal flavors on the swallow.

neptune's wrath

1 1/2 oz Gin (Beefeater)
3/4 oz Lemon Juice
3/4 oz Simple Syrup
1/4 oz Absinthe (Kübler)
1 Egg White

Shake once with ice and once without ice. Pour 1/4 oz Green Chartreuse into a coupe glass, ignite the Chartreuse, and extinguish by straining the drink over it.Two Wednesdays ago, I was looking through the Kindred Cocktails database when I came across Neptune's Wrath by Toby Maloney at the Violet Hour in Chicago. The thought of a gin-based Rattlesnake Cocktail strained over flaming Green Chartreuse was alluring, so I began to research it. On Difford's Guide, I learned that it was created around 2007, and they poetically describe how "[t]he foaming surface, green hue of the absinthe, and flaming Chartreuse represents Neptune expressing his fury with a dangerously rough sea." In the glass, the Neptune's Wrath proffered an anise aroma from the absinthe. Next, a creamy lemon sip unfurled gin, anise, herbal, and black licorice flavors on the swallow.

as you wish

2 oz Gin (Beefeater)
1 oz Lemon Juice
1/2 oz Raspberry Syrup
1/2 oz Honey Syrup

Shake with ice, strain into a coupe, and garnish with a cherry.Two Tuesdays ago, my July/August 2023 issue of Imbibe Magazine arrived, and I decided to make the Bee's Knees riff As You Wish that was crafted by Adam LeBeau at Victoria in Portland, Oregon. After shaking and straining, the As You Wish approached the nose with a pine and raspberry bouquet. Next, lemon, berry, and honey notes on the sip buzzed into gin, honey, and raspberry flavors on the swallow with a floral and tart berry finish.

all bark, all bite

1 oz Copper Dog Speyside Blended Malt Scotch (The Glen Grant 16 Year)
1 oz Wild Turkey 101 Rye (Rittenhouse Bonded)
1/4 oz Fernet Branca
1/4 oz Demerara Syrup

Stir with ice, strain into a double old fashioned glass with ice, and garnish with 2 spritz Laphroaig Scotch (8 drops).Two Mondays ago, I returned to The Bartender's Manifesto by Toby Maloney with Emma Janzen and landed on the Toronto-like All Bark, All Bite by Levi Tyma at Chicago's Violet Hour circa 2018. With Scotch elements added in, the All Bark, All Bite launched with a peat smoke aroma. Next, malt notes on the sip slid into rye and sherry-tinged Scotch with light bitter menthol accents on the swallow. Overall, it came across a lot softer than a Toronto.

bourgeois guilt

2 oz Pierre Ferrand Ambre Cognac (Du Peyrat Selection)
1/4 oz Walnut Liqueur (Russo Nocino)
1/4 oz Benedictine
1/8 oz Bigallet China-China (1/4 oz Amaro Ciociaro)
2 dash Fee's Walnut Bitters (4 dash Strongwater Mountain Elixirs)

Stir with ice, strain into an old fashioned glass with a large ice cube, and garnish with an orange twist.Two Sundays ago, I was searching through the Kindred Cocktails database when I came across the Bourgeois Guilt created by Chicago home bartender Applejack. With Cognac, walnut liqueur, and Benedictine, it reminded me of my Pirate's Alley but here with the Amer Picon-like Bigallet China-China and without the split spirit base of Scotch that I included. Once prepared, the Bourgeois Guilt began with an orange and rich Cognac aroma bolsterd by caramel and walnut notes. Next, the caramel continued on into the sip where it got overwhelmed by Cognac, walnut, herbal, and bitter orange flavors on the swallow.

classic mob movie

2 oz Glenlivet Founder's Reserve Scotch (Famous Grouse)
1/2 oz Sweet Vermouth (Cocchi)
1/2 oz Amaretto (Disaronno)
2 dash Angostura Bitters

Stir with ice, strain into a cocktail glass, and garnish with 2 cherries on a pick and with orange oil from a twist.

Two Saturdays ago, I opened up my new purchase of Gabriel Fernando Urrutia's Miami Cocktails book and came upon the Godfather riff called the Classic Mob Movie. The recipe was crafted by Dave Simmons at The Anderson, and its call for two cherries reminded me of the garnish lore of how two olives in a Martini has been considered a warning from the bartender that a mobster is out to get them. Audrey Saunders' Little Italy recipe has been frequently written as having two cherries as a garnish (although not the Robert Simonson recipe that I utilized on the blog earlier this year), so perhaps this was a nod to that modern classic or a similar aesthetic utilized. (* see post note below)The Classic Mob Movie began with an apricot-almond and orange oil aroma. Next, the vermouth's grape on the sip was a delightful addition to the classic, and this was pursued by Scotch, dried fruit, and almond flavors on the swallow with an allspice finish.

Postnote: After writing this out, I contacted Audrey on Twitter as to why she went with two. She replied that she "Always found the whole business of odd number garnish rubbish – instead prefer to go on drink by drink basis. Do we really need 3(!) sugar soaked cherries regardless of how delicious? I think not. Yet one would not suffice. So one for the 1st 1/2 of the drink & one more for the 2nd."