rocky mountain revolver

1 1/2 oz Bourbon (Evan Williams Bonded)
3/4 oz Punt e Mes
1/4 oz Creme de Peche (Mathilde)
3 dash Allspice (30 drop Hamilton's Allspice Dram)

Stir with ice and strain into a coupe.Two Fridays ago, I returned to the online recipe flashcard set for the Baldwin Bar in Woburn and spotted the Rocky Mountain Revolver. Despite the name, it had less to do with the neoclassic Revolver and more in common with Joy Richard's Bourbon Belle. Perhaps the name is in reference to the Rocky Mountain Firearms company that makes beautiful historic recreations of old guns like 6-shot revolvers. The drink was served at the upstairs Baldwin & Sons Trading Company for their opening or very early menu in 2016. A menu photo on Yelp that year mentioned that it was made with a peach-infused Bourbon, but it seems that they make it now as Bourbon plus peach liqueur. In the glass, the Rocky Mountain Revolver offered up Bourbon, peach, and allspice aromas. Next, grape and orchard fruit on the sip took aim at Bourbon, bitter peach, and allspice flavors on the swallow.

mina loy

1 1/2 oz Lunazul Blanco Tequila (Arette)
1/2 oz Averna
1/2 oz Amaro Montenegro
1/2 oz Fidencio Mezcal (Banhez)
1/2 oz Carpano Antica Sweet Vermouth (Cocchi)
1 dash Orange Bitters (Regan's)

Stir with ice, strain into a coupe, and garnish with an orange twist.Two Thursdays prior, I spotted the Mina Loy created at Park in Cambridge for the Spring 2013 menu via online recipe flashcards. Park was one of the sister restaurants to Russell House Tavern where I worked from 2013-2015, and we occasionally got requests for the Delgado off of that same menu. Mina was a British-born artist, poet, playright, and bohemian who penned the Feminist Manifesto back in 1914, briefly was married to the poet-boxer-Dadaist Arthur Cravan, and designed lamps amongst many other accomplishments. Once stirred and strained, the Mina Loy communicated orange, smoke, and vegetal aromas to the senses. Next, grape and caramel on the sip fled to smoky agave, herbal, and orange flavors on the swallow.

six figure

1 1/2 oz Mezcal (Banhez)
1 1/4 oz Blanc Vermouth (Dolin)
1/4 oz Yellow Chartreuse
2 dash Orange Bitters (Regan's)

Stir with ice, strain into an old fashioned glass with a large ice cube, and garnish with a lemon twist.Two Wednesdays ago, I opened up the Bartender's Choice app and landed on the Six Figure by Dan Greenbaum at Manhattan's Attaboy in 2016 as a possible answer to my nightcap dilemma. The combination reminded me of Sother Teague's Disco Ball minus the Green Chartreuse aspect and Alex Day's Alto California with tequila and a touch of cinnamon instead of the mezcal. In the glass, the Six Figure presented a lemon, vegetal, and smoke bouquet to the nose. Next, white grape and a hint of honey on the sip set up smoky agave, herbal, and orange flavors on the swallow.

big country

3/4 oz Rey Campero Mezcal (Banhez)
3/4 oz Arette Reposado Tequila (Espolon)
3/4 oz Carpano Antica Sweet Vermouth (Cocchi)
3/4 oz Amaro Braulio
1/2 dash Lavender Bitters (Scrappy's)

Stir with ice, strain into an old fashioned glass with a large ice cube, and garnish with an orange twist.Two Tuesdays prior, I returned to the online recipe flashcard set from Death & Co. Denver's Summer 2024 menu, and I landed on the Big Country that reminded me of the Inside Job with tequila, sweet vermouth, and Braulio as common ingredients. Once prepared, the Big Country gave forth an orange, smoke, vegetal, caramel, and pine bouquet. Next, grape and caramel notes on the sip transitioned into smoky agave, bitter herbal, and pine-lavender flavors on the swallow.

papa was a rodeo

1 oz Mezcal (Banhez)
1 oz Cognac (Courvoisier VS)
1/2 oz Cynar
1/2 oz Curaçao (Pierre Ferrand Dry)
2 dash Peychaud's Bitters

Stir with ice, strain into a coupe glass, and garnish with an orange twist.After writing up the Water Line, I got inspired to riff on the Cynar-orange liqueur combination. I merged the idea with the mezcal-Cognac duo from the 1910 Cocktail and included its choice of Peychaud's Bitters. For a name, I dubbed this one Papa Was a Rodeo that was had played on the Magnetic Fields Spotify that night (which I was listening to since a few songs from their "69 Love Songs" album are on one of the playlists at work). Once mixed, the Papa Was a Rodeo opened up with orange, caramel, vegetal, and smoke aromas. Next, the caramel orange notes continued on into the sip before Cognac, smoky agave, orange, herbal, and anise flavors took over on the swallow.

island time

1 oz Dark Rum (3/4 oz Coruba + 1/4 oz Planteray OFTD)
1 oz Cocchi Sweet Vermouth
1/2 oz Campari
1/2 oz Giffard Crème de Banane (Tempus Fugit)

Stir with ice, strain into an old fashioned glass with a large cube, and garnish with a lime twist (orange twist).Two Sundays ago, I decided to make the Island Time by Courtney McKamey at Weather Up in New York City that I found in a September 2023 Imbibe Magazine article. Overall, it came across like a rum version of the Banana Boulevardier so I was game, and it was different from the other Island Time on the blog which is Sother Teague's cigar-inspired Daiquiri. Once prepared, this Island Time showcased orange and caramel aromas. Next, grape and caramelized fruit notes on the sip relaxed into funky dark rum and bitter banana and orange flavors on the swallow.

the man who was marked for death

1 1/2 oz Mezcal (Banhez)
3/4 oz Punt e Mes
1/2 oz Ancho Reyes Chile Liqueur
1/4 oz Crème de Cacao (Bols)
1 dash Angostura Bitters

Stir with ice, strain into an old fashioned glass with a large ice cube, and garnish with freshly grated nutmeg. Two Saturdays ago, I was inspired by the previous night's Ninth Wonder with Ancho Reyes and crème de cacao to craft a new drink, and I took it in the direction of a stirred cocktail with Death & Co.'s True Romance that pairs Ancho Reyes with Punt e Mes in mind. For a name, I dubbed this one The Man Who Was Marked For Death named after a chapter and character in Ernest Hemingway's A Moveable Feast book. The end result began with a cinnamon, chili, and dark fruit bouquet. Next, a grape-driven sip flowed into vegetal, chili spice, chocolate, and smoke flavors on the swallow.

ninth wonder

3/4 oz Tequila (Arette Blanco)
3/4 oz Ancho Reyes Chile Liqueur
3/4 oz Crème de Cacao (Bols)
3/4 oz Lime Juice

Shake with ice, strain into a coupe, and garnish with a lime wheel.Two Fridays ago, I sought out a recipe to make on the BartendersChoice app and landed on the Ninth Wonder by Erick Castro at Polite Provisions in San Diego circa 2014. The Ancho Reyes-cacao combination here made me think of the first time I tried it in the Battle of Puebla in 2015 and last in the Paseo Bravo. Moreover, the tequila, cacao, and citrus combination and the number name also reminded me of Twentieth Century riffs like the 21st Century. Once prepared, the Ninth Wonder gave forth a lime, dried fruit, and chocolate bouquet. Next, lime and caramelized roast notes on the sip jumped to vegetal, chocolate, and chili spice flavors on the swallow.

coin toss

2 oz Rittenhouse Rye, Laird's Bonded, Santa Teresa 1796 Rum, Hine H Cognac, or Famous Grouse Scotch (Famous Grouse Smoky Black)
3/4 oz Carpano Antica Sweet Vermouth (Cocchi)
1/4 oz Yellow Chartreuse
1/4 oz Benedictine
2 dash Peychaud's Bitters

Stir with ice and strain into a coupe.I recently saw a mention of the Coin Toss from Death & Co., and I realized that I had not made one yet. It appears in the Death & Co.: Modern Classic Cocktails book attributed to Phil Ward in 2008. This was the original multiple choice cocktail in a section of the bar's menu that put the Mr. Potato Head method into practice by allowing the guest or bartender to pick the spirit. The Coin Toss was based on the template 2 oz spirit, 3/4 oz vermouth, and 1/2 oz liqueur(s) that Phil frequently used such as the simple Cynartown or the split spirit-split liqueur Airbag. With my choice of Scotch combined with Yellow Chartreuse, Benedictine, and Peychaud's, the recipe reminded me of the Blues from a Gun that I crafted on the fly at Drink with the 1895 combination of Yellow Chartreuse-Benedictine in mind from the Widow's Kiss. In the glass, the Coin Toss began with a grape and herbal bouquet. Next, the vermouth's grape filled the sip which was followed by Scotch, pine, dried fruit, herbal, and anise flavors on the swallow.

confiant

2 oz Pusser's Rum (1 oz Hamilton's Demerara 86° + 1 oz Doorly's 12 Year)
1/2 oz Punt e Mes
1/4 oz Bigallet China-China (Amer Picon)
1/4 oz Benedictine
1 dash Angostura Bitters

Stir with ice, strain into a coupe, and garnish with a lemon twist.Two Wednesdays prior, I made the other recipe that I had bookmarked on the KindredCocktails database when I found the Water Line a few nights before called the Confiant. The drink was crafted by New York City bartender Rafa Garcia Febles in 2015 as perhaps a rum Creole Cocktail of sorts. I had done similarly with a rhum agricole and dry vermouth in the Patois, but here Rafa utilized a British Navy-style rum and bitter-sweet Punt e Mes. Once prepared, the Confiant sailed in with a lemon and caramel bouquet. Next, caramel and grape notes mingled on the sip, and the swallow dropped anchor with rum, caramel, herbal, dark orange, woody, and allspice flavors on the swallow.

pin(head)s and needles

1 1/4 oz Ilegal Reposado Mezcal
1/2 oz Blanc Vermouth
1/4 oz Punt e Mes
1/2 oz Zirbenz Liqueur
1/4 oz Amaro Braulio
1/4 oz Cherry Heering

Torch a plank of cedar and overturn a coupe to be smoked. Stir with ice, turn over the coupe, strain into that coupe, and garnish with a cherry.Two Tuesdays ago, I ran an errand in Union Square, Somerville, so I stopped into Backbar for a drink. There, I became enraptured by the Pin(head)s & Needles from their special Halloween cocktail menu. Bartender Liz Pittari was inspired by the 1987 film Hellraiser, and the menu item was subtitled "Pine & smoke, pleasure & pain beyond your imagination." The mezcal, Punt e mes, and Cherry Heering combination reminded me of the Another Sunken Boat but here with bitter pine notes from the Braulio and Zirbenz. Once mixed, the Pin(head)s & Needles stalked the nose with dark cherry, smoke, and vegetal aromas. Next, grape and dark fruit on the sip siezed on to smoky, vegetal, bitter, and pine flavors on the swallow.

monkey business

2 oz Monkey Shoulder Scotch (Famous Grouse Smoky Black)
3/4 oz Amaro Nonino
3/4 oz Vanilla Gomme Syrup (Vanilla Syrup)
1 Whole Egg

Shake one round without ice and one round with ice, strain into an old fashioned glass, and garnish with freshly grated nutmeg.Two Mondays ago, I returned to the Hawthorne bar bible and spotted the Monkey Business which was bar director Jackson Cannon's creation. Unlike the two other Monkey Businesses on the blog, this one was a Flip with vanilla and amaro accents. There are mentions of this drink as early as 2015 on UrbanDaddy, and MarketWatchMag in 2017 quoted Jackson as saying that it is a "more refined eggnog". Once prepared, the Monkey Business provided a delightful woody spice, vanilla, and apricot bouquet to the nose. Next, a creamy caramel and orange sip set up Scotch, vanilla, orange, herbal, and dried fruit flavors on the swallow.

water line

1 1/2 oz Rye Whiskey (Rittenhouse)
1 oz Linie Aquavit
1/2 oz Cynar
1/4 oz Cointreau
(1/8 oz Demerara Syrup as my addition for balance)
2 dash Fee's Orange Bitters (Angostura Orange)
1 dash Fee's Walnut Bitters (2 dash Strongwater Mountain Elixir)

Stir with ice, strain into a cocktail glass (coupe), and garnish with an orange twist.Two Sundays previous, I began searching the KindredCocktails database for drink ideas. There, I landed on the Water Line by Sara Rosales, a Seattle bartender and co-owner of Lady Jaye, circa 2013. The spirits balanced merely by Cynar and an orange liqueur had worked so well in the Devil in a Boot and Hugo Ball, that I was keen on trying this one. Moreover, rye-aquavit combination has been great in cocktails like The Staggerly and in my creations like the Day Old Bread that I was ready to stir this one up. Once done, the Water Line showcased an orange, caramel, rye, and caraway aroma. Next, a caramel orange sip rose to rye, caraway, and herbal orange swallow.

hell haggerty

1 oz Laphroaig 10 Year Scotch
1 oz Laird's Bonded Apple Brandy
3/4 oz Amaro Sfumato
1/4 oz Cinnamon Syrup

Stir with ice, strain into a rocks glass with a large ice cube, and garnish with an orange twist.

Two Saturdays ago, I became inspired by the Armstrong from Idlewild with the Sfumato-cinnamon syrup combination. From there, I swapped the rye-rum base for the duo of Scotch and apple brandy that paired well with Sfumato in the Leaf Fall. Perhaps it was the Montenegro-cinnamon containing Battle Annie that got me on the gang naming convention, for this one I dubbed Hell Haggerty who I learned about in Herbert Asbury's book The Barbary Coast. Haggerty was part of the Sydney Ducks gang of British criminals from Australia who made their way to San Francisco's red light zone during the Gold Rush, and he owned two notorious establishments, the Goat & Compass and the Golden Rule. The Hell Haggerty enticed the senses with orange, peat smoke, roast, and cinnamon aromas. Next, caramel and roast notes on the sip launched into smoky whisky, apple, bitter herbal, and cinnamon flavors on the swallow.

goat rodeo

1 1/2 oz Rittenhouse Rye
3/4 oz Carpano Antica Sweet Vermouth (Cocchi)
3/4 oz Amaro Nonino
1 dash Demerara Syrup (1/8 oz)
2 dash Spiced Cherry Bitters (King Floyd's Cherry-Cacao)

Stir with ice, strain into a coupe, and garnish with a cherry.Two Fridays ago, I made a recipe that I had recently spotted on Reddit cocktails forum called the Goat Rodeo. The drink appears on the current menu of the Black Rabbit in Nashville and user SolomonGorillaJr was cited as the source. A goat rodeo is a slang term for when something disasterous and unbelievable is occurring and one holds back and watches the train wreck occur; it is also the name of a bluegrass-classical fusion album featuring Yo-Yo Ma. In the glass, the Goat Rodeo corralled a cherry and grape bouquet for the nose. Next, grape and caramel notes on the sip stampeded towards rye, herbal, orange, and chocolate-cherry flavors on the swallow.

cafe lunaire

2 oz Pierre Ferrand 1840 Cognac (Courvoisier VS)
3/8 oz Galliano Ristretto (Mr. Black)
3/8 oz Cinnamon Syrup
1/4 oz Ancho Reyes Chile Liqueur
2 dash Angostura Bitters
1 dash Fee's Whiskey Barrel Aged Bitters

Stir with ice, strain into an old fashioned glass with ice, and garnish with a lemon twist.Two Thursdays prior, I returned to the Hawthorne bar bible and decided upon the Cafe Lunaire by Colleen Edwards circa 2018. It was subtitled "the freaks come out at night" which could perhaps be a 1984-era Whodini reference. With coffee, cinnamon, and chili flavors, I was intrigued, but I was surprised that this was not an agave-based drink but a Cognac one. In the glass, the Cafe Lunaire brought a lemon, cinnamon, and coffee bouquet to the nose. Next, a roast-driven sip progressed into Cognac, coffee, chili pepper, and cinnamon flavors on the swallow.

towser the mouser

1 1/2 oz Power's Gold Irish Whiskey (Teeling Small Batch)
1/2 oz Amontillado Sherry (Lustau)
1/2 oz Method Sweet Vermouth (Cocchi)
1/2 oz Balvenie 14 Year Scotch (Glen Grant 16 Year)
1/4 oz Drambuie
1 tsp Nocino (Russo)

Stir with ice, strain into a Nick & Nora (coupe), and garnish with orange oil from a twist (include the peel).Two Wednesdays ago, I looked to my to-make list and decided on the Towser the Mouser by Ally Marone as a Bobby Burns riff at Grand Army Bar in Brooklyn circa 2021. I sourced the recipe from Robert Simonson's Substack, and the bar's Facebook mentioned that it was named after the long-lived tortoise shell cat at the Glenturret Distillery that is believed to have killed close to 29,000 mice in her 24 year lifespan or approximately 3 per day. Once stirred and strained, the drink gave forth an orange, whiskey, and nutty aroma. Next, honey and grape on the sip led to whiskey, chocolate, walnut, and dried fruit flavors on the swallow.

gravesend

1 3/4 oz Whistlepig 10 Year Rye (Templeton)
1/2 oz Carpano Antica Sweet Vermouth (Cocchi)
1/2 oz Amaro Ciociaro
1/4 oz Amaro Lucano
1 dash Angostura Bitters
1 dash Chocolate Bitters (Bittermens)

Stir with ice, strain into a coupe glass, and garnish with a cherry.Two Tuesdays ago, I uncovered an online recipe flashcard set for the Dutch Kills' Fall 2024 menu, and I had to make the Gravesend that was attributed to Boston expat Jason Kilgore and owner Richard Boccato. Overall, it reminded me of a Liberal with Lucano and Ciociaro filling in for the Amer Picon and Angostura and chocolate for the orange bitters. With three Italian ingredients, perhaps the drink was named after the 2020 television series about Italian-American crime families. In the glass, the Gravesend proffered up cherry, rye, caramel, and orange aromas to the nose. Next, caramel and grape notes on the sip expanded into rye, caramel orange, and bitter herbal flavors on the swallow.

autumn old fashioned

1/2 oz George Dickel Rye (Rittenhouse)
1/2 oz Laird's Bonded Apple Brandy
1/2 oz Tariquet VSOP Armagnac (Marie Duffau Napoleon)
1/2 oz Bank Note Scotch (Famous Grouse Smoky Black)
1 tsp Maple Syrup
2 dash Bittermens Mole Bitters
1 dash Angostura Bitters
Stir with ice, strain into an old fashioned glass with a large ice cube, and garnish with lemon and orange twists.Two Mondays prior, I reached for Death & Co.'s Cocktail Codex book and landed on the Autumn Old Fashioned that Devon Tarby created in 2013 as a take on Brian Miller's 2007 four spirit Old Fashioned, the Conference. Once assembled, the Autumn Old Fashioned offered up lemon, orange, and maple aromas. Next, caramel and maple on the sip traipsed into brandy, Scotch, and caramel flavors on the swallow with a chocolate and allspice finish.

squid missile

1 1/2 oz Coruba Rum
1/2 oz Planteray OFTD Rum
1/4 oz Jagermeister
1/4 oz Velvet Falernum
1/2 oz Maple Syrup
3/4 oz Grapefruit Juice
3/4 oz Lime Juice
Shake with ice and strain into a Collins (Tiki mug) with ice.Two Saturdays ago, I had a grapefruit that had been shed of all its garnish peels and was ready for juicing. From my collection of to-make drinks, I selected the Squid Missile at Gilly's House of Cocktails in San Diego from their opening Fall 2023 menu that I sourced via online recipe flashcards. The maple-grapefruit duo was one I discovered in Don the Beachcomber's Volcano Bowl, and the Jägermeister Tiki aspect made me think of the Rough Seas, Escape Hatch, and Lost U-Boat. Later I realized that the whole combination reminded me of my Volcano Bowl riff with Jägermeister in the mix that had different spirit and lacked falernum that I dubbed the Vagalume Bowl. Once in the glass, the Squid Missile launched to the nose with caramel-maple and funky rum aromas. Next, maple, grapefruit, and lime on the sip guided towards rum, maple, and ginger flavors on the swallow.

banana cognac

2 oz Cognac (Courvoisier VS)
1/2 oz Banana Liqueur (Tempus Fugit)
2 dash Chocolate Bitters (Bittermens)

Build in an old fashioned glass, add ice, stir, and garnish with an orange twist.Two Saturdays ago, I got back from my bartending shift, and I was exhausted and looking for a simple nightcap to make. On the BartendersChoice app, I latched on to the Banana Cognac by Zachary Gelnaw-Ruben at Lion Lion circa 2017 that was as simple of a build as the Monkey Wrench with spirit, banana liqueur, and bitters (here, molé instead of a scant amount of Fernet). In the glass, the Banana Cognac showboated an orange, caramel, and chocolate bouquet. Next, a caramel sip with a hint of tropical flowed into Cognac, cooked banana, and chocolate flavors on the swallow.

the dead rabbit

1 oz Mezcal (Banhez)
1 oz Lime Juice
3/4 oz Tequila (Arette)
3/4 oz Raspberry Syrup
1/4 oz Cynar
1 Egg White

Shake one round without ice and one round with ice, and strain into a cocktail coupe.Two weeks ago, Imbibe Magazine reposted a recipe from October 2023 called the Dead Rabbit. The drink created by Mario Vidal at Arbella in Chicago for their Halloween menu (made darker for the holiday with Celestial Raspberry Tea bags added to raspberry syrup recipe's hot steep step). It is unclear whether the name is a tribute to the old New York City gang or the Manhattan bar, but my guess is a reference to them using 400 Conejos (Four Hundred Rabbits) brand mezcal. The raspberry-Cynar aspect reminded me of the Sargasso Sea that Matt Schrage was tinkering with at Brick & Mortar years ago, but I had not seen or tried it since. In the glass, the Dead Rabbit conferred a smoke, vegetal, and raspberry aroma to the nose. Next, a creamy lime and raspberry sip hopped into smoke, vegetal agave, and herbal flavors on the swallow.

vincent's ruin

2 oz Bulleit Bourbon (Evan Williams Bonded)
3/4 oz Lemon Juice
1/2 oz St. Germain (St. Elder)
1/4 oz Simple Syrup
7 drop Lemon Bitters (Berg & Hauck)

Shake with ice, strain into an absinthe-rinsed old fashioned glass (Pastis d'Autrefois) with ice, and garnish with a lemon twist.Two Thursdays ago, I found a mention of a drink called Vincent's Ruin online, and I gathered a recipe on KindredCocktails and information about it on eGullet and elsewhere. This Bourbon Sour of sorts was created by Toby Maloney for The Patterson House's opening menu in Spring 2009; the bar replied to my Instagram post declaring that it is still one of their favorites, and it has been on and off the menu throughout the years including a 2022 menu that I spotted on Yelp. Here, Vincent's Ruin shot forth with a lemon, anise, and licorice bouquet. Next, lemon and melon notes on the sip subsided into Bourbon, floral, and hint of apricot flavors on the swallow with a lemon finish.

trenton

2 oz Applejack (Laird's Bonded)
3/4 oz Cynar
1/2 oz Blanc Vermouth (Dolin)

Stir with ice, strain into a cocktail coupe, and garnish with a grapefruit twist.Two Wednesdays ago, I spotted the Trenton in a collection of Sasha Petraske-related recipes. This apple brandy-blanc vermouth number is rather similar to the Backward's Point also in that collection and attributed to Attaboy via the Bartender's Choice app with the same proportions but with Scotch and sweet vermouth instead. Those two are also similar to the build of how Attaboy makes their Little Italy that curiously reverses Audrey Saunder's vermouth to Cynar ratio (Audrey's recipe in the link). Once prepared, the Trenton gave forth grapefruit, apple, and herbal aromas. Next, caramel and apple notes on the sip sprouted into apple, grapefruit, and funky herbal flavors on the swallow.

hitman

3/4 oz Mezcal (Banhez)
3/4 oz Batavia Arrack (von Oosten)
1/2 oz Maraschino (Luxardo)
1/2 oz Ginger Syrup
1/2 oz Lime Juice

Shake with ice and strain into a cocktail coupe.Two Tuesdays ago, I decided to make another recipe in the online recipe flashcard collection from Dutch Kills called the Hitman. I was not able to find it in photos of menus or in reviews on Yelp or Google Maps, but it was too tempting to pass up. The combination of mezcal and Batavia Arrack reminded me of various Boston and New York City drinks like the Esmino's Escape and the Shattered Glasser, and that duo was one that I utilized in the Explorer's Dream that I later modified into the Explorer's Negroni. Moreover, the combination of Maraschino and ginger syrup was very intriguing in the New Rider and in the One for Jimmy (with ginger beer), and I featured it in my Tiki drink Who Killed Mr. Moonlight?. In the glass, the Hitman launched off with a nutty cherry and smoke bouquet. Next, a lime and cherry sip stalked down funky spirits, nutty cherry, and ginger flavors on the swallow with a smoke and ginger finish.

griselda

1 1/2 oz Wild Turkey 101° Bourbon (Evan Williams Bonded)
3/4 oz Noilly Prat Dry Vermouth
3/8 oz Amaro Montenegro
3/8 oz Amaro Nonino
1/8 oz Green Chartreuse
1 dash Orange Bitters (Regan's)

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

Two Mondays ago, I was perusing the KindredCocktails database when I stumbled upon the Griselda by Leonardo Rezende at the Dandelion Cocktail Bar in Florianopolis, Brazil, circa 2013. I had previously enjoyed the Lost & Found from that bar, so I was definitely curious to try another libation of theirs. While the name reminded me of the local cachaça number the Esmeralda, this was a Bourbon drink accented by a trio of herbal liqueurs: Montenegro, Nonino, and Green Chartreuse, and dried out a touch by French vermouth. In the glass, the Griselda approached the nose with a tangerine and Bourbon aroma. Next, caramel and nectarine notes on the sip led to American whiskey, caramel orange, and herbaceous flavors on the swallow.

orange moon

2 oz Brandy (Courvoisier VS Cognac)
1/2 oz Orange Curaçao (Pierre Ferrand)
1/2 oz Ginger Liqueur (Barrow's)
2 dash Peychaud's Bitters

Stir with ice, strain into an old fashioned glass rinsed with pastis (Pastis d'Autrefois), and garnish with a lemon twist.Two Sundays prior, I reached for Cole Newton's Cocktail Dive Bar book where I discovered Jeff Schwartz's Orange Moon. Jeff created this Sazerac riff at 12 Mile Limit in New Orleans in 2013, and Cole helped to name the drink after an album by a local indie folk duo Alexis & the Samurai. Once assembled, the Orange Moon rose with a lemon, anise, orange, and ginger bouquet. Next, the orange notes continued on into the sip where they entered the swallow as well along with brandy, ginger, and anise flavors.

mountain man

2 oz Bourbon (Evan Williams Bonded)
3/4 oz Lemon Juice
1/4 oz Maple Syrup
1/4 oz Ginger Syrup
1/4 oz Crème de Peche (Mathilde)

Shake with ice, strain into a double old fashioned glass with ice, and garnish with a piece of candied ginger.Two Saturdays ago, I spotted a recipe for the Mountain Man and traced it back to an article in Punch. This drink created by Natasha David at Nightcap in Manhattan circa 2015 read like a maple for honey Democrat meets a Federal Buffalo Stamp. Once prepared, the Mountain Man offered up Bourbon, peach, and ginger aromas to the nose. Next, lemon and maple notes on the sip climbed towards Bourbon, peach, maple, and ginger flavors on the swallow.

inner child

2 oz Tequila (Arette)
3/4 oz Lime Juice
1/2 oz Passion Fruit Syrup
1/2 oz Orgeat

Shake with ice, strain into a double old fashioned glass with ice, and garnish with freshly grated nutmeg.When I was at Daiquiris & Daisies and enjoying my Chili Southside, co-owner Joe Cammarata mentioned the Inner Child and attributed it to Attaboy. I was able to locate a recipe in a collection of Dutch Kills drinks that described it as an "Infante with passion fruit"; therefore, I used the serving style and garnish from the Infante as one was not provided there. Passion fruit and orgeat have paired well in Tiki classics like the Saturn, and I have utilized the duo in a rum-cachaça Mai Tai sort of build in the Manuia and in a Japanese Cocktail-Hurricane mashup called the Hariken. Here, the Inner Child began with a woody spice, tequila, and almond bouquet. Next, a creamy lime sip opened up into tequila, earthy, nutty, and passion fruit flavors on the swallow.

paseo bravo

1 1/2 oz Reposado Tequila (Espolon)
1/2 oz Del Maguey Mezcal Vida (Banhez)
1/4 oz Crème de Cacao (Bols)
1/4 oz Ancho Reyes Chile Liqueur
1 tsp Maraschino (Luxardo)
1 dash Mole Bitters (Bittermens)

Stir with ice, strain into a double old fashioned glass with a large ice cube, and garnish with a cherry.Two Thursdays ago, I decided to make another recipe from Dear Irving via a set of online recipe flashcards called the Paseo Bravo. There, it was attributed to bartenders Rolando and Alex for the Fall 2022 menu. The description read, "A new addition to satisfy fans of the Oaxacan Old Fashioned while offering something with some rich, slightly spicy layers. Named for the tree-lined promenade in Pueblo where Ancho Reyes comes from." Once prepared, the Paseo Bravo showcased a smoky agave, chili, and cherry aroma. Next, a semi-sweet sip led into smoky agave, chili spice, chocolate, and cherry flavors on the swallow.

gone hunting

1 1/4 oz Rye Whiskey (Rittenhouse)
1/2 oz Apple Brandy (Laird's Bonded)
1/4 oz Nocino (Russo)
1/4 oz Maple Syrup
2 dash Angostura Bitters

Stir with ice, strain into an old fashioned glass with ice, and garnish with an orange twist and grated cinnamon.Two Wednesdays prior, I returned to the recipe collection for Idlewild, a menu-less speakeasy in Charlotte, North Carolina, and spotted the Gone Hunting. The concept of an Old Fashioned with walnut liqueur and maple reminded me of the Bourbon-based Fall Back at Backbar but here with rye and apple brandy. Once mixed, the Gone Hunting welcomed the senses with orange, walnut, cinnamon, and maple aromas. Next, amber notes on the sip tracked down rye, apple, walnut, maple, allspice, and clove flavors on the swallow.

down time

1 1/2 oz Toki Whisky (Kavalan)
1/2 oz Calvados (Morin Selection)
1/2 oz Amaro Nardini
1/4 oz Allspice Dram (Hamilton's)

Stir with ice, strain into a rocks glass with ice, and garnish with an orange twist.Another drink that caught my attention in the online recipe flashcard set for Dutch Kills was the Down Time that I was able to date to their Fall 2022 menu via photos on Yelp. It read like a whisky-apple brandy Old Fashioned flavored with Amaro Nardini and allspice dram, and the apple, Nardini, and allspice trio worked well in the Infernal Architect, so I was curious to give this a try. In the glass, the Down Time opened up with orange, caramel, and herbal aromas. Next, caramel with a hint of apple on the sip slid over to whisky, apple, herbal, and allspice flavors on the swallow. Overall, I was impressed at how well the allspice accented the Calvados and whisky here.

made man

1 1/2 oz Rye Whiskey (Rittenhouse)
1/2 oz Cherry Heering
1/2 oz Yellow Chartreuse
1/8 oz Fernet Branca

Stir with ice, strain into a coupe, and garnish with a cherry.Two Mondays ago, I was peering through the Kindred Cocktails database when I came upon the Made Man by Ali Reynolds at the Hawksmoor in London. The database sourced the drink from a CocktailsDistilled web post which described, "In the same way that a made man is traditionally seen as 'untouchable' by fellow criminals, in the world of cocktails, a Made Man offers a taste you can't refuse." I was able to find references as early as 2013 to this drink on the web, and the rye, cherry, Yellow Chartreuse combination reminded me of the Last Waltz. Once stirred and strained, the Made Man gave forth a rye, cherry, and herbal pine bouquet. Next, dark fruit notes on the sip led into rye, cherry, bitter herbal, piny, and menthol flavors on the swallow.

menage a trois

1 oz Armagnac (Marie Duffau Napoleon)
1/2 oz Aged Rhum JM (Rhum JM 100° Blanc)
1/2 oz Calvados (Morin Selection)
1/2 oz Pedro Ximenez Sherry (El Maestro Sierra)

Build in an old fashioned glass, add a large ice cube, stir to mix and chill, and garnish with an orange twist.Another drink that caught my eye from the online recipe flashcard set for Dutch Kills was the Ménage à Trois as a three French spirits in Old Fashioned format (sans bitters) sweetened with Pedro Ximenez sherry akin to ones with bitters like the Second Marriage and Linchpin. I was able to find the drink on the bar's Spring/Summer 2024 menu. Once prepared, the Ménage à Trois proffered an orange, raisin, and grassy aroma. Next, a rich grape and caramel sip followed through with brandy, apple, grassy rum, raisin, and fig flavors on the swallow.

put on stun

1 oz Rittenhouserye Rye
1 oz Laird's Bonded Apple Brandy
1/2 oz Amaro Ramazzotti
2 dash Root Beer Bitters (Bitter Queens Sarsparilla)

Stir with ice, strain into double old fashioned glass with a large ice cube, and garnish with a twist (orange twist).
Note: I recommend a tsp simple syrup added here (see text).While I was searching the Kindred Cocktails database two Saturdays ago, I came across the Put on Stun by Otis Florence at PDT in Manhattan circa 2013 that reminded me of Death & Co.'s Bourbon-based Pop Quiz. I had met Otis when he was touring with the master distiller for El Dorado Rum back in 2015, and he made me a Tiki drink after the seminar. Once assembled, the Put on Stun opened up with orange and root beer aromas. Next, a caramel sip gave way to rye, apple, root beer, and herbal flavors on the swallow. Overall, it was a bit hot at first, so perhaps a teaspoon of simple syrup like in the Pop Quiz could mellow the alcohol heat out here.

seconds in

1 1/2 oz Yolo Mezcal (Banhez)
3/4 oz Dolin Blanc Vermouth
3/4 oz Salers Gentian Liqueur (Suze)
1/4 oz Apricot Liqueur (Rothman & Winter)

Stir with ice, strain into an absinthe-rinsed coupe (Butterfly), and garnish with a lemon twist.Two Thursdays, I made another drink from the Dutch Kill's online recipe flashcards called the Seconds In from their Spring/Summer 2024 menu. The combination of gentian and apricot liqueurs has worked well in the past for two cocktails at Canon, namely the Shrouded Roulette and Nymph, so I was curious to try it here with mezcal and blanc vermouth. The name made me think of the call for "seconds out" in boxing and MMA fights where the referee is asking the cornermen and coaches to exit the cage or ring so the next round can begin, but perhaps this is more time related. Once prepared, the Seconds In offered up lemon, licorice, and herbal aromas. Next, white grape notes on the sip expanded into mezcal, gentian, apricot, and anise flavors on the swallow.

velvet revolution

1 1/2 oz Reposado Tequila (Espolon)
1/2 oz Mezcal (Banhez)
1/2 oz Becherovka
1/4 oz Crème de Cacao (Bols)
2 dash Orange Bitters (Angostura Orange)

Stir with ice, strain into a double old fashioned glass with a large ice cube, and garnish with a grapefruit twist.At Daiquiris & Daisies, bar co-owner Joe Cammarata mentioned a drink called the Inner Child that he attributed to Attaboy, and I was able to find it in a collection of recipes for Dutch Kills. Instead of that citrussy number, I was distracted by the Oaxacan Old Fashioned riff accented by chocolate and Czech spiced liqueurs called the Velvet Revolution by Dana Skinner for Dutch Kills' Winter 2019 menu. The bar's Instagram gave the back story that the drink was named after a nonviolent revolution that toppled the Communist Party in Czechoslovakia in December 1989. Once prepared, the Velvet Revolution commenced with a grapefruit, vegetal, chocolate, clove, and smoke aromas. Next, a hint of caramel on the sip flowed into vegetal, smoke, chocolate, cinnamon, and mint flavors on the swallow.

chili southside

1 1/2 oz Ancho Reyes Chile Liqueur
1/2 oz Dolin Dry Vermouth
1/2 oz Mint Syrup
1/2 oz Lime Juice

Shake with ice and strain into a cocktail coupe.Two Wednesdays ago, I was near the Financial District in downtown Boston, so I stopped into Daiquiris & Daisies for a drink. From the menu, the Chili Southside caught my eye, so I asked bartender Tommy for one. From the menu description, it seemed to be a chili liqueur for gin version of the South Side, but Tommy mentioned that there was dry vermouth in the mix and that the mint syrup worked as a cooling counter to chili's spicy heat. Once prepared, the Chili Southside welcomed the nose with a mint, lime, and an almost cucumber vegetal bouquet. Next, a lime-driven sip led into roasted vegetable, dried fruit, and chili spice flavors on the swallow ending with a cooling mint wave. On Instagram, a friend commented that it was a lot of Ancho Reyes, and I replied, "I heard a brand ambassador mention that it was 80 proof and low in sugar, so it could sub in as a base spirit or split spirit instead of being just a modifier." Until this ounce and a half measure, the largest that I had tried was a full ounce in the Battle of Puebla and the Subtly Sinister, but most uses have been a half or quarter ounce.

lightning rod

1 1/2 oz Siembra Valles Tequila (Arette)
3/4 oz Cocchi Sweet Vermouth
1/2 oz Campari
1 tsp Marie Brizard Crème de Cacao
1 tsp Giffard Passion Fruit Liqueur (Passion Fruit Syrup)

Stir with ice, strain into an old fashioned glass with a large ice cube, and garnish with an orange twist.Two Tuesdays ago, I selected Death & Co.'s Welcome Home book from the shelves and found the Lightning Rod by Shannon Tebay. This 2017 drink was created as a tequila Negroni riff, and the tequila Negroni with cacao aspect reminded me of the Darkness Calls and Flaquita, while the tequila, Campari, and passion fruit trio has worked well in the M.N. Roy and Spider of the Evening. With the cacao and passion fruit combined, the Lightning Rod offered up orange and chocolate aromas. Next, grapefruit and passion fruit notes on the sip flowed into tequila, chocolate, bitter orange, and tropical tangerine flavors on the swallow.

two scoops

1 oz Bourbon (Evan Williams Bonded)
1 oz Amaro Pasubio
1 oz Cardamaro

Stir with ice, strain into an old fashioned with ice, and garnish with a lemon twist.Two Mondays ago, I visited the Haus Alpenz website and spotted a drink in the recipe section called the Two Scoops that utilized a pair of amaro from their portfolio: Pasubio and Cardamaro. Since the name made me think of the cereal commercial with the slogan "two scoops of raisins", I assume that it is a reference to the fact that both amaro are wine based. This Boulevardier of sorts launched off with lemon, blueberry, and grape aromas. Next, grape and blueberry notes on the sip continued on into bourbon, herbal, and blueberry flavors on the swallow.

last shadow

1 1/2 oz El Dorado 15 Year Rum (Hamilton Demerara River 86°)
1/2 oz Lemonhart 151° Rum
1 tsp Cinnamon Syrup
1 tsp Demerara Syrup
1/2 tsp Fernet Branca

Stir with ice, strain into an old fashioned glass with a large ice cube, and garnish with a grapefruit twist.Two Sundays ago, I reached for Death & Co.'s Welcome Home book and spotted Tyson Buhler's 2014 Last Shadow which had a similar Old Fashioned sweetened by amaro and cinnamon syrup theme as the Armstrong. I had previously passed over this for I do not have El Dorado 15 Year Rum, but I realized that I probably would never carry it at home (and only have a little El Dorado 12 Year left), so I decided to make it with a younger yet flavorful rum from the same distillery. In the glass, the Last Shadow began with a grapefruit, caramel, cinnamon, and herbal bouquet. Next, caramel and woody notes on the sip were drowned out by rum, molasses, minty, cinnamon, and menthol flavors on the swallow.

armstrong

1 oz Rye Whiskey (1 1/2 oz Old Overholt 86°)
1/2 oz Aged Rum (3/4 oz Doorly's 12 Year)
1/2 oz Zucca (3/4 oz Amaro Sfumato)
1 tsp Cinnamon Syrup (1/4 oz)

Stir with ice, strain into an old fashioned glass with ice, and garnish with an orange twist.Two Saturdays ago, I returned to the online recipe flashcard set for Idlewild, a menu-less speakeasy in Charlotte, North Carolina. There, the Armstrong as a split base rye-rum Old Fashioned accented by a smoky rabarbaro and cinnamon syrup caught my eye; while I have not had that pairing, I have had similar cinnamon Old Fashioneds with amari like Montenegro in the Battle Annie, Cardamaro in the Leather Bound Book, and S. Maria al Monte in the Front Street. Here, the Armstrong proffered orange, roast, caramel, and cinnamon aromas. Next, a caramel sip stretched into rye, rum, bitter herbal, smoky, and cinnamon flavors on the swallow.

last pontoon

1 1/2 oz Remy Martin 1738 Cognac (Monnet VSOP)
1/4 oz Cruzan Black Strap Rum
1/4 oz Del Maguey Chichicapa Mezcal (Banhez)
1/2 oz Orgeat
1/4 oz Pedro Ximenez Sherry (El Maestro Sierra)

Stir with ice, strain into an old fashioned glass with ice, top with 3/4 oz IPA (Sierra Nevada Atomic Torpedo), and garnish with a grapefruit twist.Two Fridays ago, I was perusing the KindredCocktails database when I came across an intriguing beer cocktail called the Last Pontoon. The drink was created by Chaim Dauermann at The Up & Up in Manhattan circa 2015 as his update on the classic Japanese Cocktail and published in Saveur. The Pedro Ximenez sherry accents to the orgeat here reminded me of how well the combination worked in the Kartini and Sherry Mai Tai. Using the West Coast-style IPA from Sierra Nevada that I had on hand, the Last Pontoon welcomed the nose with grapefruit, caramel, and raisin aromas. Next, a creamy, molasses, and dried fruit sip paddled into Cognac, raisin, nutty almond, grapefruit, and pine flavors on the swallow with a hint of smoke.

subtly sinister

1 1/2 oz Planteray Xaymaca Rum
1/2 oz Smith & Cross Rum
1 oz Ancho Reyes Chile Liqueur
1/4 oz White Crème de Cacao (Bols)
1/4 oz Demerara Syrup
2 dash Smeby's Black & White (chocolate/vanilla) Bitters (2 dash Savoy Society Chocolate-Chicory + 2 dash Savoy Society Orange-Vanilla)

Stir with ice, strain into a double old fashioned glass with a large ice cube, and garnish with mint (chocolate mint) with drops of Black & White Bitters (3 drops of each of the two bitters above on the mint sprig).Two Thursdays prior, I revisited the online recipe flashcards for The Violet Hour in Chicago. There, I spotted the Subtly Sinister from the Fall 2021 menu that I had previously skipped over when I lacked Ancho Reyes on my shelf. While Ancho Reyes has generally been paired with agave spirits in the recipes that I have tried, it did work rather well with funky Jamaican rum in Shameful Tiki's No Woman, No Crime and in the night before's split-base Bootlegger's Barrel. The cacao-chili pairing had been already set in my mind when I first had it in 2015 with the Battle of Puebla, so that was also a plus. In the glass, the Subtly Sinister approached the nose with a rum funk, mint, chocolate, and vanilla bouquet. Next, a caramel sip turned a bit more aggressive with funky rum, chocolate, and chili flavor on the swallow.

bootlegger's barrel

3/4 oz Bulleit Bourbon (Evan Williams Bonded)
3/4 oz Smith & Cross Rum
1/2 oz Amaro Nonino
1/2 oz Ancho Reyes Chile Liqueur
1/2 oz Passion Fruit Syrup
1/2 oz Lemon Juice

Shake with ice, strain into a barrel mug, fill with crushed ice, and garnish with a lemon wheel and 2 Bird's Eye chilis (1 dried Matchbox pepper).Two Wednesdays ago, I turned to another volume of the City Series with Trevor Felch's San Francisco Cocktails. I continued on with the tropical theme from the night before by selecting the Bootlegger's Barrel from the Tonga Room & Hurricane Bar. I found the drink posted on the bar's Facebook in early 2020, and I uncovered their menu which described it as "This is what happens when a whiskey man leaves the mountains and heads for warmer climates." The rum, Bourbon, Amaro Nonino, and passion fruit reminded me of Death & Co.'s The Lonesome Crowded West, but here, there was chile liqueur and lemon juice in the mix and not an Old Fashioned in structure. Once prepared, the Bootlegger's Barrel lifted off with a lemon and passion fruit bouquet. Next, lemon and caramel notes on the sip smuggled in funky rum, Bourbon, passion fruit, and chili pepper spice flavors on the swallow. The Amaro Nonino save for the caramel in the sip was a bit lost here in the balance.

:: engaging with challenging guests ::

Yesterday, USBG Boston hosted all four of its Education Week 2024 events that included a comparative tasting of tequila production techniques with John Mayer Spressert of Burke Distributing, a class on ice carving history and technique with Iruma Shibuya, and a roundtable on cocktail competitions with a trio of veterans. The one that I took the most notes for was a roundtable entitled "Engaging with Challenging Guests" that discussed how to best handle situations that involve drinking, drug use, and entitled behavior especially when it becomes disruptive if not before that point. The panel moderated by USBG Boston president Justin Silmon consisted of Keith Bennett – the head of security at the Middle East restaurant and rock club, Corrie Masison – AGM of MIDA in East Boston, Nestore Polce – GM of Branchline, and Geoffrey Thompson – currently working on the South Shore but spoke a lot of his time managing the Sinclair rock club, Foundry on Elm gastropub, high volume Riverbar, and other venues around town.

For folks working in the service industry, we have all experienced dilemmas of how to deal with guests who have consumed too much, who are acting in inappropriate ways towards staff or other patrons, or who are beginning to get belligerent or threatening. The roundtable speakers considered these issues from their experiences working at rock venues on one end to fine dining on the other as well as all sorts of establishments in between. Keith, after telling a wild story of his younger days as a bouncer, started off sharing what he learned over time. His advice was de-escalation that included not taking the bait as the person in question calls you every name in the book or wants to fight, and not taking it personally for it is only work. With that also came leaving life's problems at home, and he described how a boring night at security is a sign of a job well done. Nestore reiterated the leaving your day's troubles at the door and continued on with a focus on staying calm as the guest tries to make you upset. Nestore explained that our job is to make the business move forward while keeping an eye on the safety and comfort of the other guests. Corrie learned a lot from watching her friends who have become moms and dads, and she extracted gentle parenting techniques on how to guide people in the desired direction. In a later part of the session, she expounded by declaring that course correction is crucial before things become a problem, and this needs to be direct with the boundary setting. Geoffrey had two major points in this round which were that we have to take care of our guests as we "poison" their systems with alcohol. The second part was that this begins with teaching the hosts, bartenders, and servers how to make the night go smoothly; he continued on with the importance of getting to know your local beat cops who can help to de-escalate situations faster than calling 911. Later, the discussion honed into the public perception of the police. Keith best summed it up by saying that regardless of what you think of the police and the issues in the news, this is what police are really good at which is making the problem dissipate before violence erupts.

Keith later added to his previous points by stressing to make sure that you are not alone in any confrontation. His thought process as a bouncer is not how can you hurt someone but how can you diffuse the situation without getting hurt yourself. In fact, if there is violence of any sort, he feels a great sense of failure, and he alluded to the financial risks of lawsuits as well. Geoffrey also spoke of legal issues but more regarding the finances involving liquor licenses that are rather expensive investments in this state. If something happens to a guest, a manager may have to bring in a lawyer to face city officials include councilmen and police and fire chiefs, and this turns into a pricy affair in the defense alone. Geoffrey condensed this topic with the point that you have to make decisions throughout the night to protect your establishment's livelihood. Keith as part of the security team worked at being welcoming, helpful, and invisible. With the first two, the tone can be set at the door. With the last point, he did not want to be the catalyst for problems to happen; however, he and his staff communicated on who to keep eyes on, so invisible was expanded into observe, report, and invisible until it was time to act. Nestore in the restaurant environment took a more direct style of approaching potential issue tables with an introduction and perhaps a question of what they were celebrating or other to make it known that they were being watched and perhaps acting a step away from the usual demeanor. He makes sure his staff is trained to notice if someone is making others uncomfortable and to alert a manager. Moreover, he focuses on checking in with the guests around the issue and communicating that they are seen, heard, and protected. Finally, Geoffrey brought up the point that guests are always watching and will take notice of what the management and other staff allow to happen and thus what directly or indirectly is deemed acceptable. If those guests see you doing nothing, that is only going to hurt your business even more in the long run.

the duke

2 oz Hamilton Pot Still Gold Jamaican Rum (1 1/2 oz Appleton Signature + 1/2 oz Smith & Cross)
3/4 oz Apricot Liqueur (Rothman & Winter)
1/2 oz Don's Spices #2 (1/4 oz Vanilla Syrup + 1/4 oz Hamilton's Allspice Dram)
3/4 oz Lemon Juice
1/2 oz Cinnamon Syrup

Stir with crushed ice, pour into a Collins glass, and top with crushed ice. Garnish with a lemon wheel, cinnamon stick, and cinnamon powder (freshly grated cinnamon).Two Tuesdays ago, I reached for another book in the City Series, namely Nicole Schaefer's Portland Cocktails. There, I spied The Duke by Lindsey Dixon at Hale Pele that made me realize how I had neglected tropical drinks for much of the summer. While the book surmised that it could be a reference to the Duke's Pearl, I found on Hale Pele's website a description of this 2017 creation which declared, "Duke Kahanamoku popularized surfing in the early 20th century. Join him by riding this strong wave of citrus, spice, apricot, and Jamaican rum. But watch out for the undertow!" I was surprised that the instructions had this as a built and stirred drink which is unusual for the Tiki genre and most citrus recipes in general, but once prepared, The Duke paddled out to the nose with a cinnamon, apricot, and lemon aroma. Next, lemon and caramel notes on the sip caught the wave into funky rum, allspice, apricot, cinnamon, and vanilla flavors on the swallow.

all that jazz

1 1/2 oz Wild Turkey 101 Rye (Rittenhouse)
1/2 oz Carpano Antica Sweet Vermouth (Cocchi)
1/2 oz Averna
1/2 oz Jeppson's Malört
3 dash Orange Bitters (Regan's)

Stir with ice and strain into a cocktail coupe. No garnish was specified, but all the photos of Manhattans at the Driftwood Room have a cherry garnish, so I followed suit.Two Mondays ago, there was a thread today on Facebook discussing whether the Martini or the Manhattan was a superior drink. One of the Manhattan fans was bartender Jeff Terry who proffered his recipe called All that Jazz from the Driftwood Room in Portland, Oregon, where they have a section of five Manhattan variations on the menu. With Malört in the mix softened by the sweet richness of Averna and vermouth, I was intrigued. Once prepared, the All that Jazz began with a rye, caramel, and grapefruit aroma. Next, grape and caramel notes swirled on the sip, and the swallow wrapped things up with rye, herbal, and bitter flavors with an orange finish. When Jeff asked me on Instagram what I thought, and I replied that I enjoyed it and that "The Malört gave a dry, bitter finish and an intriguing grapefruit aroma."