diamondback lounge

1 jigger Rye Whiskey (1 1/2 oz Rittenhouse Bonded)
1/2 jigger Applejack (3/4 oz Laird's Bonded)
1/2 jigger Yellow Chartreuse (3/4 oz)

Shake with ice, strain into an old fashioned glass with cracked ice, and decorate with a mint sprig (stir with ice and strain into a coupe).Two Wednesday ago, I was reminded of the Diamondback Lounge as a drink that I used to make for guests at Loyal Nine and was also on the menu as a pre-chilled and diluted shot at Brick & Mortar. However, I realized that the blog only had the Murray Stenson-approved Green Chartreuse variation, and I wanted to capture the original with Yellow Chartreuse plus using the brands that Boston bars frequently used back in the day. Therefore, I opened up my 1951 edition of Ted Saucier's Bottoms Up and got the recipe as relayed by the Lord Baltimore Hotel in Baltimore, Maryland. I still have yet to have a Diamondback on cracked ice garnished with a mint sprig, so I served it up like I am used to (not to mention that my mint patch is rather done for the season). With Yellow Chartreuse, the Diamondback Lounge showcased an apple, minty, and pine aroma to the nose. Next, apple and honey notes on the sip crawled into rye, pine, apple, herbal, and minty flavors on the swallow.

modest mousse

1 1/2 oz Espolon Reposado Tequila (Cimarron)
3/4 oz Punt e Mes
1/2 oz Averna
1/4 oz Pamplemousse (St. Elder)
2 dash Angostura Orange Bitters

Stir with ice, strain into a coupe, and garnish with a grapefruit twist.Two Tuesdays ago, I returned to the set of online recipe flashcards from Sotto in Los Angeles when I landed upon the rock band meets pun named Modest Mousse. A menu on a blog post put this drink circa 2013, and once assembled, this bitter tequila drink began with a grape and grapefruit bouquet. Next, grape and caramel notes swirled on the sip, and the swallow rounded things off with vegetal and bitter grapefruit flavors.

business with pleasure

1 1/2 oz Gin (Beefeater 88°)
3/4 oz Pineapple Juice
3/4 oz Lime Juice
1/2 oz Honey Syrup

Shake with ice and strain into a coupe glass. Two Mondays ago, I opened the Bartender's Choice app and spied the Business with Pleasure as a refreshing gin drink. Bartender Zachary Gelnaw-Rubin created this as a take on Sasha Petraske's The Business (a Bee's Knees with lime) with pineapple at Lion Lion in NYC circa 2016. In the glass, the Business with Pleasure met the nose with pine and pineapple aromas. Next, a honey and lime sip soared into gin, floral, and pineapple flavors on the swallow.

hawkeye

1 oz Mezcal (Peloton de la Muerte)
1/2 oz Gosling's Rum
1/2 oz Aged Overproof Rum (1/4 oz Privateer Navy Yard + 1/4 oz Smith & Cross) (*)
3/4 oz Pineapple Juice
3/4 oz Lime Juice
1/2 oz Cane Syrup (Sirop JM)

Shake with ice and strain into a coupe glass.
(*) A personal communication with its creator indicated that this was Plantation Overproof.Two Sundays after my bar shift, I opened up the Bartender's Choice app and came across the Hawkeye that seemed like a refreshing drink to round out the evening. This mezcal-rum Daiquiri of sorts was crafted by Lewis Caputa at the Electra Cocktail Club in Las Vegas circa 2018. In the glass, the Hawkeye welcomed the nose with smoke, vegetal, caramel, and pineapple aromas. Next, lime, pineapple, and caramel on the sip soared into vegetal, pineapple, and smoky flavors on the swallow with a tropical rum funk finish.

la camorra

3/4 oz Rittenhouse Rye Whiskey
3/4 oz Pierre Ferrand 1840 Cognac (Du Peyrat Selection)
3/4 oz Campari
3/4 oz Carpano Antica Sweet Vermouth (Cocchi)
2 dash Angostura Bitters
2 dash Peychaud's Bitters

Stir with ice, strain into a coupe, and garnish with an orange twist.Two Saturdays ago, I uncovered a set of online recipe flashcards for Sotto in Los Angeles, and I landed on La Camorra that was perhaps a rye-Cognac split base variation on the 1794. A menu on a blog post puts this drink circa 2013, and in my glass, it began with orange oil, Cognac, grape, and dark orange aromas. Next, a grape-driven sip flowed into rye, Cognac, bitter orange, anise, and allspice flavors on the swallow. Over all, the Cognac pushed the combination to be more rounded in feel than a 1794.

lobo saldado

1 oz Forteleza Blanco Tequila (Olmeca Altos)
1 oz Park Cognac (Du Peyrat Selection)
1/2 oz Benedictine
1/4 oz Maple Syrup
2 dash Angostura Bitters

Stir with ice, strain into a salt-rimmed coupe, and garnish with a lemon twist. Two Fridays ago, I was perusing online recipe flashcards from Lion's Share in San Diego when I came across the Lobo Saldado as a split base Old Fashioned of sorts. I was able to confirm the drink on a 2016 menu via Yelp, and the combination of tequila and maple reminded me of the Illuminations and Debbie Don't and I later used it in the Maple Sugar Moon. Moreover, the maple-Benedictine duo was one that had great effect in the Expense Account, Hazard, and Fort Washington Flip, so I was even more curious to give this recipe a try. In the glass, the Lobo Saldado donated a lemon, caramel, and vegetal aroma to the nose. Next, caramel on the sip transitioned into tequila, Cognac, maple, and herbal flavors on the swallow with a clove and allspice finish. Overall, the salt rim here was not my thing, so perhaps utilizing a half rim might provide options.

cyn city

1 oz Gin (Beefeater)
1 oz Cynar
3/4 oz Simple Syrup
3/4 oz Lemon Juice
1 Egg White

Shake one round without ice and one round with ice, strain into a coupe, and garnish with a lemon twist.Two Thursdays ago, I returned to the online recipe flashcards for San Diego's Lion's Share. There, I was lured in by the Cyn City as a gin-Cynar egg white Sour that I was able to date to around 2016 via Flickr and other online mentions. Once prepared, the Cyn City gave forth a lemon and caramel bouquet. Next, the lemon and caramel notes continued on into the sip, and the swallow was a medley of gin, herbal, and minty flavors.

darkness calls

1 1/4 oz Altos Reposado Tequila (Cimarron)
1/2 oz Denizen Vatted Dark Rum (Denizen Merchant's Reserve)
3/4 oz Punt e Mes
1/2 oz Campari
1/4 oz Giffard Crème de Cacao (Bols)

Stir with ice, strain into a Nick & Nora glass, and garnish with an orange twist.Two Wednesdays ago, I decided to make an intriguing riff that appeared like a mashup of the Right Hand and Tres Hand called Darkness Calls. The drink was crafted by Trevor Shores for the current Death & Co. Denver Fall 2023/Winter 2024 menu, and the recipe was sourced via online flashcards. In addition, the touch of cacao here reminded me of Naren Young's Chocolate Negroni. In the glass, Darkness Called showcased an orange and tequila aroma. Next, grape notes on the sip led into tequila, caramel, rum, and bitter herbal flavors on the swallow with a chocolate-orange finish.

the communist

1 oz Gin (Beefeater)
1 oz Orange Juice
1/2 oz Cherry Brandy (Cherry Heering)
1/2 oz Lemon Juice

Shake with ice and strain into a cocktail glass.After writing up the Socialist, I was reminded of the Communist that Ted Haigh sourced from the 1933 Cocktail Parade pamphlet and published in his Vintage Spirits and Forgotten Cocktails book. Overall, it had a gin Blood & Sand-like feel as well as that of an earlier and less herbal version of the Singapore Sling before pineapple and grenadine took over, so I was curious to try this 90 year old recipe. In the glass, the Communist proffered an orange, cherry, and pine bouquet to the nose. Next, orange and dark fruit notes on the sip transfered into gin, cherry, tart citrus, and orange flavors on the swallow.

scarlet love letter

1 oz Scarlet Ibis Rum (Raising Glasses' Guardians Trinidad 8 Year)
1/2 oz La Favorite Ambre Rhum Agricole (JM Blanc)
3/4 oz Campari
3/4 oz Cocchi Sweet Vermouth
2 dash Grapefruit Bitters (Bittermens)
1 dash Orange Bitters (Angostura Orange)

Stir with ice, strain into a Nick & Nora glass, and garnish with grapefruit oil from a twist.Two Mondays ago, I starting scanning online flashcard sets from the Violet Hour in Chicago when I landed on the Scarlet Love Letter. The drink appeared on the Summer 2021 menu and was described as being a Right Hand riff; the major differences were the inclusion of rhum agricole and swapping the mole bitters for grapefruit and orange. In the glass, the Scarlet Love Letter began with a grapefruit, grassy, and peach-orange bouquet. Next, caramel and grape on the sip folded into grassy and funky rums, dark barrel notes, and bitter orange flavors on the swallow with a grapefruit finish.

green zone

1 oz Rye Whiskey (Old Overholt 86°)
1 oz Applejack (Laird's Bonded)
3/4 oz Sweet Vermouth (Cocchi)
1/4 oz Green Chartreuse
1 dash Angostura Bitters
1 dash Peychaud's Bitters

Stir with ice, strain into an old fashioned glass with a large ice cube, and garnish with an orange twist and a cherry.Two Sundays ago, I was perusing an online Attaboy recipe flashcard set when I spotted the Green Zone. StyleBlueprint had a photo of the drink in a 2017 article on the Nashville branch of Attaboy, and I assume that it could be related to the Zone Amarillo which calls for Yellow Chartreuse and came about a few years later circa 2019. The combination here reminded me of Green Chartreuse variations of the Diamondback Cocktail that Murray Stenson preferred (although I am a big fan of the Yellow original). In the glass, the Green Zone gave forth apple, orange, cherry, and herbaceous aromas. Next, a grape-driven sip led into rye, apple, and herbaceous flavors on the swallow.

absinthe suissesse

1 oz Absinthe Verte (Pernod Absinthe)
1/4 oz Orgeat
1 oz Heavy Cream (Trader Joe's Vegan)
1 Egg White
1/4 oz Crème de Menthe (as float) (Tempus Fugit)

Shake absinthe, orgeat, and egg white without ice. Add cream and ice and shake again. Strain into a coupe, float crème de menthe, and garnish with freshly grated nutmeg.Two Saturdays ago, I spotted a recipe for an Absinthe Suissesse on PunchDrinks that made me realize that I had never written one up here despite riffing on it for an absinthe competition in the Mai Tai Suissesse mashup given the common orgeat component. This recipe was crafted by Kirk Estinopal at Cure in New Orleans, and it was surprisingly different from the one in Neal Bodenheimer's Cure: New Orleans Drinks and How to Mix'Em. The book version has a slightly heavier pour of absinthe and simple syrup instead of orgeat, and I decided to use the article's recipe for orgeat in my mind has seemed like an important ingredient after reading multiple recipes throughout the years. Using Kirk's recipe, the Absinthe Suissesse donated a minty, wood spice, nutty, and licorice aroma to the senses. Next, a creamy sip subsided into licorice, nutty, and star anise flavors on the swallow. My guess is that much of the crème de menthe float sank for the last few swallows were rather minty.

dobbs

2 oz Bourbon (Angel's Envy)
1 oz Sweet Vermouth (Cocchi)

Stir with ice, strain into a coupe with a heavy undumped rinse (1/8 oz) of Fernet Branca, and garnish with a lemon twist.Two Fridays ago, I began scanning the Bartender's Choice app and spotted the Dobbs created by Matt Dawson at Brooklyn Social Club. I was not sure if this Bourbon Hanky Panky of sorts was named after the related Doberman cocktail on the app or named after bar owner Rick Dobbs. While Rick was associated with a drink with similar ingredients called Not Your Daddy's Manhattan, it was a Las Vegas recipe that he bookmarked on the CopyMeThat site and not his own. Once prepared, the Dobbs gave forth a lemon, grape, and menthol bouquet to the nose. Next, the vermouth's grape notes filled the sip and was followed by Bourbon, red fruit, bitter herbal, and menthol flavors on the swallow.

burnisher

1 oz Old Grand-Dad Bonded Bourbon (Evan Williams Bonded)
1 oz Hamilton Navy Strength Rum (1/2 oz Smith & Cross + 1/2 oz Hamilton 86° Demerara River)
1/2 oz Pierre Ferrand Dry Curacao
1/2 oz Amer Picon (Torani Amer)
1/2 oz Kronan Swedish Punsch

Stir with ice, strain into a double old fashioned glass with a large ice cube, and garnish with an orange twist. Two Thursdays ago, I was perusing the KindredCocktails database when I came across the Burnisher created St. Paul cocktail enthusiast Craig Eliason a few days prior. It read like other burly drinks such as Chuck Taggart's Boulevard des Rêves and Colin Shearn's Transatlantic Giant, so it caught my eye. Moreover, its Picon-Swedish punsch pairing reminded me of the Rocket and other drinks, and the orange liqueur-Swedish punsch has prospered in the 1940s variation on the Corpse Reviver #2 and more modern ones like Dr. Rieux, so I was game to try this one. In the glass, the Burnisher proffered orange, caramel, and a hint of treacle on the nose. Next, the caramel and orange notes continued on into the sip, and the swallow opened up with dark rum, Bourbon, dark orange, and rum funk flavors. Overall, it was definitely intense and overproof, but it mellowed over time as the ice melted.

new victoria

2/3 Rye Whiskey (2 oz Rittenhouse Bonded)
1/6 Calvados (1/2 oz Morin Selection)
1/6 Sweet Passion Fruit Juice (1/4 oz Passion Fruit Syrup)
3 dash Crème de Banane (1/4 oz Tempus Fugit)

Shake all but the banana liqueur with ice, strain into a glass, and garnish with the crème de banane (I stirred all the ingredients with ice and strained into an old fashioned glass with a large ice cube).Two Wednesday ago, I opened up the 1937 Café Royal Cocktail Book and spotted the New Victoria by J. Stephens. Interpretted as an Old Fashioned, it was reminscent of Death & Co. Old Fashioned riffs 70 years before it opened; however, the only drink where passion fruit and crème de banane both appear on the blog are the Freak C'est Chic at Brick & Mortar and Jason Alexander's Commando Life. In the glass, the New Victoria proffered rye, apple, caramel, and tropical aromas to the nose. Next, caramel and apple notes on the sip sailed into rye, caramelized banana, and passion fruit flavors on the swallow.

precursor

1 oz Bols Barrel-Aged Genever
1 oz Ransom Old Tom Gin
1 oz Cocchi Sweet Vermouth
1/4 oz Luxardo Maraschino
2 dash Orange Bitters (Angostura Orange)

Stir with ice, strain into a cocktail coupe, and garnish with an orange twist.Two Tuesdays ago, I found a collection of online recipe flashcards from the now closed Tiger Mama in Boston, and I decided to make the Precursor as a Martinez riff. I estimate the drink to have appeared on the menu circa 2015 given the other recipes in the deck such as the Long Eclipse and the time period of the bartender who posted the set. The Precursor started off with orange, cherry, and malty aromas. Next, a grape-driven sip flowed into malt, pine, and nutty cherry flavors on the swallow with a bitter finish from the Genever.

delores del rio

1 oz Cognac (Du Peyrat Selection)
1 oz Mezcal (Peloton de la Muerte)
1/2 oz Coffee Liqueur (Kahlua)
1/2 oz Benedictine
1 dash Absinthe (8 drop St. George)

Stir with ice, strain into a double old fashioned glass with a large ice cube, and garnish with freshly grated coffee bean.On New Year's Day, I became inspired by the Streets of Gettysburg's coffee-Benedictine combination and the 1910 Cocktail's Cognac-mezcal duo. I dubbed the creation the Delores del Rio named after the Mexican actress taught by French nuns in Mexico City that mirrors the split-based spirit. In the glass, the Delores del Rio shimmied up to the nose with coffee, caramel, hints of smoke, and herbal aromas. Next, a roast and caramel sip twirled into Cognac, vegetal, herbal, and roast flavors on the swallow with a smoke, anise, and roast finish. After I posted it on Instagram, two of my online friends made this and enjoyed it; one of them exclaimed, "Damn, this is a GREAT cocktail that totally hit the 'winter stirred cocktail' itch that I had... He absolutely nailed this one!" Quite a way to start 2024!

socialist

3/4 oz Flor de Caña Rum (Bacardi Cuatro)
3/4 oz Scarlet Ibis Rum (Raising Glasses' Guardians 8 Year Trinidad)
3/4 oz Carpano Antica Sweet Vermouth (Cocchi)
1/2 oz El Dorado Rum (Hamilton Demerara River 86° Rum)
1/8 oz Allspice Dram (Hamilton's)
3 dash Orange Bitters (Regan's)

Stir with ice, strain into a coupe glass, and garnish with an orange twist.Two Sundays ago, I was lured in by the Socialist from the Paper Plane in Atlanta that was created for their April 2014 menu and personally sourced via online recipe flashcards. The combination reminded me of the In the Navy that I created with Jon Theris at Loyal Nine, but ours was a rum Old Fashioned with the same allspice dram flair to their Palmetto or rum Manhattan format. Moreover, the name reminded me of the Communist found in Ted Haigh's book and perhaps I will need to get around to making that one soon. Once prepared, the Socialist showcased an orange, caramel, and allspice bouquet. Next, grape and caramel flavors on the sip flowed into woody and aged rums plus allspice flavors on the swallow with an orange and smoky finish.

little honey

1 1/2 oz Bourbon (Evan Williams Bonded)
3/4 oz Elderflower Liqueur (St. Elder)
1/2 oz Dry Vermouth (Noilly Prat)
1/2 oz Lemon Juice
1/4 oz Honey Syrup
1 Egg White

Shake one round without ice and one round with ice, strain into an ice filled glass, and garnish with an orange twist. Two Saturdays ago, I returned to the Raising the Bar book to make the drink that I had previously wanted to make but was out of eggs – namely, the Little Honey. This frothy, floral Gold Rush of sorts was crafted by the book's authors Jacob Grier and Brett Adams, and it reminded me of the gin-based Beekeeper by Lacy Hawkins at the Nomad. Once prepared, the Little Honey gave forth an orange, grapefruit, and floral aroma. Next, a creamy lemon and orange sip buzzed into Bourbon, celery, grapefruit, and floral flavors on the swallow.

brown bess

1 1/2 oz Gin (Beefeater)
1/2 oz Applejack (Laird's Bonded)
3/4 oz Orgeat
3/4 oz Lemon Juice

Shake with ice, strain into a double old fashioned with ice, and garnish with freshly grated nutmeg.Two Fridays ago, I opened up a set of online recipe flashcards from the Varnish in Los Angeles, and I selected the Brown Bess from their February 2019 menu. The drink most likely refers to the nickname for the British Army's muzzle-loading flintlock in the 1700s, and I wonder if they were inspired by the Army & Navy Cocktail to select something military in nature. Once shaken and strained, the Brown Bess shot out with a woody spice over nutty almond aroma. Next, a creamy lemon sip landed on an apple, juniper, earthy, and nutty swallow. Without the bitters element found in the Army & Navy, the balance was more akin to the Cameron's Kick.

dolly zoom

1 1/4 oz Mezcal (Peloton de la Muerte)
3/4 oz Apricot Liqueur (Rothman & Winter)
3/4 oz Dry Vermouth (Noilly Prat)
1/8 oz Yellow Chartreuse
1 Lemon Peel

Express lemon peel and drop in the mixing glass, add the rest of the ingredients, stir with ice, and strain into an old fashioned glass with a large ice cube.Two Thursdays ago, I opened up the Raising the Bar book and landed on the Dolly Zoom by the authors Jacob Grier and Brett Adams. The drink had nothing to do with the obscure orphan class of Zooms that appeared in Frank Meier's 1934 The Artistry Of Mixing Drinks, but it was instead an herbal-fruity mezcal number named after "an in-camera effect where you dolly towards or away from a subject while zooming in the opposite direction" (according to StudioBinder). Once prepared, the Dolly Zoom opened up with apricot, vegetal, and smoke aromas. Next, a semi-sweet and semi-fruity sip slid towards smoky mezcal, dry apricot, and herbal flavors on the swallow with a pine and smoke finish.

little jose

1 1/2 oz Mezcal (Peloton de la Muerte)
3/4 oz Punt e Mes
3/4 oz Cynar
1 bsp (1/8 oz) Agave Syrup
1 bsp (1/8 oz) Lime Juice
1 dash Mole Bitters (Bittermens)
1 dash Sriracha Hot Sauce (4 thick drops)

Stir with ice, strain into a double old fashioned glass, add a large cube, and garnish with a pinch of salt in the middle of the cube and an orange twist.Two Wednesdays ago, I returned to a set of online flashcards from Backbar in Somerville, MA, and spotted the Little Jose as a riff on the Little Giuseppe. Overall, it was a spicier and less floral mezcal take on that neo-classic than the Carlota's Collapse (which was a hybrid with the Maximilian Affair). In the glass, the Little Jose greeted the nose with orange, smoke, and a darker aroma from the Cynar's caramel and Punt e Mes' grape. Next, the caramel and grape continued on into the sip where they were chased by smoky, vegetal, and spicy flavors on the swallow.

solomon grundy

1 1/2 oz Gin (Ford's)
1/2 oz Carpano Antica Sweet Vermouth (Cocchi)
3/4 oz Amaro Lucano
1/4 oz Fernet Branca

Stir with ice, strain into a coupe, and garnish with a cherry.Two Tuesdays ago, I was perusing KindredCocktails when I came across the Solomon Grundy by Los Angeles bartender (and now brand ambassador) Dan Long in 2011. The drink had a Hanky Panky sort of vibe going on, and the modification of a gentle amaro with a touch of Fernet reminded me of Backbar's Scarecrow. The cocktail was named after the supervillain in DC Comics that was perhaps sourced from a 19th century nursery rhyme or a pun on the solomon gundy dish made up of pickled meats. In the glass, the Solomon Grundy showcased a caramel, orange, and menthol aroma. Next, grape and caramel on the sip slid into gin, caramel-orange, gentian, minty, and menthol flavors on the swallow.

florentine

1 oz Cynar
1 oz Dry Vermouth (Noilly Prat)
1 oz Cocchi Americano

Build in an old fashioned glass, add ice, stir to mix and chill, and garnish with an orange twist.Right before attending a Christmas Day dinner two weeks ago, I wanted an aperitif and looked to the Bartender's Choice app. There, I landed upon the Florentine by Sam Ross at Manhattan's Attaboy which was the dry vermouth analog of the rye Wilderness and rum Tailor of Panama. In the glass, the Florentine proffered an orange, orchard fruit, and caramel bouquet to the nose. Next, caramel and apricot-pear notes on the sip opened up into vegetal and nectarine flavors on the swallow.

paulsgrave

2 oz Plantation Stiggins' Fancy Rum
1/2 oz Amaro Ciociaro
1/2 oz Crème de Banane (Tempus Fugit)
2 dash Mole Bitters (Bittermens)
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 Sundays ago, I became inspired by the classic Colleen Bawn Flip and a few recent drinks with the Ciociaro-banane combo such as the After School Special and Goldilocks, and I began to scheme. Besides the whole egg aspect, I took the flavor combination in a pineapple rum direction for something a bit more tropical. The rum, banana, and pineapple notes led me to name this after something nautical in nature, and I dubbed it the Paulsgrave after Paulsgrave Williams, a pirate active from 1716-23 in the Caribbean, Eastern seaboard, and the coast of Western Africa. In the glass, the Paulsgrave opened up with woody spice from the nutmeg garnish. Next, a creamy and caramel sip sailed into rum, pineapple, bitter orange, and banana flavors on the swallow.

tokyo conference

1 oz Sutori Toki Whisky (Kavalan Classic) (*)
1 oz Mezcal (Peloton de la Muerte)
1/4 oz Amaro Lucano
1/4 oz Giffard Banane du Bresil (Tempus Fugit)

Stir with ice, strain into a double old fashioned glass with ice, and garnish with an orange twist.
(*) The closest thing I currently own to Japanese whisky. Two Saturdays ago, I was perusing online recipe flashcards from Dutch Kills in Queens, and I spotted the Tokyo Conference by Haley Traub circa 2017. I was able to confirm the drink via both the bar's Twitter in 2017 and on StarChefs in 2018. In a DailyBeast interview in 2018, Haley was asked what cocktail she was most proud of, and she replied, "The first drink I had on the menu at Dutch Kills, the Tokyo Conference... I always like the idea of opposing spirits coming together and working together, and that's exactly what happened with that drink." In the glass, the Tokyo Conference wafted to the nose with orange, caramel, and vegetal aromas. Next, caramel on the sip convened with whisky, vegetal, and herbal flavors on the swallow and orange and banana on the finish.

nog tripper

12 Eggs, separated into Whites and Yolks (2 Eggs)
2 oz Sugar (1/3 oz or 2 tsp)
24 oz Evan Williams Bonded Bourbon (4 oz)
9 oz Averna (1 1/2 oz)
6 oz Strega (1 oz)
32 oz Heavy Cream (5 1/3 oz Trader Joe's Vegan Heavy Cream)
32 oz Whole Milk or at least 2% (5 1/3 oz Trader Joe's Oat Milk)

Separate the egg whites and yolks. Beat the egg yolks until thin and then gradually whisk in the sugar until dissolved. Slowly add the spirits to the yolk-sugar mix while whisking. Add the milk and cream and whisk in. In a separate bowl, beat the egg whites until stiff, then fold into the yolk-dairy-sugar-spirits mixture until well combined. Decant into bottles or a large pitcher and place in the refrigerator until chilled; preparing this a day or two before will work well. Serve with a garnish of freshly grated nutmeg.For the Holidays, my work asked me to come up with an egg nog recipe for a pre-order menu. Given our restaurant's Italian theme, I wanted to utilize some Italian liqueur and amari in the mix. Chris Hannah's Night Tripper with Strega and Averna came to mind and I crossed the idea sans Peychaud's Bitters with George Washington's Egg Nog for what I dubbed Nog Tripper (though I entitled my recipe submission "The Yarm Family Traditional Italian Egg Nog" to our director of operations, and the pre-sale menu just read "Egg Nog"). Two weeks ago, I decided to scale it down six fold at home and adapted it for my dairy-intolerant wife. In the glass, the Nog Tripper greeted the senses with nutmeg and star anise aromas. Next, a creamy and caramel sip slid into Bourbon, herbal, pine, and anise flavors on the swallow.

rexford

2 oz Scotch (Cutty Sark Prohibition)
3/4 oz Cynar
1/2 oz Walnut Liqueur (Russo Nocino)
1 dash Grapefruit Bitters (Bittermens)

Stir with ice, strain into an old fashioned glass with ice, and garnish with a grapefruit twist.Two Thursdays ago, I spotted the Rexford by New York City bartender Rafa Garcia Febles circa 2013 on KindredCocktails. The Cynar-walnut combination was one that I fell in love with around that time in the My Triumphs, My Mistakes (also with a similar Scotch base as the Rexford) and utilized in the Shadows & Tall Trees later that year and more recently in the Folly Ruins. In the glass, the Rexford conjured up grapefruit, caramel, and walnut aromas. Next, a caramel sip flowed into smoky Scotch, herbal, vegetal, minty, and walnut flavors on the swallow. As the ice melted, the grapefruit bitters crept into the finish.

prizefighter

1 oz Wild Turkey 101 Rye (Rittenhouse)
1 oz Banhez Mezcal (Peloton de la Muerte)
3/4 oz Amaro Lucano
1/4 oz Suze
3 drop Bittermens Mole Bitters

Stir with ice, strain into a double old fashioned glass with a large cube, and garnish with an orange twist.Two Wednesdays ago, I decided to make a recipe that I spotted on KindredCocktails called the Prizefighter that was different from the one that Nicholas Jarrett created. This one was crafted at the Berkshire Room in Chicago, and it was dated to a Winter 2016-2017 menu by a Drinking Society blog post and their YouTube video. In the glass, this Prizefighter squared up to the senses with an orange and vegetal aroma. Next, a caramel-driven sip slipped into rye, smoke, vegetal, dark orange, and chocolate flavors on the swallow. Overall, the Suze was a bit strong in the mix which was suprising at a quarter ounce, but I rather enjoy gentian flavors.

velveteen rabbit

1 3/4 oz Remy 1738 Cognac (Du Peyrat Selection)
3/4 oz Hazelnut Orgeat (Almond Orgeat)
1/2 oz Nux Alpina (Russo Nocino)
1/2 oz Lemon Juice
1 dash Whiskey Barrel-Aged Bitters (Fee's)
1 Whole Egg

Shake one round without ice and one round with ice, strain into a coupe glass, and garnish with a crushed piece of hazelnut (pecan) in the center.Two Tuesdays ago, I ventured back to the online recipe flashcard set from Analogue in Manhattan and landed upon the Velveteen Rabbit. It was a different Velveteen Rabbit than the one served to me at the Baldwin Bar, and a few articles about Analogue's menu launch date this recipe to Fall 2016. Given the lemon juice in the mix, I believe that this would fall out of the realm of a Flip and into perhaps a Royal Sour. The royal part is taken from Fizz nomenclature where the Sour elongated with a carbonation source gets a different name depending on what part of the egg is utilized: Silver for white, Golden for yolk, and Royal for whole egg. I say "perhaps" because I have not seen such descriptors used with Sours, and the egg white Sour is often called the Boston Sour and never the Silver Sour. Regardless, it was time to start mixing this rich number. Once prepared, the Velveteen Rabbit proffered an earthy and nutty aroma. Next, a creamy and lemon sip ushered in Cognac, walnut, and almond flavors with a lemon finish.

:: fred's picks for the top cocktails of 2023 ::

At the end of 2010, someone asked what my favorite drink of the year was, and I lacked an answer at first for there were so many good options to chose from. My choices were influenced by two factors – tastiness and uniqueness; it had to be both memorable and worth repeating. In past years, I did one post for drinks that I had out at bars and one post for drinks that I had at home; however, as I found myself going out less due to my work schedule and other factors, I cut it down to one post a few years ago. Each month here was selected for when the drink post appeared and not when it was enjoyed (unlike my real time Instagram account, I have a two week delay here before it goes live to give myself an ample window to write). Without further ado, here is the fourteenth annual installment of my best drinks for the year with a runner up or two listed.

January: There were several solid bitter-herbal winners from the Bartender's Choice app and related sources, and I gave the nod to the Maravilla at Raines Law Room for it reminded me fondly of Misty Kalkofen's Low Rider at Brick & Mortar. For a close second, Michael Madrusan's .38 Special at Little Branch was a delight; for the other runner-up, the Varnish in L.A. is in that same school, but with an mezcal Bee's Knees feel and a pinch of spice in the Dahlia's Revenge.

February: My pick for February was an old Franklin Mortgage & Investment Co. drink called the Cowboy Killer by Colin Shearn that was a Scotch Red Hook with Peychaud's Bitters; it was given new life by his old co-worker publishing it in Epicurious. Getting the nod this month was Rafa Garcia Febles' dark Puritan vibing Suffragette and a bitter-herbal Old Fashioned, the African Flower, by Becky McFalls at Little Branch. March: March was a tough call for there were lots of amaro-driven delights that I sampled. Toby Maloney's Pocket Square at the Violet Hour as perhaps a Ciociaro and citrus version of his Eeyore's Requiem gets the nod though. For runners-up were a drink with a similar vibe – Chuck Taggart's Something Bitter This Way Comes inspired by a trip to the Varnish, and a Paper Plane-like number called Lost & Found from the Dandelion Cocktail Bar in Florianópolis, Brazil.

April: The two stand outs for April were a pair of rum-herbal-up drinks that share the top spot: El Ratón by Matt James at Seattle's Bathtub as a tribute a deadly bull in the ring, and Julie Reiner's Bridgetown Stomp that she created for Toby Maloney when he visited Lani Kai and that soon became the bar's house Negroni. May: Top dog for May was Maison Premiere's Old Tom gin and mezcal Black Manhattan called Future Days featuring Amaro Abano (which was a new addition to my liquor shelves this year). The two runners-up were Amaro Nonino concepts: Phil Ward's West of East India at Mayahuel perhaps named after the Lustau East India Solera Sherry component and Franklin Mortgage Investment Co.'s Harry Rag with its Scotch base and Chartreuse flair.

June: There were a good number of amaro-accented drinks in June, so it was a tough call, but I'm giving the top spot to the Indecent Proposal from the sadly departed Pouring Ribbons in Manhattan with its Nardini, Cynar, and mint combination. Getting the nod were the dark tropical gin drink, the Blue Plate Special from Atlanta's Paper Plane, and the delightful Benedictine-walnut liqueur combination flavored by Meletti in the Pine Tavern Road at Seamstress in NYC. July: My new purchase this month was a bottle of Amaro Braulio, and the winner of the batch of recipes that I made using this new toy was the Amaro Daiquiri where Stephanie Andrews at Billy Sunday in Chicago paired Braulio with Sfumato and lime. For runners up in July, Backbar's F.R.D. created by Jenifer Anastasi to protest Florida's governor's actions with this Rum Runner Old Fashioned pictured above and Erick Castro's Professional Courtesy at Raised by Wolves as a bitter Marconi Wireless riff were notable.

August: My pick for August was the quirky Cognac-rhum agricole Liberal dubbed the Partisan at Dutch Kills. Also delightful were the tequila Manhattan accented with Braulio and Yellow Chartreuse, namely the Inside Job by Zac Pease at Manhattan's Attaboy, and the rye-mezcal Manhattan riff, namely the Tito Puente at Blossom Bar pictured below. September: September was a challenge to sort out with so many great nightcaps that I had after my bar shifts. I gave the top honor to the Critical Mass created at the Burritt Room since it reminded me fondly of a Prospect Park with Chartreuse. Also great were the three part Staggerly from Zig Zag in Seattle and Telling Phoebe with smoky and bitter notes from Chantal Tseng at her literary-themed drink series.

October: Another difficult choice to make, but I selected A Good Man is Hard to Find at Dram for being really quirky yet delicious. Matt Robold's Jon Hamm's Briefcase at 320 Main as a riff on Chris Hannah's Bywater and the Dead Man's Handle by Tiffany Kirk at Miss Carousel as a spicy take on a Pinky Gonzalez (also to show that I did indeed make drinks with citrus is 2023) get honorable mention. November: I decided to make November's picks all about shaken drinks, and the top dog was the Doctor's Orders as Jillian Vose's Bourbon-apple brandy Tiki-inspired drink at Dead Rabbit. Tyson Buhler's La Trinité at Death & Co. with rhum and apple brandy balanced by Suze and honey in a Sour and Finding Rose by Lucinda Sterling at Little Branch with Cognac, honey, and passion fruit notes were also noteworthy.

December: The drink that I enjoyed enough to make for my chef the next night was the Dogs Playing Poker by Carter Wilsford at Analogue as a mezcal-fruity-bitter number with a great name. Respect given to Kyle Marshall's Hard Times as a tribute to Ray Charles who loved Genever and espresso and Blazing Saddles at the Eddy in Providence with its smoke and Montenegro-cinnamon accents in Old Fashioned format. Some of my favorite creations not mentioned in yesterday's year end round-up: I decided to feature six more recipes that I created in 2023 that I either look back fondly on and/or were well received on Kindred Cocktails or Reddit. There were two inspired by the 100 Year Cigar: the Painted Lady that took things in a Pink Lady direction and Day Old Bread utilizing the rye-aquavit combo. The Club Garden inspired by Eric Alperin's Skid Row and named after a Boston speakeasy and the Right Place Wrong Time as a mezcal-Cynar take on Chris Hannah's Night Tripper were delights. During my second bar shift in Oaxaca, I did a Ferari (Fernet-Campari) Penicillin of sorts that I dubbed the Body Shop that I have made for folks at work. And my Saucy Sue's apple-apricot take on Ran Duan's Father's Advice called the Listening Room was in my opinion one of the most elegant of my creations this year. Overall, it was a good year of drinking even if most of my cocktails were at home instead of out on the town or in distant cities. I was able to narrow down this list of over 300 drinks into 13 bests and 22 runners-up, so in a way, above was my top 10% of 2023. I can't wait to see what 2024 brings. Cheers!

philadelphia story

1 1/2 oz Peat Monster Scotch (1 oz Famous Grouse + 1/2 oz Laphroaig 10 Year)
3/4 oz Averna
1/2 oz St. Germain (St. Elder)
2 dash Angostura Bitters
1 dash Grapefruit Bitters (Bittermens)

Stir with ice, strain into a coupe, and garnish with a grapefruit twist.Two Mondays ago, I returned to the Raines Law Room recipe flashcard sets and landed upon the Philadelphia Story created by Chase Mallen and perhaps named after the 1940 Katharine Hepburn movie. Yelp reviews dating back to 2010 mention it, and the combination was very reminiscent of an agave cocktail called the Midnight Bouquet at Raines Law and attributed by PunchDrinks to Meaghan Dorman. Once prepared, the Philadelphia Story showcased a grapefruit, peat smoke, and floral bouquet to the nose. Next, caramel and malt notes on the sip fell aside to smoky Scotch, dark herbal-grapefruit, and floral flavors on the swallow with an allspice and peat smoke finish.