divorcé in nyc

1 oz Rittenhouse Rye Whiskey
1 oz Daron Calvados (Morin Selection)
1/2 oz Benedictine
1/2 oz Giffard Crème de Cacao (Bols)

Stir with ice, strain into a coupe, spritz with absinthe (rinse with Kübler), and garnish with a lemon twist.Two Thursdays ago, I returned to the online recipe flashcards for the Violet Hour in Chicago, and I landed on the Divorcé in NYC by bartender Ryan Carrigan for the Winter 2023 menu. The combination of Benedictine, cacao, and absinthe was one that worked in the King of Birds and the Kaleidoscope, so I was curious about mixing this up. Once stirred and strained, the Divorcé in NYC opened up with lemon, apple, anise, and herbal aromas. Next, caramel with a hint of apple on the sip pranced into rye, apple, and chocolate-herbal flavors on the swallow.

the bottom line

1 1/2 oz Highland Park 18 Year Scotch (1 oz Highland Park Cask Strength Batch #2 + 1/2 oz Water)
1 oz Manzanilla Sherry (Tio Pepe Fino)
3/4 oz Barenjager Honey Liqueur
1/4 oz Amaro Ciociaro
1 dash Orange Bitters (Angostura Orange)
1 dash Angostura Bitters

Stir with ice and strain into a double old fashioned glass with ice.Two Wednesdays ago, I was searching the KindredCocktails database for Amaro Ciociaro and sherry recipes when I came across The Bottom Line by San Francisco bartender Kevin Diedrich. The recipe was sourced from a 2022 Liquor.com article where it described, "But sometimes it can be a lot of fun, albeit pricey fun, to grab a premium scotch and make a drink with it... [and] That's what San Francisco bar pro Kevin Diedrich did with The Bottom Line." While I did not have the costly 18 year, I did have the slightly less expensive cask strength Highland Park Release #2, and the proof worked out perfectly with a 2 parts full strength to 1 part water to match the elder's 86° (Note: I received the partial bottle of cask strength at a Highland Park bitters making class as a gift from the brand ambassador in April 2022 ). Once prepared, The Bottom Line welcomed the senses with a honey-floral bouquet. Next, a semi-crisp sip with honey notes flowed into smoky Scotch, honey, and dark orange bitter flavors on the swallow.

sippin' on syrup

3/4 oz Old Overholt Rye (86°)
3/4 oz Laird's Bonded Apple Brandy
3/4 oz Amaro Nardini
3/4 oz Lemon Juice
1/2 oz Maple Syrup
2 drop Saline (1:4)
1 Whole Egg

Shake one round without ice and one round with ice, strain into an old fashioned glass, and garnish with freshly grated cinnamon.Two Tuesdays ago, I returned to the online recipe flashcard sets for The Violet Hour in Chicago, and I landed on the Sippin' on Syrup from the Winter 2024 menu. The whole egg Sour that resides on their current menu began with a cinnamon, maple, and apple aroma. Next, a creamy caramel and lemon sip mumbled into maple, apple, rye, and herbal flavors on the swallow with lemony tartness on the finish.

ward canyon

1 1/2 oz Rye Whiskey (Old Overholt 86°)
1/2 oz Cognac (Monnet VSOP)
1/2 oz Punt e Mes
1/2 oz Dry Vermouth (Noilly Prat)
1 dash Peychaud's Bitters

Stir with ice and strain into a cocktail coupe; no garnish was specified, but I added a lemon twist.Two Mondays ago, I returned to the online flashcard set for Erick Castro's new project, Gilly's House of Cocktails in San Diego. There, I was drawn to the Ward Canyon that had a Saratoga Cocktail-like appearance and was perhaps named after a hiking area in Utah. In the glass, the Ward Canyon showcased a lemon and cherry-grape bouquet. Next, a semi-dry grape sip led into rye, Cognac, herbal, and anise flavors on the swallow. With the Peychaud's Bitters in place, the Ward Canyon took on a New Orleans-style cocktail feel.

as you were

1 oz Banhez Mezcal (Peloton de la Muerte)
1 oz Corazon Reposado Tequila (Cimarron)
3/4 oz Valdespino Pedro Ximenez Sherry (El Maestro Sierra)
1/2 oz Cocchi Sweet Vermouth
2 dash Mole Bitters (Bittermens)
2 dash Orange Bitters (Scrappy's)

Stir with ice, strain into a Nick & Nora glass (coupe), and garnish with a grapefruit peel coin and a cherry.Two Sundays ago, I returned to the online recipe flashcards for Chicago's The Violet Hour and spotted the As You Were from their Fall 2021 menu. The combination of agave spirit, Pedro Ximenez, and sweet vermouth reminded me of the Stage Dives & Fist Fights, so I was intrigued. Once prepared, the As You Were proffered grapefruit, raisin, and smoke aromas. Next, a rich grape sip continued into agave, date, and smoke flavors on the swallow with a chocolate finish.

dk old fashioned

2 oz Old Forester 100° Bourbon (Evan Williams Bonded)
3/8 oz Giffard Banana Liqueur (Tempus Fugit Crème de Banane)
3/8 oz Amaro Meletti
1 dash Chocolate Bitters (Bittermens)

Stir with ice and strain into an old fashioned glass with a large ice cube. I garnished with an orange twist (recipe lacked garnishing instructions).Two Saturdays ago, I found a set of online recipe flashcards for Erick Castro's new spot in San Diego, Gilly's House of Cocktails. Erick and his team revamped an old dive bar and gave new life to its drink program while keeping things accessible and in tune with the bar's old aesthetic. The recipe that I stared with was the DK Old Fashioned that reminded me of Brick & Mortar's Kon'Nichiwa given the whiskey, banane, and Amaro Meletti. Once prepared, the DK Old Fashioned stepped forward with an orange, caramel, and banana aroma. Next, the caramel continued on into the sip, and the swallow rounded things up with a medley of Bourbon, caramel, floral, banana, and herbal flavors.

roscoe diner

1 1/2 oz Laird's Bonded Apple Brandy
1/2 oz Honey Syrup (1:1)
1/2 oz Pedro Ximenex Sherry (El Maestro Sierra)
1/2 oz Apricot Liqueur (Rothman & Winter)
3 drop Saline (1:4)
1 Whole Egg

Shake one round without ice and one round with ice and strain into a Fizz glass.Two Fridays ago, I was inspired by Pouring Ribbon's Little Gem Diner, and I decided to make the delicious combination more accessible since Unicum's plum liqueur is no longer imported into this country. Instead, my mind went to apricot liqueur instead of plum and apple brandy in place of rye; I did also try Scotch since apricot and whisky make a great pairing, but it was better with the fruit duo. I dubbed this one after another upstate New York Diner, but one that I had a personal connection to along Route 17 that we stopped into on the way to and from college. In the glass, the Roscoe Diner opened up with an apricot, floral, and date bouquet. Next, a creamy plum and honey sip drove off into apple, apricot, and dried fruit flavors on the swallow. Overall, it was a touch sweeter than I usually like things, but I was happy with the flavors and the rest of the balance.

tongue twister

3/4 oz Del Maguey Mezcal Vida (Peloton de la Muerte)
3/4 oz Green Chartreuse
3/4 oz Falernum (Velvet)
3/4 oz Lime Juice

Shake with ice, strain into a cocktail coupe, and garnish with a lime wheel (omit garnish).Two Thursdays ago, I was perusing the online recipe flashcards for Raised by Wolves in San Diego when I came across the Tongue Twister. I was able to confirm the drink by way of an Imbibe 2021 article that attributes the drink to Tony Roehr, and the combination reminded me of the Eulogy with its four equal parts structure and a Chartreuse paired with falernum. While the Eulogy has been Yellow Chartreuse or Strega, the combination here of Green Chartreuse and falernum is one that has worked well in a variety of recipes including the Nuclear Daiquiri and Chartreuse Swizzle. Once prepared, the Tongue Twister riddled the nose with lime, vegetal, and smoke aromas. Next, a lime-driven sip flowed into herbal, herbaceous, smokey, and clove flavors on the swallow.

milano's triumph

1 1/2 oz Bols Genever (Bols Barrel-Aged)
1 oz Campari
1/2 oz Pedro Ximenez Sherry (El Maestro Sierra)
6 drop Salt Water (1:4 Saline)
2 Orange Peels

Express the two peels into the mixing glass, add the rest of the ingredients, stir with ice, and strain into a coupe glass without garnish.Two Wednesdays ago, I returned to the online recipe flashcards from Cook & Brown in Providence, Rhode Island. There, I was drawn in by the Milano's Triumph, a Genever-sherry Negroni of sorts from their Fall 2012 menu that reminded me of Genever Negroni-like drinks such as the Oude Negroni and the Onset. In the glass, the Milano's Triumph gave forth a malty, orange, and grape bouquet. Next, dried fruit notes on the sip transformed into malty, orange, and fig flavors on the swallow.

red legs

1 oz Pineapple Rum (Planteray)
1 oz Scotch (Cutty Sark Prohibition)
1/4 oz Pedro Ximenez Sherry (El Maestro Sierra)
1/4 oz Amaro Ciociaro

Stir with ice, strain into an old fashioned glass with a large ice cube, and garnish with an orange twist.Two Tuesdays ago, I served a guest at work a pineapple rum-Scotch Sazerac as a follow up to a rye-Cognac one. That combination got me thinking of Pedro Ximenez-Amer Picon drinks that I made from the Pioneers of Mixing from Elite Bars: 1903-1933 book such as the Reiff. I used the New York City-favored Amaro Ciociaro instead of Picon since Pedro Ximenez sherry-sweetened Old Fashioned riffs such as the McKittrick and Second Marriage are also popular there. I dubbed this the Red Legs after Red Legs Greaves, a Scottish pirate active in the Caribbean during the late 17th century, to capture the Scottish and tropical vibes in the drink. In the glass, the Red Legs showcased an orange and dark dried fruit aroma. Next, dark grape and caramel notes on the sip sailed into pineapple, dark orange, smoky Scotch, and date-raisin flavors on the swallow.

dutch lover

1 1/2 oz Barrel-Aged Bols Genever
1/2 oz Luxardo Amaro Abano
3/4 oz Grenadine
1/2 oz Lime Juice
1 dash Cardamom Bitters (The Bitter Housewife)

Shake with ice and strain into a coupe glass.Two Mondays ago, I uncovered a collection of online recipe flashcards from Hodges Bend in St. Paul, Minnesota. There, the Dutch Lover called out to me for it reminded me of a Genever-Abano version of the gin-Cynar Giuseppe's Lady, and I was able to find mentions of the drink in a 2018 Lavender Magazine article and also on a Yelp menu that same year. In the glass, the Dutch Lover welcomed the senses with dark red berry, malty, and lime aromas in the glass. Next, lime, caramel, and red fruit on the sip cruised into malty Genever, caramel, herbal, black pepper, and cardamom flavors on the swallow.

open & shut

1 1/2 oz Amaro Lucano
1/2 oz Cognac (Monnet VSOP)

Build in a rocks glass without ice and give a quick stir. Optional to garnish with a lemon or orange twist (lemon twist).Two Sundays ago, I spied Kara Newman's Nightcap book on the shelf, and I began flipping through the pages. There, I was lured in by Julia Momose's Open & Shut whuch was a Scaffa (room temperature "cocktail" without dilution) that she described as, "Simply build in the glass, retire to bed, sip, and ease yourself into slumber." Once assembled, the Open & Shut provided a lemon, caramel, and orange bouquet to the nose. Next, caramel and roast notes on the sip led into bitter herbal, Cognac, and dark orange peel flavors on the swallow.

café italo

2 oz Amaro Nardini
3/4 oz Demerara Syrup
1 Orange Peel
1 Whole Egg

Shake the egg, add the rest of the ingredients, and shake with ice. Strain into a double old fashioned glass (the photo shows a large ice cube not mentioned in the book's text), and garnish with an additional orange peel.Two Saturdays ago, I reached for Neal Bodenheimer and Emily Timberlake's Cure: New Orleans Drinks and How to Mix 'Em book. There, I spotted the Café Italo by Kirk Estopinal at Cure that was inspired by the Terry's brand chocolate orange candy and reminded me of the Cynar Flip. In the glass, the Café Italo approached with an orange, caramel, and herbal bouquet. Next, a creamy caramel sip was followed by caramel, toffee, coffee, and orange flavors on the swallow.

besitos de abuelita

1 oz Reposado Tequila (Cimarron)
1 oz Mezcal (Peloton de la Muerte)
1/4 oz Pedro Ximenez Sherry (El Maestro Sierra)
1/4 oz Amaro Sfumato
3 dash Mole Bitters (Bittermens)

Stir with ice, strain into a double old fashioned glass with a large ice cube, and garnish with a grapefruit twist.Two Fridays ago, I returned to the online flashcard set from Raised by Wolves in San Diego and spotted the Besitos de Abuelita as perhaps a riff on the Oaxacan Old Fashioned with sweet sherry and an earthy-smoky amaro in place of the neo-classic's agave syrup. I was able to date the drink to late 2021 via Yelp menu photos where the drink was subtitled, "Warm kisses from Grandma with a longer lasting flavor than her favorite red lipstick on your cheek." In the glass, the Besitos de Abuelita gave forth a grapefruit, smoky, vegetal, and bitter herbal aroma. Next, grape and roast notes on the sip slid into smoke, bitter herbal, vegetal, raisin, and chocolate flavors on the swallow.

laughter in the dark

1 oz Islay Scotch (Ardbeg 10 Year)
3/4 oz Cynar
1/2 oz Pedro Ximenez Sherry (El Maestro Sierra)

Stir with ice, strain into a cocktail glass, and garnish with a cherry and lemon oil from a twist.Two Tuesdays ago, I was perusing the KindredCocktails database when I spotted the Laughter in the Dark by New York City bartender Rafa Garcia Febles. The combination reminded me of the Backwards Point and Drunk Uncle but with Pedro Ximenez sherry instead of vermouth. Once prepared, the Laughter in the Dark showcased a lemon, peat smoke, and raisin aroma. Next, dried fruit and caramel notes on the sip opened up into smoky Scotch, herbal, grape, and raisin flavors on the swallow.

little gem diner

1 1/2 oz Old Overholt Rye Whiskey
1/2 oz Honey Syrup
1/2 oz Pedro Ximenez Sherry (El Maestro Sierra)
1/4 oz Unicum Plum Liqueur (*)
3 drop Saline (1:4)
1 Whole Egg

Shake one round without ice and one round with ice, and strain into a Fizz glass.
(*) Apparenlty, no longer imported here, so perhaps a combination of slivovitz and simple syrup if one does not already have a bottle or cannot source a dusty one on liquor store shelves. My sample came from Portland Cocktail Week 2012, and this is the first time that I have found an use for it.Two Wednesdays ago, I ventured back to the online recipe flashcards from Pouring Ribbons in Manhattan, and I decided on the Little Gem Diner as a curious Flip from their Fall 2014 menu. Though the history was not provided, it was possibly named after a diner in Syracuse, New York, founded in 1950, and the only other reference was that it came highly recommended by an user on FourSquare – and after making it, I can see why. In the glass, the Little Gem Diner conjured up red fruit like plum or cherry to the nose. Next, a creamy and honey-driven sip opened up into rye, raisin, and plum flavors on the swallow. Overall, this one was so elegant, and I was saddened that my drink ended so soon.

why don't you do right

1 oz Pineapple Rum (Planteray)
1 oz Cognac (Monnet VSOP)
1/2 oz Cynar
1/2 oz Coffee Liqueur (Mr. Black)
2 dash Mole Bitters (Bittermens)

Stir with ice, strain into a rocks glass with a large ice cube, and garnish with an orange twist.After writing up the Palisades, I got inspired by its Cynar-coffee liqueur combination. I combined that duo with the Cognac-pineapple rum split base from my Big Spender, and I kept the Peggy Lee song title theme going by dubbing the result the Why Don't You Do Right. One critique I faced on the name on Instagram was "The drink sounds great, but in the song all the fellow has to offer is a glass of gin. What a louse!", but otherwise, several folks have since tried this one out, liked it, and posted about it which has led to a second wave of users making it and tagging me in their posts. Once prepared, the Why Don't You Do Right proffered orange, caramel, pineapple, and coffee aromas to the nose. Next, caramel and roast notes on the sip slid into Cognac and coffee flavors on the swallow with a pineapple and roast finish. The choice of coffee liqueur here might require some tweaking as perhaps a half barspoon of Demerara syrup could supplement Mr. Black's drier profile, and softer coffee liqueurs might allow the other beautiful components shine through more. But overall, the combination of coffee and pineapple has generally been a success whether in the classic Mr. Bali Hai or in more modern ones like Moe Isaza's Bacardi Legacy drink, the Poderoso. In April 2025, I upcycled the recipe for a Planteray Stiggins' Fancy Pineapple Rum competition since I was in a time crunch for a submission. I exchanged the old fashioned with a big cube for a Nick & Nora glass, and I specified the Cognac as Pierre Ferrand Ambre which we have at the C-Side Bar in Cambridge, MA. I dubbed it the Sunken City named after the Les Baxter exotica track. While it did not win, this second life of this combination has gained traction on Instagram.

Sunken City
• 1 oz Planteray Stiggins' Fancy Pineapple Rum
• 1 oz Pierre Ferrand Ambre Cognac
• 1/2 oz Cynar
• 1/2 oz Coffee Liqueur
• 2 dash Molé Bitters
Stir with ice, strain into a Nick & Nora glass, and garnish with an orange twist.

dr. doctor

1 1/2 oz Planteray 5 Year Barbados Rum (RL Seale 10 Year)
1/2 oz Planteray Overproof Rum (OFTD)
1 oz Kronan Swedish Punsch
1 oz Lime Juice
3/4 oz Falernum (Velvet)

Dry shake (shake with one ice cube), pour over crushed ice in a double old fashioned glass, and add a straw.Two Mondays ago, I returned to the online recipe flashcards for the Fall 2012 menu at the Dorrance in Providence, Rhode Island, where I decided that the Dr. Doctor would scratch that craving for a Daiquiri. The Dr. Doctor is a riff on the classic Doctor Cocktail via Ted Haigh who modified it from the one that first appeared in Harry McElhone's 1927 Barflies and Cocktails; the same combination as Ted's was published as the Waldorf Cocktail in the 1930 Savoy Cocktail Book. Here, the concept was expanded with two rums and the addition of falernum. Once prepared, the Dr. Doctor offered up caramel, lime, and clove aromas. Next, lime and caramel on the sip prescribed a medley of rum notes including burly and slightly funky ones, dryness, and clove flavors on the swallow.

get up & go

1 1/2 oz Wild Turkey 101° (WT101° Bourbon)
1/4 oz Amaro Abano
1/4 oz Pierre Ferrand Dry Curaçao
1/4 oz Laphroaig Scotch
1 tsp Galliano Ristretto
1 dash Cinnamon Bitters (Fee's Whiskey Barrel-Aged)
1 dash Orange Bitters (Angostura Orange)

Stir with ice, strain into a double old fashioned glass with a large ice cube, and garnish with an orange peel arrow.Two Sundays ago, I returned to the Pouring Ribbons online recipe flashcard set and landed on the Get Up & Go from their Fall 2014 menu. In the glass, the Get Up & Go conjured an orange and peat smoke bouquet. Next, roast notes and hints of caramel on the sip landed upon Bourbon, smoky Scotch, orange, and coffee flavors on the swallow with a cinnamon and smoke finish.

on the avenue

1/2 oz Pierre Ferrand 1840 Cognac
1/2 oz Rittenhouse Rye Whiskey
1 oz Cinzano Sweet Vermouth
1/2 oz Campari
1/2 oz Cynar

Stir with ice, strain into a double old fashioned glass with ice, and garnish orange oil from a twist.Two Saturdays, I finally visited Equal Measure when they were formally open. I say it that way since I had been in the space back in mid-November for a Dale DeGroff and Hendrick's private event that featured Dale's new aperitivo that was launching and a taste of his amaro that was still in prototype form. For a first drink, I asked bartender Eliza Hoar who came to the East Coast after bartending in San Diego at places like the Noble Experiment for the On the Avenue. This Boulevardier riff was subtitled "equal measures are everywhere", and the split Campari-Cynar bitter component was one that I last saw in the Rosales. In the glass, the On the Avenue began with an orange, Cognac, and herbal aroma. Next, grape and caramel notes on the sip strolled into Cognac, a hint of rye, bitter orange, and bitter herbal flavors on the swallow.

the southern point

3/4 oz Apple Brandy (Morin Selection Calvados)
3/4 oz Elderflower Liqueur (St. Elder)
3/4 oz Orange Liqueur (Cointreau)
3/4 oz Lemon Juice

Shake with ice and strain into a coupe glass pre-rinsed with absinthe (Pernod Absinthe).Two Fridays ago, I opened up the Raising the Bar book by Jacob Grier and Brett Adams and spotted Eryn Reece's Southern Point. I was able to track down the recipe to a 2010 post on the St. Germain Cocktails blog which would place it before her time at Death & Co. in Manhattan which began in 2011. The combination fell between Sam Ross' Sunflower of a Corpse Reviver #2 with elderflower instead of Lillet and Scott Holliday's Johnny Jump Up of a Corpse Reviver #2 with apple brandy instead of gin. In the glass, the Southern Point opened up to the nose with apple, black licorice, orange, and floral aromas. Next, lemon and grapefruit notes on the sip relaxed into apple, orange, and licorice flavors on the swallow.

adderly

2 oz Rye Whiskey (Old Overholt 86°)
3/4 oz Lemon Juice
3/4 oz Maraschino Liqueur (Luxardo)
2 dash Orange Bitters (Regan's)

Shake with ice, strain into a cocktail coupe, and garnish with a cherry.Two Thursdays ago, I fired up the Bartender's Choice app and decided to make the Adderly. Sam Ross based this rye drink at Milk & Honey in 2005 on the gin-based Casino (sort of an Aviation with orange bitters and no violette) originating from Hugo Ensslin's 1916 Recipes for Mixed Drinks. In the glass, the Adderly opened up with nutty cherry and rye aromas. Next, lemon and cherry notes on the sip stepped aside for rye and cherry flavors on the swallow with an orange finish. Overall, the combination reminded me of a less herbal Final Ward.

sparrow

2 oz Gale Force Gin (Beefeater)
3/4 oz Lime Juice
1/2 oz Apricot Liqueur (Rothman & Winter)
1/4 oz Maple Syrup
2 dash Orange Bitters (Angostura Orange)
2 dash Angostura Bitters
1/8 oz Allspice Dram (Hamilton's)

Shake with ice and strain into a cocktail coupe.Two Wednesdays ago, I decided to make a drink from an online collection of recipe flashcards from Cook & Brown in Providence. The one I selected was the Sparrow from their Fall 2012 menu, and its combination of gin, maple, apricot liqueur, and allspice dram reminded me of Ames Street Deli's Gin Cobbler so I was intrigued; moreover, the maple-apricot combination is one that dates back to the 1940s with the Euthanasia from Crosby Gaige's Cocktail Guide and Ladies' Companion. Once assembled, the Sparrow flew to the nose with apricot, allspice, and pine aromas. Next, lime and maple on the sip landed on gin, apricot, and allspice flavors on the swallow.

oh, sherrie

1 1/4 oz Amontillado Sherry
1/2 oz D'Usse VSOP Cognac
1/2 oz Benedictine
1/2 oz St. George Spiced Pear Liqueur
1/4 oz Kronan Swedish Punsch
1/4 oz Lemon Juice
1 dash Angostura Bitters

Shake with ice, strain into a cocktail coupe, and garnish with a dehydrated piece of pear on a pick hanging off the glass.Two Tuesdays ago, I ventured down to Backbar to try another drink off of their Mix Tape menu. The one I selected was Oh, Sherrie by Sam Treadway in honor of the 1984 Steve Perry solo recording post departing Journey. A few moments after bartender Jesse Lane made my drink, I had a chance to talk to Sam about his creation; the most amusing part was how he latched on to the song lyric "holds on" and made the hanging garnish mirror that using a bamboo cocktail skewer. In the glass, the Oh, Sherry welcomed the nose with dried fruit and pear aromas. Next, grape, pineapple, and orchard fruit notes on the sip ventured into nutty sherry and herbal flavors on the swallow with a tart, tangy, and allspice finish.

stenton

1 1/2 oz Scotch (1 oz Famous Grouse + 1/2 oz Cutty Sark Prohibition)
1/2 oz Amaro Ciociaro
1/2 oz Punt e Mes
1/4 oz Cherry Heering
1/8 oz Lemon Juice

Stir with ice, strain into a coupe pre-rinsed with mezcal (Peloton de la Muerte), and garnish with an orange peel-cherry flag.Two Mondays ago, I was perusing the KindredCocktails database when I came across the Stenton by New York City bartender Rafa Garcia Febles in 2014 that he described as "an aromatic, slow-sipping version of the Blood & Sand." Once prepared, the Stenton showcased an orange, caramel, grape, and smoke bouquet. Next, grape, caramel, and dark cherry notes on the sip flowed into Scotch, dark orange, herbal, and cherry flavors on the swallow.

flowers of st. francis

1 1/2 oz Citadelle Gin
1/2 oz St. Elder Elderflower Liqueur
1/2 oz Aperol
1/2 oz Acidified Rosemary Syrup (*)
3/4 oz Grapefruit Juice
1/4 oz Lemon Juice
2 dash Peychaud's Bitters
1 oz Whole Milk

The above is for a single drink and scaled according to need. Combine all but the milk, add the milk, and gently stir. Strain through a coffee filter. Add the first third or so that passes through back into the filter but gently so as not to disturb the curd bed (I utilize a ladle). Repeat with the first third re-strain if it is not clear enough. Bottle and refrigerate. Serve over ice in a double old fashioned glass and garnish with a short sprig of rosemary.
(*) A 1:1 syrup with 1 gram citric acid per ounce (~3% or around half the strength of lemon juice). In a pinch, add an extra 1/4 oz lemon juice if not using acidified.At Josephine, we were in need of another clarified milk punch batch since my co-worker who started making them had left and their last bottle was just opened. I had made a few clarified milk punches back in 2010 right after Drink revived the style in Boston in 2009 with their Hibiscus White Rum Milk Punch; the two recipes that I created and recorded here were the Coffee Milk Punch and the Wu Wei Milk Punch. For a starting point, I looked in our restaurant's walk-in, and with it being winter, I was not inspired by what I saw. I then turned to the modern classics and a housemade syrup. I was inspired by Misty Kalkofen's Bohemian, Paul Clarke's Dunniette, Drink's Dejeuner, and how well rosemary, gin, and grapefruit combine. The Peychuad's Bitters from the Bohemian was my final addition when the combination of gin, elderflower, aperol, rosemary, grapefruit, and lemon still seemed a little flat, and that trick worked once again. Once I prepared a small batch, I showcased the result and got approval; for a name, I suggested a Fellini movie title, and this one became dubbed the Flowers of St. Francis.

palisades

1 1/2 oz Laird's Jersey Lightning (Copper & Kings Unaged Apple Brandy)
1 oz Cynar
1/2 oz Varnelli Caffè Moka (Glliano Ristretto)

Build in an old fashioned glass, add ice, stir to mix and chill, and garnish with an orange twist.Two Saturdays ago, I decided to make the Palisades that I spotted in an online collection of Dutch Kills bar recipes. The drink created by Matty Clark in 2016 utilized the pairing of Cynar and coffee liqueur seen in the Sissy Gun, Lake Union, and Fair Trade but here with an unaged apple brandy. In the glass, the Palisades met the nose with orange, coffee, and roast aromas. Next, caramel and roast notes on the sip flowed into apple, coffee, caramel, vegetal, roasty, and minty flavors on the swallow.

café racer

1 1/2 oz Park VS Cognac (Du Peyrat Selection)
3/4 oz Lemon Juice
1/2 oz Orgeat
1/4 oz Giffard Apricot Liqueur (Rothman & Winter)
2 dash Angostura Bitters

Shake with ice, strain into a coupe glass, and garnish with a dried apricot on a pick.Two Fridays ago, I spotted the Bar & Restaurant News article on brandy where my Algiers Point was published. Amongst the other recipes, the Café Racer by Jesse Cyr at Heritage Steak & Whiskey in Woodmere, Ohio, stood out. The name most likely refers to a sports motorcycle style popular with British riders in the early 1960s. I was drawn in for the combination of apricot liqueur and orgeat dates back to at least 1937 via the Yellow Mist and appears in several tropical-style drinks like the East Somerville Sour, Lightning Swords of Death, and Apricole Swizzle. Here, the Café Racer showcased a nutty, earthy, apricot, and allspice aroma. Next, a creamy lemon sip sped into brandy, apricot, almond, and clove flavors on the swallow.

fluorescent grey

2 oz Del Maguey Mezcal Vida (Peloton)
1/2 oz Benedictine
1/2 oz Cynar

Stir with ice and strain into a coupe pre-rinsed with Pernod Absinthe (Kübler).When I posted about the Franklin Mortgage & Investment Co.'s rum-based Dead Moon, someone on Instagram commented that it was like their Fluorescent Grey with mezcal and that both were created by bartender Colin Shearn. That pushed me to find the recipe via online flashcards and narrow down the date to an article about the menu launch in February 2013. Two Thursdays ago, the Fluorescent Grey that I assembled provided an anise, vegetal, and smoke aroma. Next, caramel on the sip bloomed into vegetal, herbal, and smoke flavors on the swallow with an anise finish.