smoking vesper

1 1/2 oz Barrel-Aged Gin (Barr Hill Tom Cat)
1 oz Cocchi Americano
1/2 oz Del Maguey Mezcal Vida (Peloton de la Muerte)

Stir with ice and strain into a cinnamon-smoked cocktail glass.Two Wednesdays ago, I returned to an older set of online recipe flashcards for Backbar in Somerville, and I came across the Smoking Vesper that was served there circa 2012-2013. While the name reminded me of the Smoking Jet Pilot, the combination made me think more of California Gold's Vespertina as a tequila, mezcal, and Cocchi Americano riff on the classic Vesper (that link has my diatribe against that cinematic recipe and a coming to terms with it for a Mixology Monday event). In the glass, the Smoking Vesper greeted the nose with honey, pear, smoke, and burnt cinnamon aromas. Next, grapefruit, pear, and honey notes on the sip led to juniper, vegetal, and smoke flavors on the swallow with a honey and grapefruit finish. Overall, the Barr Hill Old Tom Gin's honey aspect shaped the drink quite a bit, and I wondered what it would have been like with my original impulse of Ransom's aged Old Tom.

alpine cocktail

1 1/2 oz Junipero Gin (Martin Miller Westbourne Strength)
3/4 oz Amaro Nonino
1/2 oz Dry Vermouth (Noilly Prat)
1 dash Bittermens Grapefruit Bitters

Stir with ice, strain into a cocktail glass (coupe), and garnish with an orange twist.Two Tuesdays prior, I ventured back to the pre-Pandemic recipe collection from Eastern Standard that I was gifted, and the Alpine Cocktail as perhaps a Perfect Martini with Amaro Nonino standing in for the sweet vermouth seemed delightful. I was able to confirmed that it was their creation by a DailyMeal post, and it reminded me of the bar's Aprilia that utilized Cocchi Americano in an equal parts format as well as Blackbird's Walk on the Wild Side with blanc vermouth. Here, the combination yielded an orange, pine, and grapefruit bouquet. Next, a caramel sip ascended to juniper, citrus, and herbal flavors on the swallow with a grapefruit finish.

to rome with love

1 oz Bourbon (Evan Williams Bonded)
1 oz Lillet Blanc (Cocchi Americano)
1/2 oz Benedictine
1/2 oz Zucca (Sfumato)

Stir with ice, strain into a coupe rinsed with Strega, and garnish with a lemon twist.Two Mondays ago, I returned to J.E. Clapham's That's Amaro book and spotted the To Rome with Love from Cork & Cow in Franklin, Tennessee, that reminded me in name of the Rome with a View but was most likely dubbed after the 2012 Woody Allen movie. GoogleMaps has a menu photo that includes this drink circa 2019. Overall, the combination reminded me of the Country Lawyer made with blanc vermouth instead of Lillet and no Strega rinse, and the pairing of Benedictine and Zucca/Sfumato was one that I utilized in the Leaf Fall at Drink. In the glass, the To Rome with Love showcased a lemon, roast, and star anise bouquet. Next, pear and grapefruit notes from the aromatized wine on the sip fled to Bourbon, roast, and herbal bitterness on the swallow with an anise and char finish.

perfect bqe

2 oz Wild Turkey 101 Rye (Rittenhouse)
1/2 oz Dolin Dry Vermouth (Noilly Prat)
1/2 oz Cocchi Sweet Vermouth
1/4 oz Green Chartreuse
1 tsp Maraschino (Luxardo)
Stir with ice, strain into a Nick & Nora (coupe) glass, and garnish with a cherry.Two Sundays ago, I reached for A Quick Drink by Lynnette Marrero and Ivy Mix, and I landed on one of Ivy Mix's originals. That recipe was the Perfect BQE as a cross between two Milk & Honey classics: the Red Hook and the Green Point (Ivy did list the Green Point as a Yellow Chartreuse drink in the text but swapped it to Green here). Those neighborhoods are connected by the Brookyln-Queens Expressway, and she found that the perfect or split vermouth version was the way for flavor and balance. Overall, the combination reminded me a bit of the St. Columbus Rill, Dueling Banjos, and Armistice Cocktail, so I was curious to see this take on the concept. In the glass, the Perfect BQE greeted the nose with an herbaceous and nutty cherry aroma. Next, grape and a hint of cherry on the sip drove to rye, herbaceous, and nutty cherry flavors on the swallow.

velvet rope

1 oz Rittenhouse Rye
1 oz Pierre Ferrand 1840 Cognac (Monnet VSOP)
1/2 oz Hibiscus Tea Syrup (*)
1/2 oz Amaro Nonino
2 dash Peychaud's Bitters
2 dash Orange Bitters (Angostura Orange)

Stir with ice, strain (coupe glass), and garnish with lemon oil from a twist.
(*) The drink was a touch sweet with the hibiscus as a 1:1 syrup. Perhaps making it as a 1:2 syrup, or even easier: adding 1/2 oz hibiscus tea plus 1/4 oz simple/demerara syrup would work.Another recipe that I had saved that utilized Amaro Nonino was the Velvet Rope at Brick & Mortar in Cambridge that I sourced from their ToastTab site months ago (I no longer see that webpage now). This rye-brandy Black Manhattan of sorts balanced the spirits with Amaro Nonino and a hibiscus syrup, and I was able to find a July 2017 menu photo on Yelp to get an approximate time frame; however, neither the recipe nor Yelp gave a clue as to what glassware was called for so I opted for a coupe which was more standard in those years (as opposed to old fashioned glass more common to the first year or two of the bar's existence). In the glass, the Velvet Rope let in a lemon and floral-herbal aroma. Next, a soft red berry and caramel sip witnessed rye, Cognac, caramel orange, and soft cranberry flavors on the swallow.

freydis

3/4 oz El Dorado 3 Year White Rum (Hamilton White Stache)
3/4 oz Krogstad Aquavit
3/4 oz Lime Juice
1/2 oz L'Orgeat Almond Liqueur or Orgeat (Orgeat)
1/4 oz Orchard Peach Liqueur (Mathilde)

Whip shake, pour into a Hurricane or Pearl Diver glass (Collins), fill with crushed ice, and garnish with a mint sprig and orchid (ornamental pea blossom).As I was making my way through Amanda Schuster's Signature Cocktails book, one of the first drinks that seemed intriguing that I had not tried before and was also easy to make without crafting ingredients or utilizing time- and labor-intensive processes was the Freydis. The recipe was created by Selma Slabiak at Mother of Pearl in Manhattan circa 2018, and it was also meaningful to me for I got to meet Selma when we both attended the same session of Gaz Regan's Cocktails in the Country in 2015. Selma named her Nordic take on the Mai Tai after the sister of Leif Erikson and the first Scandanavian woman to make it to America. The combination reminded me a little of Death & Co.'s Mr. Wednesday but here in a peach instead of banana way. Once prepared, the Freydis landed with a mint and nutty bouquet. Next, a creamy lime sip sailed into rum, caraway, star anise, and nutty peach flavors on the swallow.

famous on paper

1 oz Mezcal (Peloton de la Muerte)
3/4 oz Yellow Chartreuse
1/2 oz Amaro Nonino
3/4 oz Lemon Juice

Shake with ice, strain into a coupe, and garnish with an orange flag (orange twist).Two Thursdays ago, I finally got around to replacing my empty bottle of Amaro Nonino, and I decided to make a recipe that I had collected to encourage me to eventually go shopping. That drink was the Famous on Paper by Lisa Lauck from Chicago's The Violet Hour's Fall 2022 menu via online recipe flashcards that was also described in TastingTable in December 2022. Given the name and the ingredients, I figured that a mashup of a Naked and Famous with a Paper Plane would be a treat. Moreover, Yellow Chartreuse and Amaro Nonino worked rather well together in Backbar's Peat's Kiss. In the glass, the Famous on Paper took off with an orange, smoke, and vegetal aroma. Next, lemon, caramel, and honey on the sip cruised into smoky, vegetal, and herbal flavors on the swallow with a lemon finish.

under the veil

2 oz Cognac (Monnet VSOP)
1/2 oz Amaro Sfumato
1/2 oz Crème de Cassis (Massenez)
1 dash Angostura Bitters
1 dash Cardamom Bitters (The Bitter House Wife)

Stir with ice, strain into a coupe glass, and garnish with a cherry.Two Wednesdays ago, I opened up my new purchase of A Quick Drink: The Speed Rack Guide to Winning Cocktails for Any Mood by Lynnette Marrero and Ivy Mix for the evening's libation. While flipping through the pages, I stopped once I read the ingredients for the Under the Veil by Brooklyn bartender Alisha Neverson as her take on a Black Manhattan, for the combination of Sfumato and cassis worked rather well together in the Emotional Tailspin. Therefore, I decided to make the Under the Veil and reach for the bottle of cassis that I had not touched in a year since I made that other recipe. Once prepared, the Under the Veil showcased a char, roast, and cherry bouquet to the nose. Next, a dark fruit, roast, and caramel sip progressed into Cognac and bitter dark berry flavors on the swallow with a smoke and char finish.

seafarer's delight

6 cL Aged Rum (2 oz R.L. Seale 10 Year)
1.5 cL Falernum (1/2 oz Velvet)
0.5 cL Allspice Dram (1 tsp Hamilton's)
3 cL Lemon Juice (1 oz)
2 cL Orgeat (2/3 oz or 1/2 oz + 1 tsp)
2 dash Aromatic Bitters (Angostura)

Shake with ice, strain into a coupe glass (rocks glass with ice), and garnish with a lemon twist and mint sprig.Two Tuesdays ago I spotted the Seafarer's Delight by German tropical drinks aficionado Kevin Heinze on Facebook's Tiki Recipes group. The combination reminded me a little of the spiced-Mai Tai riff, the Cuban Anole, but with falernum, allspice, and bitters instead of cinnamon syrup as well as a major change of citrus with lemon instead of lime. I opted for a single old fashioned glass with ice, for the larger build size here and the garnish I crafted would have problems working in most of my coupes. Kevin explained his glassware choice on my Instagram, "I have choosen the coupe, because I wanted to mix a rum-based Manhattan at first, which is why I had pre-chilled this glass type instead a rocks glass. But considering... the warm weather, it ended up as a Sour." Once prepared, the Seafarer's Delight pleased the senses with lemon, minty, and nutty aromas. Next, a creamy lemon sip sailed into aged rum, almond, allspice, and clove flavors on the swallow.

sandstorm

1 1/2 oz Gin (Beefeater)
3/4 oz Grapefruit Juice
1/2 oz Lemon Juice
1/2 oz Maraschino (Luxardo)
1/4 oz Crème de Violette (Rothman & Winter)

Shake with ice, strain into a coupe glass, and garnish with a cherry. While writing up Matty Gees' Sands from Milk & Honey on the blog which was a Casino Cocktail with the addition of grapefruit and no orange bitters or perhaps the Savoy Cocktail Book simplified Aviation with grapefruit, I became inspired. What if I took the Sands and crossed it with the classic 1916 Aviation? Sand in the air made me think of a sandstorm which in turn made me think of Darudes's 2000 hit song as the name. This gin Hemingway Daiquiri-Aviation mashup of sorts proffered a nutty cherry, grapefruit, and floral aroma. Next, grapefruit, lemon, and cherry notes on the sip landed on gin and nutty cherry flavors on the swallow with a grapefruit peel and violet floral finish. Overall, the grapefruit juice worked with the Maraschino to push the combination a half or even a full step away from the Aviation.

jimmy hoffa

1 1/2 oz Rittenhouse Rye Whiskey
3/4 oz Punt e Mes
3/4 oz Amaro Lucano
1 dash Orange Bitters (Angostura Orange)

Stir with ice, strain into an old fashioned glass with a large ice cube, and garnish with a flamed orange twist (unflamed).Two Sundays ago, I decided to open up my new purchase of J.E. Clapham's recently published That's Amaro: An Amaro Cocktail Book. There, I landed on the Jimmy Hoffa by Andy Aitken of the Dutch site Proof Cocktails in 2017 as an American whiskey riff on his Scotch-based Lord Lucan named after Britain's Jimmy Hoffa equivalent. Once prepared, the Jimmy Hoffa orchestrated an orange and caramel bouquet. Next, caramel and grape on the sip drove into rye flavors, dark orange peel notes, and a rounded herbal bitterness on the swallow.

corpse reviver #4

1 oz Rittenhouse Rye Whiskey
1 oz Fernet Branca
1 oz Yellow Chartreuse
1 dash Bittermens Mole Bitters

Stir with ice, strain into an old fashioned glass, and garnish with lemon oil from a twist.Two Saturdays ago, I returned to the bartender recipe collection from Eastern Standard and landed on the Corpse Reviver #4. Thrillist in May 2010 attributed it to Jackson Cannon in a list of Boston off-menu items as his addition to the Corpse Reviver canon. While Corpse Revivers #1 and #2 were codified in the 1930 Savoy Cocktail Book, the third in the series was created either in the late 1940s or mid 1950s (depending on the competing claims) as Cognac, crème de menthe, and Fernet. Here, Jackson swapped the Cognac for rye and the menthe for Yellow Chartreuse in the #3 and added in a dash of mole bitters. In the glass, the Corpse Reviver #4 proffered a lemon, herbal, and minty bouquet to the nose. Next, caramel and honey on the sip gave way to rye, pine, minty, and bitter herbal flavors on the swallow with a menthol and chocolate finish. Overall, the combination was rather elegant for a Fernet drink!

redhead

2/3 oz Rye Whiskey (Rittenhouse)
2/3 oz Cognac (Monnet VSOP)
1/2 oz Sweet Vermouth (Cocchi)
1/3 oz Campari
1/3 oz Maraschino (Luxardo)
1/3 oz Averna
1 tsp Green Chartreuse

Stir with ice, strain into a coupe glass, and garnish with a lemon twist.Two Fridays previous, I was perusing the KindredCocktails database when I came across the Redhead. The drink was crafted by Mathias Alsen at Brooms & Hatchets in Oslo, Norway, circa 2014 that started with the Red Hook as inspiration, and it was published in Gaz Regan's 101 Best New Cocktails 2015. The equal parts Campari, Maraschino, and Averna combination was one that prospered in the Free Fallin', so I was game to see it here with Cognac, vermouth, and Chartreuse added in. After using my teaspoon a bit to make this metric system-derived recipe (1/3 oz is 2 tsp and 2/3 oz is 1/2 oz + 1 tsp), I enjoyed the lemon, nutty cherry, and herbaceous bouquet. Next, a grape, caramel, and hint of cherry on the sip ended up in rye, Cognac, bitter cherry, herbaceous, and nutty flavors on the swallow.

jaguar nap

2 oz Mezcal (Peloton de la Muerte)
1 oz Lime Juice (3/4 oz)
3/4 oz Simple Syrup
3 slice Cucumber
2 dash Angostura Bitters

Shake with ice, strain into a coupe glass, and garnish with a cucumber slice and cayenne pepper.Two Thursdays ago, I fired up the Bartender's Choice app and came across the Jaguar Nap by Matty Clark at Dutch Kills in 2017. Overall, it was just like Attaboy's Mexican Razor Blade but with bitters (although we made the Mexican Razor Blade a lot for guests at Drink with the suggested inclusion of jalapeño slices in with the cucumber for muddling since folks often asked for spicy tequila and mezcal drinks). The Jaguar Nap awoke with cucumber and chili pepper aromas. Next, a lime and vegetal sip pounced on smoky agave and cucumber flavors on the swallow with a dry baking spice finish that gained pepper spice over time.

the campground

1 1/2 oz Old Forester 86° Bourbon (Maker's Mark)
3/4 oz Averna
1/4 oz Laphroaig 10 Year Scotch
1/4 oz Amaro Sfumato
1/4 oz Simple Syrup

Stir with ice and strain into a rocks glass with a big cube.Two Wednesdays ago, I uncovered a collection of online recipe flashcards for Drastic Measures in Shawnee, Kansas, and I was lured in by the Campground. The menu described the drink as "A smoky Black Manhattan riff for the thoughtful drinker", and the feel reminded me of Sother Teague's Char #8 which I made quite a bit while bartending at Drink. I was able to narrow down its genesis to sometime between the bar opening in June 2020 and a Yelp menu photo in February 2021. Once prepared, the Campground began with a peat smoke and char aroma. Next, a caramel-driven sip slid into Bourbon, smoky Scotch, bitter herbal, and roast flavors on the swallow.

tarantula

1 oz Mezcal (Peloton de la Muerte)
1 oz Zucca (Sfumato)
1/2 oz Crème de Banane (Tempus Fugit)
1/2 oz Dry Vermouth (Noilly Prat)

Stir with ice, strain into a cocktail coupe, and garnish with a lemon (orange) twist.Two Tuesdays, I returned to the online recipe collection from Idlewild, a speakeasy-style menuless bar in Charlotte, North Carolina, and became intrigued by the Tarantula. The only other time that I have seen banana liqueur paired with a rabarbaro like Zucca or Sfumato was in the Sfumato Swizzle, so I was curious to try it in a less tropical styling. In the glass, the Tarantula crept to the nose with an orange, roast, herbal, and fruity aroma. Next, a caramel-driven sip jumped onto a smoky agave, roast, and bitter banana swallow.

baby turtle

2 oz Reposado Tequila (Espolon)
3/4 oz Lime Juice
1/2 oz Grapefruit Juice
1/2 oz Cinnamon Syrup 2:1 (1/2 oz Cinnamon Syrup 1:1 + 1/4 oz Simple Syrup)
1/4 oz Campari
2 dash 20% Saline (5 drop)
1 Egg White

Shake one round without ice and one round with ice and strain into a double old fashioned glass with ice.Two Mondays ago, I found the browser tab with a drink from Punch that I saved when I did not have a grapefruit in the house. That recipe was the Baby Turtle at Trick Dog in San Francisco. A 2013 Eater San Francisco article about the bar finally opening mentioned that the Baby Turtle was included as part the first menu with a Pantone color theme; moreover, the Punch article described how guests still order it at the bar (despite not being on any recent menu). The combination reminded me of the mezcal-based Quetzal that I created at La Brasa when tasked with a Paloma-inspired drink, except the Baby Turtle has aged tequila and egg white. In the glass, the Baby Turtle welcomed the senses with a cinnamon and grapefruit bouquet. Next, a creamy lime and grapefruit sip crawled towards tequila, bitter orange-grapefruit, and cinnamon flavors on the swallow. Overall, the drink was a bit more red than the tannish Pantone hue of that name.

marilyn ricketts

1 1/2 oz Privateer Silver Rum (Hamilton's White Stache)
3/4 oz Lime Juice
1/2 oz Crème de Cacao (Bols)
1/2 oz Simple Syrup
4-5 leaf Mint
1 Egg White

Shake one round without ice and one round with ice, strain into a coupe glass, and garnish with freshly grated cocoa nib (baker's chocolate).Two Sundays ago, I returned back to the bartender's recipe list from Eastern Standard that I received a few months ago and spotted the Marilyn Ricketts that reminded me of an egg white version of the Scorpion Kick. The drink was named after the culinary student who popularized mint chocolate chip ice cream in a contest for the ice cream dessert for the 1973 wedding of Princess Anne to Captain Mark Philips. While the flavor lives on, the name of Mint Royale has mostly faded away. As one would hope from the theme, this egg white Sour of sorts began with a mint and chocolate aroma. Next, a creamy lime sip melted into rum, mint, and chocolate flavors on the swallow.

panorama

1 1/2 oz Jamaican Rum (3/4 oz Coruba + 3/4 oz Smith & Cross)
3/4 oz Mezcal (Peloton de la Muerte)
1/2 oz Averna
1/4 oz Maple Syrup
2 dash Chocolate Bitters (Bittermens)

Stir with ice, strain into a double old fashioned glass with a large ice cube, and garnish with an orange twist.Two Saturdays ago, I returned to the online recipe collection from Idlewild, a menu-less cocktail bar in Charlotte, North Carolina, and honed in on the Panorama. While the name reminded me of Trader Vic's Panorama Punch, it was the Averna-maple duo that made me recall the magic of Dutch Kills' Debbie, Don't. In the glass, the Panorama opened up with an orange, caramel, rum funk, and smoke nose. Next, caramel and maple swirled on the sip, and the swallow rounded things off with funky rum, maple, caramel, and vegetal flavors on the swallow with smoke and chocolate notes on the finish.

chin up

2 oz Gin (Ford's)
1/2 oz Dry Vermouth (Noilly Prat)
1/2 oz Cynar
3 slice Cucumber

Stir with ice, strain into a coupe, and garnish with a lemon twist.Two Fridays ago, I opened up the Bartender's Choice app and spied Sam Ross' Chin Up. His 2005 creation at Milk & Honey in Manhattan featured the Cynar-cucumber combination that worked so well in Will Thompson's Cucumber Fizz at Drink. Once prepared, the Chin Up raised to the nose with a lemon, melon, minty, and cucumber bouquet. Next, a hint of caramel on the sip lowered into gin, minty, and herbal flavors on the swallow with a cucumber finish. The melon on the nose made me think of of Zach Luther's Not a Melon that he did for a guest shift at Backbar that featured cucumber and Cynar as well.

dead in the water

1 1/2 oz Mezcal (Peloton de la Muerte)
1/2 oz Sweet Vermouth (Cocchi)
1/2 oz Crème de Banane (Tempus Fugit)
1/2 oz Fernet Branca

Stir with ice, strain into a cocktail glass, and garnish with an orange twist.Two Thursdays ago, I uncovered a set of online recipe flashcards for Idlewild in Charlotte, North Carolina. This speakeasy-style bar runs without a menu akin to how Milk & Honey, Attaboy, and Drink do or did, so the set had a mix of their own creations and borrowed favorites. The one that I began with was the Dead in the Water that another site attributed to Idlewild bartender Vince Chirico; moreover, it featured the Fernet-banana combination that I have enjoyed before in recipes like the Banana Toronto but never with a mezcal base. Once prepared, the Dead in the Water proffered an orange, caramel, smoke, and menthol bouquet to the nose. Next, grape and caramel notes on the sip gave way to smoky vegetal, banana, and bitter minty-menthol flavors on the swallow.

sands

1 1/2 oz Gin (Beefeater)
1 oz Grapefruit Juice
1/2 oz Lemon Juice
3/4 oz Maraschino (Luxardo)

Shake with ice, strain into a coupe glass, and garnish with a cherry.Two Wednesdays prior, I opened up the BartendersChoice app and selected the Sands by Matty Gee at Manhattan's Milk & Honey in 2006 which was described as "somewhere between a Casino Cocktail and a Hemingway Daiquiri". The name and combination reminded me of the Shifting Sands that Sasha Petraske later created in 2009 with Beefeater 24 as a Collins of sorts and was served at the Beefeater 24 launch party at Drink in Boston. Here, the Sands kicked up a grapefruit, cherry, and juniper bouquet. Next, lemon, grapefruit, and a hint of cherry on the sip flowed into gin, grapefruit, and nutty cherry flavors on the swallow.

poolside conversations

1 1/2 oz Banhez Mezcal (Peloton de la Muerte)
3/4 oz Dolin Blanc Vermouth
1/2 oz Benedictine
2 dash Orange Bitters (Angostura Orange)

Stir with ice, strain into a rocks glass, and garnish with lemon oil from a twist.Two Tuesdays, I returned to the online recipe flashcard sets from The Violet Hour in Chicago, and I was lured in by the Poolside Conversations on their current Spring/Summer 2024 menu. I was intrigued for it fell somewhere between the Oaxacan Dream and the Kerouac. The bar's Instagram attributed it to bartender Ed Kosek with the description of, "Inspired by the tranquility of late-night swims, it captures the relaxed vibe of hanging out with friends and family by the pool, while enjoying the earth's nighttime fragrance." In the glass, the Poolside Conversations began with a lemon, herbal, vegetal, and smoke aroma. Next, a white wine and caramel sip splashed into smoky mezcal, floral, and herbal flavors on the swallow.

averna cocktail

2 oz Michter's Rye
1/2 oz Averna
1/2 oz Amer Picon
1 dash Regan's Orange Bitters

Stir with ice, strain into a cocktail glass, and garnish with a lemon twist.Two Mondays ago, I returned to a bartender recipe collection from Eastern Standard in Boston, and I landed on the Averna Cocktail that reminded me in structure and naming convention of their Fernet Cocktail. I estimate this to have been created around 2007-08 before they ran through their Amer Picon stash and had to switch over to the house "Bitter Brew" mix in 2009. In a cocktail glass that was very similar to the ones that Eastern Standard used to use back in the day, the Averna Cocktail led off with a lemon, caramel, orange, and rye spice bouquet. Next, a caramel-orange sip opened up into rye, bitter-herbal, dark orange, and quinine flavors on the swallow.

ducati

1 oz Aged Rum (Rhum Barbancourt 8 Year)
1/2 oz Amaro Braulio
1/2 oz Lemon Juice
1/2 oz Simple Syrup
2 dash Orange Bitters (Angostura Orange)
14-16 leaf Mint

Bruise mint leaves in a Julep cup, add rest of ingredients, top with crushed ice, and garnish with mint sprigs and a drizzle of Jamaican rum (1/8 oz Wray & Nephew).Two Sundays ago, I opened up the Bartender'sChoice app and came upon the Ducati by Cameron Parish at The Everleigh in Melbourne. The concept of a Julep with Amaro Braulio reminded me of the Thieves in the Night that I had enjoyed a week and a half prior, so I was curious to see how this citrus-driven rum number would work. Once assembled, the Ducati raced to the nose with mint and rum funk aromas. Next, lemon and caramel notes on the sip turned towards rum, pine, bitter-herbal, and mint flavors on the swallow.

last train to oaxaca

1 1/2 oz Pueblo Viejo Añejo Tequila (Cimarron Reposado)
1/2 oz Los Amantes Mezcal (Peloton de la Muerte)
3/4 oz Lillet Blanc (Cocchi Americano)
1 tsp Donn's Spices #2 (1/2 tsp Hamilton's Allspice Dram + 1/2 tsp Vanilla Syrup)

Stir with ice, strain into a coupe glass, and garnish with an orange twist.Two Saturdays ago, I found a reference to Death & Co.'s Last Train to Oaxaca, so I found it in the bar's first cocktail book. The drink attributed to Brian Miller in 2009 made me think of the Monkee's 1966 hit song "Last Train to Clarksville", and I was curious to see if allspice and vanilla work as well with mezcal and tequila as allspice and chocolate did in the Copper Canyon. In the glass, the Last Train to Oaxaca showcased an orange, vegetal, smoke, and allspice aroma. Next, orchard fruit notes on the sip cruised into smoke, vegetal, vanilla, allspice, and grapefruit flavors on the swallow.

queen bee

2 oz Applejack (Morin Calvados Selection)
3/4 oz Lemon Juice
3/8 oz Honey Syrup (1:1)
3/8 oz Curaçao (Pierre Ferrand)

Shake with ice and strain into a coupe.Two Fridays ago, I was scanning a set of Sasha Petraske-related recipe flashcards when I found the Queen Bee. I later confirmed the recipe on the Madrusan Cocktail Branches, and the combination reminded me of the Honeymoon with honey instead of Benedictine. In the glass, the Queen Bee buzzed to the nose with apple and fresh orange peel aromas. Next, lemon, honey, and orange notes on the sip landed on apple and orange peel flavors on the swallow with an orange blossom finish.

vanity project

1 1/2 oz Irish Whiskey (Teeling Small Batch)
3/4 oz Cocchi Americano
3/4 oz St. Germain (St. Elder)
2 dash Bittermens Hopped Grapefruit Bitters

Stir with ice, strain into an old fashioned glass with ice, and garnish with a lemon twist.Two Thursdays ago, I returned to the collection of recipes for Polite Provisions in San Diego and paused on the Vanity Project as an interesting summery Irish whiskey drink. It was listed on their 2023 menu under "favorites", and I was able to track it back to at least 2015 via a Yelp menu photo. Once assembled, the Vanity Project launced out with a lemon and orchard fruit bouquet. Next, pear and grapefruit notes on the sip progressed into whiskey, grapefruit, and herbal flavors on the swallow.

oaxacan lady

3/4 oz Mezcal (Peloton de la Muerte)
3/4 oz Benedictine
3/4 oz Amaro Montenegro
3/4 oz Lime Juice
2 dash Mole Bitters (Bittermens)

Shake with ice and strain into a coupe glass.Two Tuesdays ago, I was inspired to riff on Eastern Standard's Spanish Lady that I tried almost a week earlier. I felt that the Montenegro aspect was too bright and that perhaps switching from a light bodied rum to smoky mezcal could help balance that. Part of my thinking was that mezcal and Montenegro go amazingly well together in the 50:50 shooter, the M&M. I also swapped the original's lemon juice and Angostura Bitters to lime juice and molé bitters. What I dubbed the Oaxacan Lady began with vegetal, smoke, and caramel aromas. Next, lime, citrus, and caramel notes on the sip danced into smoky agave, clementine, herbal, and chocolate flavors on the swallow.

palomar's sour (spring 2023)

1 3/4 oz Bourbon (Evan Williams Bonded)
1/2 oz Passion Fruit Syrup
1/2 oz Honey Syrup
1/2 oz Grapefruit Juice
1/2 oz Lemon Juice
1/2 tsp Allspice Dram (Hamilton's)
1 Egg White

Shake one round without ice and one round with ice, strain into a footed rocks glass (old fashioned glass), and garnish with Angostura Bitters art.Two Mondays ago, I was rooting through a collection of online recipe flashcards for Palomar in Portland, Oregon, when I spotted the Sour on the Spring 2023 menu set. I soon found the drink on a GoogleMaps menu photo titled just as "Sour", and the selection appeared to be a rotating menu item for other seasons had different drinks under that name. Overall, the combination appeared like a grapefruit-allspice riff on Smuggler Cove's version of the Port Light (the original one has grenadine instead of honey) that is akin to the classic Scotch Starboard Light. Once prepared, the Sour welcomed the senses with allspice and fruity aromas from the citrus and passion fruit elements. Next, a creamy lemon, grapefruit, and honey sip revealed Bourbon, honey, and passion fruit flavors on the swallow.