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.