:: fred's top 10 cocktail moments of 2024 ::

Back in 2010, someone asked what my favorite cocktail that year was, and I decided not only to start a list of my favorite drinks, but I decided to list the top moments of the previous 12 months. So to continue with the tradition, here is the 15th annual installment:

1. Changed jobs.
I started 2024 still working at Josephine as the lead bartender since May 2023. I got a few drinks on the menu, created written recipes for things like our pickled onions (our chef did them for a while but never had ingredients, measurements, or protocol written before he left), trained some servers into bartenders, and more. When I was going away to Denver for the USBG national conference in June, I decided a month before that it was a good time to part ways, and I took the summer off. While I did not find a new role in September that I liked, I ended up joining the opening team at the C-Side Bar in Cambridge in October with the cocktail program being run by Ran Duan. Working a beverage-only bar in a food court taps into my volume experience at places like River Bar as well as the aesthetic-forward programs of Our Fathers and Josephine. A photo (below) of me making our signature C-Side Sling appeared on the front page of the Boston Globe and in a Boston-dot-com article. Hopefully, the finances work out to make it a worthwhile job situation. 2. Did some writing.
My brother forwarded me a Tweet for an editor of Men's Journal looking for articles on bargain whiskeys, and I pitched the idea of talking about the history and my appreciation of Old Grand-Dad Bonded and it got published in November. I just squeaked in a second article in that magazine (published late on December 29th) with this piece on Old Potrero, a curious single malt rye whiskey made by Fritz Maytag then of Anchor Brewing (Anchor Distilling has become Hotaling). Moreover, I reached out to Edible Boston earlier this year and got the opportunity to work with them for the Winter issue by talking about my love of hot buttered rum that I broadened into non-alcoholic options like hot buttered coffee and cloudy cider. Hopefully, I can expand out to a few other magazines in 2025 with this freelance work. Other than that, I got quoted in VinePair about the cult of Mellow Corn whiskey.

3. My drinks got featured in videos, databases, and articles.
While I do not currently have any input on the drink menu at my new job, my cocktail creations have been circulating on Instagram, Reddit, and more. Some of the notable one have been Bar & Restaurant News featuring my Queen of the Lava Beds for Valentine's Day and Algiers Point for their article on brandy and Cognac recipes. Robert Simonson included my Atta Boy meets Hank Panky mashup Atta Girl on his Substack's Gin Week. Difford's Guide also added Atta Girl to their recipe database along with my Our Fathers-era Gustin Gang with Simon Difford giving both recipes 4 1/2 stars out of 5. While a few of my drinks were included in Instagram reels and posts, I did not keep track of them, but I did note that Coach Vino included my Devil's Staircase, Painted Lady, and Sex Lives of Cannibals in his YouTube video series, Giulio's Bar featured my Devil's Own Mistress, and the Educated Barfly did a segment on drinks found in my second book Boston Cocktails: Drunk & Told. Finally, many of my recipes were featured in five of J.E. Clapham's books about Chartreuse, Fernet Branca, Amaro, Dubonnet, and Campari. 4. It was a big year for beer.
This year, we visited 173 unique breweries plus 4 secondary taprooms for a brewery we had already visited. All of the breweries were in the 6 New England states save for my June trip to Denver where I made it to 11 including TRVE, a metal-themed bar that made me miss the departed Bone Up that closed at the end of 2023, and Our Mutual Friend that might have made the best and most unusual beer of the year, Stjørdalsøl – a Norweigan-style alder wood-smoked dark beer. This summer, we had planned one trip to northern Vermont that ended up turning into two when Andrea bought art at Rock Art Brewery, and we had to return to pick it up after the show was over. The first trip was to visit Hill Farmstead and we hit 5 others including the Alchemist and Freak Folk Bier. The second trip two months later included Lawson's, Bent Hill, and River Roost. In state, we welcomed Murder Hill and said goodbye to River Styx and Cambridge Brewing Company; unfortunately we did not have a chance to return to Brick & Feather to have a farewell beer but visited them this earlier in the year, and we did not realize that our visit to Outrider in early December was two weeks before they announced their closure at the end of the year. There were many first time visits such as Doctor's Island, Prodigal Brewing, WHYM, Rustic, Frost Heaves, Sacred Profane, and more.

5. Read a lot this year.
Last year, I had an eye issue that made it hard to read, and it took a while to get an appointment to get it taken care of. After reading only 8 books in 2023, I declared last year, "Hopefully 2024 has me hitting the two books per month mark I was reading at one point." And I far exceeded the goal of 24 by finishing 41! I started off the year with the semi-fictional The Bartender's Cure by Wesley Straton that I recommended to the server-turned-bartender that I was training. I read some history including Dusty Booze: In Search of Vintage Spirits by Aaron Goldfarb and Burn the Ice: The American Culinary Revolution and Its End by Kevin Alexander. Flavor and aroma science in Flavorama: A Guide to Unlocking the Art and Science of Flavor by Arielle Johnson and Cocktail Theory: A Sensory Approach to Transcendent Drinks by Kevin Peterson. Cultural food and drink history in The Way We Eat Now: How the Food Revolution Has Transformed Our Lives, Our Bodies, and Our World by Bee Wilson and The Cocktail Parlor: How Women Brought the Cocktail Home by Nicola Nice. Spirit history with Malört: The Redemption of a Revered and Reviled Spirit by Josh Noel and A Most Notable Water by Anistatia Miller & Jared Brown. All about beer with Craft Brewing May Not Be For You by Charlie Cummings from Remnant Brewery and The Anchor Brewing Story: America’s First Craft Brewery & San Francisco’s Original Anchor Steam Beer by David Burkhart. And psychology with Talking to Strangers: What We Should Know about the People We Don't Know by Malcolm Gladwell and The Courage to Be Disliked by Ichiro Kishimi & Fumitake Koga. 6. We lost a cat named after a drink book author and gained one.
Sadly, we had to say goodbye to Embury, our Russian Blue who had a double hit of liver cancer and the cancer pushing on his other organs to exacerbate his kidney failure (photo above shortly before he started his decline). He left behind his brother Boothby and sister Coley (named after Ada Coleman). Boothby was definitely lonely, so in early October, we ended up adopting another catch-neuter-(not)release cat from the same program that Boothby came from out of Fall River. He got named Duffy after Patrick Gavin Duffy who wrote the cocktail book that was in my parents' home bar (and I have two other editions from him), and he has been quite the project to socialize since he had very little human contact. The three are getting along well together, and Duffy has been seeking out human contact on his own without being bribed by treats.

7. Kept busy with the United States Bartenders' Guild.
I already mentioned attending the national conference in Denver that I attended in June, but locally, I helped to organize a bunch of events. These included GrandTen and Bully Boy distillery tours, a tasting and luncheon with Boomsma Cloisterbitter, and a crime tour of Boston with Cutty Sark. Moreover, I organized the Campari Day of Service at the East End House's food pantry and the Negroni and snacks afterwards at Shy Bird, and I also set up one of the four classes for our chapter's Ed Week that was entitled "Tequila Production Techniques, A Comparative Tasting Seminar". I wrapped up my second three year term as secretary, and I may take on a similar or different role on the board for next year. In addition, I am still an active member of the national education committee that I joined back in 2020. Regardless, I have already bought tickets for the 2025 national conference in Atlanta.

8. Attended some cool events.
Besides the USBG events that I already mentioned, I attended or participated in a wide variety of seminars, classes, and events including The Bartender's Pantry book launch party, the Planteray Mr. Fogg Rum release event, and Nick De Soto's "Flavor & Technique Master Class" all sponsored by Maison Ferrand. I also went on a foraging and nature walk class with Chartreuse, attended both a Calvados masterclass and Robert Simonson's book launch party at Equal Measure, learned a lot at Monkey Shoulder's Monkey Business Academy with Anna Mains and Danil Nevsky, and attended "Cocktails & Stories" hosted by Equiano Rum & Uncle Nearest at Shore Leave. Finally, I took the Edinburg Whiskey Academy class this Fall sponsored by Ardbeg and Glenmorangie and acquired a Certificate in Scotch Whisky for my efforts. 9. Created some drinks.
My records show that 26 of my posts this year were my own original creations. I would say that the three that got spread the most around Instagram by other content creators were the Why Don't You Do Right, Delores del Rio, and Streets of Crocodiles. The three that got both a good number of reviews and high votes on KindredCocktails were the Oaxacan Lady, Dead Man's Alley, and The Man Who Was Marked For Death. While some of the drink names were sourced from songs, books, movies, and more, the most content was derived from people and places described in Herbert Asbury's The Barbary Coast about 19th century San Francisco such as the Hell Haggerty.

10. Some cool things coming in 2025.
I already alluded to some travel next year to Atlanta for the national bartenders' guild meeting. I spent a lot of time in 2024 preparing a PowerPoint slide deck for my 75 minute talk in Colorado Springs at the end of January on the intangible heritage of cocktails for the Colorado Preservation Society's conference. I will also be presenting two cocktails at a happy hour there after that session. Moreover, I have a bunch of books lined up that I am excite to read in 2025 and a bunch of recipes to make as well.

I usually stall out at 9 and punt with number 10, but this year it was not a problem. So I guess it was a good year. Hope yours was as well!

lion's mane

1 1/2 oz Buffalo Trace Bourbon (Evan Williams Bonded)
3/4 oz Lime Juice
1/2 oz Grenadine
1/4 oz Allspice Dram (Hamilton's)
1 dash Angostura Bitters
1 dash Bittermens Tiki Bitters (Bittercube Trinity)
1 Egg White

Shake one round without ice and one round with ice and strain into a coupe glass.Two Tuesdays ago, I returned to my notes from a restaurant's recipe collection on their ToastTab that included several drinks from Alcove in Boston, and I decided on the Lion's Mane from Alcove. It read like a fruitier, creamier, and less spice-driven Lion's Tail riff that reminded me of the Tropical Lion's Tail that also cut the allspice dram with a fruity syrup – namely, pineapple – but without the Lion's Mane egg white addition. As for a date, I was able to find an Alcove menu from 2020 that had the Lion's Mane on it. Once prepared, the Lion's Mane welcomed the senses with a Bourbon and berry aroma. Next, a creamy lime and red berry sip pounced on Bourbon, tart berry, and allspice flavors on the swallow. Overall, the allspice was surprising rather subdued in the mix especially on the nose.

good luck grin

1 1/2 oz Bourbon (Old Grand-Dad Bonded)
1 oz Lustau East India Solera Sherry
1/2 oz Bigallet China-China (Amaro Ciociaro)
1/4 oz Maraschino (Luxardo)
2 dash Bittercube Corazon Bitters

Stir with ice, strain into an old fashioned glass with ice, and garnish with an orange twist.Two Mondays ago, I found in my notes a recipe that I wanted to try from the StirredBlog in 2017 from the Baldwin & Sons Trading Co. in Woburn. It was part of the bar's Encyclopedia Brown series of stirred drinks that come to the table in a flask (found in a hollow book shell) to pour over ice, and this second part of the series was the Good Luck Grin that reminded me of the Brooklyn-like Blue Collar but with a semi-sweet sherry instead of sweet vermouth or perhaps the brandy-Oloroso Boys Don't Cry. The Good Luck Grin began with an orange, grape, and nutty cherry aroma. Next, grape, caramel, and a hint of cherry on the sip discovered Bourbon, bitter orange, and cherry flavors on the swallow. The end result reminded me of a hybrid of two drinks that were on my first Eastern Standard menu in June of 2007 – namely, Chuck Taggart's Hoskins and the house original Prospect Park.

lei'd to rest

1 1/2 oz Planteray Barbados Rum (Doorly's 12 Year)
1/2 oz Planteray Jamaica 2001 Rum (Monymusk Classic Gold)
1 tsp Lustau East India Solera Sherry
1 tsp Cinnamon Syrup
1 tsp House Falernum (Velvet)
1 dash Angostura Bitters
1 dash Tiki Bitters (Bittercube Trinity)

Stir with ice, strain into an absinthe-rinsed (Butterfly) old fashioned glass, and garnish with the oils of an orange twist and a lime twist.Two Sundays ago, I ventured back to the 2016 Maison Ferrand's New York City Cocktail Book and became intrigued by the Lei'd to Rest by Ryan Liloia at Clover Club in Brooklyn. This tropical Sazerac of sorts is still served at the bar, and the combination of Pedro Ximenez, falernum, cinnamon, and absinthe was one that worked well in the Dry Tongue Therapy as a more standard citrus-driven Tiki number, so I was curious to try it here. The Lei'd to Rest opened up with orange, lime, anise, and licorice aromas. Next, grape and caramel notes on the sip relaxed into slightly funky rums, raisin, cinnamon, clove, and anise flavors on the swallow.

boss lady

1 1/4 oz Old Grand-Dad 114° Bourbon (1 1/2 oz Old Grand-Dad Bonded)
3/4 oz Pierre Ferrand Ambre Cognac (Courvoisier VS)
1 tsp Coffee Liqueur (Kahlua)
1 tsp Pedro Ximenez Sherry (El Maestro Sierra)
1 tsp Demerara Syrup
1 dash Aphrodite Bitters (Bittercube Corazon)

Stir with ice and strain into an old fashioned glass with a large ice cube.While perusing the KindredCocktails database, I spotted an interesting split-base Old Fashioned called the Boss Lady by Colin O'Neill at the Franklin Mortgage & Investment Co. circa 2013. The recipe ended up there after New York City bartender Rafa Garcia Febles acquired the details through a Facebook exchange with the creator. Unlike the Boss which is a Bourbon riff on the amaretto-laden Godfather, this one was sweetened by coffee liqueur and Pedro Ximenez sherry. In the glass, the Boss Lady commanded a raisin and roast bouquet. Next, a dark grape sip led into Bourbon, Cognac, coffee, dried fruit, chocolate, and pepper spice flavors on the swallow.

dear chicago

1 1/2 oz Citadelle Gin (Beefeater)
3/4 oz Dolin Dry Vermouth (Noilly Prat)
1/2 oz Pierre Ferrand Dry Curaçao
1/2 oz Mathilde Pear (Rothman & Winter)
1/4 oz Letherbee Malört (Jeppson's)
2 dash Bittermens Celery Bitters (Bitter Truth)

Stir with ice, strain into a coupe, and garnish with a rosemary sprig (omit garnish).Two Fridays ago, I rediscovered the 2016 Maison Ferrand's New York City Cocktail Book online, and I decided on the Dear Chicago by Tonia Guffey at Dram that reminded me of the Exit Club on paper as a sweetened Gin Martini embittered with Malört. After stirring and straining, the Dear Chicago proffered an orange, pear, and pine bouquet to the nose. Next, a semi-dry and vaguely fruity sip led to gin, bitter grapefruit peel, and pear flavors on the swallow with an orange peel finish.

doppelganger

1 1/2 oz Drumshambo Single Pot Still Irish Whiskey (Teeling Small Batch)
1/2 oz Linie Aquavit
3/4 oz Dolin Blanc Vermouth
1/4 oz Yellow Chartreuse
1 dash Celery Bitters (Bitter Truth)

Stir with ice, strain into a Nick & Nora glass, and garnish with lemon oil from a twist.Two Thursdays ago, I returned to the Paddy Drinks: The World of Modern Irish Whiskey Cocktails book, and I decided on the Doppelgänger by Jillian Vose at the Dead Rabbit. Once prepared, the drink showcased lemon, pine, and caraway aromas. Next, white grape and honey notes on the sip blossomed into whiskey, caraway, and pine flavors on the swallow with a soft vegetal finish.

a cynical girl

1 1/2 oz Benedictine
3/4 oz Amaro Abano
1/2 oz Cynar

Stir with ice and strain into a cocktail glass.Two Wednesdays ago, Matt Seiter's 2012 book Sanctuaria: The Dive Bar of Cocktails caught my eye on the bookshelf, and I decided to flip through the pages to see if I missed any drinks. There, I landed upon A Cynical Girl by Joel Clark at Sanctuaria in St. Louis, Missouri, that he created for his mother who wanted an after-dinner drink. According to the blog records, I last used the book in 2014, and since then I have acquired a bottle of Amaro Abano which would explain my skipping the recipe before. Once prepared, A Cynical Girl shot forth a scornful look of caramel, minty, root beer, and herbal aromas to the nose. Next, a caramel-driven sip opened up into root beer-minty, bitter herbal, and black pepper flavors on the swallow. When I read the build, I was fearful that it was going to be overly sweet, but with the bitterness to balance it all, it turned out merely rich instead.

pioneer spirit

1 1/2 oz Whistle Pig 10 Year Rye (Rittenhouse)
1/2 oz Laird's 7 1/2 Year Apple Brandy (Laird's Bonded)
1 barspoon Orgeat (1 tsp + 1/8 oz Simple)
2 dash Angostura Bitters

Build in a double old fashioned glass, add a large ice cube, stir to mix and chill, and garnish with an orange twist.Two Tuesdays prior, I returned to the online collection of Idlewild bar's recipes, and I spotted the Pioneer Spirit that I was able to trace back to Raines Law Room in 2012 via a Food Republic article. Overall, the idea reminded me of a split American spirits version of the Cognac-based Japanese Cocktail from Jerry Thomas' 1862 How to Mix Drinks; A Bon Vivant's Companion, so I was game. In the glass, the Pioneer Spirit welcomed the nose with an orange and almond bouquet. Next, a creamy sip gave way to rye, apple, earthy-nutty, allspice, and clove flavors on the swallow.

devil you know

1 oz Green Chartreuse
3/4 oz Amaro Nonino
3/4 oz Dolin Blanc Vermouth
3/4 oz Lime Juice
1/2 oz Egg White (1 full Egg White)

Shake one round without ice and one round with ice, strain into a coupe, and garnish with a lime twist (omit twist).Two Mondays ago, I returned to the online recipe flashcards from Teardrop Lounge in Portland, and I spotted the Devil You Know that seemed like a more complex St. Germain. I was able to find a mention of the drink in a 2011 article in Portland Food & Drink magazine, and the idea of Green Chartreuse and Amaro Nonino in a Sour reminded me of Sahil Mehta's Double Bubble Trouble and the two in a stirred drink in Al Sotack's Harry Rag. Once prepared, the Devil You Know came through with a lime and herbaceous bouquet. Next, a creamy lime and caramel sip transformed into herbaceous, caramel, and orange flavors on the swallow.

looking glass

1/2 oz Green Spot Irish Whiskey (Teeling Small Batch)
1 oz Don Amado Rustico Mezcal (Peloton de la Muerte)
3/4 oz Manzanilla Sherry (Tio Pepe Fino)
1/2 oz Dolin Blanc Vermouth
1/4 oz Giffard Apricot Liqueur (Rothman & Winter)
1/4 oz Aveze Gentian Liqueur (Suze)

Stir with ice, strain into a Nick & Nora(Manhattan) glass, and garnish with grapefruit oil from a twist (include the peel).Two Sundays ago, I returned to the Paddy Drinks: The World of Modern Irish Whiskey Cocktails book and selected the Looking Glass by Greg Buda at Dead Rabbit in Manhattan; I later found the drink on their Spring 2015 menu from the bar's web archive. The gentian-apricot combination reminded me of the Seconds In with mezcal at Dutch Kills and of how well Canon used it in drinks like the Nymph and Shrouded Roulette. Once prepared, the Looking Glass cast out a grapefruit and gentian herbal aroma. Next, a semi-sweet grape sip streamed into whiskey, vegetal, smoke, apricot, and bitter herbal flavors on the swallow.

crooked smile

1 1/2 oz Islay Mist Blended Scotch (1 1/4 oz Famous Grouse + 1/4 oz Ardbeg 10 Year)
3/4 oz Lemon Juice
3/4 oz Amaro Montenegro
1/2 oz Honey Syrup
2 dash Angostura Bitters

Shake with ice, strain into an old fashioned glass with ice, and garnish with an orange twist.Two Sundays ago, I returned to the online recipe flashcards from Bourbon & Branch in San Francisco that were uploaded in 2017. There, I selected the Crooked Smile that was still being offered in 2019 as described in a Yelp review. The combination of Scotch, honey, Montenegro, and lemon reminded me of Matt Schrage's Smokin' Fanny at the Blue Room except with no egg white here (the Smokin' Fanny had Angostura as a garnish). Once prepped, the Crooked Smile went to the nose with orange, peat smoke, floral, and clove aromas. Next, lemon, honey, and clementine notes on the sip exhaled into smoky Scotch, clementine, honey, and clove flavors on the swallow.

thunderbolt

1 1/2 oz Powers John's Lane Irish Whiskey (Teeling Small Batch)
1/2 oz Giffard Crème de Banane (Tempus Fugit)
1/2 oz Domaine de Canton Ginger Liqueur (Barrow's Intense)
1/4 oz St. Elizabeth Allspice Dram (Hamilton's)
2 dash Angostura Bitters
2 dash Bittermens Mole Bitters

Stir with ice, strain into an old fashioned glass with a large ice cube, and garnish with orange oil from a twist.Two Fridays ago, my copy of Paddy Drinks: The World of Modern Irish Whiskey Cocktails arrived, and I opened it up to find my evening's libation. There, the first recipe I spotted was the Thunderbolt by Jack McGarry at the Dead Rabbit that reminded me of a fruitcake with the baked fruit notes and winter spices. In the glass, the Thunderbolt launched off with orange, caramelized fruit, and allspice aromas. Next, a caramel-driven sip flowed into whiskey, banana, allspice, and ginger flavors on the swallow.

holy smokes

1 1/2 oz Bourbon (Old Grand-Dad Bonded)
1/2 oz Cardamaro
1/2 oz Benedictine
2 dash Bitter Truth Chocolate Bitters
1 tsp Ardbeg Uigeadail Scotch (Ardbeg 10 Year)

Stir with ice, strain into a coupe glass, and garnish with a flamed (unflamed) orange twist.Two Thursdays ago, I spotted a reference to an intriguing drink called the Holy Smokes that has the Cardamaro-Benedictine combination found in the Midnight Mass and Bonatti & the Jets. Therefore, I tracked down the recipe to a 2022 Liquor.com article where it was attributed to Tony Devencenzi; Tony worked as a bartender at places like Bourbon & Branch before moving on to do brand work with Whistle Pig and now with Samson & Surrey. Once prepared, Holy Smokes proffered up orange, peat smoke, and herbal aromas to the nose. Next, a grape-driven sip from the Cardamaro led into Bourbon, peat smoke, minty, chocolate, and herbal flavors on the swallow.

pistolero

1 oz Del Maguey Mezcal Vida (Peloton de la Muerte)
3/4 oz Cynar
1/2 oz Sloe Gin (Plymouth)
1/2 oz Dry Vermouth (Noilly Prat)

Stir with ice, strain into an old fashioned glass with a large ice cube, and garnish with a grapefruit twist.My search for more information about the Gypsy led me to a set of online recipe flashcards for Bourbon & Branch from 2017, and for the night's drink, I returned to the contents and selected the Pistolero that was created nearby at Lolinda in San Francisco. Yelp has the Pistolero being on the Lolinda menu as early as 2015, and the bar still has it on their most recent menu. Overall, the combination read like a dryer and smokier version of Phil Ward's Lipspin. Once prepared, the Pistolero shot forth with a grapefruit, smoke, caramel, and red fruit aroma. Next, caramel and plum notes on the sip rode off towards smoky, vegetal, plum, dried fruit, and herbal flavors on the swallow.

bullfinch trio

1 1/4 oz Beefeater Gin
3/4 oz Becherovka
1 oz Carpano Antica Sweet Vermouth (Cocchi)
1 dash Bittermens Hopped Grapefruit Bitters

Stir with ice, strain into a double old fashioned glass with a large ice cube, and garnish with an orange twist.While writing up the Satan's Mustache, I did a web search to confirm the difference between the straight and curled versions of the gin-based Satan's Whiskers. That search led me to a ToastTab from a restaurant that included that classic and curiously a few recipes from Alcove in Boston possibly entered by a bar alumni. The recipe that called out to me was the Bullfinch Trio as perhaps a Negroni that traveled to the Czech Republic and underwent a metamorphosis; the current Alcove menu has the subtitle for the drink as "side angle side". Moreover, Alcove's Facebook has a 2019 post with a quote from lead bartender Will Piquette declaring, "I can just imagine cuddling up by a fire sipping on this cocktail (Bullfinch Trio) and watching the snowfall." Once prepared, the Bullfinch Trio opened up with an orange, grape, and clove bouquet. Next, a grape-driven sip led into gin, red fruit, cinnamon, and clove flavors on the swallow.

golden eagle

1 1/4 oz Mezcal (Peloton de la Muerte)
3/4 oz Amaro Braulio
1/2 oz Honey Syrup
1/2 oz Lemon Juice

Shake with ice and strain into a coupe glass.While writing up the Gold Drop for the blog, I was inspired to take the honey, lemon, and amaro trio in a mezcal-Braulio direction given how well that duo worked in La Jetée, Montañista, and other drinks. For a name, I dubbed this one the Golden Eagle after the official bird of Mexico and North America's largest bird of prey. In the glass, the Golden Eagle soared to the nose with a herbal, pine, vegetal, and smoke bouquet. Next, honey, lemon, and caramel notes on the sip landed on smoky agave, bitter herbal, pine, and floral aromas on the swallow. Overall, the combination reminded me of a smoky version of Eastern Standard's Metamorphosis.

bonnie & clyde

1 oz Elijah Craig Bourbon (Evan Williams Bonded)
1 oz Rittenhouse Rye
3/4 oz Pedro Ximenez Sherry (El Maestro Sierra)
1/2 oz Amaro Braulio
1 barspoon Demerara Syrup (omit)

Stir with ice, strain into a coupe, and garnish with a cherry.Two Sundays ago, I searched for online recipe flashcard sets that had Braulio cocktails, and I uncovered the Bonnie & Clyde at Forget Me Not in Denver that was distinct from the Bonnie & Clyde that I had at Brick & Mortar years ago. An article in Westword about the opening of the bar dates the drink to 2021, and it mentioned that Eastern Standard and Hawthorne alumni Nicole Lebedevitch helped to open the place as the beverage director. The Braulio-Pedro Ximenez sherry duo reminded me of the Cognac-based St. Bernard Pass, so I was curious to see how it would work in a double American whiskey version. Once prepared, the Bonnie & Clyde shot at the nose with raisin and pine aromas. Next, a rich grape sip drove away with whiskey, fig, herbal, and pine flavors on the swallow.

dead flowers

3/4 oz St. George Barrel-Aged Rye Gin (unaged St. George Dry Rye Gin)
3/4 oz Amaro Nonino
3/4 oz Strega
3/4 oz Lemon Juice
2 dash Absinthe (12 drop St. George)

Shake with ice and strain into a Nick & Nora (coupe) glass.Two Saturdays ago, I returned to the online recipe flashcards from Death & Co. Denver, and I opted for the Dead Flowers from their Winter 2023-24 menu that read like a Corpse Reviver #2 riff of sorts with Amaro Nonino and Strega in place of the classic's orange liqueur and Lillet (plus aged gin as well). Once prepared, the Dead Flowers opened up with star anise, pine, and vanilla aromas. Next, lemon and honey on the nose blossomed into gin, pine, orange, and anise flavors on the swallow.

gypsy

1 1/2 oz Gin (Beefeater)
3/4 oz St. Germain (St. Elder)
1/2 oz Lime Juice
1/4 oz Green Chartreuse

Shake with ice and strain into a coupe. Online recipe flashcards include a lime wheel and Difford's Guide includes a lime twist. See the text below for two alternative recipesAfter writing up the Le Tour with Green Chartreuse and elderflower, I realized that I had not made the Gypsy for the blog despite making a lot of these since 2017 when it was on the menu at Our Fathers gin bar in Allston. The recipe was crafted by Dominic Venegas at Bourbon & Branch in San Francisco in 2007, and he described it as "a little homage to the Last Word cocktail." I made it using the recipe from the Our Fathers bar book that also matches Difford's Guide spec; however, after making the Gypsy, I found a set of online recipe flashcards from the Bourbon & Branch circa 2017 that have a more lime- and Chartreuse-forward version:

Gypsy (from Bourbon & Branch recipe cards 2017)
• 1 1/2 oz Gin
• 3/4 oz St. Germain
• 1 oz Lime Juice
• 1/2 oz Green Chartreuse
Shake with ice, strain into a coupe, and garnish with a lime wheel.

That recipe would put it closer in the camp of a Last Word (instead of being lighter, less herbaceous, and more floral) despite lacking the nutty and fruity bass notes of Maraschino; I cannot find evidence if there was a change over time though. Curiously, Kindred Cocktails has the St. Germain company website's version that upped the Green Chartreuse to 1/2 oz from the way I made it. The opposite floral switch would be the Time Traveler at Brick & Mortar that swapped in elderflower for the Chartreuse. Made the way my old bar made and Difford's Guide have the recipe, the Gypsy wandered to the nose with lime, grapefruit, and herbaceous aromas. Next, lime and pear notes on the sip flipped into gin, herbaceous, grapefruit, and floral aromas on the swallow.

satan's mustache (shaved)

1 1/2 oz Mezcal (Peloton de la Muerte)
1/2 oz Sweet Vermouth (Cocchi)
1/2 oz Dry Vermouth (Noilly Prat)
1/2 oz Cointreau (Pierre Ferrand Dry Curaçao)
1 dash Orange Bitters (Scrappy's)
12 drop Hellfire Bitters (2 dash of my 2009 batch)
3 drop Thai Chili (omit)

Stir with ice and strain into an old fashioned glass rimmed with orange chili salt (microplaned orange zest, cayenne powder, salt).Two Thursdays prior, I spotted an interesting recipe in Teardrop Lounge's section of friends' drinks via online recipe flashcards called the Satan's Mustache (Shaved). It was attributed to Seattle bartender Jay Kuehner of Seattle as a crafty riff on the gin classic the Satan's Whiskers which itself is a riff on the Bronx. Here, it had mezcal instead of gin, omitted the orange juice, and had a spicy aspect to it. The "(Shaved)" part of the name is a reference to how the gin classic had a straight and curled version with the straight one using Grand Marnier instead of curaçao; perhaps the salted rim here is Satan's stubble? Once prepared, this curious drink began with a smoky mezcal and orange aroma. Next, grape and orange notes on the sip smirked at vegetal, smoke, orange, and pepper spice flavors on the swallow.

my european girlfriend

2 oz Park VS Cognac (Courvoisier VS)
1/2 oz Cinzano Sweet Vermouth (Cocchi)
1/4 oz Lillet Blanc (Cocchi Americano)
1/4 oz Amaro Ciociaro
2 dash Angostura Bitters

Stir with ice, strain into a Nick & Nora glass, and garnish with a cherry.Two Wednesdays ago, I opened up my copy of the 2020 Community Cocktails book and came across My European Girlfriend by Ryan Dorm at the Purple Cafe in Seattle. It read like a Harvard Cocktail (Cognac Manhattan) with the sweet vermouth-Lillet combination of the Hoots Mon and the sweet vermouth-Picon duo of the Liberal (Ciociaro is a favored modern substitute for Picon). In the glass, My European Girlfriend opened up with a cherry and caramel orange aroma. Next, grape and caramel on the sip traveled to Cognac, caramel-orange, clove, and allspice flavors on the swallow.

preacher man

1 oz Powers John Lane Irish Whiskey (Teeling Small Batch)
3/4 oz Siembre Azul Reposado Tequila (Espolon)
1/2 oz Carpano Sweet Vermouth (Cocchi)
1/2 oz Dry Vermouth (Noilly Prat)
1/4 oz Crème de Cacao (Bols)
1/4 oz Amaro Ciociaro
2 dash Absinthe (14 drop St. George)

Stir with ice, strain into a Nick & Nora (coupe) glass, and garnish with an orange twist.I returned to the online recipe flashcards for the Dead Rabbit and landed on the Preacher Man by Jesse Vida. An online copy of their 2015 menu described how this was a tribute to preacher Lewis Pease who worked the slums of the Five Points neighborhood of Manhattan during the mid-19th century. Besides the curious name, I was drawn in for the cacao-Ciociaro combination reminded me of the African Flower from Little Branch. I later got a copy of Paddy Drinks: The World of Modern Irish Whiskey Cocktails which described how "Jesse took the template for the Rosita, Perfect Manhattan, Greenpoint, or Carroll Gardens and plugged in a classic pot still Irish whiskey." In the glass, the Preacher Man welcomed the nose with orange, herbal, vegetal, and grape aromas. Next, grape and caramel notes on the sip praised the coming of whiskey, tequila, caramel-orange, herbal, chocolate, and anise flavors on the swallow.

the get down

1 1/2 oz Rhum Barbancourt 8 Year
1/2 oz Old Monk Rum
1/4 oz Luxardo Maraschino
1/4 oz Demerara Syrup

Stir with ice, strain into an old fashioned glass rinsed with absinthe (St. George), add a large ice cube, and garnish with an orange twist.Two Mondays ago, I returned to the online recipe flashcards for Ward 8 in Boston that I had not utilized since the Bear Skin Rug in late February. There, I decided on the Get Down circa 2017 that read like a two rum Improved Cocktail with the Maraschino and absinthe accents, and I was excited to have a chance to dust off my bottle of Old Monk Rum which once was a staple in the Boston cocktail community. In the glass, the Get Down revealed an orange, anise, chocolate, and nutty cherry aroma. Next, caramel and cherry notes on the sip progressed into dark rum, nutty cherry, and anise flavors on the swallow.

mean fiddler

1 oz Green Spot Irish Whiskey (Teeling Small Batch)
1/2 oz Bowmore 12 Year Scotch (Ardbeg 10 Year)
3/4 oz Cocchi Sweet Vermouth
3/4 oz Green Chartreuse
1/2 oz Campari
1/2 tsp Cinnamon Syrup
1 dash Aromatic Bitters (Scrappy's)

Stir with ice, strain into a Nick & Nora (coupe) glass, and garnish with a flamed orange twist (unflamed).Two Sundays ago, I ventured back to the online recipe flashcards for the Dead Rabbit and latched on to the Mean Fiddler by Jillian Vose for the Fall 2015 menu. The concept reminded me of a whiskey Tailspin of sorts with the vermouth, but also the End of the Road without it. Once stirred and strained, the Mean Fiddler struck up an orange, peat smoke, and herbaceous bouquet for the nose. Next, grape and malt notes mingled on the sip, and the swallow came through with smoky whiskey, bitter orange, herbal, and cinnamon flavors on the swallow.

gold drop

1 oz Bourbon (Evan Williams Bonded)
1 oz Cynar
3/4 oz Honey Syrup
3/4 oz Lemon Juice

Shake with ice and strain into a rocks glass rinsed with orange blossom water.Two Saturdays ago, I was perusing the online recipe collection for the menuless speakeasy Idlewild in Charlotte, North Carolina, when I spotted the Gold Drop. The drink had the same spirit, Cynar, honey, and lemon idea as the Michigander but with Bourbon instead of apple brandy. With Bourbon, it reminded me of embittered Gold Rush riffs like the Rose Gold with Campari, Golden Ticket with Montenegro, Without a Trace with Nonino, and Pull up to the Bumper with Abano. Once prepared, the Gold Drop proffered orange blossom water and caramel-vegetal aromas. Next, honey, lemon, and caramel notes on the sip opened up into Bourbon, vegetal, and floral flavors on the swallow.

night train

2 oz Overproof Bourbon (Old Grand-Dad Bonded)
1/2 oz Cynar
1/2 oz Amaro Ciociaro
1 dash Amargo Vallet or sub Angostura Bitters (Angostura)

Stir with ice, strain into a Nick & Nora glass, and garnish with an orange twist.Two Fridays prior, I spotted a drink in Imbibe Magazine from back in 2022 called the Night Train. The recipe was created by Garrett Flanagan at Pebble Bar in New York City as a Manhattan-Boulevardier hybrid. Since the Cynar-Ciociaro combination worked so well in the Two Gents that it inspired me to craft the Smith & Cross Daiquiri riff Saucy Minion, I was game to try this one out. In the glass, the Night Train showcased an orange, Bourbon, and caramel aroma. Next, a caramel and orange sip progressed into Bourbon, vegetal herbal, orange peels and pith, and clove flavors on the swallow.

le tour

1 1/2 oz Cognac (Courvoisier VS)
3/4 oz Dry Vermouth (Noilly Prat)
1/2 oz Elderflower Liqueur (St. Elder)
1 tsp Green Chartreuse

Stir with ice and strain into a coupe glass.Two Thursdays ago, I opened up Jacob Grier and Brett Adams' Raising the Bar book and spotted the Le Tour as their attempt at a floral Cognac Manhattan. The idea reminded me of the Fleur Carré that I created on the fly at Drink as my attempt at fulfilling a floral De La Louisiane request. Moreover, the elderflower-Chartreuse duo made me think of this as a Cognac and dry vermouth version of the gin and lime juice Gypsy from Bourbon & Branch (that I need to make and write up here soon after mixing lots of them when it was on the menu at Our Fathers gin bar) or of the gin and Lillet Albert Mathieu. Once prepared, the Le Tour propagated a floral aroma along with Cognac's richness to the nose. Next, pear and white grape notes on the sip transition into Cognac, floral, and herbal flavors on the swallow.

pipe dreams

2 oz Gin (Beefeater)
1/2 oz Strega
1/2 oz Suze
1/8 oz Honey Syrup
1 dash Peach Bitters (Fee's)

Stir with ice, strain into a coupe, and garnish with a lemon twist.Two Wednesdays ago, I had noted a recipe from Parla in Boston that was a curious stirred gin drink called the Pipe Dreams that I found in an online set of recipe flashcards and later confirmed on the bar's Instagram. The drink was crafted by Pat Panageas (as described on their social media) as part of the Dungeon Master list of twenty drinks. The idea is that imbibers roll a 20-sided die to pick a drink and slowly work their way through the list to make it to the next level. The Pipe Dreams reminded me of the original 1920s Yellow Cocktail of gin, Yellow Chartreuse, and Suze (later adapted to include lemon juice) especially considering how close Yellow Chartreuse and Strega are as shown by the history of The Eulogy. Once prepared, the Pipe Dreams flowed out to the nose with lemon, gentian herbal, and floral aromas. Next, a honey-laden sip opened up into gin, bright, earthy, and pine flavors on the swallow with a honey-peach finish.

the fountain

1 1/2 oz Old-Grand Dad 114° Bourbon
3/4 oz Zucca (Sfumato)
1/4 oz Cherry Heering
1 dash Dram Black Bitters or other Aromatic Bitters (Jerry Thomas Decanter)

Stir with ice, strain into an old fashioned glass with a large ice cube, and garnish with a lemon twist.Tuesdays two weeks ago, I was perusing the KindredCocktails database when I came across the Fountain by Chad Heuge. Chad created the drink at Longman & Eagle in Chicago, and the recipe was published by Vanity Fair in a 2015 article on Father's Day drinks. Intriguingly, he described his Father's Day-inspired Manhattan riff as "an homage to history, progression, and regression." I had previously had Cherry Heering and Zucca in Sahil Mehta's Estocada with mezcal and lime juice, so I was curious to see how it would do in a Bourbon Old Fashioned or Black Manhattan format. In the glass, the Fountain cascaded to the nose with lemon, roast, and cherry aromas. Next, a dark cherry- and roast-driven sip flowed into Bourbon, bitter herbal, and red fruit flavors on the swallow.

hero's death

3/4 oz Highland Park 12 Year Scotch (1/2 oz Highland Park Cask Strength + 1/4 oz Water)
3/4 oz Russell's Reserve 10 Year Bourbon (Old Grand-Dad Bonded)
1/4 oz Tempus Fugit Banana Liqueur
1 tsp Pedro Ximenez Sherry (El Maestro Sierra)
1/2 tsp Cinnamon Syrup

Stir with ice, strain into a single old fashioned glass, and garnish with orange oil from a twist.Two Mondays prior, I ventured back to the online recipe flashcards for Death & Co. Denver and landed on the Scotch-Bourbon stirred drink called the Hero's Death from their Summer 2024 menu. The structure reminded me of Al Sotack's Some Weird Sin at the New York City branch of Death & Co. with the split base plus Pedro Ximenez and cinnamon syrup accents. In the glass, the Hero's Death welcomed the nose with orange, dark fruit, hint of smoke, and cinnamon aromas. Next, a fruity grape sip ascended to Scotch, raisin, caramelized banana, and cinnamon flavors on the swallow.

third time's the charm

1 oz Blackwell Rum (Coruba)
1/2 oz Planteray Dark Rum
1/2 oz Clement Creole Shrubb (Pierre Ferrand Dry Curaçao)
1/2 oz Ancho Reyes Chile Liqueur
1/2 oz Lemon Juice
2 dash Chocolate Bitters (Bittermens)

Shake with ice and strain into a coupe.Two Sundays ago, I returned to the same online recipe flashcard sets from the Old Pal in Athens, Georgia, that I found the Monkey Wrench. The drink that I became curious about was the Third Time's The Charm from their Fall 2023 menu. Overall, it seemed like an interesting riff, but of what? A spicy Cable Car or perhaps the Royal Bermuda Yacht Club? One of my Instagram friends even suggested a chili variation on the Periodista. Once prepared, the Third Time's the Charm offered up caramel, orange, and roast pepper aromas. Next, lemon, orange, and caramel notes on the sip gave way to dark funky rum, orange, and pepper spice flavors on the swallow.