juan jose cocktail

50% Dry Gin (1 1/4 oz Beefeater)
30% Dry Vermouth (3/4 oz Dolin)
10% Jamaican Rum (1/4 oz Smith & Cross)
10% Crème de Peche (1/4 oz Mathilde)
2 dash Angostura Bitters

Stir with ice, strain into a cocktail glass, and garnish with a cherry.Two Wednesdays ago, I opened up my translated reprint of the 1000 Misture book from 1936 and decided to make the Juan José Cocktail. This Martini riff reminded me of another in that same book, namely the Portorico which is also accented with Jamaican rum, fruit liqueur, and aromatic bitters. Moreover, the combination of Jamaican rum and peach liqueur worked well in the Westward, so I was curious to try this one. In the glass, the Juan José proffered a cherry, peach, and pineapple aroma to the nose. Next, caramel and orchard fruit notes on the sip gave way to pine, peach, rum funk, and allspice flavors on the swallow.

royal port

3/4 oz Hampden Estate 8 Year Jamaican Rum (Monymusk Gold)
3/4 oz Novo Fogo Silver Cachaça (Novo Fogo Bar Strength)
1/2 oz Dolin Dry Vermouth
1/2 oz Dolin Blanc Vermouth
1/4 oz Yellow Chartreuse
1 tsp Giffard Crème de Banane (Tempus Fugit)
2 dash Angostura Bitters
1 dash Dale DeGroff Pimento Bitters

Stir with ice, strain into an old fashioned glass with a large ice cube, and garnish with lemon twist coin.Two Tuesdays ago, I returned to the Death & Co. market site and found the Royal Port by Joshua White at Death & Co. DC in 2024. He was inspired to create this riff on the Vieux Carré by the legendary pirate haven of Port Royal in Jamaica that also inspired this Port Royal and that one. The split spirit base caught my eye for the Jamaican rum-cachaça duo was one that I enjoyed in the Jah Rule and one that I had recently used in the Overpowered by Funk. In the glass, the Royal Port opened up with lemon, caramel, tropical, and funky aromas. Next, caramel and white grape notes on the sip sailed into funky rum, pineapple, banana, and allspice flavors on the swallow

espresso mexicano martini

2 oz Tequila

1 ounce Espresso (freshly pulled, slightly cooled)
1/2 oz Averna
1/2 oz Cinnamon Syrup
1/4 ounce Simple Syrup (to taste)
1 dash Bittermens Mole Bitters

Shake with ice, strain into a cocktail coupe, and garnish with three espresso beans in a triangle. Note: simple syrup may need to be upped due to varying amounts of acidity in the espresso.Yesterday, I was perusing the internet when I came across a reference on the CocktailParty app for a drink that I used to make at Loyal Nine in Cambridge circa 2016-17 that ended up in an article and recipe card in Punch. The article entitled "The Espresso Martini Is Back" published in January 2018 mentioned a variety of riffs on Dick Bradsell's creation including my tequila-based one that they featured in this recipe post. In regards to "proof that not all Vodka Espressos are made with vodka," I commented, "If a ticket came in for an Espresso Martini at my last restaurant, I would find the guest and ask them if a Mexican-inspired one with tequila and cinnamon was alright instead of a classic vodka one. This generally got not only a nod of approval, but the ticket frequently jumped from one to two or three drinks." The picture above is not from that article (and I never took a photo of the drink) but from a 2015 Eater Boston article taken by Rachel Blumenthal at Loyal Nine.

the mooch

1 1/2 oz Vodka (Vesica)
1/2 oz Fernet Branca
1/2 oz Benedictine
2 dash Angostura Bitters

Stir with ice and strain into a cocktail glass.Two Mondays ago, my Instagram friend Tim Kirkland posted an interesting drink called The Mooch. The recipe was created by Josh Wulf of the Wulf Cocktail Den blog. This was Josh's first cocktail creation back in 2014 named after his tuxedo cat, and I can relate for I currently have a black and white cat named Josey (more akin to a cow cat) who is quite the mooch too. The combination reminded me of a more bitter version of the Gypsy Queen (vodka, Benedictine, Angostura Bitters), and the vodka elongating the flavors of Fernet without a drop of proof made me think of the Sputnik. Fernet and Benedictine worked together well in the 1903-1933 era Oldfield and in PDT's Montgomery Smith, and I used the combination inspired from the former in the Campo Viejo. In the glass, The Mooch opened up with a menthol, herbal, and clove bouquet. Next, a caramel-driven sip was usurped by gentian, minty, menthol, herbal, allspice, and clove flavors on the swallow.

mile high

1 1/2 oz Bourbon (Old Grand-Dad Bonded)
1/2 oz Nocino (Russo)
1/2 oz Licor 43
1/2 oz Dry Vermouth (Dolin)
2 dash Absinthe (16 drop St. George)
2 dash Peychaud's Bitters

There were no instructions provided, so I stirred with ice, strained into a coupe glass, and garnished with a cherry.Two Sundays ago for the cocktail hour, I returned to online recipe flashcards from Sundry & Vice and spotted the Mile High as an interesting Manhattan variation. I spotted the drink on a menu photo on GoogleMaps at their Cincinnati location and in a review on Yelp for their newer Indianopolis spot. Once prepared, the Mile High took off with cherry, vanilla, walnut, and anise aromas. Next, the citrus and white grape notes on the sip excused themselves and joined Bourbon, walnut, vanilla, cherry, and anise flavors on the swallow. Overall, I was impressed at how the bright notes of Licor 43 were balanced out by the darker ones from the walnut liqueur.

jaded sensibilities

2 1/4 oz Barrel-aged Gin (1 1/2 oz Barr Hill Tom Cat)
3/4 oz Dolin Dry Vermouth (1/2 oz)
3/4 oz Cocchi Americano (1/2 oz)
3/4 oz Luxardo Bitter Bianco (1/2 oz)
3 dash Orange Bitters (2 dash Angostura Orange)
1 1/4 oz Water (4/5 oz)

Combine in a flask (build in an old fashioned glass and briefly stir to mix). Note: this is a room temperature cocktail.Two Saturdays ago, I returned to Sarah Baird's Flask book to find the recipe that called for Luxardo Bitter Bianco that I could now make. That one was the Jaded Sensibilities by Matt Jernigan at Henrietta Red in Nashville, and I was game to give this White Negroni riff a whirl. I scaled down the flask-sized version to a regular three ounce build before waterization, and it welcomed the nose with pine, rosemary, and orange aromas. Next, pear and orange notes on the sip developed into pine, rosemary, bitter orange, grapefruit, and wormwood flavors on the swallow.

tropical sazzy

1 oz Pineapple Jamaican Rum (3/4 oz Planteray Stiggins' Fancy + 1/4 oz Smith & Cross)
1 oz Cognac (Courvoisier VS)
1 tsp Falernum (Velvet)
[1 tsp Demerara Syrup -- my addition]
4 dash Peychaud's Bitters
2 dash Aromatic Bitters (Angostura)

Stir with ice, strain into an old fashioned glass rinsed with absinthe (Pernod Absinthe), and garnish with orange oil from a twist.With my enjoyment of the Apricot Sazerac two night before, I was game to try another Sazerac riff when I spotted one on my Instagram feed. One of my friends had posted the recipe for the Tropical Sazzy by Jordan Hughes via Jordan's High Proof Preacher channel. I have previously enjoyed tropical Sazerac riffs like the Lei'd to Rest, Stigginserac, and Bananarac, so I was game to try this one. I assume that the Jamaican pineapple rum was from Doctor Bird, and I did my best with three parts of Stiggins' Fancy to one part Smith & Cross. Once stirred and strained, the Tropical Sazzy donated an orange, anise, dark rum, and licorice bouquet to the nose. Next, a semi-sweet lightly caramel sip relaxed into pineapple, funky rum, Cognac, clove, and anise flavors on the swallow.

overpowered by funk

1 oz Jamaican Aged Rum (Smith & Cross)
1 oz Silver Cachaça (Novo Fogo Bar Strength)
1/2 oz Cynar
1/2 oz Crème de Banane (Tempus Fugit)
2 dash Angostura Bitters

Stir with ice and strain into an old fashioned glass with a large ice cube.Two weeks ago, I put out a call for bartenders to submit drinks named after song titles or lyrics from The Clash for an article in Alcohol Professor. I was planning on using my Lost in the Supermarket for the article until another bartender called dibs on it. Therefore, I decided to craft another drink by looking for inspiration in the band's discography. From their 1982 album Combat Rock, I latched onto the Overpowered by Funk. My mind went to the cachaça and Jamaica rum duo from the Jah Rule two nights before, and I paired it with the funky amaro Cynar as well as crème de banane since it worked with with Cynar in the Banana Clipper. The combination lived up to its name as it started with grassy, pineapple, herbal, and allspice aromas. Next, a caramel-driven sip transformed into funky-grassy rum, bitter herbal, banana, allspice, and clove flavors on the swallow.

apricot sazerac

1 oz Rye Whiskey (Rittenhouse)
1 oz Cognac (Courvoisier VS)
1/4 oz Apricot Liqueur (Rothman & Winter)
[1/4 oz Demerara Syrup – my addition]
3 dash Peychaud's Bitters
3 dash Orange Bitters (Angostura Orange)

Stir with ice, strain into an absinthe-rinsed (Pernod Absinthe) old fashioned glass, and garnish with a lemon twist.After posting the Guapo Buffone from 1 Tippling Place in Philadelphia on Instagram, a friend messaged me asking if I had the recipe for their Apricot Sazerac. After sharing it with him from the online recipe flashcards, I decided to make this one. I was able to find other Apricot Sazeracs out there at bars and being sold as a bottled cocktail, so I cannot be sure if they were the ones who created the concept. In the glass, the Apricot Sazerac opened up with lemon, anise, and apricot aromas. Next, the apricot notes continued on into the sip where they lingered in the swallow to join rye, brandy, anise, and orange flavors.

jah rule

1 oz Novo Fogo Silver Cachaça (Novo Fogo Bar Strength)
1 oz Doctor Bird Aged Jamaican Rum (Smith & Cross)
1/2 oz Luxardo Bitter Bianco
1/2 oz Lime Juice
1 dash Absinthe (8 drop St. George)

Shake with ice, strain into a Tiki mug or old fashioned glass, and fill with crushed ice.Monday two weeks ago, I volunteered to work at the Boston edition of Speed Rack which was the first opportunity to do so since March 2020. While cleaning up afterward the event, someone pointed out that were a few left over bottles from the brand tables for the volunteers to take, and I grabbed a bottle of Luxardo Bitter Bianco since I had my eye on it previously when in liquor stores. For a first drink with it, I made the Jah Rule by Jessica Manzey at Seattle's Rumba from Chloe Frechette's Easy Tiki book as the combination of cachaça and Jamaican rum seemed alluring. Once prepared, the Jah Rule opened up with tropical fruit and rum funk aromas. Next, lime notes filled the sip and led into funky, grassy, bitter herbal, banana, pineapple, and soursop flavors on the swallow. Although it was a bit on the tart side, there was so much flavor complexity in this mix that it was rather enjoyable.

globus zurich cocktail

60% Dry Gin (1 3/4 oz Ford's)
30% Sweet Vermouth (1 oz Giacomo Sperone)
10% Zara Maraschino (1/4 oz Luxardo)
3 dash Campari (1/2 tsp)
2 dash Angostura Bitters

Stir with ice, strain into a coupe glass, and garnish with a cherry.Two Mondays ago, I reached for my copy of the 1000 Misture book from 1936 and spotted the Globus Zurich Cocktail. The recipe looked like a Martinez but the dashes of Campari embittered it in the direction of a Hanky Panky (obviously not in the Fernet way). In the glass, the Globus Zurich gave forth a bitter cherry and grape aroma. Next, grape and cherry notes continued on into the sip where they were followed by gin and bitter cherry flavors on the swallow.

forbidden forest

1 1/2 oz Courvoisier VSOP Cognac (Courvoisier VS)
1/2 oz Calvados (Morin Selection)
1/4 oz Green Chartreuse
1/4 oz Cointreau
1/4 oz Crème de Cacao (Bols)

Stir with ice, strain into an old fashioned glass with ice, and garnish with a dehydrated apple slice (omit).Two Sundays prior, I returned to the set of online recipe flashcards for Butcher Chef in Toronto, and I spotted the Forbidden Forest. This circa 2021 cocktail read like an apple-tinged Prospector Cocktail, and it was perhaps a Harry Potter reference to the dark forest that borders the edges of the Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. Once mixed, the Forbidden Forest teased the nose with Cognac, apple, and herbal aromas. Next, apple and orange notes on the sip were ensnared by brandy, herbaceous, orange, and chocolate flavors on the swallow.

guapo buffone

1 1/2 oz Reposado Tequila (Espolon)
1/2 oz Mezcal (Peloton de la Muerte)
1/2 oz Amaro Meletti
1/2 oz Aperol
2 dash Angostura Bitters
2 dash Orange Bitters (Angostura Orange)

Stir with ice and strain into a cocktail coupe.Two Saturdays ago, I found a set of online recipe flashcards from 1 Tippling Place in Philadelphia, and I was lured in by the Guapo Buffone that had the same Aperol-Meletti split as the It Never Was a Cocktail. I was able to find a Yelp menu photo for this tequila-mezcal drink that placed it around 2017. In the glass, the Guapo Buffone offered up an orange, clove, and allspice bouquet to the nose. Next, caramel and orange notes on the sip slid into smoky agave, orange, floral, and clove flavors on the swallow.

south of brooklyn

1 oz Rye Whiskey (Rittenhouse)
1 oz Blanc Vermouth (Dolin)
1/2 oz Caribbean 6-10 Year Blended Rum (Doorly's 12 Year)
1/2 oz Dry Vermouth (Dolin)
1/2 oz Amer Picon (Amaro Ciociaro)
1/4 oz Luxardo Maraschino
1 dash Peychaud's Bitters

Stir with ice, strain into a coupe glass, and garnish with orange oil from a twist and with a cherry.Two Fridays ago, Simon Difford posted one of his recent creations on Difford's Guide called the South of Brooklyn as his rum-touched Brooklyn riff noting that the Caribbean is south of Brooklyn. With the blanc vermouth, the recipe reminded me a little more of the White Collar from Dutch Kills than the classic itself. Once prepared, the South of Brooklyn donated an orange and cherry bouquet to the nose. Next, a semi-sweet caramel, grape, and cherry sip traveled towards rye, rum, nutty cherry, and dark orange flavors on the swallow.

dogfight

2 oz Eagle Rare Bourbon (Old Grand-Dad Bonded)
1/2 oz Amaro Nonino
1/2 oz Aperol
2 dash Bitter Truth Orange Bitters (Scrappy's)
2 Lemon Peels expressed and dropped into the mixing glass

Stir with ice, strain into a coupe glass, and garnish with a paper plane.Two Thursdays prior, I was looking through online recipe flashcards and honed in on the Dogfight from Alter Ego in San Jose, California. Their stirred riff on the Paper Plane that I found in a 2023 recipe set is still currently on their menu. In the glass, the Dogfight took off with orange and herbal aromas. Next, caramel and orange notes on the sip were chased by Bourbon, orange, and lightly bitter herbal flavors on the swallow with a lemon and orange pith finish.

meissonier cocktail

40% Dry Gin (1 1/4 oz Ford's)
40% Dry Vermouth (1 1/4 oz Dolin)
10% Jamaican Rum (1/4 oz Monymusk Gold)
10% Benedictine (1/4 oz)
2 dash Angostura Bitters (1 dash)

Stir with ice, strain into a cocktail glass, and garnish with a lemon twist.Two Wednesdays ago, I opened up the 1000 Misture book from 1936 and spotted the Meissonier Cocktail. It read like a rum-accented Poet's Dream of sorts and was very similar to the Portorico Cocktail from that same book with crème de banane instead of the Benedictine here. Once mixed, the Meissonier Cocktail offered up lemon, caramel, and clove aromas. Next, a light caramel-driven sip opened up to gin, herbal, funky rum, and allspice flavors on the swallow.

illegal dance moves

1 oz Mezcal (Peloton de la Muerte)
1 oz Pineapple Rum (Planteray Stiggins')
1/2 oz Amaro Sfumato
1/2 oz Crème de Banane (Tempus Fugit)
1 dash Absinthe (6 drop St. George)

Stir with ice and strain into an old fashioned glass with a large ice cube.I became inspired by the banana-Sfumato combination in the Tarantula and Sfumato Swizzle and began scheming. Soon, crème de banane made me think of pineapple rum and Sfumato suggested mezcal to me. When the mix tasted a bit dark, I added in a dash of absinthe to brighten flavor balance. For a name, I dubbed this one Illegal Dance Moves named after a double IPA from the sadly departed Mystic Brewery. In the glass, the Illegal Dance Moves set up a roast, vegetal, fruity, smoke, and banana aroma. Next, roasted and tropical notes on the sip slid into rum, smoky, vegetal, and caramelized banana-pineapple flavors on the swallow.

the final say

3/4 oz Gin (Beefeater)
1/2 oz Luxardo Maraschino
3/8 oz St. Germain (St. Elder)
3/8 oz Benedictine
3/4 oz Lime Juice
4 drop Absinthe (Copper & Kings)

Shake with ice and strain into a coupe glass.Two Mondays ago, I was looking through recipes on the KindredCocktails datebase when I spotted the The Final Say by user Mike Janowski in 2019. He created the drink when he did not have Green Chartreuse and read on the internet that elderflower liqueur and Benedictine will substitute for it. Once prepared, The Final Say generated a lime, nutty cherry, herbal, and licorice bouquet. Next, lime and cherry on the sip flowed into gin, floral, cherry, and herbal flavors on the swallow. The short answer is yes it was tasty, but no it was not close to the Last Word with Chartreuse. Overall, it was closer to Brick & Mortar's Time Traveler that was a Last Word riff that subbed in elderflower and lemon for the classic's Chartreuse and lime.

rebellion

1 1/2 oz Banhez Mezcal (Peloton de la Muerte)
3/4 oz Punt e Mes
3/4 oz Campari
1 dash Bittermens Mole Bitters
1 dash Peychaud's Bitters
2 drop Saline

Stir with ice, strain into a coupe, and garnish with an orange twist.Two Sundays prior, I returned to my list of drinks spotted in online recipe flashcard sets and decided to make the Rebellion created at Miniboss in San Jose, California. The Rebellion was one of their offerings for Negroni Week 2022, and I was able to find that Negroni Week menu on their Instagram page. Overall, the recipe read like a more mezcal forward and less rounded Last Mechanical Art, so I was intrigued. In the glass, the Rebellion launched off with an orange, vegetal, smoke, and herbal bouquet. Next, a grape-driven sip was overcome by smoky agave, sharp bitter orange, rounded herbal bitterness, chocolate, and anise flavors on the swallow.

yukon river cocktail

40% Gin (1 1/4 oz Ford's)
40% Dry Vermouth (1 1/4 oz Dolin)
10% Curaçao (1/4 oz Pierre Ferrand)
10% Zara Maraschino (1/4 oz Luxardo)
2 dash Fernet Branca (1/2 tsp)

Stir with ice, strain into a cocktail glass, and garnish with a lemon twist.Two Saturdays ago, I opened up my translated copy of the 1000 Misture book from 1936 and spotted the Yukon River Cocktail. Its Maraschino-Fernet accents to a Martini reminded me of the Primrose Hill, and its curaçao-Fernet accents made me think of the Paul's Own and Zumbo. In the glass, the Yukon River opened up with lemon, pine, cherry, and menthol aromas. Next, a semi-dry grape sip with vague fruity notes flowed into gin, bitter orange, cherry, and minty flavors on the swallow.

meridiem

1 1/2 oz Dolin Blanc Vermouth
3/4 oz Zubrowka Bison Grass Vodka (Bak's)
3/4 oz Tanqueray Old Tom Gin (Tanqueray Malacca)
1 dash Bittermens Grapefruit Bitters

Stir with ice, strain into a coupe glass, and garnish with a lemon twist.Two Fridays ago, I returned to the Hawthorne bar bible and spotted the Meridiem that it attributed to its sister establishment Eastern Standard. I was able to find a Yelp Eastern Standard menu photo that dated this to 2015, and the menu included the subtitle "It's 12 o'clock somewhere". Overall, it read like a 50-50 Martini of sorts with a split base of gin and bison grass vodka that reminded me a little of the Vesper. After stirring and straining, the Meridiem gave forth a lemon, floral, and pine aroma. Next, a semi-sweet white grape sip turned into floral, grape, pine, and green tea flavors on the swallow.

woolworth

1 oz Highland Scotch (Royal Brackla 12 Year)
1 oz Amontillado Sherry (Lustau)
1/2 oz Islay Scotch (Laphroaig 10 Year)
1/2 oz Benedictine
2 dash Orange Bitters (Regan's)

Stir with ice, strain into a coupe glass, and garnish with a lemon twist.Two Thursdays ago, I was on the Bartender's Choice app and spotted a Woolworth that was different from the Woolworth that I sourced from the PDT Cocktail Book. Their version was also attributed to John Deragon at PDT in Manhattan circa 2007 but it varied by Scotch and sherry calls such that it reminded me more of Rhianon Enlil's Neutral Ground than the book's version. Since Amontillado seemed like a better sherry choice than Manzanilla, I gave this variation a go. Once mixed, this version of the Woolworth rose to the senses with a lemon, nutty, and peat smoke bouquet. Next, grape and caramel notes on the sip gave way to smoky Scotch, nutty sherry, and herbal flavors on the swallow.

king of the hoodlums

3/4 oz Cognac (Courvoisier VS)
3/4 oz Demerara Rum (Hamilton 86°)
3/4 oz Batavia Arrack (von Oosten)
1/2 oz Amaro Ciociaro
1/2 oz Crème de Cacao (Bols)
2 dash Angostura Bitters

Stir with ice, strain into an old fashioned glass with a large ice cube, and garnish with an orange twist.Two Wednesdays ago, I was inspired by the Cognac, Guyana rum, and Batavia Arrack split base in the 1930s Darling Cocktail, and I decided to mash it up with the Ciociaro-cacao combination from Little Branch's African Flower. Part of my thinking was due to how well crème de cacao and Batavia Arrack work in drinks like the 18th Century and Mutiny on the Mili Atoll. For a name, I dubbed this one the King of the Hoodlums after a character described in Herbert Asbury's The Barbary Coast book. James Riley who was better known to the San Francisco Police as that nickname came to San Francisco from New York City in 1868 and soon became one of the principal criminal ornaments. In the glass, the King of the Hoodlums showcased an orange, caramel, chocolate, and rum funk aroma. Next, caramel with a hint of orange peel on the sip parried with Cognac, funky and woody rum, chocolate, and orange flavors on the swallow.

my black and bitter heart

1 oz Rye Whiskey (Templeton)
1 oz Cognac (Courvoisier VS)
1 oz Punt e Mes
1/2 oz Campari
1/4 oz Coffee Liqueur (Mr. Black)
1 dash Angostura Bitters

Stir with ice, strain into a coupe glass, and garnish with a cherry.Two Tuesdays ago, I was scanning through the KindredCocktails database when I spotted the My Black and Bitter Heart created by the Boozenerd's for Valentine's Day in 2014 via their blog. The Punt e Mes, Campari, and coffee liqueur trio reminded me of the Demerara rum-based Coffee Negroni but here with a split base of rye and Cognac akin to the Saratoga and Vieux Carré. Once mixed, the My Black and Bitter Heart conjured up Cognac and herbal aromas. Next, grape and roast notes on the sip entered into rye, Cognac, bitter herbal, roast, coffee, and char flavors on the swallow.

first word

1 oz Laird's Bonded Apple Brandy
3/4 oz Lemon Juice
3/4 oz Yellow Chartreuse
3/8 oz Honey Syrup
3/8 oz Velvet Falernum
1 dash Angostura Bitters

Shake with ice and strain into a coupe glass.Two Mondays ago, I turned to the Hawthorne's bar bible and spotted the First Word by bartender Ingrid Schneider. While the name suggested a Last Word riff, this one was veered off a bit. With Yellow Chartreuse and falernum, it was closer to the Eulogy save for the falernum being cut with honey syrup which would complement both the apple brandy and the Yellow Chartreuse here. Moreover, the name and the apple component made me think of the biblical first sin in the Garden of Eden in addition to the Detroit pre-Prohibition classic. In the glass, the First Word opened up with apple, honey, and clove aromas. Next, lemon and honey on the sip fell into apple, herbal, ginger, and clove flavors on the swallow.

shadow moses

3/4 oz Knob Creek Rye (1 oz Rittenhouse)
3/4 oz Hine Cognac (1 oz Courvoisier VS)
1/2 oz Amaro Ciociaro
1/4 oz Turbinado Syrup (Demerara)
2 dash Fee's Walnut Bitters (5 dash Strongwater Moutain Elixirs)

Stir with ice, strain into a coupe glass, and garnish with an orange twist.Two Sundays ago, I was perusing online recipe flashcards when I spotted a curious drink called the Shadow Moses that reminded me of the Lineage cocktail called the Red Sea because the bartender's nickname was Moses. This recipe was created at Minibar in San Jose, California, circa 2021, and I was able to find menu and drink photos on both Yelp & GoogleMaps. The structure reminded me of the Liberal variation in Ted Saucier's Bottoms Up but here with a split of rye whiskey and brandy with Demerara syrup instead of Bourbon with maple (and of course, Ciociaro for Picon). In the glass, the Shadow Moses offered up orange and Cognac aromas. Next, caramel and a hint of orange peel on the sip divided the swallow into rye, Cognac, herbal-orange, and walnut flavors.

gogol cocktail

30% Dry Gin (3/4 oz Ford's)
30% Dry Vermouth (3/4 oz Dolin)
20% Cognac (1/2 oz Courvoisier VS)
20% Benedictine (1/2 oz)
2 dash Angostura Bitters (1 dash)

Stir with ice, strain into a cocktail coupe, and garnish with a lemon twist (Myer lemon).Two Saturdays ago, I ventured back to the 1000 Misture book from 1936 and spied the Gogol Cocktail perhaps named after the Ukrainian author. On paper, it read like a Martini met a B&B and perhaps morphed into a De la Louisiane form. In the glass, the Gogol donated a lemon, caramel, and herbal aroma. Next, the caramel notes continued into the sip where they evolved into Cognac, pine, herbal, clove, and allspice flavors on the swallow. Overall, it came across somewhat close to a Cognac-tinged Poet's Dream or Joan Blondell.

a serious man

25 mL Del Maguey Mezcal Vida (1 oz Peloton de la Muerte)
25 mL Suze (1 oz)
25 mL Lillet Blanc (1 oz Cocchi Americano)
2.5 mL Chartreuse Elixir Vegetal (1/2 tsp)

Stir with ice, strain into a rocks glass with ice, and garnish with an orange twist.Two Fridays prior, I returned to the Instagram account for Satan's Whiskers in London and selected A Serious Man from a 2023 posting. The drink read like a mezcal White Negroni with a dose of herbaceousness, and it seemed like a good use of our Elixir Vegetal that we only used one other time in the Prodigal Son since we acquired it as a gift at the launch party in November 2023. If the Elixir Vegetal were a larger amount of Green Chartreuse, the drink would read like the pineapple rum-based Pirate Radio, so I was game to see it with mezcal. Once prepared, A Serious Man showboated an orange, vegetal, and smoke aroma. Next, a vaguely fruity sip opened up into mezcal and Suze's vegetalness that melded into herbaceousness and smoke notes on the swallow.

portorico cocktail

50% Gin (1 1/4 oz Beefeater)
30% Blanc Vermouth (3/4 oz Dolin)
10% Jamaican Rum (1/4 oz Wray & Nephew)
10% Crème de Banane (1/4 oz Tempus Fugit)
Stir with ice, strain into a cocktail glass, and garnish with a thin sice of banana (omit).Two Thursday ago, I opened up my translated copy of the 1936 1000 Misture book and spotted the Portorico Cocktail. The name is the Italian spelling of Puerto Rico which is curious for this tropical gin drink calls for Jamaican rum. Moreover, and the combination reminded me of the rhum agricole-containing Preston-Baker. Once mixed, the Portorico gave forth a banana, pineapple, floral, and pine bouquet to the nose. Next, caramel and white grape notes on the sip flowed into tropical, rum funk, and pine flavors on the swallow.

electric mayhem

1 oz Buffalo Trace Bourbon (Old Grand-Dad Bonded)
3/4 oz Yellow Chartreuse
3/4 oz Aperol
1/2 oz Lemon Juice
2 dash Angostura Bitters

Shake with ice, strain into a cocktail coupe, and garnish with a lemon twist.Two Wednesdays ago, I decided to make a drink that I uncovered in an online collection of recipe flashcards for Long Island Bar and the Rockwell called the Electric Mayhem. The cocktail was attributed to bartender Tim Miner who currently works at the Long Island Bar, and a Timeout article in 2014 placed it at the Jakewalk which closed back in 2016. Once shaken and strained, the Electric Mayhem gave forth a lemon, orange, and clove bouquet to the nose. Next, lemon, orange, and honey notes on the sip evolved into Bourbon, herbal, and allspice flavors on the swallow. Although the recipe reads like a Bourbon Naked & Famous, the Angostura took things in a different direction.

storm king

1 oz Rye Whiskey (Rittenhouse Bonded)
1 oz Apple Brandy (Laird's Bonded)
3/4 oz Sweet Vermouth (Giacomo Sperone)
1/4 oz Amaro Montenegro
1 dash Angostura Bitters

Stir with ice, strain into a Nick & Nora glass, and garnish with an orange twist.Two Tuesdays prior, I got a copy of Sammi Katz and Olivia McGiff's Cocktails in Color book in the mail and was ready to use it that night for a drink. Their Storm King named after the sculpture park in Beacon, New York, was an autumnal Manhattan that quickly caught my eye. Although it had the same name as Damon Boelte's Storm King, it was closer to Sasha Petraske's Fallback with a different ratio of sweet vermouth to Montenegro and here Angostura instead of Peychaud's. Once stirred and strained, the Storm King opened up with orange and apple aromas. Next, the vermouth's grape filled the sip that transitioned into rye, apple, herbal, clementine, and clove flavors on the swallow.

knife fight

2/3 oz Del Maguey Mezcal (Peloton de la Muerte)
1/3 Brokers Gin (Beefeater)
1 oz Punt e Mes
3/4 oz Aperol
1/4 oz Campari

Stir with ice, strain into an old fashioned glass with a large ice cube, and garnish with a grapefruit twist.Two Mondays ago, I was perusing online recipe flashcard sets when I came across a noteworthy Negroni riff at Valkyrie in Tulsa. That drink was the Knife Fight that a Yelp review placed around 2019, and it was curious for it had a split mezcal-gin base with the bitter component being a mix of Aperol, Punt e Mes, and Campari. I last tried the mezcal-gin combination in my Mexico City Blues, and it also was utilized in the White Mezcal Negroni. Once mixed, the Knife Fight lunged to the senses with a grapefruit, bitter citrus, and smoke aroma. Next, a grape-driven sip parried a vegetal, pine, and bitter orange swallow with a smoke, tangerine, and grapefruit finish.

right paw of destiny

1 1/2 oz Santa Teresa Rum (3/4 oz Monymusk Gold + 3/4 oz Hamilton Demerara 86°)
1/2 oz Lustau Amontillado Sherry
1/2 oz Campari
1/2 oz Amaro Montenegro
1 dash 1821 Havana & Hide Bitters (Extinct Chemical Co. Abbott's)

Stir with ice and strain into an old fashioned glass with a large ice cube.Two Sundays ago, I decided to make a drink from Backbar in Somerville called the Right Paw of Destiny that they posted on their Instagram a while back. This riff on the Right Hand appeared on their 2023 cat-themed menu and would probably be a great companion to their other riff, the Left Hand of Darkness. The Instagram post describes how, "Its name comes from the question: there is a cat with a top hat and monocle riding a raging fiery unicorn with a cigar in its left paw; what’s in its right paw???" Once prepared, the Right Paw of Destiny conjured up caramel, clementine, and grape aromas. Next, caramel and grape notes on the sip switched places with rum, bitter orange, nutty, and spice flavors on the swallow.

odessa cocktail

25% Batavia Arrack (3/4 oz von Oosten)
25% Dry Gin (3/4 oz Tanqueray Malacca)
25% Sweet Vermouth (3/4 oz Giacomo Sperone)
25% Campari (3/4 oz)
2 dash Angostura Bitters

Stir with ice, strain into a cocktail glass, and garnish with a cherry.Two Saturdays ago, I returned to 1000 Mistures from 1936 and spotted the Odessa Cocktail which read like a Negroni meets a funky Right Hand. It also bore some resemblance to my Dutch Hand with Genever and mole bitters instead of the gin and Angostura here. In the glass, the Odessa Cocktail presented a grape, herbal, and pine bouquet to the nose. Next, a grape-driven sip opened up into funky rum, pine, sharp bitter orange, and allspice flavors on the swallow.

the chicago underground

3/4 oz Jeppson's Malört
3/4 oz Fernet Branca
3/4 oz Lime Juice
3/4 oz Simple Syrup

Shake with ice and strain into a coupe glass.Two Fridays ago, I spotted a reference to a two year old post on Reddit's cocktails forum from user Fnordianslips for a drink called The Chicago Underground. They describe it as their Chicago-style take on the Industry Sour. The post described, "This Industry Sour riff is an attempt at a cocktail tasty enough to get me through a bottle of Malört. And by God, it works! Fernet adds the complexity Malört's wormwood needs, and it all plays very nicely with lime and simple." Not one to back down from the challenge of drinking two of the most surly liqueurs in one glass (which I did one time before in the Ada Lovecraft), I mixed this one up. The result proffered minty, menthol, pineapple, and grapefruit aromas to the nose. Next, caramel and lime on the sip shuffled into bitter grapefruit, gentian, minty, and menthol flavors on the swallow.

wicked games

1 1/2 oz Pineau des Charentes
1/2 oz Clairin Vaval
3/4 oz Lime Juice
1/2 oz Pierre Ferrand Dry Curaçao
1 tsp Cinnamon Syrup
4 drop Saline Solution

Shake with ice and strain into a Nick & Nora glass.Two Thursdays ago, I ventured down to Assembly Row in Somerville to visit my old co-worker Lucy Comer at Parla XXI. For my first drink, I requested the Wicked Games by Steve Matin and subtitled "Get lost in the thrill of temptation." When Steve sat at my bar a few weeks ago, he showed off a few of his recipes for the new menu on his phone, and I made the comment that the Wicked Games reminded me of a Pompadour. He confirmed that he based it off of Frank Meier's 1934 recipe; his choice of lime instead of lemon reminded me of my tequila riff that I created called The King's Mistress that I created for Loyal Nine (the only bar that I have worked at where we had Pineau des Charentes other than at Drink which seemed to have everything). After Lucy shook and strained the Wicked Games, it greeted the nose with funky rum, melon, and orange aromas. Next, white grape and melon notes on the sip let go into funky rum, lime, and orange flavors with a hint of cinnamon on the swallow.

darling cocktail

20% Cognac (1/2 oz Courvoisier VS)
20% Demerara Rum (1/2 oz Hamilton 86°)
20% Batavia Arrack (1/2 oz von Oosten)
30% Sweet Vermouth (3/4 oz Giacomo Sperone)
10% Zara Maraschino (1/4 oz Luxardo)
2 dash Angostura Bitters

Stir with ice, strain into a glass rimmed with grenadine and sugar, and garnish with a cherry.Two Wednesdays ago, I received my copy of 1000 Mistures from 1936 by Elvezio Grassi and recently translated by J.E. Clapham. For a starter, I honed in on the Darling Cocktail since I had not used my bottle of Batavia Arrack that much in the last year (save for the Lethal Weapon and Hitman). The trio of Cognac, rum, and Batavia Arrack screams out classic punches, but the only recipe that I could find that called for all three was Shannon Mustipher's modern Old Rogue punch. Here the three spirits were in a Martinez sort of format, so the straight spirits nature made me curious. In the glass, the Darling Cocktail offered up dark rum and nutty cherry aromas. Next, grape notes with a hint of molasses on the sip shifted into Cognac, funky and woody rum, nutty cherry, and clove flavors on the swallow.

patty o'cann

1 oz Teeling Irish Whiskey (Teeling Small Batch)
1/2 oz Bowmore 12 Year Islay Scotch (Laphroaig 10 Year)
3/4 oz Dolin Rouge Vermouth (Giacomo Sperone Sweet)
1/2 oz Benedictine
1/4 oz Cynar

Stir with ice, strain into a Nick & Nora glass (coupe), and garnish with a cherry.Two Tuesdays ago, I was looking through online recipe flashcards for Irish whiskey drinks when I came across the Patty O'Cann at the Butcher Chef in Toronto for their August 2021 menu. I soon confirmed the drink, ingredients, and approximate date from a GoogleMaps menu photo. The Cynar, Benedictine, and sweet vermouth trio is one that has prospered in the Tight Five and Halls of Power, so I was curious to try it with a split of whiskies. Once stirred and strained, the Patty O'Cann gave forth a peat smoke, grape, and herbal bouquet. Next, grape and caramel notes mingled on the sip and were chased by smoky whisky, dark fruit, and herbal flavors on the swallow.

bully pulpit

2 oz Mezcal (Peloton de la Muerte)
3/4 oz Rabarbaro (Bully Boy) (*)
1/4 oz Orange Liqueur (Pierre Ferrand Dry Curaçao)
2 dash Chocolate Bitters (Bittermens Mole)

Stir with ice, strain into a coupe, and garnish with an orange twist.
(*) Zucca and Sfumato are other rabarbaros.

For an article on local amari that I am currently writing, I visited a few distilleries to get their stories, and I was tasked with creating a recipe for three of them. For Bully Boy in the Roxbury neighborhood of Boston, I selected their rabarbaro over their standard amaro (Montenegro-Nonino-like) and their rosso amaro (Campari-ish) to craft a recipe. Rabarbaros are made with the smoky, earthy, roasty, and bitter root of rhubarb which is very different from the fruity stalk above ground. Two famous rabarbaros are Zucca and Sfumato, and Bully Boy's is closer to Zucca with a touch of root beer notes akin to Ramazzotti. For a direction, I latched onto the rabarbaro-orange liqueur combination that I have tried in a pair of drinks, namely the Lush Interlude and Dark Matter. I used the 3:1 ratio that I extracted from Cure's Black & Bluegrass (overlooking the Aperol) that I used in the Devil's Staircase. For a spirit, I chose for mezcal (although I will offer up tequila as an option in the article) and accented it with mole bitters for depth and roundness. For a name, I dubbed this one the Bully Pulpit which is a conspicuous position that allows one to speak and be listened to and was coined by Teddy Roosevelt. In the glass, the Bully Pulpit shouted out orange, roast, vegetal, and smoke aromas. Next, the curaçao's orange note filled the sip and the swallow gave forth smoky vegetal, roast, and chocolate flavors.

pulitzer

40 mL Bacardi Cuatro Rum (1 1/2 oz Hamilton's White Stache)
10 mL Aperol (1/2 oz)
15 mL Honey Syrup (1/2 oz)
15 mL Lime Juice (1/2 oz)

Shake with ice, strain into a coupe glass, and garnish with a lime wedge (lime wheel).After uncovering the recipe posts on London's Satan's Whiskers' Instagram with the King's County, I returned and selected the Pulitzer from last year. There is another Pulitzer on this blog, namely Eastern Standard's, but the only similarity is the Aperol and the stemmed glassware. This one is more like a Brooklynite where the dash of Angostura Bitters was substituted for Aperol here. Once prepared, the Pulitzer welcomed the nose with a lime, floral, and orange aroma. Next, lime and honey notes on the sip developed into rum, bitter orange, and floral flavors on the swallow.

stink eye

2 oz Knob Creek Bourbon (Old Grand-Dad Bonded)
3/4 oz Punt e Mes
1/4 oz Fernet Branca
1/4 oz Cynar
1 dash Fee's Walnut Bitters (2 dash Strongwater Mountain Elixirs)

Stir with ice, strain into a coupe, and garnish with lemon oil from a twist.Two Saturdays ago, I decided to make a recipe called the Stink Eye that a friend posted on Instagram earlier in the week. The drink was created by St. Paul, Minnesota, enthusiast Craig Eliason and posted on KindredCocktails. Overall, it read like Eastern Standard's Fernet Cocktail with a little more Punt e Mes, less Fernet and spice from the whiskey (rye vs. Bourbon), and the addition of Cynar and walnut bitters. In the glass, the Stink Eye showcased a lemon and minty-menthol bouquet to the nose. Next, grape and a hint of caramel on the sip opened up into Bourbon, herbal, and menthol flavors on the swallow. While it was indeed similar to that Fernet Cocktail, the Cynar did have a small modulating effect on the herbal signature to make it a touch more complex.

king's county

40 mL Aberfeldy 12 Year Scotch (1 1/2 oz Royal Brackla 12 Year)
15 mL Compass Box Peat Monster (1/2 oz Ardbeg 10 Year)
10 mL Punt e Mes (2 tsp, 1/3 oz)
10 mL Luxardo Maraschino (2 tsp, 1/3 oz)

Stir with ice, strain into a cocktail coupe, and garnish with a cherry.Two Fridays, I spotted an adapted version of the King's County on Difford's Guide and tracked it back to the source – namely, the bar's Instagram. In a 2024 post, Satan's Whiskers in London had posted the recipe of this double Scotch Red Hook of sorts. The combination of Scotch, Punt e Mes, and Maraschino appeared in the Cowboy Killer and the Meat Hook, so I was curious to try their take on it. Once prepared, the Kings' County proffered a nutty cherry and peat smoke bouquet to the nose. Next, grape, cherry, and malt notes on the sip opened up into smoky Scotch and herbal cherry flavors on the swallow.

rockefeller

2 oz Chairman's Legacy Aged Rum (Doorly's 12 Year)
1/2 oz Amaro Braulio
1/2 oz Benedictine
1/4 oz Cinnamon Demerara Syrup
Stir with ice and strain into a coupe that had been partially rimmed with cinnamon and had the inside smoked with a torched piece of cinnamon stick.Two Thursdays ago, I uncovered online recipe flashcards for Otto's High Dive in Orlando, and I was drawn in by the Rockefeller for their Christmas 2024 menu. I was able to find both a menu photo and a drink photo via Instagram geotags to confirm the ingredients and the presentation. I was curious to try this one for its Braulio-Benedictine combination was one I utilized in the Mexico City Blues after mashing up two drinks. In the glass, the Rockefeller gave forth cinnamon, pungent smoke, caramel, and pine aromas. Next, a caramel-driven sip flowed into rum, herbal, pine, and cinnamon flavors on the swallow.

devil's disciple

1 1/4 oz Rye Whiskey (Rittenhouse)
3/4 oz Mezcal (Peloton de la Muerte)
3/4 oz Amaro Zucca or Sfumato (Sfumato)
1/4 oz Ancho Reyes Chile Liqueur
2 dash Mole Bitters (Bittermens)
Stir with ice, strain into an old fashioned glass with a large ice cube, and garnish with a grapefruit twist.After thinking about the Sfumato-Ancho Reyes combination in two drinks, the Ashes in Our Mouths and Comanche Club, I decided to tinker. I combined that duo with the 3:1 rye to mezcal combination that I learned from recipes like the Devil's Soul plus a touch of mole bitters. For a name, I dubbed this the Devil's Disciple after a possible reference to Alestair Crowley in Ernest Hemingway's posthumous A Moveable Feast book written about Paris in the 1920s. Once prepared, the Devil's Disciple shot forth a grapefruit, vegetal, and roast aroma. Next, a roasted vegetal-fruity sip waylaid rye, vegetal, smoky, dried fruit, and pepper spice flavors on the swallow.

white elephant

3/4 oz Blended Scotch (Famous Grouse Smoky Black)
3/4 oz Cognac (Courvoisier VS)
3/4 oz Carpano Antica Sweet Vermouth (Giacomo Sperone)
1 tsp Luxardo Amaretto
1/2 tsp Nocino (Russo)

Stir with ice, strain into a cocktail glass, and garnish with a cherry and an orange twist.Two Tuesdays ago, I turned to Imbibe Magazine's archives and found the White Elephant by Isaac Shumway as his take on fruitcake flavors via a 2021 article. Isaac opened the California Gold bar in San Rafael, California, in 2019, so perhaps he created it there. As sort of a Rob Roy meets a French Connection (a Cognac-based Godfather) with a touch of walnut in the mix, I was willing to give this one a shot. Here, the White Elephant approached with a grape and almond bouquet. Next, the vermouth's grape continued on into the sip where it was followed by smoky Scotch, Cognac, and herbal flavors on the swallow with fruity-nutty accents from the amaretto and walnut ones from the nocino.

exploding plastic inevitable

1 1/2 oz Mezcal (Peloton de la Muerte)
1/2 oz Amaro Braulio
1/2 oz Apricot Liqueur (Rothman & Winter)
1/2 oz Lime Juice
2 dash Peychaud's Bitters

Shake with ice and strain into a cocktail coupe.After seeing folks make my As I Lay Dying on Instagram, I thought about the Braulio-apricot combination and merged it with the Pendennis Club. In retrospect, I could have left out the Pendennis Club's Peychaud's akin to the Campari acting like the Pegu Club's Angostura in the Jasmine, but Peychaud's has a good track record of improving drinks. I named this weird one after the multimedia events in the 1960s thrown by Andy Warhol and friends called the Exploding Plastic Inevitable that I read about in Ada Calhoun's St. Marks is Dead book. In the glass, the Exploding Plastic Inevitable evolved a smoke, apricot, vegetal, and pine bouquet. Next, lime and orchard fruit on the sip spun into smoke, bitter pine and apricot, and vegetal flavors on the swallow.

on the beltline

1 1/2 oz Old Forester Bourbon (Old Grand-Dad Bonded)
1/2 oz Planteray Xaymaca Rum
1/4 oz Lustau Pedro Ximenez Sherry (El Maestro Sierra)
1 tsp Giffard Crème de Cacao (Bols)
1 dash Bitter End Moroccan Bitters (The Bitter Housewife Cardamom)

Stir with ice, strain into an old fashioned glass with a large ice cube, and garnish with an orange twist. Note: no instructions were given, so this was my best guess.Two Sundays ago, I was perusing online recipe flashcard sets when I came across an interesting recipe from the Forth Club in Atlanta last year. The drink was On the Beltline with a split Bourbon-rum base sweetened by sherry and crème de cacao, and its name seemed to be a boxing reference for a low but legal blow until I learned that the Atlanta Beltline is a 22 mile former railway corridor around Atlanta that has helped to redevelop the city. After I mixed this up like an Old Fashioned, the On the Beltline bloomed with orange, raisin, and chocolate aromas. Next, grape and caramel notes on the sip flowed into Bourbon, funky rum, dried fruit, and chocolate flavors on the swallow.

polynesian paradise

1 1/2 oz Gold Rum (Planteray Isle of Fiji)
1 tsp Brown Sugar
3/4 oz Lime Juice
1/2 oz Sweet Vermouth (Giacomo Sperone)
1/4 oz Triple Sec (Cointreau)

Stir brown sugar and lime juice to dissolve. Add the rest of the ingredients, shake with ice, and strain into a cocktail glass.Two Saturdays ago, I reached for my copy of Stan Jones' 1977 Jones' Complete Barguide and spotted the Polynesian Paradise. The recipe reminded me of a Floridita in style: rum, lime, vermouth, and two sweeteners that I mirrored in the Devil Walking Next to Me and Creolita, and a Daiquiri riff sounded like a perfect way to end the evening. Once shaken and strained, the Polynesian Paradise welcomed the senses with a rum funk, lime, and brown sugar aroma. Next, lime, molasses, and grape notes on the sip sailed away towards rum, brown sugar, orange, and herbal flavors on the swallow.

five year plan

1 1/4 oz Yellowstone Bourbon (Old Grand-Dad Bonded)
1/2 oz Delord Napoleon Armagnac (Marie Duffau)
1/4 oz Don Ciccio Nocino (Russo Nocino)
1 tsp Cinnamon Syrup
1 dash Bittertruth Aromatic Bitters (Jerry Thomas Decanter Bitters)

Stir with ice, strain into an old fashioned glass with a large ice cube, and garnish with orange and lemon twists.Two Fridays ago, I returned to the Death & Co. marketplace site and landed on the recipe for the Five Year Plan. It was created by bartender Summer Goff at their Denver outpost in 2023, and Summer dubbed the drink after the question "Where do you see yourself in five years?" that sends Summer "reeling into absolute panic, and naming that cocktail after it is the closest thing I've gotten to an answer." With the same walnut liqueur-cinnamon syrup duo from The World is Yours from three days prior, I was game to give this one with Bourbon-Armagnac instead of Japanese whisky-sherry a go. In the glass, the Five Year Plan opened up with orange, lemon, cinnamon, and nutty aromas. Next, caramel-roast notes on the sip finished off with Bourbon, walnut, and cinnamon flavors on the swallow.

yamabuki

1 1/2 oz Suntory Toki Japanese Whisky
3/4 oz Dolin Blanc Vermouth
1/2 oz Amaro Montenegro
1 dash Angostura Orange Bitters
Stir with ice, strain into a coupe glass, and garnish with a lemon twist.Two Thursdays prior, I turned to Imbibe Magazine where I found the Yamabuki in an October 2020 article. The recipe was created by Evan Leihy at the Swordfish Cocktail Club in Greenville, South Carolina, and Yamabuki translates to "mountain breath." Since the Montenegro-blanc vermouth combination worked well in the Catnap with Jamaican rum, I was curious to see how it would play out with Japanese whisky. In the glass, the Yamabuki gave forth lemon and clementine aromas to the nose. Next, white grape notes with a hit of orange-apricot came through on the sip and were followed by whisky, clementine, nectarine, and floral flavors on the swallow.