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.