ka lima lima hema

4 1/2 oz Four Roses Bourbon (3 oz Evan Williams Bonded)
1 1/2 oz Planteray OFTD Rum (1 oz)
1 1/2 oz Lemon Juice (1 oz)
1 1/2 oz Orange Juice (1 oz)
1 1/2 oz Passion Fruit Juice (1/2 oz Passion Fruit Syrup)
1 1/2 oz Luxardo Amaretto (1 oz)
3/4 oz Honey Syrup (1/2 oz)
3/4 oz Grenadine (1/2 oz)

Flash blend (whip shake) with crushed ice, pour into a bowl, fill with crushed ice, and garnish with 2 orchids (2 stems ornamental pea blossoms) and a sparkler (omit). Serve with 4 straws (2 straws).

Two Thursdays ago, Andrea was in the mood for some liquid air conditioning, so I decided on a large format drink, the Ka Lima Lima Hema, that I had found in online recipe flashcards for Houston's Kanaloa. The drink appears in Houston's Chronicle article on sharable drinks around town in 2019, and I shrunk down this serving for four by a third. The amaretto stood out for I have only had that ingredient in tropical-like drinks twice: in the Mai Tai-like Arrack & A Hard Place and the classic Caribbean Punch, so I was curious to try it in this mix. Moreover, the Bourbon-OFTD Rum combination was one that I utilized in the Cobra's Tail and enjoyed in the (And) Knobs Is Thirteen. This large format item also allowed me to finally use the Munktiki Sea Mine bowl that I received years ago in a bartender Secret Santa (the shrunk down by a third build was still not big enough for its 40 ounce capacity). The Ka Lima Lima Hema conjured up a floral bouquet to the nose. Next, orange, lemon, caramel, and passion fruit notes on the sip transformed into Bourbon, rum, passion fruit, almond, and berry flavors on the swallow. Overall, it reminded me perhaps of a more complex Fiji Mermaid.

feet first in the deep end

1 oz Evan Williams Bonded Bourbon
1/2 oz Moderately Aged Rum (Doorly's 12 Year)
1/2 oz Light Aged/Filtered Rum (Privateer Tres Aromatique)
3/8 oz Tempus Fugit Crème de Banane
1/8 oz Amaro Abano
1 dash Angostura Bitters

Stir with ice, strain into a double old fashioned with a large ice cube, and garnish with oils from both a lemon twist and an orange twist. Continuing on with my revisiting my well worn in Tiki books, I grabbed my copy of Minimalist Tiki book by Matt Pietrek and Carrie Smith. There, I encountered the Feet First in the Deep End by Shelby Allison and Erin Hayes at Lost Lake in Chicago that I had previously skipped over for I did not have Amaro Abano until 2022 yet had exhausted the other recipes a few years after it was published in 2015. In the glass the Feet First in the Deep End welcomed the senses with orange, lemon, caramel, and rum aromas. Next, caramel notes on the sip flowed into Bourbon, rum, banana, clove, and allspice flavors on the swallow.

rumscullion

2 oz Aged Demerara Rum (Hamilton's 86° Demerara River)
1 oz Punt e Mes
1 tsp Falernum (Velvet)
8 drop Herbsaint
1 dash Fee's Old Fashioned Bitters (Fee's Whiskey Barrel-Aged)

Stir with ice, strain into a cocktail glass, and garnish with a long orange twist.Two Tuesdays ago, I reached for Beachbum Berry's Remixed book to uncover a glossed-over gem. There, I found Craig Hermann a/k/a Colonel Tiki's Rumscullion that he created in 2008 at the Thatch Tiki Bar in Portland, Oregon. The combination reminded me of the Zakim but with rum and absinthe instead of whiskey, so I was intrigued. While the book's recipe suggested El Dorado 12 Year, I used what I had. Craig mentioned on my Instagram post that, "The original used ED15, and I must add any aged Demerara or like full-bodied non-funky rum work plenty fine: I have used Foursquare Barbados vintage/named expressions to great success. At its heart, the drink is a rum Manhattan variation. The inspiration was to recreate and home in on the Chinotto sour orange flavors I grew to love so much in bitter sodas (notably the San Peregrino)." Once prepared, the Rumscullion gave forth an orange, caramel, grape, and anise aroma. Next, caramel and grape notes on the sip opened up into woody rum, bitter herbal, clove, and cinnamon flavors on the swallow.

bright side

1 oz Armagnac (Marie Duffau Napoleon)
1 oz Rye Whiskey (Rittenhouse)
3/4 oz Banana Liqueur (Tempus Fugit)
1/2 oz Orgeat
3/4 oz Lemon Juice

Whip shake with crushed ice, pour into a glass, fill with crushed ice, and garnish with dashes of Angostura Bitters and mint. Two Mondays ago, I ventured back to a set of online recipe flashcards for Raines Law Room in Manhattan, and I selected the Bright Side as a great use of my new batch of orgeat. I was able to date this drink to around 2018 where it appeared on a menu photo on Yelp. Indeed, the combination of crème de banane, orgeat, and citrus reminded me of the Mr. Wednesday, Banana Hammock, and Escape from Monkey Island, so I was definitely intrigued. In the glass, the Bright Side gave forth mint, allspice, and clove aromas from the garnish. Next, a creamy, lemon, and caramel sip pushed through to rye, brandy, earthy, nutty, and caramelized banana flavors on the swallow.

final say

3/4 oz Gin (Treehouse Percy's)
3/4 oz Maraschino (Luxardo)
3/4 oz Crème de Violette (Rothman & Winter)
3/4 oz Lime Juice

Shake with ice, strain into a cocktail coupe, and garnish with a lime wheel (omit).Two Sundays prior, I reached for my copy of The Official Downtown Abbey Cocktail Book ghostwritten by Lou Bustamante, and I decided on finally making the drink that got me to buy the book – the Final Say. I first learned of this drink when one of my coworkers requested it when they visited the bar, and I was able to find the recipe online that also mentioned the source; I later bought the book when I found it for a good price online. This Last Word riff was created in reference to Violet, the matriarch of the Crawley family, who gets what she wants, and the equal parts crème de violette recipe reminded me of the Blooey Blues (the Water Lily ought to be as well, but I had it as a non-equal parts recipe). Moreover, the gin, Maraschino, citrus, and floral liqueur aspect made me think of Brick & Mortar's Time Traveler with elderflower as well as the other Final Say that I had recently with a mix of elderflower and Benedictine in place of the Chartreuse. Once shaken and strained, the Final Say greeted the senses with a nutty cherry and violet floral bouquet. Next, lime and cherry notes on the sip developed into juniper, floral, and cherry flavors on the swallow.

pineapple manhattan

2 1/2 oz Planteray Pineapple Rum
1 oz Cinzano Sweet Vermouth (Giacomo Speroni)
3 dash Angostura Bitters

Stir with ice, strain into a coupe glass, and garnish with a pineapple leaf-cherry flag (cherry only).Two Saturdays ago, I found a set of online recipe flashcards for Kanaloa in Houston, and the simple yet strong Pineapple Manhattan called out to me as a nightcap. An October 2018 article in the Houston Press mentioned this Palmetto riff as being part of the opening menu. My mixology skills here yielded a caramel, dark rum, and caramelized pineapple aroma. Next, grape and caramel notes on the sip sailed into dark rum, herbal, pineapple, allspice, and clove flavors on the swallow.

salvatore

2 oz Rhum Agricole (Rhum JM 100° Blanc)
1/2 oz Cynar
1/4 oz Benedictine
1/4 oz Amaro Ciociaro

Stir with ice, strain into a coupe glass, and garnish with a lemon twist.Two Fridays ago, I was perusing Difford's Guide when I spotted the Salvatore by J.E. Clapham that he created earlier this year. The Benedictine and Picon-like Ciociaro combination reminded me of Deep Ellum's Creole Variation (or perhaps a regular Creole with a rum base and Cynar serving as the sweet vermouth). Clapham commented on my Instagram that he created this with an aged rhum agricole, but I thought the result with a blanc was delicious even without barrel age notes. In the glass, the Salvatore ascended to the nose with lemon, grassy, plastic, and herbal aromas. Next, caramel notes on the sip opened up into funky and grassy rum, orange, and bitter herbal flavors on the swallow.

banana bamboo

1 1/2 oz Dry Vermouth (Dolin)
1 oz Amontillado Sherry (Lustau)
1/2 oz Tempus Fugit Crème de Banane
2 dash Scrappy's Chocolate Bitters (Angostura Cocoa)
1 dash Scrappy's Orange Bitters

Stir with ice, strain into a coupe, and garnish with a lemon twist.The excitement about the Bamboo aperitif that was rekindled with Backbar's special menu where I enjoyed the Bamboo Tyrant carried on when I spotted the Banana Bamboo by Joshua Perez. Josh entered this recipe he created at Bar Tram in Tokyo circa 2023 into the KindredCocktails database. It utilized Death & Co.'s Amontillado-containing Bamboo recipe (instead of the more common Fino one) that I also opted for in the Tiki-driven Chief Bamboo Bamboo that I crafted two days after the Backbar event. Once mixed, the Banana Bamboo gave forth a lemon, raisin, and caramelized fruit bouquet to the nose. Next, grape and caramel notes on the sip blossomed into nutty grape, caramelized banana, and orange flavors on the swallow.

step into liquid

1 1/2 oz Planteray Pineapple Rum
1 oz Campari
3/4 oz Punt e Mes

Stir with ice, strain into an old fashioned glass with a large ice cube, and garnish with orange oil from a twist.Two Wednesdays ago, I returned the online recipe flashcards for the Liholiho Yacht Club in San Francisco that I utilized for the Pineapple Dance, and I landed on the Step into Liquid. As for a time estimate, I was able to spot the drink on a 2019 menu on Yelp, and it was perhaps named after the 2003 surfing documentary. While I have had other pineapple rum-Campari drinks in the Negroni ballpark, like the Pineapple Kingston Negroni, Best Fronds, and Jungle Boulevard, they all called for regular sweet vermouth instead of Punt e Mes. Once prepared, the Step into Liquid offered up orange, dark rum, pineapple, and herbal aromas to the nose. Next, grape and caramel notes on the sip gave way to rum, pineapple, bitter orange, and herbal flavors on the swallow.

black hand society

3/4 oz Fernet Branca
3/4 oz Campari
1/2 oz Pineapple Juice
1/2 oz Lime Juice
1/2 oz Cinnamon Syrup

Shake with ice and strain into a cocktail coupe.I was inspired by the previous night's Ai Ono, and I looked to the Gilda and the Ferrari (Fernet-Campari shot or drink motif) to mashup into a riff. I named the combination the Black Hand Society after the crime syndicate that took the place of the mafia in New Orleans circa 1900 that I learned about in Herbert Asbury's The French Quarter book. They were known for blackmail and sending death threats that were embellished with images of black hands and crimson skulls and crossbones — perfect symbolism for the Fernet and Campari components that worked great with the pineapple, lime, and cinnamon structure. The black and red motifs reminded me of the Fernet-Campari-containing Trash Polka that I named after a German style of tattooing that combines images done in either black or red ink. I surmised that I had a winner for Fernet, pineapple, cinnamon, and lime have worked well in the gin-based Awkwardly Tongue Tied. The Black Hand Society began with a fruity, caramel, cinnamon, and menthol aroma. Next, caramel, pineapple, and lime notes on the sip tried to intimidate caramel, bitter herbal, orange, menthol, and cinnamon flavors on the swallow.

ai ono

1 1/2 oz Knob Creek Bourbon (Evan Williams Bonded)
1/2 oz Cesar Florido Oloroso Sherry (Lustau)
1/2 oz Lime Juice
3/4 oz Pineapple Juice
1/2 oz Cinnamon Syrup

Shake with ice ice, strain into a cocktail coupe, and garnish with grated cinnamon.Two Mondays ago, I continued on with the tropical mood with a drink from Monkeypod Wailei in Hawaii called the Ai Ono. I was able to find the recipe through online recipe flashcards, and I spotted a cocktail photo on the FollowThePiper site as well as a photo on Yelp from as early as 2017. While this recipe and the current menu on their website call for Oloroso sherry, I was able to find another perhaps older flashcard set that called for Lustau East India Solera Sherry (slightly sweeter with Oloroso + Pedro Ximenez). Overall, it read like Death & Co.'s Gilda but with Bourbon and sherry instead of tequila. In the glass, the Ai Ono gave forth a cinnamon, nutty sherry, and pineapple aroma. Next, lime, grape, and pineapple notes on the sip developed into Bourbon, pineapple, nutty, and cinnamon flavors on the swallow.

doctor yah-yah

1 1/2 oz Cynar
1/2 oz Green Chartreuse
1/2 oz Rhum Agricole (Rhum JM 100°)
3/4 oz Lime Juice
1/2 oz Orange Juice
1/4 oz Cinnamon Syrup
1/4 oz Donn's Spices #2 (1/8 oz Vanilla Syrup + 1/8 Allspice Dram (Hamilton's))
1 dash Angostura Bitters

Whip shake with crushed ice, pour into a Tiki mug, fill with crushed ice, and garnish with mint sprigs.Two Sundays ago, I had the idea of mashing up the Nui Nui classic Tiki drink's citrus and spices with the Cure's The Drink of Laughter and Forgetting's Cynar-Chartreuse base. For a name, I considered the New Orleans aspect of the Cure drink and dubbed this one the Doctor Yah-Yah after a voodoo practitioner known for his cures and potions that I read about in Herbert Asbury's The French Quarter book. In the Tiki mug, Doctor Yah-Yah enchanted mint, caramel, grassy, and lime aromas to the nose. Next caramel and lime notes on the sip melted into herbal, herbaceous, grassy, allspice, cinnamon, and vanilla flavors on the swallow.

pineapple dance

1 1/2 oz Planteray Pineapple Rum
1 oz Cynar
3/4 oz Pineapple Juice
1/2 oz Lemon Juice

Shake with ice and strain into a coupe glass.Two Saturdays ago, I uncovered a set of online recipe flashcards for the Liholiho Yacht Club in San Francisco. There, I latched on to the Pineapple Dance that could have been named after a dance studio that opened in London in 1979 in a former pineapple warehouse and spawned a dancewear clothing brand. As for a timeframe, I was able to find drink photos on Yelp between 2017-2019. Overall, the recipe reminded me a little of Derek Brown's The Getaway with the addition of a double dose of pineapple ingredients. Once shaken and strained, the Pineapple Dance welcomed the nose with pineapple, rum, caramel, and herbal bouquet. Next, caramel, pineapple, and lemon notes on the sip twirled into pineapple, rum, and funky herbal flavors on the swallow.

mexican necromancer

1 oz Reposado Tequila (Cimarron)
1 oz Mezcal (Peloton de la Muerte)
1/2 oz Cocchi Americano
1/2 oz Aperol
2 dash Angostura Bitters

Stir with ice, strain into a cocktail coupe, and garnish with a lemon twist.Two Fridays prior, I had spotted an interesting drink on Kindred Cocktails called the Mexican Necromancer that bartender Joshua Perez had posted. He crafted this at Middle Branch in Manhattan back in 2014 as an agave riff on Joseph Schwartz's gin-based Mercy, Mercy at Little Branch. With the tequila and mezcal, it also reminded me of the Dry Season but with bitters and slightly different proportions. Once mixed, the Mexican Necromancer enacted a lemon, smoky, and vegetal aroma. Next, orange and apricot notes on the sip transformed into smoky agave, orange, chocolate, and clove flavors on the swallow.

gnarly smash

1 1/2 oz Wild Turkey 101° Bourbon (Evan Williams Bonded)
1/2 oz Cynar
1/4 oz Simple Syrup
1 Strawberry
3 dash New Orleans Bitters (Peychaud's)

Muddle strawberry in an old fashioned glass, add the rest of the ingredients, and stir with pebble ice (muddle strawberry in a tin, add the rest of the ingredients, shake with ice, and double strain into an old fashioned glass, and fill with crushed ice). Garnish with a mint sprig.Two Thursdays ago, I spotted the carton of fresh strawberries that Andrea had bought, and I decided to make the Gnarly Smash that the Campari Academy had emailed me about (pointing to the non-attributed recipe on their website). Since the strawberry-Cynar combination worked so well in the Mr. Hyde from the Violet Hour, I was game to give this one a go. In the glass, the Gnary Smash proffered up mint, strawberry, and Bourbon aromas. Next, caramel and strawberry notes on the sip opened up into Bourbon, herbal, berry, and anise flavors on the swallow.

man in black

1 1/2 oz Dickel Rye (Rittenhouse)
1/2 oz Cynar
1/2 oz Luxardo Maraschino
1/4 oz Fernet Branca
2 dash Orange Bitters (Angostura Orange)

Stir with ice, strain into an old fashioned glass with a large ice cube, and garnish with an orange twist.Two Wednesdays ago, I decided to make the Man in Black crafted at the Victoria Bar in Portland, Oregon, that I found via online recipe flashcards. What I thought was a tribute to the Johnny Cash song and album resides on their current menu as posted on the bar's website; I later learned that all of the bar's drinks are references to the movie The Princess Bride (see the first comment). The drink was different from this Seattle-born Man in Black, and the structure and three of the four ingredients reminded me of Ryan McGrale's Down & Brown. Once prepared, the Man in Black entered with an orange, nutty cherry, and menthol bouquet. Next, caramel and cherry notes on the sip revealed rye, herbal, nutty cherry, and minty menthol flavors on the swallow.

spanish revival

3/4 oz Ocho Plata Tequila (Arette Blanco)
3/4 oz Giffard Pamplemousse (St. Elder)
3/4 oz Cointreau
3/4 oz Lemon Juice
Shake with ice, strain into a cocktail glass rinsed with absinthe (St. George), and garnish with a grapefruit twist.Two Tuesdays ago, I uncovered a collection of online recipe flashcards for the newly opened Williams & Graham location at the Denver Airport. The drink I picked off their inaugural list was the Spanish Revival, and I spotted this Corpse Reviver #2 riff on the bar's menu via an Instagram post in June. Overall, the recipe reminded me of the Soy Capitan that I made in late May but with Cointreau and absinthe instead of Aperol. In the glass, the Spanish Revival gave forth a grapefruit, anise, and orange aroma. Next, lemon, orange, and melon notes on the sip unfurled into tequila, grapefruit, and anise flavors on the swallow.

darling nikki

1 oz Xicaru Mezcal (Peloton de la Muerte)
1 oz Amaro Montenegro
1/2 oz Lime Juice
1/2 oz Simple Syrup
1/2 oz Strawberry Puree (1 medium Strawberry, muddled)

Shake with ice, (double) strain into a snifter or double old fashioned glass, and garnish with a mint sprig.After having enjoyed the D'yer Mak'er a few weeks before, I returned to the online recipe flashcards for Monkeypod Wailea in Hawaii and selected the Darling Nikki. This Prince song tribute was spotted in Yelp drink photos as far back as late 2018 and as recently as 2023. At first, it came across like an M&M shooter with lime and strawberry notes, but then I recalled Sable's Speaking in Tongues which had Abano and lemon instead of the Darling Nikki's Montenegro and lime. Once prepared, the Darling Nikki opened up with mint, vegetal, and smoke aromas. Next, lime and berry notes on the sip gave way to smoky, vegetal, strawberry, and clementine flavors on the swallow.

the marxist

1 1/2 oz Death's Door Gin
1/2 oz Cynar
1/2 oz Grapefruit Juice
1/2 oz Lemon Juice
1/2 oz Simple Syrup

Shake with ice and strain into a coupe glass.Two Sundays ago, I returned to the online recipe flashcards for 1 Tippling Place in Philadelphia and landed on The Marxist from around 2017 that made me think of the Socialist and Communist in name. In structure though, it reminded me of Sam Ross' Too Soon? but with grapefruit juice instead of the two orange wedges and perhaps the Bitter End with lemon and simple instead of Cointreau. Once prepared, The Marxist offered up a pine and grapefruit aroma. Next, lemon and caramel notes on the sip were overthrown by juniper, herbal, and grapefruit flavors on the swallow.

bird of paradise

1 1/2 oz Koloa Dark Rum or sub Coruba (Coruba)
1/4 oz Smith & Cross Rum
3/4 oz Campari
1/2 oz Koloa Coffee Liqueur (Borghetti)
3/4 oz Pineapple Juice
1/2 oz Lime Juice

Whip shake with crushed ice, pour into a pentagon glass (Tiki mug), fill with crushed ice, and garnish with a bamboo leaf (omit), mint, and an orchid (ornamental pea blossoms).Two Saturdays ago, I returned to my collection of online recipe flashcards for the Skull & Crown Trading Co. in Honolulu, and I honed in on the Bird of Paradise. Over all, it came across like a Jungle Bird meets a Mr. Bali Hai akin to my Sex Lives of Cannibals (that uses lemon instead of lime, an allspice dram layer on top, and a different garnish). Once built and garnished, the Bird of Paradise flew to the nose with a mint and coffee bouquet. Next, roast, pineapple, and lime notes on the sip landed on dark funky rum, coffee, and bitter orange-papaya flavors on the swallow.

tiger's claw

2 oz Reposado Tequila (Espolon)
1 oz Pineapple Juice
3/4 oz Lime Juice
1/2 oz Cinnamon Syrup
1/2 oz Coffee Liqueur (Borghetti)
2 dash Orange Bitters (Angostura Orange)

Whip shake, pour into a Collins glass (Tiki mug) filled with crushed ice, and garnish with an orange half moon (omit) and mint sprigs.Two Fridays ago, there was a good follow-up drink to the previous night's Urban Hiatus in my recipes-to-make list called the Tiger's Claw. I originally had spotted it in online flashcards for the menu-less speakeasy Idlewild, and I was pushed to make it when I saw it come into my Instagram feed by someone inspired by Steve the Bartender's post about it. I was able to track down the source as Erick Castro at Gilly's House of Cocktails in San Diego via a January 2025 Imbibe Magazine article. Overall, the recipe reminded me of Erick's Iron Ranger in structure even though the only exact overlap was the pineapple juice. Once assembled, the Tiger's Claw lashed out with a mint aroma. Next, pineapple, lime, and roast notes on the sip dug in and revealed tequila, coffee, and cinnamon flavors on the swallow.

urban hiatus

1 oz Del Maguey Mezcal Vida (Peloton de la Muerte)
1/2 oz Myers's Rum (Coruba)
1/2 oz Falernum (Velvet)
1/2 oz Simple Syrup
1/2 oz Lemon Juice
1/2 oz Pineapple Juice
1 dash Tiki Bitters (Bittercube Trinity)

Whip shake, pour into a Highball glass, fill with crushed ice, and garnish with a mint sprig wrapped in a long lemon twist.Two Thursdays ago, I peered into Eastern Standard's bar bible that I acquired during the Pandemic closure, and I latched on to the Urban Hiatus. Overall, it appeared like a mezcal-dark Jamaican rum riff on Erick Castro's Iron Ranger, so I was game to give it a go. In the glass, the Urban Hiatus gave forth a lemon, mint, pineapple, and smoke bouquet. Next, caramel, lemon, and pineapple notes on the sip developed into dark rum, vegetal, pineapple, rum funk, and smoke flavors on the swallow.

rusty ringo

1 3/4 oz Boulard VSOP Calvados
1/4 oz Talisker 10 Year Scotch (Laphroaig 10 Year)
1/2 oz Drambuie

Stir with ice, strain into an old fashioned glass with a large ice cube, and garnish with a gold leaf (omit).

Two Wednesdays ago, I had spotted a drink called the Rusty Ringo on a friend's Instagram post early that day, and I soon found this drink served at Bar Goto in New York City in a 2022 Punch article. Forbes published the recipe the recipe a year earlier in 2021 and attributed the recipe to bar director Kenta Goto who explained, "I'm always a big fan of Scotch. And if you really like it, you have also probably heard of a Rusty Nail, which is traditionally made with Scotch and Drambuie. In this riff on the classic that we're serving on our new winter menu at Bar Goto's Brooklyn outpost, Bar Goto Niban, we add Calvados. The apple brandy adds a beautiful aroma that works very well with Drambuie, which is made from Scotch and honey. The resulting cocktail is velvety and luxurious and is perfect to sip after a big holiday meal." Indeed, the Calvados-Drambuie duo is one that I appreciated in Death & Co.'s Widow's Laurel and Trina's Starlite Lounge's Bonita Applebum. Moreover, the Scotch-apple brandy-Drambuie trio is one that I utilized in my Lost in the Supermarket and the 3:20 in the Morning, so I was curious to give this drink a try. Once built, the Rusty Ringo gave forth apple, honey, and smoke aromas to the nose. Next, honey and apple notes continued on into the sip where they were joined by apple, peat smoke, and herbal flavors on the swallow. Overall, I wish that I had tried a different smoky Scotch such as Caol Ila or Ardbeg for Laphroaig's more medicinal notes that I usually enjoy came across as slightly off in this combination.

mr. hyde

2 oz Belle Meade Bourbon (Evan Williams Bonded)
1/4 oz Lazzaroni Amaretto (Luxardo)
1/4 oz Ancho Reyes Chile Liqueur
1/4 oz Gomme Syrup (Demerara Syrup)
2 dash Spiced Cherry Bitters (King Floyd's Cherry-Cacao)
2 dash Orange Bitters (Angostura Orange)

Stir with ice, strain into an old fashioned glass with ice, and garnish with an orange twist.Two Tuesdays ago, I returned to the online recipe flashcards for Cork & Cow in Franklin, Tennessee, that I found the Smooth Operator. There, I selected the Mr. Hyde that reminded me of a spicy Boss (a Bourbon Godfather) that was very different from the amari-driven Mr. Hyde that I had made before. I was able to date this to circa 2019 through a GoogleMaps menu photo. In the glass, the Mr. Hyde conjured up orange, Bourbon, and almond aromas. Next, an orchard fruit and almond sip opened up into Bourbon, almond, peach, chili, and cherry flavors on the swallow.

over the blue moon

2 oz Appleton Signature Rum
1/2 oz Cynar
1/4 oz Espresso Liqueur (Mr. Black)
1/4 oz Cinnamon Demerara Syrup
2 dash Mole Bitters (Bittermens)

Stir with ice, strain into a double old fashioned glass smoked with cinnamon, add a large ice cube, and garnish with freshly grated almond.Two Mondays ago, I returned to the online recipe flashcards for Forget Me Not in Denver, and I opted for the Over the Blue Moon circa 2021. Besides the information gleaned from the flashcard, the restaurant group sells this as a cocktail kit and provides specific build directions. While the flashcard mentioned a house rum blend of Appleton and Planteray without mentioning which type of the former and which island the latter, the kit utilizes Appleton Signature which is what I went with here. Indeed, the combination of rum, Cynar, and coffee liqueur is one that I have utilized in the Why Don't You Do Right after having had it before in drinks like the Belafonte and Lake Union. In the glass, the Over the Blue Moon gave forth a caramel, vegetal, coffee, almond, and hint of acrid smoke aroma. Next, caramel and roast notes on the sip blossomed into rum, vegetal, coffee, and cinnamon flavors on the swallow.

los muertos

2 oz Arette Blanco Tequila
3/4 oz Lime Juice
3/4 oz Grapefruit Juice
1/2 oz Falernum (Velvet)
1/2 oz Cinnamon Syrup
1 bsp Grenadine (1/8 oz)
1 bsp Ginger Syrup (1/8 oz)

Build in a Hurricane glass (Collins), fill with crushed ice, swizzle to mix and chill, and garnish with mint sprigs.Two Sundays ago, I selected the bar bible for the Hawthorne that I acquired shortly after they closed the bar due to the Pandemic, and there I latched on to Los Muertos by bartender Jason Kilgore. I estimate that it was created circa 2014-2015 given that one of Jason's work bios listed his tenure there as January 2014-January 2016). Overall, it read like a Swizzle with tequila Zombie vibes (with ginger syrup instead of Angostura and Herbsaint), so I was sold. Once prepared, the Los Muertos greeted the senses with a mint bouquet. Next, a grapefruit, berry, and lime sip rose up into tequila, cinnamon, red berry, and ginger flavors on the swallow.

fairy tale story

1 1/2 oz Broker's Gin (Fords)
1/2 oz Dolin Dry Vermouth
1/2 oz Aperol
1/2 oz Cointreau

Stir with ice, strain into a coupe glass, and garnish with a lemon twist.Two Saturdays ago, I got home late and was in the mood for something easier and quicker to make than the previous evening's Tiki-for-two, and I soon landed on the Fairy Tale Story. This stirred gin drink that I sourced from online recipe flashcards was created at the Good Neighbor Bar in Los Angeles, and I spotted it on a recent menu on Yelp. Overall, it reminded me at first a little of the Franken Jack but with Aperol instead of apricot liqueur, and later of No. 9's Negroni riff the Contessa with gin, dry vermouth, and Aperol crossed with their other Negroni riff the Patrician with gin and Cointreau. Once stirred and strained, the Fairy Tale Story opened up with lemon oil and orange aromas. Next, a semi-sweet orange and white grape sip transformed into juniper, orange, and a hint of fruity and bitter herbal flavors on the swallow.

skull & crown

2 oz Planteray OFTD Rum
1 oz Kuleana Nanea Rum (1/2 oz Uruapan Charanda + 1/2 oz Monymusk Gold)
1 oz El Dorado 8 Year Rum (Hamilton's 86° Demerara River)
1 1/2 oz Lime Juice
1 oz Velvet Falernum
1/ oz Cinnamon Syrup
1 oz Grapefruit Juice
1/2 oz Grenadine

Whip shake, pour into a skull Tiki mug (Tiki bowl), fill with crushed ice, and garnish with flaming half lime shell (ignited El Dorado 151°) and orchid (ornamental pea blossoms).Two Fridays ago, Andrea was in the mood for something tropical, so I decided to make this drink for two that I found in a set of online recipe flashcards for the Skull & Crown Trading Co. menu in Honolulu. The eponymously named Skull & Crown seemed like a winner for it read like a Zombie riff without bitters or absinthe. The flashcard recipe did not contain any garnish information, but I was able to glean that from a photo in a 2019 Honolulu Magazine article. The article also suggested that the flash card-specified Kuleana Nanea, a Central American and Caribbean molasses rum blend mixed with Hawaiian agricole, was originally Bacardi 8 Year back in 2019, and I utilized a Mexican agricole blend supplemented with some mild aged Jamaican rum. This delight once prepared greeted the senses with a lime, rum, and cinnamon aroma on top of the dazzling fireshow that we soon after extinguished. Next, caramel, berry, and lime notes on the sip were beseiged by funky rums, cinnamon, grapefruit peel, and clove flavors on the swallow.

mistah bittah hai

1 1/4 oz Batavia Arrack (Von Oosten)
3/4 oz Mezcal (Peloton de la Muerte)
3/4 oz Punt e Mes
1/4 oz Coffee Liqueur (Borghetti)
3/4 oz Grapefruit Juice
1/2 oz Lime Juice
3/4 oz Simple Syrup
1 dash Angostura Bitters
1 dash Orange Bitters (Angostura Orange)
1 pinch Salt (4 drop 20% Saline)

Whip shake with crushed ice, pour into a Pilsner mug (Tiki mug), and garnish with mint sprigs, grapefruit slice (grapefruit twist), and a smoldering cinnamon stick.Two Thursdays, I returned to a 2024 Imbibe Magazine article for a Tiki drink called the Mistah Bittah Hai. The recipe was crafted by Jacoby Morciglio at Adrift Tiki Bar in Denver as a Mr. Bali Hai riff, and the magazine described how Jacoby "loves the combo of coffee and fruit in the tropical classic Mr. Bali Hai, but to play up the recipe's bittersweet notes, he swaps pineapple juice for grapefruit and brings in bitters and sweet vermouth. A touch of mezcal adds another dimension of flavor." Unlike the article's semi-vague recipe, the bar's Instagram specifies that the sweet vermouth mentioned is Punt e Mes and the Indonesian rum is Batavia Arrack (my recipe above is a hybrid of the magazine and the bar's social media post). Moreover, the article suggested Mexican rum or Rhum Agricole if Batavia Arrack is unavailable. Once prepared, the Mistah Bittah Hai gave forth a mint, grapefruit, and acrid cinnamon smoke aroma. Next, lime, grape, and roast notes on the sip developed into earthy, vegetal, bitter, grapefruit, coffee, and smoke flavors on the swallow.

3/4 monty

1 1/2 oz Rittenhouse Rye
3/4 oz Amaro Montenegro
1/2 oz Lime Juice
1/2 oz Grapefruit Juice
3/4 oz Simple Syrup
2 dash Angostura Bitters

Shake with ice, strain into a coupe glass, and garnish with a grapefruit twist and an orchid (grapefruit twist and ornamental pea blossom).Two Wednesdays ago, I returned to the set of online recipe flashcards from Forget Me Not in Denver that I had utilized only once back in December with the Bonnie & Clyde. The one that caught my eye this time was the 3/4 Monty, and 303 Magazine had an article in March 2021 about the bar's opening menu that described how it was named after "a three-quarter ounce pour of Montenegro Amaro" instead of going the full monty; Yelp also had a drink photo of it in March 2021. The name made me think of Platform Lime and 3/4 at Backbar, and the combination reminded me a little of a rye version of the Pegu Club. In the glass, the 3/4 Monty began with a grapefruit and orange bouquet. Next, lime and orange notes on the sip developed into rye, orange, grapefruit, allspice, and clove flavors on the swallow.

space pilot

1 oz Mezcal (Peloton de la Muerte)
1/2 oz 151° Rum (Diamond 151° Demerara)
1/2 oz Coruba Dark Jamaican Rum
1/2 oz Falernum (Velvet)
1/2 oz Grenadine
1/2 oz Lime Juice
1/2 oz Grapefruit Juice
3 dash Angostura Bitters (2 dash)
6 dash Absinthe (24 drop St. George)

Whipshake with crushed ice, pour into a Huricane glass (Tiki mug), and fill with crushed ice. Garnish instructions were "show stopper" and GoogleMaps and Yelp photos seemed to show mint sprigs, orchid, and citrus slices (mint sprigs only).Two Tuesdays prior, I ventured back to online recipe flashcards for Polite Provisions in San Diego and spotted the Space Pilot as a tasty-looking tropical drink. I soon found mentions of it on Yelp menu photos and reviews in 2022. With the mezcal and Jet Pilot structure (save for the grenadine in place of cinnamon syrup), it made me think of the Smoking Jet Pilot. Intriguingly, the duo of grenadine and falernum are two of the three sweeteners in the Zombie with the grenadine aspect missing in the Jet Pilot (see the "Change My Mind" meme that I created a few years ago down below). Once assembled, the Space Pilot launched to the nose with a mint bouquet. Next, berry, caramel, lime, and grapefruit notes on the sip orbited smoky, dark rum, vegetal, berry, and clove flavors on the swallow.