mirage

1 oz Bourbon (Evan Williams Bonded)
1 oz Oloroso Sherry (Lustau Amontillado)
1/2 oz Aged Dark Rum (1/4 oz each Planteray's OFTD & Fiji)
1/2 oz Maple Syrup
2 dash Orange Bitters (Angostura Orange)

Stir with ice, strain into a coupe glass, and garnish with a lemon twist. After I landed back in Boston from my Portland adventure, I was in the mood for a nightcap so I reached for my copy of The Madrusan Cocktail Companion book by Michael and Zara Madrusan. There, I selected the Mirage by Joyce Chang at Bar Margaux in Melbourne circa 2024 from the book's Manhattan section. Since maple and sherry have been good bedmates in recipes ranging from the Mapplethorpe to the Midtown, I was game to give this one a go (when I was drinking it, Erick Castro's French Toast Flip came to mind, but the other examples in retrospect are more stripped down ingredient-wise). In the glass, the Mirage glimmered to the senses with rum funk, maple, and nutty grape aromas. Next, grape and amber notes on the sip opened up into Bourbon, nutty sherry, and maple flavors with rum undertones on the swallow.

:: how to talk to your bar hero ::

I recently returned from Portland Cocktail Week where there was a mixed array of attendees, presenters, and staff in the bar industry at all levels from being in their first few years to being well into their second decade with tons of accolades. There is always the question of how do you approach someone that you have heard about or look up to and make it seem authentic and not awkward? And if you are at a level where folks might want to learn from you, how can you make yourself more approachable?

Back in the first year of graduate school, I joined the college radio station's punk programming team, the Record Hospital. I was trained by senior DJ Morgan Andrews who also played bass for the Boston band the Swirlies at the time. While Morgan gave me a lot of tips on everything on how mix records to how to do a proper ticket give away, the most valuable advice that he gave me that still carries on is, "If you want to meet a big rockstar, don't talk about music. Talk about something like skateboarding. That way they are on the same level as you." I remember talking to Dale DeGroff the first time. He, my wife, and I were all taking a way too early flight from Tales of the Cocktail 2010 to an airport in New York City (and we would be connecting on to Boston). When I spotted him reading the newspaper in the terminal and mentioned to my wife that I would like to talk to him, she encouraged me. I did not have a gameplan in mind, but luckily Dale is always on. He immediately asked where I was from and then praised how well various Boston bars and bartenders had done at the awards or in the events that they helped run that past week. That meeting went well mostly due to the fact that Dale is a consummate hospitalitarian, but I have had other meeting moments of people that I had looked up to on paper (especially due to their recipes that I had made in my home bar) that have come off as at best awkward and at worst traumatizing to me (or both of us) and that I wish had been avoided.

When I first met David Wondrich at an event in Boston, we talked extensively about music which was what he was writing about before he started focusing on cocktails for Esquire and his books. In fact, most future meetings with Dale have led into discussing music especially jazz, and it was probably a joy for him not to be talking about cocktails and bartending for a brief moment. Especially when Dale had a chance to talk about all the jazz greats that he got to meet or convinced to play an impromptu set at his bar. I have enacted similar tactics with other bar professionals, although first that commonality in an outside field or interest has to be gleaned whether in conversation, in observation, or by online research. During Portland Cocktail Week, I was surrounded my a lot of young bartenders with a smattering of amazing veterans like Shawn Soole, Kate Gerwin, and Toby Maloney. I tried to talk to as many people as I could especially while waiting in line for an event or on the shuttle bus. I connected with one 25 year old bartender not by discuss bartending or recipes but through literature; I was able to share books that I was reading during those years such as post-WWII Japanese authors and beat authors that taught me much about life and discovering our place in the world when I was their age. With a married distiller couple, I had an amazing conversation about our respective experiences vegetable gardening and pickling this season instead of discussing their whiskey (that I knew I was going to hear about later that evening). Others displayed clothing or other items of punk, goth, or metal theme that made for interesting ways of chatting with them about art, culture, travel, and music; it did lead into some discussions about the job ranging from how to advance in the craft to how to rework a resume. Even cool tattoos helped start a conversation with bartenders that were in a different style of bonding than the circa 2010 discussions of bars, recipes, and techniques.

Besides taking the initiative, I also made myself more approachable by dressing down in t-shirts and wearing brand swag of things like Fernet Branca, Malört, or Jagermeister instead of dressing up to my professional statute. Perhaps the professionalism is necessary when doing business or at certain brand events, but for Portland Cocktail Week, it seemed like a bit of overkill and out of place for the liberal bastion of "war-torn" Portland. Smiling, keeping a sense of humor, and joking with folks made me more approachable. A few folks sought me out for advice or renegade mentoring sessions (past the nine official ones I did that week) because I made myself appear welcoming. There were definitely a few people that I wanted to speak to that week but their intensity of clothes or facial expression was a little off putting. One bar professional was dressed to the nines, and I did not feel as comfortable approaching them although I did introduce my mentee to them since they were in the same city. Another bar professional who had a serious look to them, although I later chatted with them (since we had briefly met at the USBG nation event in Atlanta this past May) that led to an hour long phone call about career trajectories a few days after PDXCW was over.

The bottom line is to always be searching for that talk about skateboarding moment when not only looking up but over or even down to the less experienced. You never know where that great conversation will lead or how it will inspire you, so make yourself less intimidating and more inviting to see what can transpire. My wife was pleased and noted how much of the old me had returned back from Portland and how inspired I seemed as a result of these interactions all week.

crooked kilt (accomplice bar)

1 oz Laphroaig 10 Year Scotch (*)
1/2 oz Oloroso Sherry (*)
1/2 oz Green Chartreuse
1/2 oz Falernum
1/2 oz Pineapple Juice
1/2 oz Lime Juice

Whip shake, pour into a Cobbler-appropriate glass, fill with crushed ice, and garnish with mint sprigs.
(*) Original has: 1 1/2 oz J&B Blended Scotch as the base spirit and a Laphroaig spritz as part of the garnish; this is my guess on the Laphroaig and sherry amounts assuming that the Accomplice Bar held everything else constant from the NoMad recipe. The Wednesday night of Portland Cocktail Week, I stopped by an unofficial event at the Scotch Lodge after the last official event of the evening, ChurroFest, was over. Scotch Lodge was hosting the Accomplice Bar with their menu of "The Accomplice Guide to Los Angeles Cocktails." The one I selected was the Crooked Kilt which appeared to be their take on Leo Robitschek's recipe from The NoMad Cocktail Book. All the ingredients appeared the same except for the removal of the blended Scotch base and perhaps shifting the aromatic Laphroaig garnish to replace it; moreover, Oloroso made an appearance. Therefore, the above recipe is my best guest using the original combined with Accomplice's menu's ingredient list and my intuition from tasting it. The two visiting bartenders were way too frantic to keep up with all the service tickets to ask, and the bar never replied to my Instagram message, so I figured that this was the best that I could do. Leo described his creation as "A Scotch Cobbler with bitter, green pineapple notes," and I was all for that with an upping of Islay smoke and the addition of dried fruit notes. In the glass, this Crooked Kilt emanated mint and herbaceous aromas. Next, pineapple, grape, and lime on the sip blossomed into smoky Scotch, pineapple, nutty sherry, and clove flavors on the swallow.

velvet tuxedo no. 2

1 3/4 oz Fords Gin
1/2 oz Fords Sloe Gin
1/4 oz Maraschino Liqueur
1/4 oz Dry Vermouth
1/4 oz Blanc Vermouth
2 dash Orange Bitter

Stir with ice and strain into a coupe glass, garnish with spritzes of absinthe and a cherry. For the drinks served in class, the batch bottles were rinsed with absinthe before being filled and chilled, and we were allowed to pour and garnish our own drinks (I chose an orange peel and cherry that appeared on the presentation's photo). Two Wednesdays ago, I attended a six hour class called "Hospitality by Design" sponsored by Fords Gin. In between the morning and afternoon sessions was a three-Martini lunch that began with a classic Gin Martini and Gibson and ended with one of the most elegant drinks of the week, the Velvet Tuxedo No. 2. The presentation's slide read, "Our final martini is a riff on the Tuxedo No. 2, made with Fords Gin, Fords Sloe Gin, dry vermouth, Maraschino liqueur, orange bitters, and a kiss of absinthe. Named after the Tuxedo Club in New York, it's a Martini dressed for evening. Elegant, aromatic, slightly sweet, with a touch of sloe and stone fruit notes, it finds its match in a rich chocolate dessert. The cocktail's floral notes lift the dessert, while the gin's structure cuts through its cocoa richness." In my glass, the Velvet Tuxedo No. 2 offered up orange, berry, nutty cherry, and pine aromas. Next, a semi-sweet, red and purple fruit, and hint of cherry notes on the sip gently slid into juniper, semi-bitter tannic fruit, and anise flavors on the swallow. For those wishing to make this as accurately as possible, Fords Sloe Gin is a seasonal limited release, so keep an eye out for it.

:: cocktail rock: drinks inspired by the clash ::

I recall my amazement back in 1982 when The Clash’s video for “Rock the Casbah” came on MTV. The edgy haircuts, the musicians stomping in the sand in front of an oil rig, the military-cut outfits, and of course the armadillo running by in various scenes caught my attention as something very different from the new wave and pop videos that station had been playing. I got exposed further to the band when my brother bought the 2-CD set of The Story of the Clash, but my true education of fitting The Clash into the scope of things was when I became a radio DJ at WHRB’s punk, hardcore, and experimental programming, the Record Hospital, during graduate school. There, I had access to music that had similar political messaging as well as punk that hybridized with reggae, rockabilly, and other influences. The Clash formed in 1976 in the early moments of the British punk scene around a year after the Sex Pistols began and concurrent with groups like The Damned, The Vibrators, and The Jam. The original band line up consisted of Mick Jones and Joe Strummer on both guitars and vocals, Paul Simonon on bass, and Terry Chimes on drums. Chimes’ initial time with the band was short for he was replaced by Topper Headon in May 1977 soon after the release of their first album, and the roster remained more or less as such until Headon was kicked out until he beat his drug habit and until the band was officially retired with Strummer’s death in 2002. Joe Strummer in a New Musical Express article in late 1976 described the band’s manifesto as “I think people ought to know that we’re anti-fascist, we’re anti-violence, we’re anti-racist and we’re pro-creative. We’re against ignorance.”

The band’s sound over the years fused their version of punk with reggae, dub, jazz, ska, funk, rockabilly, and hip hop throughout their tenure, and they sung about issues including racism, drugs, classism, aristocracy, police, and government overreach. The ties to Jamaican music were most strongly linked to bassist Simonon who grew up in heavily black neighborhoods in London where he bonded with the West Indian population there and witnessed police actions that rang out as institutionally racist to him. The band’s progressive voice was rather radical for the times and ventured into socialist, humanist, and anti-capitalist realms at various points.

It is hard to do The Clash justice in just a few paragraphs, so here are a few highlights. The most iconic image of the band is Simonon at a 1979 show smashing his bass in frustration of how the bouncers were treating the audience (see the final image below). In 1981, the group invited hip hop acts like the Sugarhill Gang and Grandmaster Flash to open for them, and this appreciation and cross-pollination also reared itself in songs like “The Magnificent Seven” and later in Jones and Strummer’s side project Big Audio Dynamite. In more modern times, their “Straight to Hell” song about societal injustices circa 1982 was sampled into the pro-immigrant 2008 hit “Paper Planes” by M.I.A.

For this project, I asked bartenders to help me by submitting cocktails based on songs or lyrics from The Clash, and if they were up to it, explaining how and why they connected to the band and song in creating the recipes. With stirrings of rebellion, political consciousness, and humanitarian issues in current day society, it felt like the right time to pay respect to The Clash with this cocktail biopic.

London Calling
1 1/2 oz London Dry Gin
1/2 oz Fino Sherry
1/2 oz Lemon Juice
1/2 oz Simple Syrup
2 dash Orange Bitters

Shake with ice, strain into a coupe glass, and garnish with an expressed grapefruit twist.

It felt like a slight not to include this drink invented at London’s Milk & Honey by Chris Jepson. He submitted the drink to a cocktail competition hosted by Drinks International in 2002, and it has become a modern gin staple. The Gin Sour with fino sherry tribute to The Clash’s 1979 song has a classic feel to it reminding me of the dry vermouth version, the Laughing Soup, from Boothby’s 1934 World Drinks and How to Mix Them although others have associated it with the Barbara West also from the 1930s.

Death or Glory
3/4 oz Smith & Cross Rum
3/4 oz Old Monk Rum
1/2 oz Angostura Bitters
1 oz Cherry Heering
1/2 oz Lemon Juice

Shake with ice, strain into an old fashioned glass, and garnish with an expressed lemon twist.

The first The Clash-named drink that I personally had was this one paying respect to the 1979 song “Death or Glory”. It was created at Trina’s Starlite Lounge in Somerville, MA, in 2013 by one of the co-owners Beau Sturm and was included in my second book, Boston Cocktails: Drunk & Told. Both Beau and co-owner Josh Childs have had some bangers of musically-inspired drink names on the menu, and this one lured me in when Angostura Bitters was the third ingredient in the description instead of last. If love and hate were tattooed across the knuckles of my hands, I would be raising up the former in the approval given the elegant balance of this complex recipe.

Clash City Rockers
1 1/4 oz Rum-Bar Gold Rum
3/4 oz Smith & Cross Rum
1/2 oz Akashi-Tai Yuzu Sake
1/2 oz Passion Fruit Purée
1/2 oz Honey Syrup (3:1)
1/2 oz Clementine Juice
1 dash Orange Blossom Water
1 pinch Salt

Shake with ice, strain into a coupe glass, and garnish with a dehydrated clementine slice.

Gergő Muráth dubbed this drink after one of The Clash’s singles released following their first album in the UK that was later included in the American release of said debut. Gergő developed it in 2019 while bartending at Trailer Happiness in the same London district, namely Notting Hill, that The Clash first called home. He picked the name for it is one of his favorite songs from the band, and he appreciated its connection to other musicians such as reggae DJ and producer Prince Far-I who are mentioned in the lyrics. The pair of Jamaican rums is duly noted here.

Rums of Brixton
3/4 oz Pusser’s Rum
3/4 oz Neisson Rhum Agricole Blanc
1/2 oz Orange Juice
1/2 oz Lemon Juice
1/2 oz Orange Syrup (*)
Absinthe (as a rinse)

Shake with ice, strain into an absinthe-rinsed coupe glass, and garnish with an expressed lemon twist.

(*) Orange Syrup:
Zest of 1 Orange
8 oz Orange Juice (freshly squeezed and strained to be pulp-free, by volume)
8 oz Sugar (by volume)

Combine zest and sugar and let sit for one hour. Add orange juice, whisk until the sugar is dissolved, strain, bottle, and refrigerate. Syrup kept cold should be good for 2 weeks.

Jace Sheehan, bartender at Boston’s Eastern Standard and Equal Measure when this was submitted, offered up this recipe dubbed after the song “Guns of Brixton” from the 1979 album London Calling. Jayce explained the drink he crafted for a guest tiki shift in 2016, “The inspiration behind the cocktail stems from my love of punk music and the correlation to current affairs. The song was originally written to describe the heavy-handedness of police, the recession, and other urban factors of the time. Pusser’s English rum [founded 1979] as the base is an ode to this era.” The extra time taken to make the orange syrup is worth it!

Police and Thieves
2 oz Gin
1/2 oz Lime Juice
1/2 oz Pineapple Juice
1/4 oz Grapefruit Juice
1/2 oz Cinnamon Syrup

Shake with ice and strain into a coupe glass.

Frank Cisneros submitted this recipe name after a song on The Clash’s first album in 1977 that was a cover of Junior Murvin’s 1976 reggae track. Frank came up with this crowd pleaser for the opening menu at the Gin Palace in Manhattan where it became one of the most popular drinks during the bar’s span from 2012 to 2015.

Wrong ‘Em Boyo
1 oz Navy Strength Jamaican Rum
1 oz Plymouth Gin
1 oz Salers Gentian Liqueur
1/2 oz Blanc Vermouth
2 dash Fee’s Walnut Bitters

Stir with ice, strain into an old fashioned glass with a large ice cube, and garnish with an expressed orange twist. Suze or Avèze will substitute for Salers in a pinch.

Cocktail enthusiast and home bartender Craig Eliason who I know from eGullet and Kindred Cocktails sites offered up this honorific to the track from the 1979 London Calling album that was a cover of a 1967 song retelling the Stagger Lee legend by The Rulers from Jamaica. Much like me, Craig first encountered the band through the “Rock the Casbah” video on MTV, and he fell in love with the band after buying London Calling. Craig described, “Split base of gin from England and rum from Jamaica seems an obvious choice for the band. I also think the earthy gentian quality of Salers fits the bitter energy of the band. The rather high ABV doesn’t feel out of place, too!” His mix definitely captures the group’s energy and influences rather well in the glass.

Sherry, Don't like it?
2 oz Yobo Kish Earth Mushroom Soju
1 oz Amontillado Sherry
4 dash Coffee Bitters

Stir with ice and strain into a coupe glass rimmed with a sugar-cracked black pepper rim.

Connecticut bartender Anthony DeSerio made up this unique aperitif cocktail for his bar that he named after a spin on the lyric “Sharif don’t like it” from The Clash’s 1982 “Rock the Casbah”. Sharif is Arabic for a title of respect for a noble or highborn, but Anthony does not feel that sherry gets the respect it deserves. He paired it with an umami-laden California-made soju crafted with smoked mushrooms that the brand developed in partnership with Top Chef-competitor Kristen Kish.

Should I Stay or Should I Go Now
1 oz Amaro Montenegro
1 oz Amontillado Sherry
1/2 oz Benedictine
1/2 oz Jim Beam Black Bourbon

Stir with ice and strain into an old fashioned glass.

Sam Treadway, bar director at Backbar in Somerville, MA, has been amazing me with his creativity with gems like this one since I started sitting at his bar when he helped to open up Drink in Boston back in 2008. Sam named this one after a lyric from the 1982 hit from the Combat Rock album (the song title itself lacks the word “now”), and he used the menu subtitle, “When deciding on your next move, just drink this. If you stay to have this lower ABV riff on a Black Manhattan then the rewards will be double.” Sam explained how the lyric “one day it’s fine and next it’s black” made him latch on to the Black Manhattan (a Manhattan made with an amaro in place of the sweet vermouth) as inspiration and the double-aged bourbon, Jim Beam Black, for fortification.

Overpowered by Funk
1 oz Smith & Cross or similar Jamaican Aged Rum
1 oz Cachaça
1/2 oz Cynar
1/2 oz Crème de Banane
2 dash Angostura Bitters

Stir with ice and strain into an old fashioned glass with a large ice cube.

After I put out the call for recipes, a bartender called dibs on a song, “Lost in the Supermarket”, that I already had a recipe for; therefore, I developed this one inspired upon spotting the song title in the band’s 1982 Combat Rock album. Like the Wrong ‘Em Boyo recipe, I too latched onto the reggae aspect to reach for my bottle of Smith & Cross, and I followed up with cachaça since the duo worked well in the Jah Rule that I had just made from the Easy Tiki book. I rounded things off with the funky amaro Cynar as well as banana liqueur. I never did receive the Lost in the Supermarket recipe from that bartender, but mine as a Rob Roy-Apple Negroni mashup can be found here on the blog.

slow hands

1 1/2 oz Hayman's Navy Gin
1/2 oz Overproof Barbancourt 110° White Rhum
1/2 oz Comoz Blanc Vermouth
1/2 tsp Petite Canne Syrup
1/2 tsp Kalani Coconut Liqueur
1/2 tsp Giffard Pineapple Liqueur
1 dash Boker's Bitters

Stir with ice and strain into a footed rocks glass. Tuesday night of Portland Cocktail Week, I made my pilgrimage to Rum Club where I found a seat in front of bartender Mike "Juice" Treffehn. I asked Mike which of the drinks on the menu would be most easily reproduced by a home bartender, and he selected the Slow Hands as a tropical Martini with a gin over rum split base akin to the 1930s Portorico or my Preston-Baker. Once mixed, the Slow Hands carressed the senses with a dark spice and tropical aroma with pineapple and coconut elements dancing on the nose. Next, a coconut and white wine sip with a decent mouthfeel led into gin, rum, coconut, pineapple, and spice flavors on the swallow. After this drink, a Rhum Barbancourt special menu with $5 cocktails started, so I stayed for two more drinks, and I had another one or two from him two days later (see below). Sometime during the later point of the night, a bartender sitting next to me, Greg McDonald from Jacksonville, Florida, was tasting rum pours, and declared, "I want my rum to taste the way my socks smell. It's got to be funky." And Rum Club certainly had the bottles to fulfill his request and price range. When I saw Mike later in the week at an official event as a guest bartender at another bar across town, he said that he had something for me. I felt honored that he thought of me, until I learned that I was being Iced™. Mike was a good sport when I asked whether I could skip taking a knee to down this twelve ounces of delightful malt beverage since I was "getting old," and he agreed. It was actually that I did not want to kneel in the one pair of pants I brought onto the floor of a wacky industry event, but six of one half dozen the other. The next drink I got from him was at least voluntary which was a layback of the mezcal that they were mixing with the sponsor Mr. Black in one of the many coffee-flavored drinks that night.

:: mentoring sessions at pdxcw ::

I just got back from Portland Cocktail Week two Friday nights ago. Before the event began, I had signed up to do mentoring sessions in the morning (meaning that I had to up and awake to make it to check-in by 8:55am and alive and present by 9am). I offered up my time for 9 official slots that were opened up to folks on the website, and 3 more happened from people reaching out before arriving in Portland (who couldn't get a slot with me -- the first 5 I registered for went in 18 minutes which made me add the other 4) or during the event. I sat in as a mentee on Monday to learn how to do the half hour session and what it felt like before doing the rest over the following 3 days. A lot of it was sussing out their personality and job type before getting at why they selected me for the session opposed to the other excellent mentors during the time slots. In the end, I had such a diverse crew who wanted to talk about writing a cocktail book, researching local flora for flavor (we both have academic backgrounds), moving up the ladder in the craft cocktail world, menu design to fit their restaurants theme and how to get press for it, and more. None of it was about actual recipes. In one, I actually rewrote their resume and handed it back to them later. And for another, they were in Chicago and wanting to progress, so when the session next to me was wrapping up, I called over the mentor there to talk to them -- namely Toby Maloney recently of The Violet Hour to chat with them about their city's scene (I'm not sure this baby bartender even knew who I was introducing them to, but it would probably dawn on them later). Overall, it was a touch over 6 hours for those sessions. I got a lot out of it even if it cost me sleep (I needed it especially after visiting Rum Club one night) and sometimes the ability of getting a solid breakfast. Overall, I walked away feeling extra inspired by what they were interested in, warmed by the connection, and excited by their enthusiasm, that I offered them my contact information if they wanted to follow up. Can't wait to do this again to help the next generation when I return to Portland Cocktail Week in the future.

vagabond

1 oz Mezcal (Peloton de la Muerte)
1 oz Fino Sherry (Lustau Manzanilla)
3/4 oz Lemon Juice
1/2 oz Orgeat
1/4 oz Vanilla Syrup

Shake with ice and strain into an old fashioned glass with ice. Two Saturdays ago, I delved into the KindredCocktails database to find a nightcap and my last drink before departing for Portland Cocktail Week the following morning. There, I spotted the Vagabond by New York City bartender Rafa Garcia Febles in 2014. I had to confirm that I had never had this one before, but it was not the Vagabond from a century ago that reminded me of a Scofflaw, the Vagabond from The Nomad Cocktail Book, or the Vagabond from the Dandelion Cocktail Bar in Brazil. This one had the mezcal, Fino, citrus, and two modifier combination reminded me of the Texas Cakewalk that I created based off of Cane & Table's Smith & Cross-Fino Death & Sundries. Once shaken and strained, the Vagabond anted in smoke, briny almond, and vanilla aromas. Next, a creamy lemon sip disappeared into mezcal, nutty, and vanilla flavors on the swallow. Overall, I was impressed at how well the almond and briny notes of the sherry went with the orgeat and mezcal, respectively.

hillside cocktail

1 1/2 oz Gin (Treehouse Percy's)
3/4 oz Dry Vermouth (Dolin)
3/4 oz Amaro Nonino
1 tsp Chartreuse Elixir Vegetal

Stir with ice, strain into a coupe glass, and garnish with a lemon twist. Two Fridays ago, I reached for my copy of The Madrusan Cocktail Companion by Michael and Zara Madrusan, and I landed on the Hillside Cockail by Chris Bostick at The Varnish in Los Angeles. The Hillside had a similar structure of gin, white vermouth, and Nonino of the Walk on the Wild Side and Alpine Cocktail but with an herbaceous instead of fruity direction. In the glass, the drink showcased a lemon and herbaceous bouquet. Next, white wine and caramel notes on the sip descended into gin, orange peel, and herbal flavors on the swallow.

janus

1 1/2 oz Smith & Cross Rum
1/2 oz Lime Juice
1/2 oz Orgeat
1/2 oz Passion Fruit Syrup
1/4 oz Falernum (Velvet)

Shake with ice, strain into a cocktail coupe, and garnish with a cherry (preferably an oblong one like the shape of the moon Janus). Two Thursday ago, I decided to make a recipe that I had spotted on Reddit's Tiki forum called the Janus. The Janus is a Saturn riff named after one of Saturn's moons and crafted by Kevin Crossman who is most famous for creating the Ultimate Mai Tai. Essentially, he swapped the gin and lemon for Jamaican rum and lime besides changing the serving style. The Jamaican rum in a Saturn variation was seen in the Saturn + Negroni (where the Negroni was a Kingston one), and the lime aspect was tasted in Backbar's Saturn Flowers. Once shaken and strained, the Janus orbited the nose with a pineapple rum funk and cherry bouquet. Next, a creamy lime sip transformed into funky rum, passion fruit, nutty, and clove flavors on the swallow.

dealing despair

1 oz Bourbon (Evan Williams Bonded)
1 oz Armagnac (Marie Duffau Napoleon)
3/4 oz Sweet Vermouth (Giacomo Speroni)
1 tsp Giffard Crème de Peche (Mathilde)
1 tsp Averna
2 dash Angostura Bitters

Build in an old fashioned glass, add ice, stir to mix and chill, and garnish with an orange twist. Two Wednesdays ago, my copy of The Madrusan Cocktail Companion by Michael and Zara Madrusan arrived (it came out the day before). As I flipped through the pages, I quickly latched on to the Dealing Despair by Trevor Shores at Death & Co. Denver in 2023 possibly named after a song by Billy Strings. I was able to find a Reddit post with photo from an imbiber at the bar who had this when it was on the menu. While I had not tried an Averna-peach drink before, Averna and apricot liqueur is a great combination that I first learned about at Green Street in 2008 with the Cocktail Miranda, and peach works well with other amari like Sfumato in the Amen Corner and Ciociaro in the Prodigal Son. In the glass, the Dealing Despair opened up with orange, dark herbal, and peach aromas. Next, grape and caramel notes on the sip welcomed Bourbon, brandy, peach, and herbal flavors on the swallow.

monk's mystery

1 oz Pierre Ferrand Cognac (Courvoisier VS)
1 oz Aperol
1/2 oz Green Chartreuse
1/2 oz Amaro Montenegro
3 dash Orange Bitters (Regan's)

Stir with ice, strain into a Nick & Nora (coupe) glass, and garnish with a flamed orange twist (unflamed). Two Tuesdays ago, I was searching online recipe flashcard sets for Amaro Montenegro drinks when I came across the Monk's Mystery. It was created at the now closed Hook & Line circa 2024 via their Instagram before ending up on the current menu of their sister restaurant, Alcove in Boston. The spirit-Aperol split reminds me of Eastern Standard's Prospect Park that was created by then bartender Tom Schlesinger-Guidelli who now owns/owned Alcove and Hook & Line. Tommy was also big into mixing Chartreuse and amaro such as with his Jaguar also at Eastern Standard. Once prepared, the Monk's Mystery gave forth an orange, herbaceous, and Cognac aroma. Next, orange and caramel notes on the sip prayed for the coming of Cognac, herbaceous, and clementine flavors on the swallow.

wray of light

1 1/2 oz Wray & Nnephew Overproof White Rum
3/4 oz Lime Juice
1/2 oz Pineapple Syrup
1/2 oz Falernum (Velvet)

Shake with ice, strain into rocks glass with ice, and garnish with a mint sprig (lime wheel with mint tips). Another of the pineapple syrup recipes that I had saved up was the Wray of Light by New York City bartender Rafa Garcia Febles in 2014 via the KindredCocktails database. Rafa described how he was inspired by Beachbum Berry's Hart of Darkness, and it reminded me of a Jamaican rum for mezcal version of the Pineapple Death Squad. Moreover, it seemed like an interesting companion piece to the Death Daiquiri from a few days before that had a more complex robust and darker rum base in place of some spice intrigue from the falernum here. Shaken and strained, the Wray of Light set upon mint, lime, and pineapple aromas. Next, lime and pineapple notes on the sip were eclipsed by funky rum, lime, and clove flavors on the swallow.

scandinavian delight

1 1/2 oz Martin Miller's Gin (Martin Miller Westbourne Strength)
1/2 oz Krogstad Aquavit
3/4 oz Dolin Blanc Vermouth (Servito)
1/4 oz Amaro Braulio

Stir with ice, strain into a Nick & Nora glass, and garnish with a lemon twist on the rim. Two Sundays ago, I returned to the online recipe flashcards for the Scotch Lodge in Portland, Oregon, to sample the Scandinavian Delight. I was able to spot a Yelp menu photo from May 2022 and a pair of Yelp drink photos at the bar from June 2022. Overall, the gin, aquavit, and blanc vermouth trio reminded me of Death & Co.'s One, One, One, and a Martini riff seemed like a perfect way to end the evening. Once mixed, the Scandinavian Delight proffered up lemon, caraway, and star anise aromas to the nose. Next, a semi-sweet white grape sip with a hint of caramel blossomed into pine, star anise, herbal, and caraway flavors on the swallow.

the parakeet

2 oz Privateer Rum (Privateer Tres Aromatique)
1/2 oz Aperol
1/2 oz Pineapple Syrup
1/2 oz Lime Juice
1/2 oz Grapefruit Juice
1/4 oz Cinnamon Syrup
2 dash DeGroff's Pimento Bitters

Shake with ice, strain into a Collins glass (Tiki mug), fill with crushed ice, and garnish with a pineapple frond and grapefruit twist (grapefruit twist only). Two Saturdays prior, I delved back into the Eastern Standard pre-Pandemic bar bible and latched on to The Parakeet. Overall, it appeared like a Jungle Bird riff that calls for pineapple syrup instead of juice akin to the Mocking Bird, Unique Bird, and other variations but with a name that reminded me of the Lorikeet. Once assembled in the Tiki mug, The Parakeet soared to the nose with a grapefruit oil aroma. Next, lime, grapefruit, orange, and pineapple notes on the sip roosted upon rum, cinnamon, and allspice flavors on the swallow.

saint's gallery

1 1/2 oz Carpano Bianco Vermouth (Vermouth Servito)
3/4 oz The Famous Grouse Smoky Black
1/2 oz Benedictine

Stir with ice and strain into a 5 1/2 oz coupe glass pre-rinsed with Herbsaint. Two Fridays ago, I reached for my copy of Julep: Southern Cocktails Refashioned by Alba Huerta and Marah Strets and found the Saint's Gallery in its pages. A blog post puts this at Julep in Houston circa 2019. Overall, it appeared like an inverse Bobby Burns of sorts, so I was curious. Once prepared, the Saint's Gallery hung an anise, Scotch, and herbal bouquet on the nose. Next, a semi-sweet white wine sip developed into smoky Scotch and herbal flavors on the swallow, and it was akin to a Scotchy Chrysanthemum with a little New Orleans flare.

smokey maduro

1 1/2 oz Arette Reposado Tequila (Cimarron)
1/2 oz La Luna Ensemble Mezcal (Peloton de la Muerte)
1/2 oz Amaro Ciociaro (*)
1/2 oz Giffard Pamplemousse (St. Elder)

Stir with ice, strain into a double old fashioned with a large ice cube, and garnish with an orange twist and cherry.
(*) Someone on Instagram asked about substitutions, and I replied "Amer Picon, Torani Amer, Bigallet China-China, or Amaro Lucano." Two Thursdays ago, I was searching online recipe flashcards for uses of Amaro Ciociaro, and I pulled up a set from The Winston's Club cigar bar in San Juan Capistrano, California, for their opening menu this year. The drink, the Smokey Maduro, reminded me of an Oaxacan Old Fashioned taken in an amaro-grapefruit liqueur direction. Mezcal and Ciociaro have worked well in drinks like the Leatherman and Little Zeddie, and I used it to great effect in the Kilted Flower; and mezcal and grapefruit liqueur have paired excellently in the Mezcal Me Maybe and Mildred Pierce plus my This is Not Berlin. Therefore, I gave this one a stir. In the glass, the Smokey Maduro lit up with orange, caramel, cherry, and vegetal aromas. Next, the caramel and orange notes continued on into the sip where they interlaced with smoky, agave, grapefruit, and bitter orange flavors on the swallow.

death daiquiri

3/4 oz Planteray OFTD Rum
3/4 oz Wray & Nephew Overproof White Rum
3/4 oz Smith & Cross Rum
1 oz Lime Juice (3/4 oz)
3/4 oz Pineapple Syrup
1 dash Angostura Bitters

Shake with ice, strain into a coupe glass, and garnish with a lime wedge (no garnish). Another one of the recipes that I had been saving up until the next batch of pineapple syrup was the Death Daiquiri at Rosewater in Houston that I garnered through online recipe flashcards. The closest thing that I had tried to this was the Hop, Skip, and Jump, a Jamaican rum-pineapple syrup Daiquiri that utilized a little Becherovka instead of Angostura Bitters for spice and depth. Rosewater's social media had a post in 2024 that described an updated offering: the Infinite Death Daiquiri utilizing an infinity bottle of overproof rums; but here I would making the original. In the glass, it proffered up caramel, complex rum funk, pineapple, and clove aromas to the nose. Next, lime and caramel notes on the sip opened up into funky and burly rum, pineapple, and allspice flavors on the swallow.

mother's medicine

1 1/2 oz Jack Daniel's Rye (Rittenhouse)
1/2 oz Cynar
3/4 oz Pineapple Syrup
3/4 oz Lemon Juice

Shake with ice, strain into an old fashioned glass, fill with crushed ice, and garnish with a mint sprig. Two Tuesdays, I was perusing my to-make list and spotted a recipe that I reserved for when I had more pineapple syrup – namely, the Mother's Medicine. The drink was created by Amber Carregal at Willa's in Tampa that she made for her dad, and it was posted on the Alcohol Professor site in an article about Father's Day cocktails. Pineapple syrup and Cynar have worked well together in the Surfing Valhalla, Tres Piñas, and other drinks, so I was eager to try a rye variation of that theme. In the glass, the Mother's Medicine began with mint over rye and lemon aromas. Next, lemon and caramel notes on the sip blossomed into rye, bitter herbal, and pineapple flavors on the swallow.

harbourmaster

2 oz Appleton Reserve Rum (Appleton Signature)
1/2 oz Pineapple Syrup
1/4 oz Velvet Falernum
1 dash Fee's Black Walnut Bitters (3 dash Strongwater Mountain Elixirs Walnut)
1 dash Angostura Orange Bitters

Stir with ice and strain into an old fashioned glass rinsed with St. Elizabeth Allspice Dram (Hamilton's Allspice Dram). Two Sundays ago, I finished processing a batch of pineapple syrup from the pineapple half left over from my competition, and I sought out a use. From the pre-Pandemic Eastern Standard bar bible, I latched on to the Harbourmaster that had a curious Sazerac-like build to it. It had the pineapple syrup-falernum of the Pineapple Death Squad, and that in a trio with allspice dram like the Tiger's Tale and Colonial Bastard. Moreover, I have seen the allspice dram rinse in a number of recipes such as the Harvard Yard #2, Heart of Stone, and The Keenan. Once prepared, the Harbourmaster welcomed the senses with an allspice aroma. Next, a pineapple-driven sip flowed into rum, pineapple, walnut, clove and allspice flavors on the swallow. Overall, it was a touch sweet but a tasty combination.

ancho noir

1 1/2 oz Mezcal (Peloton de la Muerte)
1 oz Amaro Montenegro
1/2 oz Ancho Reyes Chile Liqueur
1/2 oz Sweet Vermouth (Giacomo Speroni)
2 dash Angostura Bitters
2 dash Orange Bitters (Angostura Orange)

Stir with ice, strain into a coupe glass or an old fashioned glass with a big cube (the latter), and garnish with an orange twist. Two Sundays ago, I decided to make a recipe that one of my Instagram friends remixed called the Ancho Noir. The original was created by Chris who goes by the handle thesilverfoxcocktails, and the M&M base intrigued me. In the glass, the Ancho Noir gave forth an orange, grape, vegetal, and smoke bouquet to the nose. Next, grape and caramel notes on the sip opened up into mezcal, tangerine, pepper spice, cinnamon, and clove flavors on the swallow.

fall negroni

1 1/4 oz Aviation Gin (Treehouse Percy's)
3/4 oz Campari
1/2 oz Sweet Vermouth (Giacomo Speroni)
1/2 oz Walnut Liqueur (Russo Nocino)

Stir with ice, strain into an old fashioned glass with ice (large ice cube), and garnish with 2 dashes Angostura Bitters, an orange twist, and a toasted walnut piece (untoasted). Two Saturdays ago, I decided to make a recipe called the Fall Negroni that Imbibe Magazine posted for Negroni Week. The drink created by Los Angeles bartender Brandyn Tepper reminded me in name of the Autumn Negroni but this one was walnut and spice instead of extra bitter. Once mixed, the Fall Negroni donated allspice, orange, and clove aromas. Next, grape and roast notes on the sip transformed into pine, bitter orange, dark walnut, and allspice flavors on the swallow.

maria bonita

1 oz Cachaça (Novo Fogo Bar Strength)
1/2 oz Apple Brandy (Laird's Bonded)
1 oz Campari
3/4 oz Sweet Vermouth (Giacomo Speroni)
1/4 oz Cinnamon Syrup
1 dash Angostura Bitters

Stir with ice, strain into a double old fashioned glass with a large ice cube, and garnish with an orange twist. I became inspired by the cachaça, apple brandy, and cinnamon trio of the Cinnamon Girl that I had made a few days prior and I merged parts of that with a Negroni given that it was Negroni Week and the cinnamon-Campari duo of Erick Castro's Babbo's Toddy. I dubbed this one the Maria Bonita which was the nickname of Maria Delia who joined Lapião and his bandits in criminal adventures in Brazil circa 1930; Maria & Lampião became entrenched in Brazilian folk history akin to Bonnie & Clyde in the United States. Once mixed, the Maria Bonita shot forth with orange, cinnamon, and grassy funk aromas. Next, grape and apple notes on the sip were ambushed by funky cachaça, apple, bitter orange, cinnamon, and clove flavors on the swallow.

evil hemingway

1 oz Smith & Cross Rum
1 oz Jeppson's Malört
3/4 oz Lime Juice
1/2 oz Maraschino (Luxardo)
1/2 oz Simple Syrup
1 peel Grapefruit ~1"x2" (omitted here, see note (*))

Shake with ice (*), strain into a coupe, and garnish with a grapefruit twist.
(*) Optional: Adding in a grapefruit peel into the shake might balance the Maraschino better and round out Malört's grapefruit notes. When I posted my 2019 Swedish Paralysis on Reddit's Tiki forum after it won 3rd place in the Boston Malört competition, someone mentioned that they liked making that recipe with some Smith & Cross in the mix "as the funk and extra alcohol adds a nice punch and works well with the Malört." I replied that the duo played well in the Whistler's Lightning Swords of Death, so I could see why. Therefore, two Thursdays ago, I was inspired to sub in Malört for grapefruit juice in a Smith & Cross Hemingway Daiquiri given Malört's grapefruit notes. The drink that I dubbed the Evil Hemingway offered up grapefruit, nutty cherry, and rum funk aromas to the nose. Next, lime and a hint of caramel on the sip opened up into funky rum, bitter grapefruit, and nutty cherry flavors on the swallow. In discussion with an Instagram friend, I mentioned that I thought that a "regal shake" with a grapefruit peel in the tins might balance mesh with the Maraschino better and round out Malört's inherent grapefruit notes.

on the reef

1 1/2 oz Gin (Treehouse Percy's)
1/2 oz Rhum Agricole (Rhum JM 100° Blanc)
3/4 oz Lime Juice
3/4 oz Pineapple Juice
3/4 oz Orange Juice
3/4 oz Passion Fruit Syrup
1/2 oz Orgeat (Roasted Pepita Orgeat)
1/4 oz Honey Syrup
1/8 tsp Absinthe (20 drop St. George)

Whip shake with crushed ice, pour into a Tiki mug, fill with crushed ice, and garnish with an orange twist, pineapple frond, and orchid (orange twist and mint sprigs). In continuing to make use of the excess juices and syrups from my competition, I decided to search on the KindredCocktails database two Wednesdays ago. There, I found the On the Reef which was a recipe included with the Petrified Puffer Tiki mug from Tikiland Trading. Its orgeat, honey, and passion fruit trio appeared in the Hurricane Caesar which also featured rhum agricole, so I was curious. Plus, gin-rhum agricole was one that I enjoyed in the Preston-Baker and the Pegu Pilot, and I wanted to see how else the duo could interact. In the Tiki mug, the On the Reef washed up to the senses with mint, orange, nutty, and rhum funk aromas. Next, creamy orange, lime, and pineapple notes on the sip splashed onto pine, passion fruit, funky rhum, roasted nutty, and anise flavors on the swallow.

cinnamon girl

1 oz Avua Prata Cachaça (Novo Fogo Bar Strength)
1/2 oz Laird's Apple Brandy (Laird's Bonded)
1/2 oz Cinnamon Syrup
3/4 oz Orange Juice
1/2 oz Lemon Juice

Whip shake, pour into a double old fashioned glass, fill with crushed ice, and garnish with an Angostura Bitters float (3-4 dashes). I drank this with a straw to bypass the bitters layer. Two Tuesdays, after I returned home from placing third in the Boston Malört competition making the Swedish Paralysis (see the updated post with a photo of me behind the bar that night), I had extra prepped orange juice, lemon juice, and cinnamon syrup left over. I looked for a good use of these ingredients before the juices went bad, and in my notes, I found the Cinnamon Girl by Rebeca Hitcher for the Dutch Kills' Fall 2024 menu via online recipe flashcards. Once prepared, the Cinnamon Girl welcomed the nose with allspice, cinnamon, and clove aromas from the bitters garnish and the syrup. Next, through the straw, the sip shared orange and lemon notes, and the swallow unfurled funky cachaça, apple, and cinnamon flavors. Indeed, I was impressed at how well this cachaça worked with apple brandy, and I had noted similar observations in the Ironbound and Fantastic Fizz (and I used it in my Vagalume Bowl).

golden eagle

1 1/2 oz Tequila (Cimarron Blanco) (*)
1/2 oz Campari
1/2 oz Passion Fruit Syrup
1/2 oz Ginger Syrup
3/4 oz Lime Juice

No instructions were provided. The ones I did were shake with ice, strain into a coupe, and garnish with a piece of candied ginger on a pick.
(*) The menu listed a mezcal option for $2 more. Two Mondays ago, I uncovered a set of online flashcards for one of the Tavalota locations, and I latched on to the Golden Eagle from their Summer 2025 menu. I was able to spot this drink on the list at three of Tavalota's locations: Boise, Idaho, Redmond, Washington, and Freemont-Seattle, Washington. It was different from the Braulio-honey Golden Eagle that I created (which was at least golden in color instead of red), and it reminded me of a tropical version of Sam Ross' Mosquito with mezcal, Campari, ginger, and lemon. Campari of course goes well with passion fruit that I first learned about in the Novara, so I was definitely curious to try this one. In the glass, the Golden Eagle set aloft with ginger, bitter orange, and agave aromas. Next, a lime and passion fruit sip soared into tequila, bitter orange, tropical, and ginger flavors on the swallow.

stardust

2 oz Dartigalongue Armagnac (Marie Duffau Napoleon)
1/2 oz Pineapple Juice
1/2 oz Ginger Syrup
1/2 oz Lemon Juice

Shake with ice and strain into a cocktail coupe. Two Sundays ago, I was looking through my list of recipes garnered from online recipe flashcards, and I spotted the Stardust in a set from the Liholiho Yacht Club in San Francisco. A blog post in 2016 places this drink at Louie's Gen-Gen Room below the Liholiho Yacht Club, and the Liholiho Yacht Club had it on their own menu in 2017 and 2019 via Yelp menu photos. Overall, the structure reminded me of the Gilda (despite only the pineapple juice being the same). Once shaken and strained, the Stardust glimmered to the senses with a pineapple, ginger, and brandy aroma. Next, pineapple and lemon notes on the sip twinkled upon brandy, tropical, and ginger flavors on the swallow.

kill devyl reef (boston rum week)

1 1/2 oz Privateer Bottled In Bond Rum
1/2 oz Privateer Navy Yard Rum
1 oz Allspice Dram (*)
1 oz Passion Fruit Puree
1/2 oz Green Tea-Honey Syrup (*)
1 1/2 oz Lime Juice
2 dash Angostura Bitters (amount is an estimate)
2 dash Bittermens Tiki Bitters (amount is an estimate)

Shake with ice, strain over ice, and garnish with a mint sprig and spent lime shell.
(*) The result was not very allspice driven and rather green tea forward, so perhaps dropping the allspice dram completely and upping the green tea-honey syrup to 1 1/2 oz (or 1/4 or 1/2 oz allspice dram and 1 1/4 or 1 oz green tea-honey syrup) would work. My guess is that the green tea-honey syrup is a dilution of honey with green tea similar to how I made honey-hibiscus syrup for the Lupe Velez.

Two Saturdays ago, I was a panelist for the Boston Rum Week session at the South Boston Lithuanian Club entitled "The Anatomy of Rum Cocktails: Choices, Trends, and Cultures in a Glass" along with Shannon Mustipher and Katie Stryjewski and moderated by Garnett Philip. The three of us presented drinks where I served up my Shipwrecked. Shannon proffered a variation of her Kill Devyl Reef, and I copied a scaled down version from the prep sheets we were provided; however, it was different from how the recipe of the same name appears in her Tiki: Modern Tropical Cocktails book that I provide later in this post. She described during the session how the recipe was influenced by the Planter's Punch of rum, sugar, lime, and something aromatic. As noted above, the resulting balance tasted more green tea-forward and less allspice noted than expected given the recipe, so perhaps the final form mixed by Shannon a half hour before the presentation varied from the recipe sent in. The Kill Devyl Reef that was served at the session offered up a mint and passion fruit bouquet to the nose. Next, green tea, passion fruit, honey, and lime notes on the sip sailed into rum, green tea, and allspice flavors on the swallow. Given the allspice level, it could be solely from a strong hand of Angostura Bitters or a weak hand with the allspice dram. While the green tea element was magical here, it is lacking entirely in the original which is more allspice driven. Moreover, the rums in the book were different than served in this variation (Shannon now works for Privateer Rum).

Kill Devyl Reef (Book Version)
• 2 oz Hamilton 86° Demerara Rum
• 1/2 oz Damoiseau 100° Rhum Agricole Blanc
• 1/2 oz Hampden Rum Fire Overproof Jamaican Rum
• 1/2 oz St. Elizabeth Allspice Dram
• 1/2 oz Honey Syrup
• 1 oz Passion Fruit Juice
• 3/4 oz Lime Juice
Shake with ice, strain into a mug or snifter, fill with crushed ice, and garnish with mint and freshly grated nutmeg.

talisman

1 1/2 oz Scotch (1 1/4 oz Famous Grouse Smoky Black + 1/4 oz Laphroaig 10 Year)
3/4 oz Oloroso Sherry (Lustau)
3/4 oz Bigallet China-China (Amaro Ciociaro)

Stir with ice and strain into an up glass (cocktail coupe). For a nightcap after my bar shift two Friday ago, I went onto the KindredCocktails database and uncovered the Talisman by New York City bartender Rafa Garcia Febles in 2013. The Talisman immediately reminded me structure-wise of the Dashboard Hula Girl at Trina's Starlight Lounge with pineapple rum and Averna, but the flavor profile was similar to my Jolly Jane with the addition of Punt e Mes as well as the Copenhagen with the addition of a barspoon of Cherry Heering. Once stirred and strained, the Talisman proffered a caramel, grape, and smoke bouquet to the nose. Next, caramel and a fruity grape sip welcomed in smoky Scotch, orange, pear, and nutty grape flavors on the swallow.

five & dime

1 1/2 oz Gin (Treehouse Hildegard von Bingen)
1/2 oz Apricot Liqueur (Rothman & Winter)
1/2 oz Orgeat
3/4 oz Lemon Juice
2 dash Angostura Bitters
2 dash Orange Bitters (Angostura Orange)

Shake with ice, strain into an old fashioned glass with crushed ice (large ice cube), and garnish with a cherry and orange slice (cherry only). Two Thursdays prior, I spotted the recipe for the Five & Dime in online recipe flashcards for the speakeasy Idlewild and tracked it down on KindredCocktails. The drink was created by Zac Pease at My Friend Duke in New York City, and I first learned of Zac Pease's handiwork with the Aunt Eleanor a few years ago when I found that one on the Bartender's Choice app. The Five & Dime had the apricot, orgeat, lemon juice combination found in classics like the 1930s Yellow Mist and modern drinks like the Apricole Swizzle and Café Racer. Overall, it read like an orchard fruit-enhanced Army & Navy, so I was intrigued. Once mixed, the Five & Dime anted up apricot, almond, and cherry aromas. Next, a creamy orchard fruit and lemon sip flipped into pine, apricot, almond, and clove flavors on the swallow.

rusty compass

1 1/2 oz Compass Box Peat Monster Scotch (1 oz Cutty Sark Prohibition + 1/2 oz Laphroaig 10 Year)
3/4 oz Drambuie
1/2 oz Cherry Heering

Stir with ice, strain into a cocktail coupe, and garnish with an orange twist. Two Wednesdays ago, I had spotted an online reference to the Rusty Compass and tracked it down to a Liquor-dot-com article. The recipe was created by Meaghan Dorman as a Rusty Nail meets a Blood and Sand. To my Instagram post, Meaghan replied, "Oooo vintage! This was for the Peat Monster launch." Various Scotch articles point to the Scotch being introduced in 2003 which was the year that Meaghan moved from being a bartender in New Haven, Connecticut, to working in Manhattan (although the launch party could have been a year or so later). In the glass, the Rusty Compass pointed towards orange and peat smoke aromas. Next, honey and dark fruit notes on the sip turned towards smoky Scotch, honey, and cherry flavors on the swallow.