pleasure island

1 1/2 oz House Barrel-Aged Wray & Nephew Overproof Rum (Unaged)
1/2 oz Del Maguey Mezcal Vida (Fosforo Ensemble)
1/2 oz BG Reynolds Don's Spice No. 2 (1/4 oz Vanilla Syrup + 1/4 oz Hamilton's Allspice Dram)
1/4 oz Rothman & Winter Apricot Liqueur
3/4 oz Lime Juice (*)

Whip shake with crushed ice, pour into a decorative mug, and top with crushed ice. Garnish with mint (3 sprigs), bitters (Angostura), and fire (omit).
(*) My Don's Spices No. 2 combination was probably not as sweet as BG Reynolds' syrup, so perhaps a 1/4 oz of simple or dropping the lime to 1/2 oz might balance this drink a little better (a bit booze-forward with the 126° rum). With my mint patch beginning to fill out, two Friday ago I looked through the recipe list that I had saved up during the off season. The one that caught my eye first was the Pleasure Island by Ryan Lobe of Rumba in Seattle for the 2015 Iron Tiki Tender competition that I sourced from the Cocktail Wonk blog. Ryan described, "The name is inspired by the island in the book Pinocchio where all the bad boys go to drink and smoke." The pairing of apricot and allspice dram worked rather well in the Firebreak, Decadence & Elegance, and other drinks, so I was curious to give it a go here. In the mug, the Pleasure Island awakened the senses with mint, clove, and allspice aromas. Next, lime and apricot notes on the sip flowed into funky rum, vegetal, smoke, vanilla, allspice, and apricot flavors on the swallow.

guadalajara

1 1/2 oz Reposado Tequila (Cimarron)
3/4 oz Punt e Mes
3/4 oz Averna
1 dash Orange Bitters (Angostura Orange)

Stir with ice, strain into a coupe glass, and garnish with a cherry and an orange twist. Two Thursdays ago, I opened up my copy of Every Cocktail Has a Twist by Carey Jones and John McCarthy, and for the inaugural recipe, I selected the Guadalajara from the Manhattan variation section that was not one of the three other Guadalajaras already on this blog. The structure was reminiscent of the Bourbon-based Big Chief, and the combination of reposado tequila, Punt e Mes, and Averna have appeared in the Revelator with coffee beans and in the Modest Mousse with grapefruit liqueur. Once mixed, the Guadalajara opened up with orange, cherry, grape, and roasted vegetal aromas. Next, caramel and grape notes on the sip delved into vegetal and rounded bitter herbal flavors on the swallow.

proof of heart

1 oz Cognac (Courvoisier VS)
3/4 oz Bourbon (Evan Williams Bonded)
3/4 oz Aperol
1/2 oz Carpano Sweet Vermouth (Alessio)
2 dash Orange Bitters (Angostura Orange)

Stir with ice, strain into an old fashioned glass with ice, and garnish with a lemon twist. Two Wednesdays prior, I stumbled back to the online recipe flashcards for the New Orleans-themed Club 33 at Disneyland in Anaheim. There, I was drawn in by the Proof of Heart where the Aperol-sweet vermouth modifier duo that worked well in the Contessa with gin, Pulitzer with rye, and Dolores Haze with tequila, seemed curious with a split base of Cognac and Bourbon. In the glass, the Proof of Heart shared a lemon and dark grape bouquet. Next, grape and orange notes on the sip evolved into Cognac, whiskey, bitter orange, and rhubarb flavors on the swallow.

wooden ship

1 oz Tanqueray No. Ten Gin (regular Tanqueray)
1 oz Bols Genever (Bols Barrel-Aged)
1/2 oz Grand Marnier (Bauchant)
1/2 tsp Cane Sugar Syrup (1/8 oz)
1 dash Fee Brothers Whiskey Barrel-Aged Bitters

Stir with ice, strain into a rocks glass, and garnish with a lemon twist. Two Tuesdays ago, I reached for my copy of Death & Co.: Modern Classic Cocktails book and searched out the Wooden Ship created by Thomas Waugh at Death & Co. in 2011. I became inspired after seeing that a friend posted about this on Instagram, and I realized that I skipped over this one after depleting my Grand Marnier bottle. Since Eastern Standard paired Bauchant with Anchor's American "Genever" in the Dutch Courage, I figured that particular alternative brandy-based orange liqueur could work here. Once mixed, the Wooden Ship sailed to the nose with a lemon, malty, and touch of cinnamon aroma. Next, malt and light, fruity, almost paw-paw notes on the sip dropped anchor into malty, herbal, pine, and orange flavors on the swallow with a cinnamon finish.

space dog

1 3/4 oz Four Roses Bourbon (Evan Williams Bonded)
1/4 oz Amaro Sfumato
1 oz Grapefruit Juice
1/2 oz Lemon Juice
1/2 oz Orgeat

Shake with ice, strain into an old fashioned glass with a large ice cube, and garnish with freshly grated nutmeg. Two Mondays ago, I returned to the online recipe flashcards for Good Company in St. Louis and found the Space Dog as a complex Bourbon Sour for their Fall 2024 menu. I soon found a video from October 2024 of bar manager Diego Gonzalez making the drink on the bar's Instagram which confirmed the recipe. While I have never tried the Sfumato and orgeat pairing, I have tried it with another rabarbaro, namely Zucca, in Hungry Mother's Smoky with good effect. In the glass, the Space Dog came through with a woody spice, almond, and herbal roast aroma. Next, a creamy roast and grapefruit sip landed on Bourbon, smoky bitter herbal, and nutty flavors on the swallow.

demerara dream daiquiri

1 oz Aged Demerara Rum such as El Dorado 12 Year (Hamilton's Demerara River)
1 oz Aged Jamaican Rum such as Appleton 12 Year (Appleton 8 Year)
1 oz Lime Juice
3/4 oz Passion Fruit Syrup
1/4 oz Vanilla Syrup
1 dash Angostura Bitters

Shake with ice, strain into a coupe glass, and garnish with a cherry. Two Sundays ago, I finally got around to opening up my copy of Justin Wojslaw's Coconuts & Carnage book published by Wonk Press. Since my mint was not ready to harvest, I opted for the author's Demerara Dream Daiquiri which had the passion fruit, vanilla, and lime structure of the Apocalypto but with two aged rums and Angostura Bitters in place of pisco. Once shaken and strained, the Demerara Dream Daiquiri gave forth a woody rum, allspice, and vanilla bouquet to the nose. Next, lime and caramel notes on the sip subsided into rum, passion fruit, vanilla, and clove flavors on the swallow.

wicker park sour

1 oz Jeppson's Malört
1 oz Pisco (Macchu Pisco)
3/4 oz Lemon Juice
1/2 oz Grapefruit Juice
1/2 oz Honey Syrup
1/4 oz Simple Syrup
1 dash Angostura Bitters
1 Egg White

Shake one round without ice and one round with ice, strain into a coupe glass, and garnish with 3 drops Peychaud's Bitters. Two Saturdays prior, I opened up my copy of Toby Maloney's The Bartender's Manifesto book and was taken in by the Wicker Park Sour by Andrew Mackey at The Violet Hour circa 2011. Overall, the recipe read like a Pisco Sour that gained Malört, grapefruit, and honey to give it Chicago stylings. Once shaken and strained, the Wicker Park Sour began with an anise aroma from the Peychaud's Bitters garnish. Next, a creamy lemon, grapefruit, and honey sip evolved into bitter grapefruit pith and honey flavors on the swallow. While the drink allowed me to crack open my recent restocked bottle of pisco, that spirit was a bit lost in the mix and acted more like a flavor elongator akin to vodka in the Fernet-containing Sputnik.

obvious choice

1 oz Mezcal (Convite Esencial)
1 oz Amontillado Sherry (Lustau)
3/4 oz Lime Juice
1/2 oz Cinnamon Syrup
3/8 oz Passion Fruit Syrup

Shake with ice, strain into a coupe glass, and garnish with a lime wedge (omit). Two Fridays ago, I reached for my copy of The Madrusan Cocktail Companion book and happened upon the Obvious Choice by Matty Clark at Dutch Kills in New York City. The recipe has the agave spirit, lime, cinnamon, and passion fruit components of the Easy Out but with mezcal and Amontillado instead of tequila and Amaro Montenegro, so I was intrigued. Once prepared, the Obvious Choice showcased vegetal, smoke, nutty, and cinnamon aromas to the nose. Next, lime and grape on the sip developed into smoky agave, passion fruit, nutty grape, and cinnamon flavors on the swallow.

stiggins' ruin

3/4 oz Planteray OFTD Rum
3/4 oz Planteray Stiggins' Fancy Pineapple Rum
3/4 oz Crème de Poire (3/4 oz Rothman & Winter Orchard Pear + 1/8 oz Simple Syrup)
3/4 oz Gran Classico (Campari)

Stir with ice and strain into an old fashioned glass with ice. After having enjoyed the Smoke Along the Crescent Bend, I returned to the online recipe flashcards for Club 33, the New Orleans-themed restaurant at Disneyland in Anaheim. There, I latched onto the Stiggins' Ruin as perhaps a fruity Right Hand riff. A Yelp drink photo dated this to at least 2023, and a 2024 Yelp menu photo provided the description, "Reverend Stiggins was a well-known character among the Crescent City. He would often enjoy a cocktail or two... or three, which ultimately led to his ruin." While I do not have Gran Classico, I had found Campari to be a decent substitute in a pinch, and I have had good luck pairing Campari and pear liqueur before in the Life on Mars. In the glass, the Stiggins' Ruin opened up with rum funk, pineapple, and pear aromas. Next, caramel and pear notes on the sip descended into funky rum, pineapple, and bitter orange flavors on the swallow.

the king's shilling

1 oz Bourbon (Evan Williams Bonded)
1 oz Aged Rum (Doorly's 12 Year)
1/4 oz Coffee Liqueur (Borghetti)
1/4 oz Pineapple Syrup
2 dash Aromatic Bitters (Angostura)

Stir with ice, strain into an old fashioned glass with ice, and garnish with an orange twist and pineapple frond (omit the latter). Two Wednesday ago, I received my copy of the Let's Do Drinks book by Elliott Clark who runs the Apartment Bartender account on Instagram. There, I selected the King's Shilling by Sean Traynor, now a bar owner in Phoenix, when he was at a bar called Counter Intuitive. Overall, the recipe reminds me of Shore Leave's Dawn of Hospitality that took the coffee-pineapple syrup concept in a Sazerac direction. In the glass, the King's Shilling served up an orange, caramel, and roast bouquet to the senses. Next, pineapple and roast notes on the sip shuffled into Bourbon, rum, coffee, tropical fruit, and allspice flavors on the swallow.

short rib

2 oz Blanco Tequila (Fosforo)
3/4 oz Grenadine
3/4 oz Lime Juice
4 dash Hot Sauce (a nickel-sized squeeze of 3 Mien Sriracha)

Shake with ice and strain into a cocktail coupe. Two Tuesdays ago, I opened up The Madrusan Cocktail Companion book and landed on the Short Rib by Phil Ward at Manhattan's Death & Co. in 2008. The recipe read like Drink's Bone Crusher also from 2008 but with grenadine and tequila instead of simple and mezcal. In the glass, the Short Rib released a briny, red fruit, and spicy red pepper aroma to the nose. Next, lime and berry notes on the sip transformed into tequila, strawberry, and spicy pepper flavors on the swallow.

the blade runner

1 1/2 oz Bourbon (Evan Williams Bonded)
3/4 oz Luxardo Amaro Abano
1/2 oz Hamilton Jamaican Rum (1/4 oz Smith & Cross + 1/4 oz Appleton 8 Year)
1/2 oz Carpano Bianco Vermouth (Servito)
2 dash Bitter Cube Cherry Bark-Vanilla Bitters (1 dash King Floyd's Cherry-Cacao + 1 dash Savoy Society Orange-Vanilla)

Stir with ice, strain into a coupe, and garnish with several drops of apple-infused olive oil (7 drop Dashfire Spiced Apple Bitters). Two Mondays ago, I reached for the Pittsburgh Drinks book which I had only utilized once before years ago with the Brooklyn Bridge. There, I spotted the Blade Runner by Fred Sarkis that I passed over years ago for I lacked Amaro Abano at home until 2022. Fred was inspired by the idea of what the detective-bounty hunter in Ridley Scott's movie would drink, and he commented on my Instagram post, "I always feel like the harden detectives in works of fiction would drink something stirred, brown, and bitter." Amaro Abano and Bourbon did work well together in a stirred drink before, namely the Forgetful Elephant (and a few others where the amaro was a minor component), so I was curious to give my best Voight-Kampff test of it. Once prepared, the Blade Runner conjured forth a caramel, rum funk, and apple aroma. Next, caramel and hints of molasses on the sip ventured into Bourbon, peppery, herbal, and rum funk flavors on the swallow.

que paso

1 1/2 oz Corazon Reposado Tequila (Cimarron)
3/4 oz Amaro Braulio (*)
3/4 oz Lemon Juice
1/2 oz Honey Syrup
1/2 oz Simple Syrup
1 Egg White
1 Strawberry

Muddle the strawberry, add the rest of the ingredients, and shake without ice. Shake with ice, strain into a Delmonico (single old fashioned) glass, and garnish with a lemon twist.
(*) Later made at the bar with Amaro Abano, see text. Two Sundays ago, I wanted to use the other half of my lemon, so I found the Que Paso from The Violet Hour's Winter 2022 menu through online recipe flashcards. While the flashcards had the amaro as Brauilo, their Instagram in late March 2022 had it as Abano. It is unclear when during the menu's progression that the liqueur switched, but I made it with Braulio, although strawberry-Abano has worked rather well in the Speaking In Tongues that was created across town at Sable in 2010. With Braulio, the Que Paso welcomed the senses with lemon, red berry, vegetal, and pine aromas. Next, creamy, lemon, fruity, and honey notes on the sip flowed into tequila, honey, pine, and strawberry flavors on the swallow.

the wardlow

2 oz Bulleit Rye (Old Overholt 86°)
3/4 oz Lemon Juice
1/2 oz Honey Syrup
1/2 oz Benedictine
2 dash Peychaud's Bitters

Shake with ice, strain into a coupe glass, and accent with 2 spritzes absinthe (10 drop St. George). The recipe did not specify if the spritzes were before (like a rinse) or after straining, and I did the latter. Note: a Yelp photo from June 2015 showed this drink served with what appears to be an orange twist (not included here). Two Saturdays ago, I returned to the set of online recipe flashcards from Roxanne's and honed in on the Wardlow created circa 2015 and named after their street address in Long Beach, California. Overall, the drink read like a Gold Rush meets a Frisco Sour, so I was intrigued. Moreover, the combination of Benedictine, honey, and lemon is one that I have seen before in the Castle Garden with gin and Angostura, the Bail Out with Bourbon and allspice dram, the Fecamp 500 with applejack and lemon bitters, and my French Film at Loyal Nine with dry vermouth. Once shaken and strained, the Wardlow showcased an anise and floral bouquet to the nose. Next, lemon and honey notes on the sip unfurled into rye, herbal, floral, cherry, and anise flavors on the swallow.

soul wandering

3/4 oz Genever (Bols Barrel-Aged)
3/4 oz Gin (Tanqueray)
1/2 oz Cynar
1/2 oz Coffee Liqueur (Borghetti)
1/2 oz Sweet Vermouth (Alessio)

Stir with ice, strain into a coupe glass, and garnish with an orange twist.

After making the City to City the day before that was related to the Transmigration, I was inspired to turn the two-Scotch and two-rum drinks, respectively, into a Genever-gin one. Genever and gin have worked in everything from stirred drinks like the Precursor to tropical ones like the Modern Prometheus. Moreover, Genever has paired well with Cynar and coffee liqueur such as in the Wild Card and the Hard Times, respectively, so I figured that the combination had a good chance to click. For a name, I ended up on Soul Wandering to stick with the migration theme. Once prepared, the Soul Wandering opened up with an orange, malty, caramel-roast, and herbal aroma. Next, roast and grape notes on the sip shifted into malty, coffee, and herbal flavors on the swallow. A day or two later, my Instagram friend Tim Kirkland made this drink and wrote in his own post, "Bold, complex, rich. Genever lovers, listen up! As a huge Genever fan, I'm always looking for creative ways to showcase this amazing spirit. This cocktail checks all boxes. Offering hints of juniper, malt, a little cola, coffee, black grapes, orange peel, and a very slightly bitter/malt/coffee finish, the Genever was perfect in this. The gin/Genever combo worked well to bring out the bitter notes from the Cynar, while accentuating the rich coffee notes. The orange oils sort of brought everything together in a wonderful way."

city to city

3/4 oz Scotch (Famous Grouse)
3/4 oz Islay Scoth (Ardbeg 10 Year)
1/2 oz Cynar
1/2 oz Coffee Liqueur (Borghetti)
1/2 oz Sweet Vermouth (Alessio)

Stir with ice, strain into a Nick & Nora (coupe) glass, and garnish with an orange twist. Two Thursdays ago, the second drink I made was one that I found on my Instagram feed as posted by my friend Daniel Zajic called the City to City. The recipe was crafted by Tom Lasher-Walker at Fresh Kills in Brooklyn as a riff on Sasha Petraske's Migration and named after Gerry Rafferty's 1978 album. I learned of the Migration through Tom's other riff, the rum-based Transmigration, that also utilized the coffee element not found in Sasha's drink. Once prepared, City to City gave forth an orange, smoke, and coffee aroma. Next, roast, grape, and caramel notes on the sip traveled to smoky Scotch, herbal, and coffee flavors on the swallow.

smoke along the crescent bend

3/4 oz Laphroaig 10 Year Scotch
3/4 oz El Dorado 8 Year Rum (Hamilton's Demerara River)
3/4 oz Carpano Sweet Vermouth (Alessio)
1/2 oz Benedictine
2 dash Peychaud's Bitters
2 dash Angostura Bitters

Stir with ice and strain into a coupe glass. Two Wednesdays ago, I returned home from my trip to Philadelphia for the USBG Bar Summit to a house with no electricity. When I learned that power would not be back until 3am, I decided to go to bed and double up my efforts on Thursday. The first drink I made then was from a set of online recipe flashcards that I found for Club 33 which is a restaurant in the New Orleans Square part of Disneyland in Anaheim. The drink was called Smoke Along the Crescent Bend as a Vieux Carré riff, and a Yelp menu photo from 2025 provided the description, "Aromas of campfire smoke and tobacco fill the air as riverboats travel along the mighty Mississippi. Goods are bought and sold by travelers at each stop along the way." While I have had rum-based Vieux Carré riffs like the Rhum with a Vieux and a Scotch-based De la Louisiane riff called Islay Louisiane, I have not had the combination in a single glass. Once mixed, the Smoke Along the Crescent Bend paddled to the nose with peat smoke, grape, and anise aromas. Next, caramel and grape on the sip unloaded smoky Scotch, woody rum, herbal, allspice, and anise flavors on the swallow.

pied piper

1 oz Mezcal (Convite Esencial)
1 oz Oloroso Sherry (Lustau)
1 oz Amaro Meletti
2 dash Angostura Bitters

Stir with ice, strain into a cocktail coupe, and garnish with a lemon twist. The final drink that I had prepared in advance for the bartenders' guild national meeting in Philadelphia was the Pied Piper that I uncovered through online recipe flashcards from Attaboy. The build reminded me of the rum-based Globetrotter from the Waldorf-Astoria, so I was game to try this one out with mezcal. To the nose, the Pied Piper played a melody of lemon, caramel, vegetal, smoke, nutty, and floral aromas. Next, caramel and grape notes on the sip flowed into smoky vegetal, herbal, nutty, floral, allspice, and clove flavors on the swallow.

honey i'm home

1 1/2 oz Blanco Tequila (Cimarron)
1/2 oz Bols Genever (Bols Barrel-Aged)
1/2 oz Dolin Blanc (Servito)
1/4 oz Malört
1/4 oz TVH2 (Honey Syrup)
2 dash Lavender Bitters (Scrappy's)

Stir with ice, strain into a coupe, and garnish with a lemon twist. The drink that I had prepared in advance while I was at the USBG Bar Summit in Philadelphia on Monday was the Honey I'm Home from Chicago's The Violet Hour for their Summer 2022 menu. I was able to source the spec through online recipe flashcards, and my cheatsheat from the bar defines TVH2 as honey or honey-ginger-cinnamon syrup (which makes perfect sense given the drink's name), so I went with the one that I had on hand. While I have not had a Genever-tequila cocktail before, there are four Genever-mezcal ones on the blog dating back to 2009 with Misty Kalkofen's 1820. Once prepared, the Honey I'm Home gave forth a lemon, malty, and vegetal bouquet to the nose. Next, honey and white grape notes on the sip delved into tequila, malty, honey, and bitter flavors on the swallow.

jovencourt daiquiri

2 oz Barbancourt White Rhum (110°)
1/4 oz Del Maguey Mezcal Vida (Fosforo Ensemble)
3/4 oz Lime Juice
3/4 oz Simple Syrup

Shake with ice and strain into a coupe glass. Two Sundays ago, I traveled to the USBG Bar Summit in Philadelphia, so I had three nights of cocktails prepared in advance. The first of these was the Jovencourt Daiquiri invented by Phil Ward at Death & Co. in Manhattan as published in the Death & Co.: Modern Classic Cocktails book. Phil commented, "This cocktail was my first epiphany about using mezcal in a mixed drink," and he noted that while it is very common now, no one was doing it much in 2007 when he created this. Also of note was back then until very recently, the unaged Barbancourt was at a lower strength (86° versus 110°). The concept reminds me of the rhum agricole-mezcal Daiquiri with maple that I crafted called Miracles Take Longer especially given how grassy and funky the unaged Barbancourt is (less so in the 8 Year that I have been more familiar with). Once prepared, the Jovencourt Daiquiri generated a grassy and vegetal funk aroma. Next, a lime-driven sip gave way to grassy, smoky, and vegetal flavors on the swallow with a lime finish.

cavalier

1 oz Gin (Tanqueray)
1 oz Amaro Montenegro
1 oz Dry Vermouth (Dolin)

Stir with ice, strain into an old fashioned glass with a large ice cube, and garnish with a lemon twist. Two Saturdays prior, I opened up the Bartender's Choice app and spotted the Cavalier by Sam Ross at Manhattan's Attaboy in 2017. The app described the drink as "a somewhat less bitter take on the Negroni," and it was distinct from the rye-based Cavalier already on the blog. The combination on paper reminded me of Viale's house Negroni back in 2014, the Eldridge, which split the dry vermouth in half with sweet; this is rather curious for the address of Attaboy is 134 Eldridge Street. In the glass, the Cavalier proffered a lemon, tangerine, and pine bouquet to the nose. Next, clementine and a hint of caramel on the sip blossomed into gin, orange, and herbal flavors on the swallow.

attack cocktail

1/2 Calvados (1 1/2 oz Morin Selection)
1/4 Cognac (3/4 oz Courvoisier VS)
1/4 Sherry (3/4 oz Lustau Amontillado)
3 dash Grenadine (1/4 oz)
1 dash Anis (10 drop St. George Absinthe)
1 dash Angostura Bitters

Stir with ice and strain into a cocktail glass. I added an orange twist as a garnish. Two Fridays ago, I reached for my Harry's ABC of Mixing Cocktails book from 1996, and I became intrigued by the Attack Cocktail created at Johnny's Bar in Paris circa 1930. Its trio of sherry, grenadine, and bitters reminded me of the Red Riding Hood from Pioneers of Mixing at Elite Bars: 1903-1933 but here with brandies and a touch of anise liqueur (given the era, either anisette or pastis, but I went with absinthe). Once served, the Attack Cocktail reached out with an orange, berry, apple, and anise aroma. Next, grape and red fruit notes on the sip opened up into apple, nutty, berry, allspice, and anise flavors on the swallow.

as you were

1 oz Banhez Mezcal (Fosforo Ensemble)
1 oz Corazon Reposado Tequila (Cimarron)
3/4 oz Valdespino Pedro Ximenez Sherry (Lustau)
1/2 oz Cocchi Sweet Vermouth (Alessio)
2 dash Mole Bitters (Bittermens)
2 dash Orange Bitters (Angostura Orange)

Stir with ice, strain into a Nick & Nora (coupe) glass, and garnish with a grapefruit disk and a cherry. Two Thursdays ago, I returned to the online recipe flashcards for The Violet Hour in Chicago, and from their Fall 2021 menu, I was drawn in to the As You Were that was described as an "End of the night agave Manhattan". The idea of agave spirits, sweet vermouth, and Pedro Ximenez sherry was one that I enjoyed in the Stage Dives & Fist Fights created at the Last Word in San Antonio, so it was time to mix this one up. In the glass, the As You Were began with grapefruit, raisin, cherry, and smoky vegetal aromas. Next, a semi-sweet grape sip flowed into smoky vegetal, raisin, herbal, orange, and chocolate flavors on the swallow.

johnny utah

2 oz Espolon Blanco Tequila (Cimarron)
3/4 oz Campari
3/4 oz Lime Juice
1/2 oz Grenadine
1/2 oz Cinnamon Syrup

Shake with ice, strain into a Collins glass with 1 oz soda water, fill with ice, and garnish with an orange twist. Two Wednesdays ago, I began perusing the Kindred Cocktails database and landed on the Johnny Utah created by Carlo Caroscio at Volt in Baltimore circa 2014 around two years before he moved to Boston to work at Backbar. Carlo named the drink after Keanu Reaves' character in the movie Point Break. What drove me into making it was how well the Campari-grenadine combination works; in fact, the duo was dubbed "bittersweet" in the Freaky Tiki, and I utilized it in my Jungle Grog and Zombie Count. Moreover, the Campari-cinnamon pairing is also excellent in recipes like the Babbo's Toddy and Rum Firewalker, and I made use of in the Black Hand Society and Quetzal. Once prepared, the Johnny Utah proffered an orange, cinnamon, and agave aroma. Next, a carbonated lime and dark berry sip gave way to vegetal tequila, bitter red fruit, and cinnamon flavors on the swallow.

yabbadabbado

1 1/2 oz Mezcal (Convite Especial)
1/2 oz Amaro Sfumato
3/4 oz Lime Juice
3/4 oz Honey Syrup
Strawberries (2 medium)

Muddle strawberries, add the rest, shake with ice, and double strain into a coupe. Two Tuesdays prior, I looked at my list of drinks garnered from the Attaboy online recipe flashcards, and I zoomed in on the Yabbadabbado. The rabarbaro-strawberry combination was one that I enjoyed greatly in the King Vittorio's Cobbler at Cure in 2011 (and renamed King's Cobbler in the Cure: New Orleans Drinks and How to Mix 'Em book), so I looked forward to trying it in this The Flintstones-themed drink. In the glass, the Yabbadabbado opened up with roast, vegetal, smoke, and red berry aromas. Next, lime, roast, and a hint of red fruit notes on the sip swayed into mezcal, honey, herbal, and strawberry flavors on the swallow.

10 gallon hattan

2 oz Corazon Reposado Tequila (Cimarron)
3/4 oz Cardamaro
1/2 oz Casa d'Aristi Narano (Pierre Ferrand Dry Curaçao)
1/8 oz Allspice Dram (Hamilton's)
1 dash Peychaud's Bitters

Stir with ice and strain into a coupe glass. Two Mondays ago, I returned to the online recipe flashcards for The Violet Hour in Chicago, and I honed in on the 10 Gallon Hattan from Fall 2022 menu. The bar's Instagram post from October 2022 described how it was "A tequila-based twist on a classic Manhattan – boozy and forward featuring notes of allspice and bitter orange." While I did not have Casa d'Aristi's somewhat bitter orange liqueur, the similarities to the Sherpa with curaçao and allspice dram lured me in. When prepared with Pierre Ferrand's curaçao, the 10 Gallon Hattan rode high with roasted vegetal aromas and a hint of vanilla. Grape, orange, and caramelized notes on the sip slid into tequila, bitter herbal, allspice, and orange flavors on the swallow.

21st century

1 1/2 oz Jamaican Dark Rum (1 1/4 oz Coruba + 1/4 oz Smith & Cross)
3/4 oz Blanco Vermouth (Servito)
1/2 oz White Crème de Cacao (Bols)
3/4 oz Lemon Juice

Shake with ice, strain into a coupe, and garnish with a lemon twist. Two Sundays ago, I opened up my copy of The Madrusan Cocktail Companion book and spied the 21st Century. This was not the tequila one created by Jim Meehan at Pegu Club from the PDT Cocktail Book that I had already written about, but a rum one by Brandon Bramhall at Nashville's Attaboy. This riff stuck to the classic 20th Century structure more, and it swapped the gin and Lillet for Jamaican rum and blanc vermouth. In the glass, the 21st Century dawned upon the senses with a lemon, molasses, chocolate, and rum funk aroma. Next, lemon and caramel notes on the sip turned into dark rum, hint of funk, and chocolate flavors on the swallow.

problem solver

1 oz H by Hine Cognac (Courvoisier VS)
1 oz Cardamaro
1/2 oz Benedictine
1/2 oz Ancho Reyes Chile Liqueur
2 dash Angostura Bitters

Stir with ice, strain into a snifter (old fashioned glass), and garnish with orange oil from a twist. Two Saturdays ago, I decided to delve into the online recipe flashcards that I uncovered from Saloon in Somerville, Massachusetts. I honed in on the Problem Solver from 2017, and I found a menu photo on GoogleMaps with this drink along with the Holy Mountain that I ordered there that year and wrote up on the blog. I have only seen Ancho Reyes paired with Cognac once in the Hawthorne's Cafe Lunaire, so I was curious to try it again. In the glass, the Problem Solver offered up orange, grape, and herbal aromas. Next, grape on the sip unfolded into Cognac, herbal, chocolate, and pepper spice flavors on the swallow.

old square

1 oz Rittenhouse Rye
1 oz Armagnac (Marie Duffau Napoleon)
1/2 oz Rancio Sec or sub Oloroso Sherry (Lustau Oloroso)
1/2 oz Dolin Sweet Vermouth (Alessio)
1/4 oz Benedictine
2 dash Peychaud's Bitters
2 dash Angostura Bitters

Stir with ice, strain into an old fashioned glass with a large ice cube, and garnish with an orange and a lemon twist. Two Fridays ago, I decided to make the Old Square by Danny Childs at Lacroix at The Rittenhouse Hotel in Philadelphia as "a rustic take on the Vieux Carré" via an August 2025 article in Imbibe Magazine. I probably skipped over this recipe last year since I did not have rancio sec, and I decided to do it regardless given their recommended substitution. I was also drawn in since a few months after that article, I saw Danny on a Campari Academy virtual session and then read his Slow Drinks book, and I would be seeing him talk in a week and a half at the USBG regional conference in Philadelphia. Oxidized fortified wines such as sherry have appeared in Vieux Carré riffs like Rhum with a Vieux and my Cocktail à la Salle, so a rye-Armagnac version seemed enticing. Once prepared, the Old Square gave forth lemon, orange, nutty grape, and anise aromas to the nose. Next, a grape-driven sip opened up into rye, brandy, nutty sherry, herbal, and anise flavors on the swallow.

drifter

1 1/2 oz Suntory Toki Japanese Whisky
3/4 oz Dolin Blanc Vermouth (Servito)
1/2 oz Amaro Nonino
3 dash Peychaud's Bitters

Stir with ice, strain into an old fashioned glass with a large ice cube, and garnish with a grapefruit twist. Two Thursdays ago, I became intrigued by the Drifter created at ABV in San Francisco and published in Punch. The San Francisco Examiner attributed the drink to bartender Donny Henderson and explained "so named because every ingredient comes from a different part of the world." Overall, the mix reminded me of an apricot-less Noble Order, a blanc instead of sweet vermouth Salary Man, and a Japanese whisky for Bourbon West End on paper. Once prepared, the Drifter sauntered in with a grapefruit, caramel, and orange aroma. Next, caramel and white grape notes on the sip flowed into whisky, bitter herbal, and anise flavors on the swallow.

anderson punch

1 3/4 oz Scotch (Famous Grouse)
3/4 oz Drambuie
1/2 oz Jeppson's Malört
1 dash Angostura Bitters

Stir with ice, strain into an old fashioned glass with a large ice cube, and garnish with a grapefruit twist. Two Wednesdays ago, I was inspired by the day before's Amaro Rusty Nail, and I took the idea in Malört direction after recalling how well it worked with Drambuie in the Bukowski. The combination ended up a bit too bright, but a dash of Angostura not only gave depth but complementary spice notes to the mix. For a name, I dubbed this one the Anderson Punch, the Chicken Man of Chicago, who was born in 1870 and became a legendary street performer that trained chickens to dance to his accordion and harmonica music. Punch was performing until the age of 101 before passing away in 1974. In the glass, the tribute to this colorful character of the Windy City gave forth grapefruit, honey, and Scotch aromas. Next, honey and malt notes on the sip welcomed in Scotch, honey, and grapefruit pith bitter flavors on the swallow. Overall, the Drambuie softened the Malört rather well.

amaro rusty nail

1 oz Scotch (3/4 oz Famous Grouse + 1/4 oz Laphroaig 10 Year)
1 oz Drambuie
1 oz Amaro Sfumato

At the bar, served from the freezer into a shot glass (served with a Budweiser for $10). Here, I stirred with ice, strained into an old fashioned glass with a large ice cube, and garnished with a lemon twist. Two Tuesdays ago, I was listening to the Speakeasy podcast where the hosts were interviewing Robby Dow of Bespoke in Wilmington, North Carolina. On the episode, Robby provided the recipe for the Amaro Rusty Nail which they serve undiluted from the freezer into a shot glass in a boilermaker pairing with a Budweiser. The concept fell into the class of bitter liqueur-tinged Rusty Nail riffs like the Tooth & Nail and the Bitter Nail, so I was intrigrued. Instead of building in a rocks glass and sticking it in the freezer for an hour, I decided to stir with ice and strain over a large ice cube in a rocks glass. With my addition of a lemon twist garnish, the Amaro Rusty Nail ushered in a lemon, roasty char, and smoke bouquet to the nose. Next, honey and roast notes on the sip emptied out into smoky Scotch and bitter herbal flavors on the swallow.

flamingo

1 oz Cuban Rum (2 oz Havana Club 7 Year)
1/2 oz Pineapple Juice (1 oz)
1 dash Grenadine (1/2 oz)
Juice 1/2 Lime (1/2 oz)

Blend with fine ice, pour into a coupe, and serve with straws (shake with ice and strain into a coupe). Two Mondays ago, I decided to make the Flamingo that been making the rounds after being picked up by Madrusan's recent cocktail book. I turned to the source which was Ted Saucier's 1951 Bottoms Up book as provided by the Flamingo Hotel in Las Vegas. While the Madrusan adaptation seemed a bit too sweet for my palate, the original as written was a bit too tart, so I split the difference. With the call for Cuban rum (and Madrusan asking for dark rum), I figured that this was a great way to use the second to last pour of my Havana Club 7 Year bottle I got in the Jalisco airport duty-free shop a decade ago. The bird name and color made its way into the 1939 Just Cocktails' Flamingo, but that one had gin and brandy instead of rum and pineapple juice. This Flamingo's combination appeared like the Santiago Julep from Trader Vic's 1947 Bartender's Guide if mint were added. Here, the Flamingo conjured up red berry, caramel, and pineapple aromas. Next, lime, pineapple, and dark caramel notes waded into dark rum, hint of molasses, pineapple, and red fruit flavors on the swallow.

sleeping tiger

1 1/2 oz Del Maguey Mezcal Vida (Fosforo Ensemble)
3/4 oz Lime Juice (1/2 oz)
1/4 oz Ginger Syrup
1/4 oz Honey Syrup
1/2 oz Pineapple Juice

Shake with ice, strain into an old fashioned glass with a cayenne pepper-Demerara sugar (1:4) rim, and garnish with a lime wheel (omit) and a light dusting of cayenne pepper. Two Sundays ago, I returned to Amanda Schuster's New York Cocktails book and spotted the Sleeping Tiger from Louis 649 in Manhattan that I had neglected to make over the years. This was Louis 649's most popular cocktail, and a year after they closed in 2014, the bar Mace opened in that spot. The concept with the honey-ginger aspect reminded me of agave Penicillin riffs like the Little Branch Cocktail perhaps crossed with mezcal-honey-cayanne recipes like the Dahlia's Revenge and my Lupe Velez. Once mixed, the Sleeping Tiger awoke with a pineapple, vegetal, and smoke aroma. Next, pineapple, honey, and lime notes on the sip stretched into smoky mezcal, pineapple, and ginger flavors on the swallow with a hint of pepper spice.

smoking jacket

1 oz Mezcal (Convite Esencial)
3/4 oz Campari
3/4 oz Sweet Vermouth (Alessio)
1/2 oz Ancho Reyes Chile Liqueur

Stir with ice, strain into an old fashioned glass with a large ice cube, and garnish with a grapefruit twist. Two Saturdays ago, I uncovered a set of online recipe flashcards for King Bee in Austin and landed on the Smoking Jacket. The site Austin Pedal Party mentioned the drink in a bar review and showcased it in a menu photo around the Fall 2024-Spring 2025 timeframe. This one joins the two other Smoking Jackets on the blog, namely Bergamot's and Death & Co.'s, but this is the only one to use mezcal instead of Scotch. Overall, the combination was rather similar to the Bordertown with different proportions and garnish and without bitters added. Once prepared, the Smoking Jacket gave forth a grapefruit, roasted vegetable, and smoke aroma. Next, grape and roast notes on the sip opened up into vegetal, smoky, dried fruit, bitter orange, and spice flavors on the swallow.

fire lily

1 1/2 oz Ford's Gin
1/2 oz Mezcal (Fosforo Ensemble)
1/2 oz Dry Vermouth (Dolin)
1/4 oz Triple Sec (Cointreau)
1/4 oz Crème de Violette (Rothman & Winter)
1 dash Thai Chili Firewater Tincture (3 dash my Hellfire Bitters)

Stir with ice, strain into a coupe glass, and garnish with an orange twist. Two Fridays ago, I turned to the Martini section of The Madrusan Cocktail Companion book, and I was drawn in by the Fire Lily that was created by Eric Alperin at The Varnish in Los Angeles as perhaps a riff on the Water Lily from Little Branch. Eric converted the Sour into a smoky and spicy Martini-style drink, but given the straight spirits nature, it slightly reminded me of the White Lily too. It also gave me a reason to use my bottle of violette for the second time that week that I had not dusted off since I made the Final Say last summer. Once prepared, the Fire Lily lept off with an orange, vegetal, floral, and pine aroma. Next, a hint of orange on the sip blossomed into gin, smoke vegetal, floral orange, and pepper spice flavors on the swallow.

sepia negroni

1 oz Gin (Tanqueray)
1 oz Blanc Vermouth (Servito)
1/2 oz Amaro Sfumato
1/2 oz Amontillado Sherry (Lustau)

Stir with ice, strain into a double old fashioned glass with a large ice cube, and garnish with an orange twist. Two Thursdays prior, I returned to the online recipe flashcards for Attaboy and became intrigued by the Sepia Negroni. An article about Florence Cocktail Week 2025 mentioned that Attaboy served this drink during their guest shift. True, this is not a not a Negroni but an abstraction; the use of Sfumato in this Negroni-adjacent drink reminds me of the Caustic Negroni that I came up on the fly to satisfy a request during my guest shift at Backbar years ago. Once stirred and strained, the Sepia Negroni conjured forth an orange, nutty sherry, and smoky roast aroma to the nose. Next, grape and roast notes on the sip unfurled into gin, nutty, and bitter herbal flavors on the swallow.

testarossa collins

1 1/2 oz Rhum Barbancourt Blanc (110°)
1/4 oz Fernet Branca
1/2 oz Ginger Syrup 2:1 (1/2 oz Ginger Syrup 1:1 + 1/4 oz Simple Syrup)
3/4 oz Lime Juice
3/4 oz Pineapple Juice

Shake with ice, strain into a Collins glass with 1 oz soda water, fill with ice, and garnish with a pineapple wedge (lime wheel). Two Wednesdays ago, I reached for my copy of the Cuban Cocktails: 100 Classic and Modern Drinks book from the Cienfuegos crew of Alla Lapushchik, Jane Danger, and Ravi DeRossi, and I happened on the Testarossa Collins by Tom Chadwick of Cienfuegos and Dram Bar. The book claims that Tom was inspired by the French house musician Kavinsky who crashed his Ferrari Testarossa in 1986 and then "mysteriously came back to life as a Zombie" with the Fernet representing the Italian sports car. Wikipedia declares that "The concept behind OutRun [Kavinsky's 2013 debut album named after a video game featuring a Ferrari] follows Kavinsky's backstory of a young man who crashed his Testarossa in 1986 and reappeared in 2006 as a zombie who produces electronic music." Overall, the recipe read like a rum and soda instead of completely Fernet-driven Cure for Immorality, so it seemed worthy of a go. In the glass, the Testarossa Collins opened up with a lime, grassy rhum funk, and ginger aroma. Next, a carbonated lime and pineapple sip drove into grassy rum, ginger, and menthol flavors on the swallow.

wingspan

1 3/4 oz Bombay Sapphire Gin (Tanqueray)
1/2 oz Cocchi Americano
1/2 oz Swedish Punsch (Kronan)
1/4 oz Crème de Violette (Rothman & Winter)
1 dash Orange Bitters (Angostura Orange)

Stir with ice, strain into a coupe glass, and garnish with an orange twist. Two Tuesdays ago, I spotted a recipe called the Wingspan on Difford's Guide that caught my eye. The drink was created at the Savoy Hotel Bar in London circa 2014 as a cross between the Aviation and the World War II-era Wings (recipe not found) created there. From the menu's ingredients list, Simon Difford interpreted the drink as above, and after making it, I thought that the recipe could be tweaked a little. The Lillet/Cocchi Americano-Punsch aspect reminded me of recipes like the Metexa and Happy Daze, so I gave it a go. In the glass, the Wingspan soared to the nose with orange, pine, and floral aromas. Next, caramel and pear notes on the sip glided into gin, grapefruit, black tea, and soapy floral flavors on the swallow. Overall, the violette was a little much, and perhaps the Cocchi Americano could be bolstered to be more like the Metexa. My proposed recipe:

Wingspan (Fred's suggestion)
• 1 1/2 oz Gin
• 1 oz Cocchi Americano
• 1/2 oz Swedish Punsch
• 1/8 oz Crème de Violette
• 1 dash Orange Bitters
Stir with ice, strain into a coupe glass, and garnish with an orange twist.

inwood

2 oz Rye Whiskey (Old Overholt 86°)
1/2 oz Green Chartreuse
1/2 oz Café Lolita (Borghetti)
2 dash Orange Bitters (Angostura Orange)

Stir with ice, strain into a coupe glass, and garnish with a lemon twist. Two Mondays prior, I was lured by an unusual combination in the Inwood at Attaboy via online recipe flashcards. One friend on Instagram commented that they had not experimented with Chartreuse and coffee flavors, and I commented that "I have never seen it before. Cacao and hot chocolate, yes." Since Green Chartreuse can stand up to Fernet such as in the similarly structured Green Hornet, I figured that it would do alright with even a robust coffee liqueur. Once stirred and strained, the Inwood presented a lemon, coffee, and herbaceous aroma. Next, a roast-driven sip led into rye, coffee, and herbal flavors on the swallow with roast and orange elements coming through on the finish.

loose cannon

1 1/2 oz Bourbon (Evan Williams Bonded)
1/2 oz Punt e Mes
1/2 oz Fernet-Vallet (Fernet Branca)
1/2 oz Pierre Ferrand Dry Curaçao

Stir with ice, strain into a coupe glass, and garnish with an orange twist. Two Sundays ago, I opened up my copy of The Madrusan Cocktail Companion book and found the Loose Cannon by Brandon Bramhall at Last Saint in Charleston via the Manhattan section. The recipe made me think of the Alcazer from Pioneer of Mixing at Elite Bars: 1903-1933 (rye, Fernet, orange liqueur), and the combination of whisk(e)y, Punt e Mes, and those two liqueurs can be found in the Scotland the Brave. In the glass, the Loose Cannon shot off with orange, grape, and minty aromas. Next, caramel and grape notes on the sip stepped aside for Bourbon, herbal, bitter menthol, and orange flavors on the swallow.

st. stephen's sour

1 oz Cognac (Courvoisier VS)
1 oz Aged Rum (Dos Maderas 5+5)
3/4 oz Lemon Juice
3/4 oz Orgeat

Shake with ice, strain into a glass filled with crushed ice (big cube), and garnish with a lemon twist. Two Saturdays ago, I came across the St. Stephen's Sour by Jeffrey Morgenthaler at Portland's Clyde Common in 2014 via Imbibe Magazine. Overall, the concept reminded me of the Cameron's Kick, but instead of Scotch and Irish whiskey, it features the punch duo of rum and brandy. Moreover, it also came across like a Between the Sheets with orgeat instead of that classic's orange liqueur. Once shaken and strained, the St. Stephen's Sour showcased a lemon and nutty aroma. The sip mirrored the nose with creamy and lemon notes, and the swallow revealed rum, Cognac, and nutty flavors.

late for lunch

1 1/2 oz Blanco Tequila (Cimarron)
3/4 oz Lime Juice
1/2 oz Orgeat
1/2 oz Aperol
1 Egg White

Shake one round without ice and one round with ice, strain into a glass (coupe), and garnish with lime peel shavings. Two Fridays ago, I returned to the online recipe flashcards for The Violet Hour in Chicago and found the Late for Lunch as a dealer's choice option. The recipe reminded me of the Dead Man's Handle with egg white and different proportions, presentation, and garnish; since that one was delicious, I gave this one a go. In the glass, the Late for Lunch gave forth a lime, orange, and vegetal aroma. Next, a creamy lime and orange sip blossomed into tequila, almond, and orange flavors on the swallow.

trust falls

1 oz Bourbon (Evan Williams Bonded)
1 oz Cognac (Courvoisier VS)
1/4 oz Licor 43
1/4 oz Allspice Dram (Hamilton's)
2 dash Peychaud's Bitters

Stir with ice, strain into an old fashioned glass with a large ice cube, and garnish with an orange twist. Two Thursdays ago, I uncovered the Trust Falls from a collection of recipes from Too Soon in Portland, Oregon. Overall, the combination reminded me of the Sherpa except with the Bourbon split with Cognac and citrus-driven Licor 43 replacing the curaçao. Moveover, the name made me think of the recurrent bit in office comedy series The Chit Show. Once prepared, the Trust Falls launched off with an orange, vanilla, and allspice aroma. Next, a slightly citrussy sip opened up into whiskey, brandy, allspice, and orange flavors on the swallow.

shaken hands

1 oz Blanco Tequila (Cimarron)
1 oz Aperol
3/4 oz Lemon Juice
3/4 oz Pineapple Juice
1/2 oz Ginger Syrup
2 dash Angostura Bitters

Shake with ice and strain into a rocks or coupe glass. Two Wednesdays prior, I spotted the Shaken Hands in a recent Imbibe Magazine article. The drink was created by Aurele Berdoz at The Rhymer's Club in Manhattan as a tropical take on Audrey Saunder's Intro to Aperol. The gin and simple syrup from Audrey's recipe was swapped to tequila and ginger syrup with pineapple juice added, and perhaps one day I will get around to making the original. Here, the Shaken Hands gave forth an orange, agave, and clove aroma. Next, pineapple, lemon, and orange notes on the sip reached for vegetal, orange, ginger, and allspice flavors on the swallow.

best friend

1 1/2 oz Mezcal (Convite Especial)
1/2 oz Campari
2 oz Pineapple Juice
1/2 oz Lime Juice
1/2 oz Cinnamon Syrup

Shake with ice, strain into a double old fashioned glass with a large ice cube, and garnish with a dehydrated pineapple wheel (omit). Two Tuesdays ago, I decided to make the Best Friend by Karl Steuck for the opening menu at the Condor Bar in the Hotel El Roblar. I found the recipe in a set of online recipe flashcards for the bar, and my search uncovered the recipe in a 2025 article in Food & Wine. The Best Friend read like a Gilda Cocktail meeting a mezcal Jungle Bird, so it seemed worthy of a try. As I mentioned in my Palenque Punch yesterday, my trick of swapping the simple syrup for cinnamon in the mezcal version of the parallel Mr. Bali Hai (to add depth of flavor lost in transitioning to an unaged spirit as well as adding complementary notes) was also something that Karl figured out as well. Once prepared, the Best Friend greeted the nose with a pineapple, cinnamon, and vegetal aroma. Next, pineapple and lime notes on the sip blossomed into smoky vegetal, bitter orange-pineapple, and cinnamon flavors on the swallow.

palenque punch

1 oz Convite Una Mezcal
1 oz Luxardo Bitter Bianco
1/2 oz Luxardo Espresso Liqueur
1/2 oz Acidified Pineapple Juice (*)
1/2 oz Cinnamon Syrup (1:1)

Build over ice and stir. I batched and poured over ice. While developing the recipe, it actually tasted rather good undiluted at room temperature too.
(*) Pineapple juice was acidified with 6% citric acid (94 grams pineapple to 6 grams citric). Skipping the acidification and replacing with 1/2 oz regular pineapple juice + 1/2 oz lemon juice would work well. In late February, the Hotaling Company reached out to see if I would represent Convite Mezcal and Luxardo at Speed Rack in late March. I was asked to create the drink and run the booth as I was one of the lucky bartenders to spend several days down in Oaxaca with the Convite team where I gave a master class to local bartenders, answered questions, and did guest bartending shifts during my session in January 2023. For a recipe that I presented two weeks ago, I utilized the Convite Una Mezcal (that also benefits breast cancer charities like Speed Rack does) as well as their suggestion of using Luxardo Bitter Bianco. When they sent me some samples including Luxardo's Espresso Liqueur, I became inspired to make something akin to the Mr. Bali Hai. When I have done mezcal variations of that tropical drink, I have utilized cinnamon instead of plain simple syrup to provide complementary flavors and add a bit or roundness to the unaged spirit. As I was batching 150 full-sized portions at just shy of 16 liters, I went with an acidified pineapple juice instead of sourcing fruit and preparing 75-80 ounces of fresh lemon juice. It also made the mix shelf stable at room temperature so I could prep it a day in advance and not worry about refrigeration. Overall, it was a success. Midway through the event, folks were coming up to the booth by way of word of mouth that they needed to try this, and one patron even returned to tell me that my drink was the best of the night and asked for a second helping. Since I had a little left over from the event, I decided to make it my nightcap and prepared tasting notes. In the glass, the Palenque Punch began with a cinnamon, espresso roast, and pineapple aroma. Next, the roast and pineapple elements continued on into the sip where they were chased by smoky vegetal flavors blending into bitter herbal ones that lead into coffee and cinnamon notes on the swallow.

wonderboy

2 oz Cognac (Courvoisier VS)
1/2 oz Pedro Ximenez Sherry (Lustau)
1/2 oz Amaro Sfumato

Stir with ice, strain into a double old fashioned glass with a large ice cube, and garnish with a lemon twist. Two Sundays ago, I returned to the online recipe flashcards for Attaboy and spied the Wonderboy. I have tried other drinks with the Sfumato-Pedro Ximenez sherry motif such as the Violet Touch with rye and Besitos de Abuelita with agave, and I utilized it in my Slowly Goes the Night with a rye and mezcal mix. I was drawn in for it seemed especially elegant with a Cognac base. In the glass, the Wonderboy lept to the nose with a lemon, raisin, char, and smoke aroma. Next, deep grape and roast notes on the sip were confronted by rich Cognac, smoky bitter herbal, and raisin flavors on the swallow.