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.

fantastico

1 1/2 oz Gosling's Black Seal Rum
1/2 oz Varnelli Punch Fantasia
3/4 oz Ginger Syrup
1/2 oz Lime Juice
2 dash Angostura Bitters

Shake with ice, strain into a Highball glass with soda water (2 oz), add ice, and garnish with a piece of candied ginger. Another soda water recipe that I had saved up resided on the Bartender's Choice app called the Fantastico. The drink was crafted by Brandon Bramhall at Nashville's Attaboy in 2018, and the app described it as "A Dark 'N Stormy with some added amaro bitterness." After finding a way too cheap liter bottle of Punch Fantasia a little over a year and a half ago, I have been looking at ways of using it past the ounce and quarter to date poured thanks to the Bumbo and the Last King of Scotland. Here with another half ounce, the Fantastico offered up a caramel, hazelnut, and ginger bouquet to the nose. Next, a carbonated caramel and lime sip delved into rum, nutty, ginger, herbal, and allspice flavors on the swallow.

bow & arrow

1 oz Mezcal (Fosforo Ensemble)
1 oz Bourbon (Evan Williams Bonded)
1 oz Pineapple Juice
1/2 oz Lime Juice
1/2 oz Cinnamon Syrup

Shake with ice and strain into a coupe. Two Fridays prior, I reached for my copy of The Madrusan Cocktail Companion and spotted the Bow & Arrow by Scott Teague at Dutch Kills circa 2015. The recipe reminded me of a split base Gilda Cocktail from Death & Co.; Scott would have been familiar with the Gilda from having worked at Death & Co. a few years after Brian Miller created it in 2009. In the glass, the Bow & Arrow shot forth with a vegetal, cinnamon, pineapple, and smoke aroma. Next, a lime-driven sip landed on Bourbon, vegetal agave, pineapple, and cinnamom flavors on the swallow.

the hamptonian

1 oz Brisson VS Cognac (Courvoisier VS)
1 oz Beefeater Gin (Tanqueray)
3/4 oz Amaro Ramazzotti
3/4 oz Lemon Juice
3/4 oz Simple Syrup

Shake with ice, strain into a Collins glass with soda water (2 oz), add ice, and garnish with a lemon wheel (lemon twist). Another soda water recipe that I had saved up was The Hamptonian at Dear Irving as a fancy Long Island Iced Tea. This drink sourced from a set of online recipe flashcards from Fall 2021 reminded me of Sother Teague's Youthful Expression with its gin, Bourbon, Ramazzotti, bitters, and soda. In the glass, The Hamptonian emitted a lemon and cola aroma. Next, a carbonated lemon and caramel sip flowed into Cognac, juniper, caramel, and herbal flavors on the swallow.

iroc-z

1 1/2 oz Applejack (Laird's Bonded)
1/2 oz Cynar
3/4 oz Ginger Syrup
1/2 oz Lime Juice

Shake with ice, strain into a highball glass with soda water (2 oz), add ice, and garnish with a piece of candied ginger. Continuing on with my backlog of recipes elongated with soda water, I decided to make the Iroc-Z from Attaboy two Wednesdays ago. This recipe that I found in online flashcards reminded me of the CIA crossed with a Buck. Once assembled, the Iroc-Z accelerated to the nose with an apple and ginger aroma. Next, a carbonated lime and caramel sip switched gears into an apple, ginger, and herbal swallow.

ross Island

3/4 oz Beefeater Gin (Tanqueray)
3/4 oz Amaro Ramazzotti
3/4 oz Swedish Punsch (Kronan)
3/4 oz Lemon Juice

Shake with ice, strain into a collins (highball) glass with soda water (2 oz), and garnish with a lemon wheel (lemon twist). Two Tuesdays ago, since I had a fresh bottle of soda water, I decided to make the Ross Island at the now shuttered La Moule in Portland, Oregon, that I uncovered through online recipe flashcards. A GoogleMaps menu photo dates this drink to 2021 around two years before it closed. While I thought that it could be named after the island off of Antarctica, one of my Instagram friends pointed out that there is a Ross Island in the Willamette River just south of La Moule's location. As for the recipe, the only instance of Swedish punsch and Ramazzotti being used together was in the Over the Yardarm but the amaro was used in a float over crushed ice there, so I was curious to try it in this elongated equal parts recipe. Once mixed, the Ross Island gave forth lemon, pine, and root beer aromas. Next, a carbonated lemon and caramel sip opened up into pine, citrus, herbal, cola, and black tea flavors on the swallow.

i'm not your mary

1 oz Wild Turkey (Rittenhouse Rye)
1 oz Bertoux Brandy (Courvoisier VS)
1/2 oz Dolin Blanc Vermouth (Servito)
1/4 oz Demerara Syrup
3 dash Smeby Black & White Bitters that are chocolate/vanilla (2 dash Savoy Society Chocolate Chicory + 2 dash Savoy Society Orange Vanilla)

Stir with ice and strain into an old fashioned glass rinsed with Fernet Branca. The identity of the whiskey as to Bourbon or rye (or the proof) was not mentioned, but I went with Rittenhouse Rye to split the difference since Wild Turkey Bourbon is a bit fiery. Two Mondays ago, I returned to the online recipe flashcards for The Violet Hour and latched on to the I'm Not Your Mary as a Toronto riff taken by way of the Sazerac from the Winter 2022 menu. I was drawn in for it reminded me of the bar's All Bark, All Bite circa 2018 as a Toronto with a split rye and Scotch base with a smoky rinse. Once stirred and strained, the I'm Not Your Mary welcomed the nose with Fernet's minty and menthol aromas. Next, a lightly caramel sip unfurled into rye, brandy, chocolate, menthol, and vanilla flavors on the swallow.

bouchot

1 1/2 oz Calvados (Morin Selection)
3/4 oz Cocchi Americano
3/4 oz Suze Gentiane Liqueur

Stir with ice, strain into an old fashioned glass with a large ice cube, and garnish with a lemon twist. Two Sundays ago, I spotted a reference to a drink that Sother Teague created for the podcast Sauced called the Bouchot to complement the episode's mussels dish. This fruity White Negroni riff was named after the fence posts for farming intertidal mussels. Overall, the flavor concept reminded me a little of my Tin Can Telephone with apple brandy and gentian liqueur that utilized sweet vermouth and a touch of Benedictine instead of Cocchi Americano. Once prepared, the Bouchot gave forth a lemon and gentian herbal aroma. Next, pear notes on the sip opened up into apple, herbal, and grapefruit flavors on the swallow.

cactus fly

3/4 oz Mezcal (Fosforo Ensemble)
3/4 oz Amaro Sfumato
3/4 oz Ginger Syrup
3/4 oz Lemon Juice

Shake with ice and strain into a Nick & Nora (coupe) glass. The recipe said no garnish, but I opted for a piece of candied ginger on a pick like this drink's siblings. Two Saturdays ago, I ventured back to the online recipe flashcards for the Long Island Bar in Brooklyn where I sourced the Electric Mayhem. The drink I selected was the Cactus Fly that was akin to the Mosquito with Campari and the Dragonfly with Braulio, but here with Sfumato. Since mezcal and Sfumato are a great pairing such as in the Oakland, Tarantula, and other cocktails, I prepared this one right away. In the glass, the Cactus Fly gave forth a vegetal, roast, smoke, and ginger aroma. Next, lemon and roast notes on the sip slid into vegetal, ginger, roast, and herbal flavors on the swallow with a smoky finish.

little easy

1 1/2 oz Famous or Black Grouse (2 oz Famous Grouse)
1/2 oz Averna (2/3 oz)
1 Sugar Cube (1/3 oz Simple Syrup)
2 dash Peychaud's Bitters
2 dash Bitter Truth Orange Bitters (Angostura Orange)

Muddle the sugar cube soaked with bitters (I used simple syrup and skipped the muddling), add Scotch and Averna, and stir with ice. Strain into an old fashioned glass rinsed with absinthe (Pastis d'Autreois) and garnish with an orange twist. Two Fridays ago, I was looking through the Kindred Cocktails database and landed upon the Little Easy by Brian Quinn in a 2012 Food Republic article as a riff on the New Orleans classic, the Sazerac. Scotch and Averna have paired well before in the Philadelphia Story, Black Mass, and other drinks, so I was game to give this one a whirl. In the glass, the Little Easy proffered an orange, anise, and licorice bouquet to the nose. Next, caramel and malt notes on the sip opened up into Scotch, herbal, anise, and hint of cherry flavors on the swallow.

penumbra

1 oz Gin (Tanqueray)
1 oz Aperol
3/4 oz Lemon Juice
3/4 oz Passion Fruit Syrup
1/8 oz Honey Syrup
1 Egg White

Shake one round without ice and one round with ice, and strain into a Sour glass. Two Thursdays ago, I returned to the most recent set of online recipe flashcards for Attaboy that I uncovered. There, I found the Penumbra and an almost identical drink called the Orange Moon that was served in an old fashioned glass with a large ice cube instead of served up. For a time frame, I turned to Yelp where there was a June 2023 review with a photo of the Penumbra served in a coupe, and an October 2023 review with photo of the Orange Moon served in an old fashioned glass with a large ice cube and short metal straw. One of the reviews described the combination as, " I felt like it tasted like an orange creamsicle." The combination of gin, Aperol, and passion fruit reminded me of the 'I'iwi Bird, and Aperol and passion fruit factored into my gentian liqueur-based Italian Stallion and Baldwin Bar's aromatized wine-based Rome with a Slight View. Once shaken and strained, the Penumbra cast out an orange, passion fruit, and pine aroma. Next, a creamy orange sip was overshadowed by gin, passion fruit, and orange flavors on the swallow.

dead man's party

1 oz Cognac (Courvoisier VS)
1 oz Mezcal (Fosforo Ensemble)
1/2 oz Amaro Sfumato
1/2 oz Aperol
2 dash Mole Bitters (Bittermens)

Stir with ice, strain into an old fashioned glass, and garnish with a grapefruit twist. Two Wednesdays ago, I was reminded of the Veneto Negroni with Aperol and Sfumato as the bitter liqueur element and was inspired to tinker. Originally, I tried a 3:1 mix of rye whiskey to mezcal similar to the Knife to a Gun Fight with Bourbon and rinse of Scotch, but it was a bit thin. Instead, I went with an equal split of Cognac and mezcal that worked well in the 1910 Cocktail. For a name, I dubbed it after a song from Oingo Boingo, the Dead Man's Party, that I had on a mix I made to play at Drink which I recently revisited. The end result offered up grapefruit, smoke, and orange aromas to the nose. Next, orange, roast, and caramel notes on the sip gave way to Cognac, vegetal, bitter herbal, and orange flavors on the swallow with smoke, chocolate, and char on the finish.